322 A VES— SUB-ORDER STRIGES. 



became my principal pet. He ranged over the Piazza, perching on the 

 branch of a tree ; he was fed regularly by the orderly on roasted fish, but 

 he often came to the dinner-table and flew down for scraps of meat or bread- 

 and-butter, which he took gently from myself or Mrs. O'Connor, permitting 

 us to rub his head, crest, neck, and back, seemingly enjoying the caressing. 

 But he would snatch meat or bones from the cat or dog, and when the 

 eagle was introduced into his company, he beat him in a most unmerciful 

 manner away from his peculiar and original portion of the Piazza — the eagle 

 being one of the fiercest and most pugnacious of African birds, brought from 

 the upper parts of the Sabia River near ' Wallie,' and, when in vigour, able 

 to carry away a kid or small lamb. Nero luxuriated in a tub of water, 

 frequently washing himself and perching himself on the rim until dry. He 

 was wont to go out to the garden or fields, where instantly an immense 

 commotion arose among all the birds ; the larger ones flew round the owl, 

 keeping a very civil distance — the smaller birds flew away ; but Nero treated 

 both alike with sovereign contempt ; he would return of his own accord to 

 the roosting-place in the Piazza, and when put out and confined for some 

 days, rejected all food, and pined until restored to his perch. With me he 

 was as tame as any canary, and after an absence of two months recognised my 

 voice when I went to his cage, at Oatlands (Devon), appearing much pleased 

 by my taking him out for a walk on the grass. Many natives from the 

 interior told me they had not seen such a bird before ; but they 

 considered him unlucky." 



These are some of the largest of all the Owls, and they are found in nearly 

 every part of the globe except Australia. The Eigle-Owl of Europe (5i^o 



hxibo) is a magnificent species, with very large ear-tufts. 



The Eagle-Owls.— and is such a powerful bird that it even kills fawns, as 



Genus Bubo. well as rabbits and hares, and is very destructive to game. 



It is an inhabitant of the forests of Europe, nesting in a 

 tree, though in some places it has been known to nest on the ledge of a cliff. 

 The eggs, like those of all Owls, are pure white. 



The Eagle-Owl of North America {Bubo -virginianus), according to Dr. 

 A. K. Fisher, devours a good quantity of poultry, but feeds chiefly on rats, 

 mice, and other rodents, with an occasional beetle or other insect. 



These are little birds, seldom exceeding the size of a Thrush, and having 

 the appearnce of diminutive Eagle-Owls. Like the latter they have a 



strongly mottled plumage and conspicuous ear-tufts. 



The Tufted-Owls. They are found in nearly every part of the world, 



—Genus Seops. excepting in the extreme south of America and in 



Australia and the Pacific Islands. The species of Europe 

 (Scops scops) is distributed over the greater part of the continent below the 

 line of the Baltic, and is a migratory bird ; it occasionally visits Great 

 Britain. 



This large Owl is of the size of the Eagle-Owls, and like them it has ear- 

 tufts, though these are very small, and are often difficult to trace. It is 



distinguished by its snowy-white plumage, and is an 



The Snowy-Owl.— inhabitant of the Arctic regions, both in the Old and New 



Nyetea nyctea. Worlds, keeping above the limit of forest-growth and 



never nesting in the latter districts. It is a day-flying 

 Owl, and feeds principally on mice and lemmings, but in winter, when this 

 food fails it, the Snowy-Owl will catch grouse, hares, ducks, and it has even 

 been known to capture fish. It makes its nest on the ground on the tundra 



