384 



BRITISH BIEDS. 



The young cuckoo grows rapidly, and soon turns out the proper 

 occupants of the nest, by means of a cavity on its back, which 

 then grows up, commencing to disappear about the end of the 

 second week after birth. The food consists mainly of insects, 

 the foster-mother being kept busily at work, as the young cuckoo 

 is ravenous. Hairy caterpillars of the lackey -moth, tiger- 

 moth, &c., are especially acceptable to the young bird. It is a 

 widely distributed bird, being found in India and Africa and 

 many other parts. 



13. Coraciiformes. 



(i) Owls (Strigbs). 



The Owls or Strigidce are nocturnal birds of prey, with very 

 soft plumage, and with raptorial feet in which the fourth toe is 

 reversible. The eyes are directed forwards, and are large in size. 

 The beak, which is short, is furnished with a number of bristles 



at its base, and the nos- 

 trils are pierced in the 

 cere. The head is large, 

 owing to the cranial bones 

 being hollow, and the 

 eyes are surrounded by a 

 disc or veil of feathers 

 (fig. 191). The ear is 

 also surrounded by feath- 

 ers and protected by a 

 fold of skin. The undi- 

 gested food, as in the 

 Falconidae, is passed out 

 in pellets from the mouth. Striges have a wide gullet, but 

 rather small stomach. There are nine genera recorded in Great 

 Britain. The four common British species are — the Barn-Owl 

 {Strix flammea), the Long-eared Owl {Asio otus), the Short- 



FiG. 191.— Head of Bahn-Owl (Strix fiammm). 



