LONG-EARED OWL. 115 



•inches ; in expanse from wing to wing, three feet two inches; 

 the length of the tail is five inches and a half, and the 

 closed wings reach beyond the tip. 



The ear in this species is particularly large ; the lids, or 

 flaps, when expanded, are nearly as long as the head. The 

 tufts, or horns, upon the head are also very large and con- 

 spicuous ; they consist of several feathers, capable of erec- 

 tion ; the frontal ones are the longest, and measure from 

 one and a half to two inches ; the hinder feathers are the 

 shortest. The beak is much arched, and measures one inch 

 and a quarter in the arc ; it is black, as are also the cere and 

 eyelids. The iris is bright orange, or fire-colour. The 

 tarsus measures one inch and three-quarters in length, the 

 middle toe one inch, and the claw five eighths of an inch ; 

 the hinder toe half an inch, the claw the same. The legs 

 and feet are covered with close, short, soft feathers, except 

 the soles, which are bare, and of a dirty yellow colour. 

 The claws are thin and sharp, of the appearance of horn. 

 The colours of the upper plumage are dusky, ash-grey, 

 rufous, and white, beautifully blended and softened toge- 

 ther. The quill-feathers are salmon-colour, passing into 

 reddish grey at the tips, and crossed by narrow dusky bars. 

 The upper part of the breast is rufous brown, passing into 

 white on the flanks and under tail-coverts. The bristling 

 feathers between the eyes and beak are black at the root 

 and white at the tip ; the rest of the face ferruginous. 

 The feathers of the tufts are black, bordered with white and 

 rufous brown. 



The food of this species is rats, mice, moles, and beetles, 

 occasionally birds ; but, as this Owl is of nocturnal habits, 

 its food must necessarily consist chiefly of creatures that are 

 most readily met with at night. As soon as twilight sets 

 in, they come out of their hiding-places, and fly about in 



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