156 SHORT EARED OWL. Clafs IT; 



horns or ears are about an inch long, and confifi: of* 

 fix feathers variegated with yellow and black : the 

 feet are feathered down to the claws. 



IL The SHORT EARED O W L. 



Br. Zool. 71. Tab. B. 3. and B. 4. Fig. 2. 



THE horns of this fpecies are very fmall, and 

 each confiils of only a fingle feather -, thefe ic 

 can raife or deprefs at pleafure •, and in a dead bird 

 they are with difficulty difcovered. This kind is 

 fcarcer than the former; but like it is found in the 

 mountanous wooded parts of our ifland : both are 

 folitary birds, avoiding inhabited places. Thele 

 fpecies may be called long winged owls •, the wings 

 when clofed i-eaching beyond the end of the tail ; 

 whereas in the common kinds, they fall fliort of it. 

 refer. The length of the fliort eared owl is thirteen inches 

 and a half : the head is fmall and hawk-like: the 

 bill is dufl<:y : the circle of feathers that immediately 

 furrounds the eyes is black : the larger circle white, 

 terminated with tawny : the feathers on the head, 

 back, and coverts of the wings are brown edged v/ith 

 pale dull yellow : the bread and belly are of the fame 

 color, marked with a few long narrow ftreaks of 

 brown pointing downwards ; the thighs, legs and 

 toes are covered with plain yellow feathers : the quil 

 feathers are dufky, barred with red: the tail is of a 

 very deep brown, adorned on each fide the fliaft of 



each 



