Horned or Eagle Owls 521 



in a thick tree, whence it issues at sunset and wings its way to the water's edge 

 to search for food. It lives principally on fish and crabs, but is also known to 

 kill small birds or mammals. At the nesting season, which extends from Decem- 

 ber to March, it resorts to the vicinity of water, placing the nest in a hollow tree, 

 the abandoned nest of the Fishing Eagle, or on a rocky ledge. The eggs, usually 

 two in number, are white and broad oval in shape. The Tawny Fish Owl 

 ( K. jiampes} is a fine species, frequenting the banks of Himalayan rivers, and 

 is rich orange-buff, the feathers all with dark central stripes. Its nest and eggs 

 are unknown. Similar to the last, but much smaller, is the Malayan Fish Owl 

 (K. kelu pa), which ranges throughout the Malay Peninsula, Java, Sumatra, and 

 Borneo. It feeds largely on insects and is said to be more or less active during 

 daylight. 



The African Fish Owls (Scotopelia) also number four species, all being large, 

 handsome, though apparently rare, birds. Pel's Owl (S. peli) of both East and 

 West Africa is the best known. It is about twenty-four inches long, a deep 

 rufous-bay above, numerously barred with black, and light bay below, with dis- 

 tinct heart-shaped bars of black. In the Zambesi district it is said to feed largely 

 on the wild Guinea Fowl, while in West Africa it has been observed 'to feed on 

 fish. 



Horned or Eagle Owls. The splendid Horned or Eagle Owls (Bubo) are 

 typical of the largest of the groups (Bubonince) into which the members of this 

 subfamily are divided. They range in size from medium to very large, in fact 

 among them are about the largest and most formidable representatives of the 

 suborder. They have a large head with conspicuously long ear-tufts and fully 

 feathered tarsi, while the toes are sometimes bare or scantily feathered. The 

 wings are relatively short, always falling short of the rounded tail by the length 

 of the middle toe ; the bill is short but very strong, and the claws are powerful and 

 well curved, the inner being the longer. The plumage is irregularly varied 

 with buffy, tawny, or whitish and dusky in variable extent. 



Great Horned Owl. The genus Bubo is a large one, embracing not less than 

 twenty-five or thirty forms, and is pretty generally distributed throughout the 

 world, excepting Australia. They are subject to a considerable amount of local 

 variation, which has given rise to a number of well-marked geographical races. 

 The typical form, the Great Horned Owl par excellence (B. virginiamis] , is a 

 splendid bird between eighteen and twenty-five inches in length, with the plu- 

 mage moderately dark-colored, the dusky markings more extensive or more nu- 

 merous, while the face is usually more or less rusty. It is found throughout east- 

 ern North America, ranging south to eastern Mexico. It frequents especially 

 the heavily timbered districts, and so long as these conditions prevail it is a fairly 

 common species, but with the leveling of the forests, the usual accompaniment 

 of civilization, it has become rarer. It is an unsociable and solitary bird, except 

 during the breeding season, and rarely allows another of the same species to 

 remain in the vicinity of its range. "In disposition," says Dr. Fisher, "it is fierce 

 and untamable, and in point of strength and courage is inferior to none of our 

 rapacious birds. It is so savage and seemingly so devoid of the confidence 



