234 SCOPS HORNED OWL. 



ing to the more accurate observations of Spallan- 

 zani, who bred up some of these birds, and who 

 professes to wonder that Aldrovandus, Linnasus, 

 and Buffon should all agree in stating them as 

 each consisting of a single plume. It is impossible, 

 he adds, to suppose that either of those great 

 naturalists had ever examined a single specimen 

 of the bird. The mistake however, in all pro- 

 bability, originated in Aldrovandus, and was from 

 him copied by other writers. It is observed by 

 Aldrovandus that in the dead bird the above- 

 mentioned feathers are difficultly discernible. 



The Scops is a native of the warmer parts of 

 Europe, and is of a migratory nature. In France 

 it is said to arrive and depart at the same time with 

 the Swallow. At particular times great flights 

 arrive, and wage a kind of war against the field- 

 mice, in years when those animals are unusually 

 numerous. In Italy its favourite residence, accord- 

 ing to Spallanzani, is in gently rising, wooded 

 regions, but not among lofty mountains; and 

 it lives principally on insects and earth-worms. 

 During the day it continues in the shade of the 

 woods, perched on a branch, and continuing mo- 

 tionless, with its ears or tufts erected : in this state 

 it will permit a very near approach, and then only 

 retires to hide itself afresh among the branches. 

 Towards the dusk of the evening it emerges from 

 its retreat, perches on a tree in some open spot, 

 and begins its cry, which consists of a quick and 

 often repeated whistle, somewhat like the word 

 Chivi, for which reason it is called in some places 



