THE EAGLE OWL. 87 
blinking and drawing the nictitating membranes over its eyes, sometimes condes- 
cending to hiss and snap its beak at the spectator, yet but little is known of its 
habits in its wild forest seclusions. In British Columbia its near relation, Ludo 
virginianus, when it pays a predatory visit, as it does very commonly, to the poultry 
yard, is accustomed to alight on the ground some twelve or fifteen paces away 
from its intended prey, and after gazing about for a second or so, to advance to- 
wards it by two or three long hops and pounce upon it. 
The Eagle Owl varies greatly both in size and in the colour of its plumage. 
There appear to be two extreme forms, a grey, or north-eastern form, and a dark, 
rufous-brown form, common in the west and south, with intermediate forms be- 
tween the two. In this fine Owl the plumage is very full and soft. The head 
is very large and roundish, with two elongated tufts: the ears are large, without 
an operculum; the facial disks are incomplete above the eyes, which are very 
large, the irides of a deep rich orange; the ruff is incomplete; wings long, of 
great breadth, and rounded; tail broad, arched, and rounded; tarsi short and 
strong, and with the toes densely feathered. The colour of the upper parts is 
reddish brown, variegated with dark brown, and with some dark orange tints; a 
patch of white on the throat; lower parts sandy yellow, with longitudinal blackish 
brown streaks, and numerous transverse, undulating lines; the tufts on the head 
are dark brown, barred with lighter brown; wings and tail brown, barred and 
vermiculated with black; feathers covering tarsi and toes rufous yellow; beak 
and toes dark horn colour. 
The female is considerably larger than the male. Length of male 24 inches, 
of female 26 inches. 
