THE HAWK OWL. 75 



The very remarkable bird which is now Ivjiown as the Jardines Harrier is one of the 

 myriad sti-ange creatures which are j)roduced by Australia, that land of wonders. 



According to Gould, it is generally found in plains, and specially frequents the wide and 

 luxuriant grass flats that intervene between the mountain ranges. Like all the birds of the 

 same genus, it is never seen to soar, but sweeps over the surface of the ground at a low eleva- 

 tion, seeking after the mice, reptiles, small birds, and other creatures on which it feeds. It is 

 very fond of small snakes and frogs, and in order to obtain them may be seen hovering over 

 the marshes, or beating the wet ground after the fashion of the hen harrier. It is seldom known 

 to perch on trees, preferring to take its stand on some large stone or elevated hillock fi'om 

 which it may survey the surrounding land. The nest of this bird is supposed to be built on 

 the ground, overshadowed by some brush or tuft of grass, like that of other harriers, and 

 placed \\\)0\i the toj) of one of the numerous "scrub" hills. 



The coloring of this bird is quite unique, and would attract attention even if it were not 

 an anomaly among birds of tliis genus. The head, cheeks, and ear -coverts are dark streaked 

 chestnut, the streaky appearance being given by a dee^) black line down the centre of each 

 feather. A gray collar or band passes round the neck and the back of the head, the primaries 

 are buff towards their base, and black for the latter two-thirds of their length. The tail is 

 barred alternately with dark bro\ATi and gray, the extremity being brown. The back and scap- 

 nlaries are dark-gray sjirinkled witli a number of little white dots, and the entire under 

 surface is a bright ruddy chestnut, covered profusely with nearly circular white spots of 

 considerable size. The legs are yellow, and the biU dark slaty-blue, becoming black at the 

 extremity. 



OAAT LS. 



There are few groups of Jiirds which are so decidedly marked as the Owls, and so easy 

 of recognition. The round, puffy head, the little hooked beak just appearing from the downy 

 plumage with which it is surrounded, the large, soft, blinking eyes, and the curious disk of 

 feathers which radiate from the eye and form a funnel-shaped depression, are such character- 

 istic distinctions, that an Owl, e\-en of tlie least Owl-like aspect, can at once be detected and 

 referred to its proper place in the animal kingdom. There is a singular resemblance between 

 the face of an Owl and that of a cat, wliich is the more notable as lx)th these creatures have 

 much the same Idnd of habits, live on the same prey, and are e\ddently representatives of the 

 same idea in their different classes. The Owl, in fact, is a winged cat, Just as the cat is a 

 furred Owl. 



These birds are, almost Avithout an exception, nocturnal in their habits, and are fitted for 

 their peculiar life by a most wonderfully adapted form and structure. The eyes are made so 

 as to take in every ray of light, and are so sensitive to its influence, that they are unable to 

 endure the glare of daylight, being formed expressly for the dim light of evening or earliest 

 dawn. An ordinary owl of almost any species, when brought into the fidl light of day, 

 becomes quite bewildered \nth the unwonted glare, and sits blinking uncomfortably, in a 

 pitiable manner, seemingly as distressed as a human being on whose undefended eyes the 

 meridian sun is shining. The nictitating membrane, or inner eyelid, with which the Owl, in 

 common with many other birds and animals, is furnished, stands it in good stead under such 

 circumstances, and by repeatedly drawing its thin membranous substance over the aching 

 eyeball, the Owl obtains some relief from the pain which it is suffering. 



The eyes of Owls are very curiously formed, as are their ears and plumage, and their 

 structure will be briefly described in the course of the next few pages. 



The transition from the falcons to the Owls is evidently through the harriers, as may 

 be seen by comparing the engraving of any harrier with that of the Canada Owl, or 

 Hawk Owl, as it is often termed. In the harriers we find the commencement of the peculiar 



