144 



LONG-EARED OWL U 



of a Screech-Owl being attracted by a solitary midnight taper to 

 flutter against the window of a sick room, and there to utter its 

 melancholy wail, should for a time shake the faith of the watcher, 

 and, when repeated with the customary exaggerations, should 

 obtain for the poor harmless mouser the unmerited title of ' harbinger 

 of death '. 



Sub-Family SYRNIIN^ 



LONG-EARED OWL 



Asio 6tus 



Beak black ; iris orange yellow ; egrets very long, composed of eight or ten 

 black feathers, edged with yellow and white ; upper parts reddish yellow, 

 mottled with brown and grey ; lower parts lighter, with oblong streaks 

 of deep brown. Length fifteen inches ; breadth thirty-eight inches. 

 Eggs white. 



Though not among the most frequent of the English Owls, this 

 species occurs in most of the wooded parts of England and Ireland, 

 as indeed it does in nearly aU parts of the world where woods are 

 to be found. It is more common than is usually supposed in France, 

 where it unites in its own person all the malpractices which have 

 been popularly ascribed to the whole tribe of Owls. It is there 

 said to be held in great detestation by all the rest of the feathered 

 tribe ; a fact which is turned to good account by the bird-catcher, 

 who, having set his traps and limed twigs, conceals himself in the 

 neighbourhood and imitates the note of this Owl. The little birds, 

 impelled by rage or fear, or a sUIy combination of both, assemble 

 for the purpose of mobbing the common enemy. In their anxiety 

 to discern the object of their abhorrence, they fall one after another 

 into the snare, and become the prey of the fowler. The Long-eared 

 Owl is not altogether undeserving of the persecution which is thus 

 intended for her, her principal food being field-mice, but also such 

 little birds as she can surprise when asleep. In fact, she respects 

 neither the person nor the property of her neighbours, making her 

 home in the old nests of large birds and squirrels, and appropriating, 

 as food for herself and her voracious young, the carcases of any 

 that she finds herself strong enough to master and kill. 



The cry of this bird is only occasionally uttered — a sort of barking 

 noise. The note of the young bird is a loud mewing and seems to 

 be intended as a petition to its parents for a supply of food. A 

 writer in the Zoologist} who has had many opportunities of observ- 



» Vol. ii. p. 562* 



