226 SHORT-EARED OWL. 



Naturelle des Oiseaux of Button, retaliates, in his 

 own peculiar vein of humour, on the Count de 

 Buffon, for the palpable injustice and falsehood of 

 his criticisms, and takes ample, but very polite 

 revenge on his erring antagonist. 



In the Arctic Zoology we are informed that 

 " this bird occurs, with some very slight variations, 

 in many parts of North America, and is even sup- 

 posed to extend into South America. In Hudson's 

 Bay it is called the Mouse-Hawk. It never flies, 

 like other Owls, in search of prey, but sits quiet on 

 the stump of a tree, watching the appearance of 

 Mice. It breeds near the coast; makes its nest 

 with dry grass, upon the ground; and migrates 

 southward in Autumn." 



Mr. Latham observes that this species is very 

 common in the northern and woody parts of 

 Siberia, often rushing blindly towards such fires as 

 are lighted by night, and assaulting the persons 

 near them. It is a very fierce and courageous 

 bird, and an instance has been known of one which 

 was shot springing up with great fury at the sports- 

 man when endeavouring to secure it. Mr. Latham 

 is inclined to suppose, from the difficulty of detect- 

 ing the ear-plumes in dead specimens, that the 

 bird described and figured by Edwards under the 

 name of Hawk Owl, may be the same species. 

 He also adds that the ear- feathers or horns are in 

 reality composed of several feathers, and do not 

 consist of one only on each side, as commonly 

 supposed; and that their power of elevation is not 

 great at any time. 



