Scops-Owl. «3 



of blackisli-browii : tarsi densely feathered; bill pale yellow; iridcs bright straw- 

 yellow; claws black. Length 15 inches to 16 inches. 



Young birds resemble the old ; but llic plmiiage is more fluffy, and the 

 various markings more faintly indicated. 



Family—S TRIGID^E. 



Scops-OwL. 



Scops giu, Scop. 



THIS pretty little tufted Owl, the smallest species on the British list, is a 

 regular summer visitor to the southern parts of Europe, and has been 

 captured at large as an accidental visitor to this couutrj^ about a score of times, 

 chiefly in the southern counties, has occurred twice in Ireland, and only once in 

 Scotland. It has occurred at all seasons of the 3'ear. As it is frequentl}- brought 

 over from the Continent to be sold as an aviary pet, it is probable that some of 

 these instances ma}? have been due to escapes. There are numerous subspecies 

 of the Scops-Owl distributed in almost all parts of the warmer countries of the 

 world. Although a nocturnal species this small Owl comes abroad occasionally in 

 the bright sun. It frequents gardens, groves, and evergreen woods, and preys 

 almost exclusively upon insects, being especiallj' fond of locusts, and sometimes 

 captures small birds and mice. Numbers are sold in the market at ^lalta, and are 

 eaten b}- the natives. 



This tin}' Owl arrives and departs with the Swallow, and is restricted in its 

 range to the temperate and warmer parts of Europe and North Africa. Its note 

 is its specific name giu, gin, repeated monotonousl}^ at inter\-als of tn-o seconds, 

 " with the regularity of a pendulum," all through the night. Lord Lrlford 

 describes it as ver}' abundant in the south of Spain, where a few remain for the 

 winter in Andalucia, and saj's : — "This species has but little fear of man, and I 

 have several times watched one from a few yards distance, as it sat generally- 



