62 BARRED OWL. 



These birds sometimes seize on fowls, partridges, and young 

 rabbits ; mice and small game are, however, their most usual 

 food. The difference of size between the male and female of 

 this owl is extraordinary, amounting sometimes to nearly 

 eight inches in the length. Both scream during day, like a 

 hawk. 



The male barred owl measures sixteen inches and a half 

 in length, and thirty-eight inches in extent ; upper parts a 

 pale brown, marked with transverse spots of white ; wings, 

 barred with alternate bands of pale brown, and darker ; head, 

 smooth, very large, mottled with transverse touches of dark 

 brown, pale brown, and white ; eyes, large, deep blue, the 

 pupil not perceivable ; face, or radiated circle of the eyes, 

 gray, surrounded by an outline of brown and white dots ; 

 bill, yellow, tinged with green; breast, barred transversely 

 with rows of brown and white ; belly, streaked longitudinally 

 with long stripes of brown, on a yellowish ground ; vent, 

 plain yellowish white; thighs and feathered legs, the same, 

 slightly pointed with brown ; toes, nearly covered with plum- 

 age ; claws, dark horn colour, very sharp ; tail, rounded, and 

 remarkably concave below, barred with six broad bars of 

 brown, and as many narrow ones of white ; the back and 

 shoulders have a cast of chestnut ; at each internal angle of 

 the eye, is abroad spot of black ; the plumage of the radiated 

 circle round the eye ends in long black hairs ; and the bill is 

 encompassed by others of a longer and more bristly kind. 

 These probably serve to guard the eye when any danger 

 approaches it in sweeping hastily through the woods ; and 

 those usually found on flycatchers may have the same inten- 

 tion to fulfil ; for, on the slightest touch of the point of any 

 of these hairs, the nictitant membrane was instantly thrown 

 over the eye. 



The female is twenty-two inches long, and four feet in 

 extent ; the chief difference of colour consists in her wings 

 being broadly spotted with white; the shoulder being a plain 

 chocolate brown ; the tail extends considerably beyond the 



