62 



CLASS AVES. 



ORDER ACCIPETRES. 



The Fasciated Owl (S. Lineata) is about the same size as the last species. 

 It is a native of Guiana, and also of Cayenne. 



The Cinereous Out (S. Laponica) is the largest species known ; the male 

 is two feet in length, and the female from two feet four inches to two feet 

 eight inches in length. It is found in the woody districts between Lake 

 Superior and lat. 67 or 68 from Hudson's Bay to the Pacific. 



2. Night Owls. These, with the preceding section, form Savigny's 

 genus Noctua : many of them are of small size, but their habits are gene- 

 rally nocturnal, and their motions slow and noiseless. 



Species the Barred Owl (S. Nebulosa) is about twenty inches in 

 length. It is a native of the Arctic regions, and is found in Sweden, 

 Norway, and North America. Its common food is mice and small game, 

 but occasionally it seizes on fowls, partridges, and young rabbits; and 

 Audubon was told that it also devoured fish. It is frequently observed 

 flying during the day, and according to Wilson sees more distinctly at that 

 time than many others of the same genus. 



The Brown Owl (Plate 3), called also the Tawny Owl (S. Aluco), 

 measures fourteen or fifteen inches in length ; bill yellowish-white ; head 

 large and flattened towards the occiput ; irides dark-bluish black ; face 

 white, tinged and barred with brown; upper parts marked with large 

 deep brown spots, and with small ferruginous and white spots ; upon the 

 scapulars some large white spots ; under parts reddish-white, with trans- 

 verse brown bars. In the female the colours are much more red, and often 

 ferruginous-red, and the transverse barring of the wings and tail are alter- 

 nately ferruginous and brown. The first year's birds resemble the female, 

 and have the irides brown : such have been considered a distinct species, 

 and called S. Stridula, or Tawny Owl. This is one of the most common 

 of the British species, and is also spread over Europe, preferring especially 

 closely wooded districts, those particularly in which there is much fir, 

 holly, and ivy. They build in the hollows of old trees, or will occupy a 

 deserted crow's nest and lay four or five whitish eggs. During day it 

 remains hidden, being unable to see well in the light, but at night is 

 actively engaged in search of its prey rats, mice, moles, rabbits, and young 

 hares, sometimes also pigeons, and even fish. 



The Knocking Owl (S. Pulsatrix) is about seventeen and a half inches 

 long; head rather larger than in the Tawny Owl ; wings not quite reaching 

 the end of the tail ; legs strong, stout, and feathered nearly to the claws. 

 This is a very beautiful bird. Native of the Brazils. 



The Pagoda Owl (S. Pagodarum), seventeen inches long, is found at 

 Pondicherry, where it is called Oume-Kblan. 



The Little Owl (S. Passerina) is about nine inches in length, and the 

 size of a Jay ; it is the smallest European species ; cere olive-brown ; beak 

 much hooked, and rather curved at the sides. It is common in almost all 

 the warmer countries of Europe, but rarely higher than 55 a of north lati- 

 tude : in England it is only an occasional visitant. 



Tengmalm's Owl (S. Tengmalmi) is rather smaller than S. Passerina, 

 with which it is often confounded, but may be distinguished, according to 

 Yarrell, by the thickness and more downy character of its plumage, and by 

 the length and abundance of the feathers covering its short legs and toes. 

 This species, of rare occurrence in England, is found throughout the north 

 of Europe ; it is very common in North America, where it is found in the 

 woody country from the Great Slave Lake to the United States. 



The Acadian, Ferruginous, Least, Occipital, Sonnerafs, Chestnut-winged, 

 Collared, Many-rayed, Cayenne, White-fronted, White-banded, Manges, 

 Cuckoo, Boobock, and the Spotted Owl, together with S. Passerinoides, 

 S. Hylophila, and S. Brama, are of this division. 



The four following species, which have the beak curved only at the tip, 

 and the facial disc very fully developed, form the genus Strix, or True Owls 

 of Savigny. 



The Barn Owl (S. Flammea). Thirteen inches in length ; beak straw- 

 coloured, lengthy; curving at the tip; irides yellow; face and throat 

 white; upper parts light ochreous-yellow varied with grey and brown 

 zigzags. (Plate 3.) Legs and toes covered with very short down, but 

 thin upon the toes ; claws yellowish-white, the middle one having its inner 



edge imperfectly serrated. This is the most common species in this 

 country, is widely spread throughout Europe, Asia, and less frequently in 

 the northern parts of America ; it lives among old ruins, barus, church- 

 towers, and other secluded places, where it breeds, making its nest under 

 the eaves of buildings or in the hollows of trees, and lays three or five 

 whitish eggs. About twilight it leaves its retreat, and may be seen hunting 

 noiselessly and regularly over the fields and along the hedgerows in search 

 of mice, shrews, bats, and beetles, upon which it drops with great pre- 

 cision and swallows whole. Occasionally in its flight it utters loud 

 screams, whence its vulgar name of Screech Owl, and if disturbed when 

 perched, hisses and snores very violently. The S. Javanica of Gmelin is 

 merely a variety of this species. 



The Pearly Owl (S. Perlata) very nearly resembles the preceding, and 

 is considered both by Wilson and Temminck as identical with it. Lich- 

 tenstein, however, considers it a distinct species. It is spread throughout 

 the greater part of South America. 



The Chestnut Owl of Java, the Fork-tailed Owl of Mexico, and Say's 

 Burrowing Owl of Missouri, are also species of tin's section. 



Second Section. EARED OWLS. This division is easily distinguished 

 from the former, by a pair of little tufts of feathers placed more or less 

 forward upon the forehead, and which are generally, but not always, 

 capable of erection, and are known by the several names, horns, ears, or 

 aigrettes. They are further divided into two minor sections. 



First : Eagk Owls. Tail rounded and longer than the wings ; legs and 

 toes feathered to the long, curved, and very sharp claws ; facial disc almost 

 imperceptible ; aural conch small, oval, and without an opercule. They 

 form Cuvier's genus Bubo ; are very strong and active ; do not wait till 

 darkness sets in, but are often seen prowling about before sunset, and in 

 the high northern latitudes are constantly on the wing in daytime during 

 the summer months, for which their bright yellow irides seem to fit them. 



Species the Great-horned or Eagle Owl (S. Bubo) : two feet in length. 

 Very common in the great forests of Hungary, Russia, Germany, and 

 Switzerland, but rare in France and England, and never in Holland. It is 

 also found in North America, Kamtschatka, and China, and often, according 

 to Temminck, at the Cape of Good Hope. 



The American Great-horned Owl (S. Virginiana) : the male twenty, and 

 the female twenty-four inches in length ; the White-horned Owl (S. Arctica), 

 twenty-three and a half inches in length ; very similar to S. Virginiana ; 

 the Bengal Eared Owl (S. Bengalensis) ; the Sultan Owl (S. Sultanus) ; 

 the Supercilious Owl (S. Griseata), native of Cayenne ; the Noisy <hd 

 (S. Strepitans), native of Sumatra : also the Sumatran Owl (S. Sumatrana). 



Second: Eared Owls. Tail square, and scarcely showing any con- 

 cavity beneath ; wings long ; the legs and toes feathered to the claws, 

 which are long and very sharp ; facial disc of moderate size, and complete ; 

 conch extending from the beak to the top of the skull in a semicircular 

 form, and provided with an opercule. They form the subgenus Otus of 

 Cuvier, are generally nocturnal, and prey upon mice and small birds ; some 

 live in the woods, and others in more open country, or on heaths. 



The Eastern Great Horned Owl (S. Ascalaphus) is seventeen and a half 

 inches in length : is found in Africa, and common in Egypt. 



The Long-eared Owl (S. Otus), fourteen inches in length ; aigrettes 

 consisting of eight or ten feathers, black, edged with yellow and white, 

 and about an inch and a quarter long ; beak black ; irides deep orange ; 

 upper parts ferruginous-yellow, irregularly spotted with deep brown and 

 ashy-grey ; under parts pale ochrish-yellow, marked with oblong blackish- 

 brown streaks. The female is distinguished by her white throat and fan , 

 but the edges of the latter marked with brown, and the plumage generally 

 mottled with greyish-white. It is found in Europe, Africa, and America, 

 and is common in the wooded parts of this country, France, and Germany, 

 preferring, however, pine plantations and old ivy. This species does not 

 build any nest, but occupies those deserted by crows, magpies, wood- 

 pigeons, or squirrels, and lays four or five white eggs with rounded ends 

 earlv in the spring. They feed principally on mice and moles, but occa- 

 sionally on small birds, which they suqwise at roost. They are courageous 



