COQUIMBO— BARN OWL 16T 



are those of most Owls. The Western species lives 

 in burrows made by prairie-dogs — although certainly 

 not welcomed by them. But the Florida Burrowing 

 Owl digs a hole for itself. They are day-feeding, 

 being perfectly able to endure the fierce glare of the 

 sun in the regions in which they live. 



The Tawny Owl is an interesting species, having 

 two distinct phases of plumage, some individuals 

 being very grey, while others are red in colour. This 

 Owl is further peculiar in that the apertures of the 

 ears are not alike in the two sides of the head, though 

 both are covered by a large flap of skin. See Plate 5, 

 Fig. 19. 



The European Long-eared Owl is another species 

 in which the apertures of the ears are unlike. It is 

 common in European countries, and is very beneficial, 

 destroying large numbers of mice and other small 

 rodents. The American Long-eared Owl is similar 

 in appearance. See Plate 5, Fig. 20. 



The Long-eared Owls and the Short-eared Owls, 

 though very much alike superficially, differ conspicu- 

 ously in their nesting-habits. The former deposit 

 their eggs in the deserted nests of Crows, Hawks, 

 Herons, or squirrels, while the Short-eared species 

 nests on the ground in hollows made in weeds dnd 

 sedge. The eggs vary in number from six to twelve. 

 During a great plague of voles which occurred in 

 Scotland a few years ago, these Owls, finding food in 

 abundance, reared broods twice in the year and double 

 the normal in number. 



The Bam Owl, or Monkey- faced Owl, found in 

 both the Old and the New World, is not only a beau- 



