534 BIRDS. RAPACIOUS. Owl. 



ground, or mofly foil ; the young are hatched in May, and fly in June, continuing entirely white for 

 a long time after. It is called Wapacuthu by the Indians, which fignifies Spotted Owl, and is rec- 

 koned a great delicacy by the European fettlers. The bill is glofTy black, and its bafe is befet with 

 ftrong briftles ; the irides are yellow ; the fpace about the eyes, cheeks, and chin are white ; the 

 ends of the feathers on the head are black ; the wing and tail quills are irregularly barred and fpot- 

 ted with black and pale red ; the ventlet or under fide of the rump is white ; the legs are feathered, 

 to the toes, which are covered with hairs, and have very crooked claws. 



230 26. Coquimbo Owl. — 23. Strix cunicularia. 28. 



The body is brown above, with white fpots ; its under parts are white ; the legs are 

 warty and hairy. Molin. chil. 233. Klein, av. 57. n. 9. Feuille, obf. 562. 

 Noftua coquimbana. BrifT. orn. 155. n. 11. — Coquimbo Owl. Lath. fyn. i. 145. n. 33. 



Inhabits Coquimbo in Chili. — This fpecies is about the fize of a Pigeon ; it fometimes flies about 

 in pairs during the day, preying on infetts and reptiles ; it breeds in long fubterranean burrows, like 

 Rabbits, laying four eggs,, which are variegated with white and yellow. 



231 27. Sacred Owl. — 24. Strix- Aluco. 7. 



The head is rufty ; the irides are black ; the primary wing quills are ferrated at the- 

 edges. 



S. Aluco. It. oel. 69. Scop. an. i. 20. n. 4. Tengmahn, ac"t. Stock, ann. 1782, trim. 2. n. 8. 

 Gerin. orn. 90. t. 94. — S. cinerea. Raj. av. 26. n. 3. — Ulula. Gefn. av. 773. Aldr. orn. i. 540. 

 BrifT. av. i. 507. — Hulotte. BufF. oif. i. 358. PI. enl. n. 441. — Aluco Aldrovandi. Will. orn. 104. 

 t. 13. — Grabeule. Frifch, av. t. 94. — Aluco Owl, Lath. fyn. i, 134. n. zo.. 



Inhabits Europe and Tartary. — This fpecies is fifteen inches long ; it is laid to be considered as.fa-- 

 cred by the Kalmucks, for having contributed to fave the life of their great monarch Genghis Khan, 

 but this is attributed to another fpecies, the Common Owl, by Mr Pennant ; perhaps it is to the Owl. 

 in general this refpeft is paid, and not to any particular fpecies. In fummer it dwells in the hollows 

 of decayed trees in the woods, and in winter comes near the habitations of mankind ; it lays four 

 dirty grey eggs, employing the deferted nefts of the Great Owl, Keftril, Crow, or Magpie ; the bill 

 is of a yellowifh or greenifh white; the upper part of the body is of a dark raft colour, with whitifh. 

 and black fpots ; the legs are white, with very finall black dots.. 



232 28. Auftrian Owl. — 25. Strix Jylvejiris. 29^. 



The body is variegated with white and brown ; the fpace round the eyes is white. 



S. fylveftris. Scop. an. i. 21. n. 13. Lath, ind., orn. i.. 61. n. 29. — Auftrian Owl. Lath. fyn. u. 

 136. n. 21. 



Inhabits Carniola. — This fpecies is about the fize and general appearance of a middle fized com- 

 mon fowl : The covering of the head is rendered very elegant and fingular by a radiated wreath 

 of white feathers which runs acrols the fore-head from one ear to the other ; the irides are fiery red. 



29, 



