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former than in the latter country ; and in Sicily it is again less abundant than in Italy, but it is 

 not known to inhabit Sardinia. 



Throughout Southern Germany the Tawny Owl is resident and generally distributed ; and 

 Messrs. Danford and Harvie-Brown say that it is especially common in Transylvania in winter ; 

 but it is stated by Messrs. Elwes and Buckley to be by no means abundant in Turkey ; for they 

 never observed it there, though Mr. Robson has obtained it more than once. In the south 

 of Russia and on the borders of the Black Sea this Owl is not rare in wooded localities, but 

 is naturally wanting in the steppe regions. In Asia Minor and Greece it is resident, but, 

 Dr. Kriiper informs me, is nowhere numerous. He found it breeding in Greece, Asia Minor, 

 and on Olympus. In Palestine, according to Canon Tristram (Ibis, 1865, p. 262), it is " very 

 common where there is large timber, but nowhere else. When camping in the forest country 

 of Gilead in April, we heard its hoot night after night, and took one nest in a tree containing 

 three hard-set eggs. In the collection of the late Mr. Herschell there was a specimen shot by 

 that gentleman at Jericho, certainly an exceptional locality ; and when at the Cedars of Lebanon, 

 we found it very numerous, roosting in twos and threes in the highest tops of the patriarchs of 

 the grove. The plumage is very much more grey than in any European specimens I have seen, 

 but not more so than in some from the Atlas." 



In North-east Africa it must be very rare, if present at all ; for, although Savigny includes 

 it in his ' Description de l'Egypte,' no subsequent explorer appears to have obtained it. In 

 North-west Africa, however, it is tolerably common. Loche states that it breeds in the wooded 

 portions of Algeria ; Mr. Tyrwhitt Drake found numbers in caves at Tetuan ; and Favier, who 

 says that it is the scarcest of the Owls near Tangier, adds that " it is met with on passage, crossing 

 to Europe in February, and returning in November and December. Some remain and breed in 

 April, laying two eggs, of which often only one is hatched." 



The Tawny Owl does not range far into Asia. Mr. J. H. Gurney records it from Beyrout, 

 in Syria ; and Dr. Severtzoff states that it is rare in Turkestan, but probably resident in some 

 districts ; and he adds that it occurs sporadically on the Chatir-kul river. 



The Tawny Owl is essentially nocturnal, more so, perhaps, than any other of our British 

 Owls ; and should it be disturbed and compelled in the daytime to leave its snug retreat, it 

 appears to be bewildered and dazed by the glare of daylight. It frequents woods and dense 

 groves, during the daytime seeking refuge either in the dense shelter of the foliage or else in the 

 hollow of a tree, and occasionally, it is said, on the ground, seldom or never leaving its resting- 

 place until the shades of night commence to fall, unless forced to do so. Sometimes it seeks 

 shelter in solitary ruins or old towers, but less frequently than in groves. It prefers oak- or 

 beech-woods, especially where there are plenty of hollow trees, and is more often found in hilly 

 than in very flat localities. So soon as the night sets in it becomes restless, leaves its hiding-place, 

 and commences ranging about in search of food, which consists of small mammals of various 

 kinds, young hares and rabbits, large insects, and even fish and frogs. Macgillivray states that 

 he found the stomach of one nearly filled with earth-worms ; and the Rev. Mr. Bree cites an 

 instance of young Tawny Owls being fed by their parents with live fish (bullheads and loach). 

 Like other birds of prey this Owl disgorges the indigestible portions of the animals it devours, 

 in the shape of elongated pellets, which are cast out of the mouth, and are found in considerable 



