STRIGID^E. 43 



partiality for young Partridges ; but, in spite of these 

 poaching propensities, one anecdote is told by Yar- 

 rell of this bird, which ought to entitle it rather to 

 the protection of the gamekeeper than to his perse- 

 cution : it is as follows : A pair of Brown Owls 

 brought up their brood in a tree near a Magpie's 

 nest, with which birds they had constant fights ; at 

 last the remains of the young Magpies were found 

 under the Owls' tree, and in one instance the head 

 and feathers of one of the old Magpies. 



The eggs are placed in a hole in a tree, in which 

 moss and feathers are collected, but not sufficiently 

 arranged to bear the designation of a nest. 



The Brown Owl varies a good deal in plumage, 

 according to age and sex. Young birds taken from 

 the nest are frightful little balls of grey down, not at 

 all resembling the description of her young ones 

 given by the Owl to her friend the Eagle, in the 

 fable of Lafontaine : 



" Mignons 

 Beaux bienfaits et jolis sur tous leurs compagnous." 



In the adult bird the beak is whitish horn-colour ; 

 the eyes large ; hides dark blue, almost black ; facial 

 disk white, mixed with yellowish brown, a few black 

 hairs round the beak ; feathers forming the edge of 

 the disk white, yellowish brown and brown ; head 

 and neck streaked yellowish brown and dark brown ; 

 all the upper surface yellowish brown, much streaked 



