64 STRIGIN^E. ULULA. 



the abruptly rounded tip. Mouth very wide ; tongue short, 

 narrow, deeply sagittate and papillate at the base, covered 

 above with minute papillae, the sides nearly parallel, the tip 

 rounded and emarginate ; oesophagus wide, without crop ; 

 stomach very large, roundish, very thin, its inner surface soft 

 and slightly rugous ; pylorus with a semicircular flap ; intes- 

 tine of moderate length, rather wide ; coeca large, oblong, 

 narrowed at the base ; cloaca globular, very large. Nostrils 

 roundish, with the cere tumid behind. Eyes very large, 

 oblique, slightly mobile. Conch somewhat elliptical, extend- 

 ing from the level of the upper part of the eye to the base 

 of the lower jaw, and having an anterior semicircular oper- 

 culum. Head extremely large, broad, rounded ; neck short ; 

 body short, much compressed behind. Legs of moderate 

 length, stout ; tarsus short, feathered ; toes short, feathered, 

 all with two scutella at the end ; claws long, well curved, 

 tapering, compressed, very acute. Plumage very full and 

 soft ; facial disks very large, complete ; ruff complete and 

 conspicuous ; wings long, very broad, much rounded ; the 

 first five quills abruptly cut out on the inner edge, the fourth 

 longest, the first and tenth about equal ; tail broad, rounded. 

 These birds reside chiefly in wooded districts, are strictly 

 nocturnal, and prey on small quadrupeds, birds, insects, and 

 occasionally fishes. 



26. ULULA ALUCO. TAWNY HOOTING OWL, 



Upper parts brownish-red, more or less tinged with grey, 

 marked with longitudinal dark brown streaks, and transverse 

 lines of a lighter tint ; the lower parts reddish- white, or yel- 

 lowish, with longitudinal linear-lanceolate and transverse 

 undulated dark brown markings ; large white spots on some 

 of the scapulars and wing-coverts ; bill greyish-yellow ; iris 

 bluish-black. Young birds more tinged with red, old birds 

 more grey. 



Male, 14, 31, 10, 1 T T , lif, 1 T T , V Female, 16, 34. 



This, next to the Mottled Tufted Owl, and Barn Owl, is 

 the most common species in Britain, where it is generally 

 dispersed in the wooded districts. At night it emits a loud 

 and doleful cry, termed hooting, besides which it occasionally 

 utters a harsh scream. Its food consists of young hares, rats, 

 mice, moles, birds of various species, beetles, and other in- 



