26 



owl is proportionate to its size, so that we might well suppose 

 its being a dangerous enemy to hares and grouse in the coun- 

 tries of Northern Europe and America, where it frequents. 



Like the other birds comprised in this interesting family, 

 the superstitious ideas of various countries have firmly clung 

 to it. Increasing their fear in proportion to its size, we ex- 

 press no astonishment whilst reading of the Indian medicine 

 man, who represents the awe and reverence which should be 

 experienced towards him by the stuffed figure of the great owl, 

 when we remember that Rome, on two occasions, underwent 

 lustrations for the purpose of purifying the city after the ap- 

 pearance of this inauspicious bird. 



Commonly observed in the United States, Wilson has 

 given us the following anecdote respecting its habits in con- 

 finement : "A very large one, wing-broken while on some 

 foraging excursion, was kept about the house for several 

 days, and at length disappeared, no one knew how. Almost 

 every day after this, hens and chickens also disappeared one 

 by one, in an unaccountable manner, till in eight or ten days 

 very few were left remaining. The fox, the minx, and weasel 

 were alternately the reputed authors of this mischief, until one 

 morning the old lady herself, rising before day to bake, in 

 passing towards the oven, surprised her late prisoner the owl 

 regaling himself on the body of a newly killed hen. The thief 

 instantly made for his hole under the house, from whence 

 the enraged matron soon dislodged him with a brush handle, 

 and without mercy despatched him. In this snug retreat 

 were found the greater part of the feathers, and many large 

 fragments of her whole family of chickens." 



Habitat Northern Europe. 



GENUS XII. SCOPS (Scors OWL). 



SPECIES 24 THE SCOPS-EARED OWL. 



Scops Aldrovandi. Will. 



Hibou scops. Temm. 



THIS beautiful little owl is one of extreme rarity, only two 

 specimens, properly authenticated as being obtained in Ire- 

 land, having come under the notice of Mr. Thompson. Of 

 these the first was noticed by R. Ball, Esq., of Dublin, from 

 a specimen shot in the month of July, by the gamekeeper at 

 Lough Crew, county of Meath, the seat of J. L. W. Naper, 

 Esq. Another scops-eared owl was observed by Mr. J. Poole, 



