SHORT-EARED OWL. 65 



the mouse hawk ; and is described as not flying, like other 

 owls, in search of prey, but sitting quiet, on a stump of a 

 tree, watching for mice. It is said to be found in plenty in 

 the woods near Chatteau Bay, on the coast of Labrador. In 

 the United States, it is also a bird of passage, coming to us 

 from the north in November, and departing in April. The 

 bird represented in the plate was shot in New Jersey, a few 

 miles below Philadelphia, in a thicket of pines. It has the 

 stern aspect of a keen, vigorous, and active bird ; and is 

 reputed to be an excellent mouser. It flies frequently by day, 

 and particularly in dark cloudy weather, takes short flights ; 

 and, when sitting and looking sharply around, erects the two 

 slight feathers that constitute its horns, which are at such 

 times very noticeable ; but, otherwise, not perceivable. No 

 person on slightly examining this bird after being shot, would 

 suspect it to be furnished with horns; nor are they discovered 

 but by careful search, or previous observation, on the living 

 bird. Bewick, in his " History of British Birds," remarks that 

 this species is sometimes seen in companies, — twenty-eight of 

 them having been once counted in a turnip field in November. 

 Length, fifteen inches ; extent, three feet four inches ; 

 general colour above, dark brown, the feathers broadly skirted 

 with pale yellowish brown ; bill, large, black ; irides, rich 



they appear to return very regularly : and the female, with a young 

 bird, was procured ; the young could only fly for sixty or seventy yards. 1 



In form, this species will bear the same analogy to those furnished 

 with horns which the snowy owl bears to the earless birds. The name 

 of havjlc owl implies more activity and boldness, and a different make ; 

 and we find the head small, the body more slender, the wings and tail 

 powerful. They hunt regularly by day, and will sometimes soar to a 

 great height. They feed on small birds, and destroy young game, as 

 well as mice and moles. 



It seems to have a pretty extensive geographical range. Pennant 

 mentions it as inhabiting the Falkland Isles. It extends to Siberia ; 

 and I have received it from the neighbourhood of Canton, in China. — Ed. 



1 A specimen was shot in December (1831) on the same ground, and one was seen 

 when drawing a whin covert for a fox, on 31st January 1832. I believe some 

 reside duriDg the whole year. — Ed. 



VOL. II. E 



