OWL. 325 



hitherto rarely been observed in England; said to arrive and depart in 

 France much about the same time as the Swallows. In Majorca they 

 are bred tame, and there valued much ; they most probably migrate, 

 for although they are met with at Gibraltar, they are not seen at all 

 times, and at certain seasons are observed in large flocks. It is a 

 pretty common species in the South of Russia, and west parts of 

 Siberia, but not found Eastward. We believe it is expanded 

 throughout Europe, though probably no where very numerous, being 

 mostly seen in pairs ; it frequents the hollows of trees, and there 

 makes the nest, laying three or four white eggs. The Scops has 

 been clearly ascertained as British more than once, * as has also the 

 Snowy OwL 



A. — StrixGiu, Ind. Orn.'i. p. 56. Scop. Ann. \. No. 9. A'ram. .323. 



— — carniolica, Gm. Lin. \. 290. £)aud.u. 218. Shaw' s Zool. y'n. 231. 

 Carniolic eared Owl, Gen. Syn, i. p. 127. 



Tliis is said to be about the size of the Little Owl. Irides 

 yellow ; colour of the plumage whitish ash, variegated with spots, 

 and transverse blackis^h stripes ; six of the prime quills marked with 

 whitish spots on one side ; tail brownish and spotted likewise. 

 Kramer says, it is the size of a blackbird ; that it is exactly the same 

 in colour as the Goatsucker or Wryneck ; that it feeds on small 

 birds, and is known at Bologna by the name of Gin ; said to in- 

 habit the colder parts of Carniola, and to make the nest in clefts of 

 rocks, as well as in hollow trees, laying from two to four eggs, and 

 feeding the young on the JNIay beetle, as the wing cases of this 

 insect have been often found near the nests. Mr. White, who was 

 well acquainted with th* Scops at Gibraltar, is of opinion, that this 



* One of these was in a Museum in Fleet-street^ belonging to Mr. Donovan, said to 

 have been killed in Yorkshire. 



