Long-Eared Owl. 105 



and Cu-cu ; in Portugal, as Mocho pequeno, ' the little horned 



one. 



21. LONG-EARED OWL (Otus vulgaris). 



Conspicuous amongst its congeners from its long tufts or 

 horns, which measure nearly an inch and a half in length, and 

 from which it derives its genuine name otus, ' eared,' known in 

 Sweden as Skogs Uf, or ' Forest Owl,' and elsewhere in Scan- 

 dinavia where it is very common as Horn Uggla or ' Horned 

 Owl.' In France, Hibou Moyen Due ; in Germany, Mittler 

 Ohreule; in Italy, Gufo Minore ; in Spain, Carabo ; and 

 in Portugal, Mocho. This handsome species stands forth as 

 a very ,type of the family of owls, so complete is the ruff 

 of feathers surrounding the face, so large the orifice of the 

 ear, so buoyant its flight, so thoroughly nocturnal its habits. 

 As in the species last described, nothing can exceed the 

 beautiful pencilled markings of its plumage, the darker shades 

 of brown contrasting with the more delicate tints of the 

 same colour, and the whole blending together and harmonizing 

 with indescribable beauty. It frequents thick plantations during 

 the day, and breeds very early in the spring, in our large woods, 

 preferring the deserted nest of another bird to the trouble of 

 building for itself. The young, if disturbed, are said to throw 

 themselves on their backs, to hiss violently, to snap quickly with 

 their hooked beaks, strike furiously with their sharp claws, and 

 puff out their down like a turkey-cock. Mice and moles con- 

 stitute their favourite food, but in addition to this, Montagu says 

 that they will take small birds off their roost. The Long-eared 

 Owl is indigenous to Wilts, and though but sparingly distributed 

 throughout the county, breeds here annually. The Rev. G. Marsh 

 possessed one killed at Gritnam Wood, near him, in 1840, and 

 had seen it in the neighbourhood of Salisbury. Mr. Hayward 

 and Mr. Stratton have seen it at Lavington, and Mr. Elgar Sloper, 

 of Devizes, kept one alive, which was taken from the nest at 

 Aldbourne in 1853, where there had also been a nest of these 

 birds the previous year. Mr. T. Kemm, of the Manor House 



