

THE TAWNY OWL. 139 



parents. When taken into confinement at this time of 

 their lives they may easily be reared, and soon become 

 tame and familiar. The young birds vary considerably in 

 size, owing to the fact that the eggs are laid at intervals of 

 three or four days between each. 



The note of the Tawny Owl is aptly described as a 

 " loud and melancholy hoot." It is heard most frequently 

 in the evening and the earlier hours of the night. 



In plumage these birds show considerable variation, 

 the ground colour in some specimens being a very dark 

 tawny or brown, and in others approaching almost to grey. 

 The length of the male bird is about fifteen inches ; the bill 

 is pale horn colour, much hidden by bristles ; cere flesh 

 colour; iris very dark brown; two irregular whitish stripes 

 extend backwards over the eye, and the facial disk is well 

 marked. Head large ; crown dark brown and grey, tinged 

 with rufous ; the bristly feathers of the face are greyish- 

 white, interspersed with black near the bill, and the small 

 rounded feathers of the wreath are black in the centre, 

 edged, spotted, and barred with white and rufous; neck 

 dingy white, with rufous brown streaks and spots ; nape 

 and back dark brown, with markings of brownish-grey and 

 brown ; chin brownish-grey ; throat and breast same as 

 the neck. The wings have an expansion of nearly three 

 feet, are a mixture of ash grey, mottled with shaded brown ; 

 there is a descending line of white spots at the edge of the 

 scapulars, and another on the edge of the wing-coverts. 

 The upper portion of the tail is barred with brown, and the 

 under part greyish -white, with bars of reddish-brown. 

 Lower portions of the body greyish-white, with streaks and 

 spots of pale and dark brown ; under tail-coverts white. 

 Legs and toes covered with short greyish-white feathers; 



