STRIGID.E. 75 



[19.] 2. Strix brachyota. (Latham.) Short-eared Owl. 



Genus. Strix. Linn. Sub-genus. Asio. Antigi. 



Strix brachyotos. Forster. Phil. Trans., lxii., p. 384, No. 2. 



Short-eared Owl. Lath. Syn., i., p. 124, sp. 9. Penn. Aret. Zool., ii., p. 229, sp. 116. 



Wilson, iv., p. 64, pi. 33, f. 3. Male. 

 Strix brachyotos. Temm., i., p. 93. Sei.by. Brit. Orn., 8ro., p. 54. Bonap. Syn., 



p. 37, No. 29. 

 Tho-thos-cau-sew. Cree Indians. (Hutchins.) 



This Owl is common to both continents, and is very generally diffused in the 

 temperate and colder regions. It is a summer visitor to the fur-countries, arriving 

 as soon as the snow disappears, and departing again in September. We observed 

 it as far north as latitude 67° ; and a female, killed at Fort Franklin on the 20th 

 of May, contained several pretty large eggs nearly ready for exclusion. It is found 

 in the winter as far south as Pennsylvania ; in summer is by no means rare in the 

 fur-countries, and, as it hunts frequently for its prey in the daytime, is often seen. 

 Its principal haunts are dense thickets of young pine-trees, or dark and entangled 

 willow clumps, where it sits on a low branch, watching assiduously for mice. When 

 disturbed, it flies low for a short distance, and then hides itself in the heart of a 

 bush, from whence it is not easily driven. Its nest, formed of withered grass and 

 moss, is placed on a dry spot of ground ; and, according to Mr. Hutchins, it lays 

 ten or twelve small, round, white eggs* This is a very unusual number for a bird 

 of prey to lay ; but a fact, mentioned by Bewick, that twenty-eight individuals of 

 this species have been counted together in a turnip-field, seems to be equally extra- 

 ordinary. Perhaps it migrates partially in Europe as well as in America, and 

 assembles in flocks previous to leaving its breeding-places. — R. 



If we are to consider, with M. Savigny, the S. fiammea as the type of this 

 family, we observe in the present species a much closer approximation to that form 

 than to the typical Horned Owls. This is exhibited in the prolongation and slight 

 curvature of the bill, in the size and direction of the nasal aperture, and in the 

 more lengthened tarsi, but much more in the full facial disk, and the very great 

 size of the operculated ears. The toes are but thinly feathered; and these feathers, 

 assuming more the appearance of hairs, do not cover the base of the claws. The 

 wings are ample, and extend to the end of the tail. The first quill is nearly as 

 long as the third, and this alone is deeply emarginate on its inner web close to 



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