66 



BRITISH BIRDS. 



THE LONG-EARED OWL. 



(Strix Otus, Linn. Plibou moyen-duc, Temm.) 



LENGTH fourteen inches ; breadth about three 

 feet. The bill is black; irides bright orange; the 

 radiated circle round each eye is of a light cream 

 colour, in some parts tinged with red ; between the 

 bill and the eye there is a circular streak of dark 

 brown ; another circle of dark rusty brown entirely 

 surrounds the face ; its ear tufts consist of six 

 feathers, closely laid together, of a dark brown, 

 tipped and edged with yellow; the upper part of 

 the body is beautifully pencilled with fine streaks 

 of white, rusty, and brown ; the breast and neck 

 are yellow, finely marked with dusky streaks, 

 pointing downwards; the belly, thighs, and vent 



