ScoPS-OWL. 83 
of blackish-brown: tarsi densely feathered; bill pale yellow; irides bright straw- 
yellow; claws black. Length 15 inches to 16 inches. 
Young birds resemble the old; but the plumage is more fluffy, and the 
various markings more faintly indicated. 
Family—STRIGIDA.. 
Scops-OwL. 
Scops giu, Scop. 
HIS pretty little tufted Owl, the smallest species on the British list, is a 
regular summer visitor to the southern parts of Europe, and has been 
captured at large as an accidental visitor to this country about a score of times, 
chiefly in the southern counties, has occurred twice in Ireland, and only once in 
Scotland. It has occurred at all seasons of the year. As it is frequently brought 
over from the Continent to be sold as an aviary pet, it is probable that some of 
these instances may have been due to escapes. There are numerous subspecies 
of the Scops-Owl distributed in almost all parts of the warmer countries of the 
world. Although a nocturnal species this small Owl comes abroad occasionally in 
the bright sun. It frequents gardens, groves, and evergreen woods, and preys 
almost exclusively upon insects, being especially fond of locusts, and sometimes 
captures small birds and mice. Numbers are sold in the market at Malta, and are 
eaten by the natives. 
This tiny Owl arrives and departs with the Swallow, and is restricted in its 
range to the temperate and warmer parts of Europe and North Africa. Its note 
is its specific name gzu, gi, repeated monotonously, at intervals of two seconds, 
“with the regularity of a pendulum,” all through the night. Lord Lilford 
describes it as very abundant in the south of Spain, where a few remain for the 
winter in Andalucia, and says:—‘‘ This species has but little fear of man, and I 
have several times watched one from a few yards distance, as it sat generally 
