162 BIRDS OF THE WORLD 



tiful species, but forms a group by itself apart from 

 the rest of the Owls, differing from them in structure. 

 The colouration differs in certain parts of its range. 

 The eyes are almost black, as in the Tawny Owl, 

 while in most Owls the colour of the iris is a bright 

 orange-yellow. The Barn Owls are without ear-tufts, 

 and the disks about the eyes, instead of being round, 

 are irregular in shape. See Plate 5, Fig. 21. 



The yoimg Barn Owl is at first clothed in a downy 

 coat of white, and this is replaced by plumage like that 

 of the adult bird. In most, if not all, other Owls the 

 doAvn- feathers of the nestlings are replaced by a plima- 

 age that is intermediate between that and the adult 

 feathers, and this is worn imtil autumn, when the true 

 feathers appear. 



The Barred Owl, or Hoot Owl, is a common species 

 in Eastern North America. The xmder parts are 

 white, the breast barred with dark colour, and the 

 sides streaked. The eyes are dark, and the toes are 

 feathered. 



The Great Grey Owl is a northern species, occa- 

 sionally seen in the United States. It is a very large 

 form, having the upper parts dark irregularly marked 

 with white, the under parts streaked, and the legs and 

 toes feathered to the claws. 



The Little Screech Owl is perhaps the best known 

 of our American Owls, being common in the woods 

 throughout the Eastern States. Its voice has a low 

 and tremulous quality, and is often heard in the even- 

 ing hours. A peculiarity of this species is that it has 

 two phases of colour, one reddish in tone, the other 

 greyish, both varieties being found at the same time 



