THE SCOPS EARED-OWL, 265 
sounds which are uttered by this bird, the Cree Indians know it by the name 
of Ottewuck-oho t 
The Virginian Horned Owl takes up its residence in the deep swampy 
forests, where it remains hidden during the day, and comes out at night and 
morning, heralding its approach with its loud unearthly cries, as of an un- 
quiet wandering spirit. Sometimes, according to Wilson, “he has other 
nocturnal solos, one of which very strikingly resembles the half-suppressed 
screams of a person suffocating or throttled.” 
THE common BROWN OWL, or TAWNY OWL, as it is often named, is, with 
the exception of the Barn Owl, one of the best known of the British Owls. 
Although rather a small bird, being only about fifteen inches in total length 
it is possessed of a powerful pounce and an audacious spirit, and, when 
roused to anger or urged by despair, is a remarkably unchancy antagonist. 
The food of this Owl is of a very varied nature, consisting of all the 
smaller mammalia, many reptiles, some birds, fishes when it can get them, 
and insects. It seems to be a good fisherman, and catches its finny prey by 
waiting on the stones that project a little 
above the water, and adroitly snatching 
the fish from the stream by a rapid move- 
ment of the foot. Sometimes it flies at 
much higher game, especially when it 
has a young family to maintain, and will 
then attack birds and quadrupeds of very 
great size when compared with its own 
dimensions Ina single nest.of this bird 
have been found according to a writer in 
the /7e/d, three young Owls, five leverets, 
four young rabbits, three thrushes, and 
one trout weighing nearly half a pound. 
The voice of the Brown Owl is a loud 
monotonous hoot, that may be often heard 
in the evening in localities where the bird ne 
has made its home. ee aon S. Bs ge 
The nest is usually placed in the hol- ~~ WANS x eal 
low of a tree, and poneins several white TY Ml 
eggs. Thecolour of the Brown or Tawny scops (Gr. Zxéy, an Owl), the Scops 
Owl is an ashen grey upon the upper Lared-Oul. 
parts of the body, variegated with choco- 
late and wood-brown. Several whitish grey bars are seen upon the pri- 
maries, and there are several rows of whitish spots upon the wings and 
scapularies. The facial disc is nearly white, edged with brown, and the 
under surface of the body is of the same hue, covered with longitudinal 
mottlings of variously tinted brown. The claws are nearly white at their 
base, darkening towards their extremities, and the beak is nearly of the 
same colour. The eyes are of a very dark black-blue. 
This species is found in many parts of Europe, and is said to be one of 
the indigenous birds of Japan. 
We now come to an example of the British Owls, a bird that has attracted 
great notice on account of its singular aspect. 
The Scops EARED-OWL has been once or twice found in Yorkshire, but 
usually resides in the southern parts of the Continent. It is remarkable for 
the regularity with which it utters its monotonous cry, as if a person were 
constantly repeating the letter Q at regular intervals of two seconds. It does 
not seem to prey upon mice and other animals, like most of its relations, but 
feeds on large insects, such as beetles and grasshoppers. The size of this 
