PASSERINE OWL. 265 



brown, with large curved or lunated white bars: 

 larger quill-feathers barred with the same colour: 

 face whitish, with small oblong dark streaks : head 

 deep brown, with a white streak on the shaft of 

 each feather: ridge of the wings white: under 

 parts whitish, but marked on the breast and sides 

 with numerous lunated or somewhat heart-shaped 

 brown spots: tail short, barred with deep and 

 pale brown : legs whitish, and covered to the claws 

 with small hair-like plumes: bill horn-colour, with 

 paler tip: irides yellow: orbits surrounded with 

 long black hairs. 



This species is found in many parts of Europe, 

 but is very rare in England. It appears to vary, 

 not only in the cast of its plumage, but in the 

 colour of its irides, which in some specimens are 

 said to be black or dark blue; and such birds are 

 observed to be of a darker colour than those in, 

 which the irides are yellow. The Passerine Owl 

 frequents ruins, and is said to deposit its eggs in 

 such situations more frequently than in trees. It 

 is a bird of a very wild disposition, and the young, 

 when taken even in the earliest state, soon exhibit 

 a ferocious character, and differ totally in temper 

 and manners from those of the Scops or Little 

 Horned Owl. Of this we are assured by Spallan- 

 zani, who reared these birds, in order to become 

 acquainted with their instinct and habits. 



