70 ORNITHOLOGY AND OOLOGY. 



the qua birds' nests on the adjoining trees all around, and one 

 of them actually on the same tree.'' 



The reader will perceive from the above account of the 

 breeding habits of this bird, that it is variable in its choice 

 of a nesting-place, although every nest that I have found, 

 or known of, was built in tall pines, and constructed as 

 above ; and I have known instances where the same nest 

 was used for successive breeding seasons. 



The eggs are generally four in number, seldom more. 

 They are nearly spherical in form, and of a pure-white 

 color. Dimensions of specimens in my collection vary from 

 1.40 to 1.60 inch in length, by from 1.30 to 1.40 inch in 

 breadth. 



BRACHYOTUS, Gould. 



Brachyotus, Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc, London, 1837, 10. 



Ear-tufts very short and inconspicuous ; general form rather strong; wings long; 

 tail moderate ; legs rather long, which, with the toes, are fully covered with short 

 feathers; claws long, very sharp, and rather slender; head moderate; eyes rather 

 small, surrounded by radiating feathers ; facial disc imperfect on the forehead and 

 above the eyes ; tail moderate. 



This genus contains four or five species only, the two best known of which are 

 the European. 



BRACHYOTUS CASSINII. — Brewer. 



The Short-eared Owl. 



Brachyotus Cassinii, Brewer. Proc. Boston Soc. of Nat. Hist. 

 Strix brachyotus, Forster. Phil. Trans., London, LXII. 384 (1772). 

 Strix brachyotus, Linnaeus. Wilson and others. 



Description. 



Ear-tufts very short; entire plumage buff or pale- fulvous ; every feather on the 

 upper parts with a wide longitudinal stripe of dark-brown, wbich color predominates 

 on the back; under parts paler, frequently nearly white on the abdomen, with 

 longitudinal stripes of brownish-black, most numerous on the breast, very narrow 

 and less numerous on the abdomen and flanks; legs and toes usually of a deeper 

 shade of the same color as the abdomen ; quills pale reddish-fulvous at their bases, 

 brown at their ends, with wide irregular bands and large spots of reddish-fulvous ; 

 tail pale reddish-fulvous, with about five irregular transverse bands of dark-brown, 

 which color predominates on the two central feathers ; under tail coverts usually 

 nearly white; throat white; eyes enclosed by large spots of brownish-black; ear- 

 tufts brown, edged with fulvous; bill and claws dark; irides yellow. 



Total length, female, about fifteen inches ; wing, twelve ; tail, six inches. Male 

 rather smaller. 



