ANECDOTE OF THE LONG-EAEED OWL. 107 



as the Owl prefers to take to the deserted nest of some other bird, and to fit up the premises 

 for its own use. According to Mr. Yarrell, this Owl has been known to take possession 

 of the nest of a squirrel, and therein to rear its young. The eggs of the Long-eared Owl 

 are generally four or five in number, and white, as is the case with nearly all Owls' eggs. 



It is a decidedly nocturnal bird, seldom being seen in the light of day, and being 

 always greatly disturbed if it should chance to issue from its concealment while the sun 

 is above the horizon. When it can take its choice of locality, it seems always to prefer 

 some spot where the foliage is thick, dark, and heavy, and if possible will build its nest 

 in the shade of some large evergreen. 



The colour of this bird is very handsome, but so complicated that it is not easy to 

 describe. The colour of the back and upper feathers of the body is pale brown, diversified 

 on the neck and shoulders by sundry longitudinal streaks of black-brown. The upper 

 surface of the wings is variously splashed with black, fawn, and brown, and the primaries 

 are light chestnut barred and spotted with dark brown. The facial disc is cuiiously 

 marked with several shades of brown and white, and the " ears " are composed each of 

 seven or eight blackish-brown feathers. The under surface of the body is greyish-white 

 intermixed with fawn and various longitudinal brown streaks, and the legs are covered up 

 to the claws with pale-brown plumage^ The sharp curved claws are black, as is the bill, 

 and the eyes are of a light orange. 



As the facial disc is very conspicuous in this species, I shall take the opportunity of 

 inserting a few remarks upon that portion of the Owl's structure which have already 

 appeared in " My Feathered Friends." 



" It is said that the use of this circle is to collect the rays of light and throw them upon 

 the eye, a provision necessary in dark nights. This principle is apparently carried out in 

 the case of the Barn Owl, where the feathery circle, being of a whitish hue, may be 

 supposed to act as a reflector of the light. But it must be remembered that in the 

 Brown Owls this circle is also brown, and therefore would rather absorb than reflect 

 the light. Besides, objects are seen by the light reflected from them to the eyes, while 

 light reflected upon the eyes from the sky would rather distract than aid the vision. 

 When, on a bright day, we put our hands to our eyes in order to view a distant object, M^e 

 do so not to collect scattered rays and to force them to converge upon the pupil, but 

 rather to keep these scattered rays from interfering with those that proceed directly from 

 the object of vision. The same thing may be observed when people look at a picture 

 through a tube. 



In my own opinion the radiating feathery circle is very simple in its operation, being 

 only a kind of circular splay window cut through the thick mass of plumage in which the 

 head of the bird is enveloped, in order to give it a wider sphere of vision, just as architects 

 cut a splay window in the thick wall of a fort so as to permit a musket-barrel to be 

 pointed in any direction. And the radiating formation of the feathers is preserved 

 because the natural elasticity of their stems presses aside the softer downy plumage of the 

 head, and preserves the circular form complete. If examined, they will be found to be 

 formed in a very peculiar manner, and quite distinct from those on which their extremities 

 press." 



For the following interesting account of the habits of a tame Long-eared Owl, I 

 am indebted to the kindness of a correspondent. 



" The Horned Owlet has a peculiarly cat-like expression of face, and this I think was 

 the chief attraction possessed by a downy greyish-white ball, that was thrust into my lap 

 by one of my boy friends, who at the same time announced its name and nature. 



With great delight I proceeded to introduce him to my other bird pets, but the 

 intense excitement caused by his appearance compelled me to remove him with all speed. 

 The small birds were all afraid of him, but the jackdaw and magpie both charged poor 

 ' Blinker ' at once. It then struck me that the catlike face and nocturnal mousing habits 

 of the creature indicated the deep secret of its nature, and if so, that it would have more 

 sympathy with the feline establishment than with that of the birds. 



Acting upon this impression, I at once conveyed him to pussy's closet, and introduced 



