TURKI, MANCHU AND CHINESE. 279 



92. Huy Qus. Jby ^y> 



The Eagle Owl. 



Bubo maximus (Scully, S. F., 70 bis). 

 Bubo turcomanus (B. S. 25). 

 Manchu: Fu gowara. 

 Chinese : Mu t'u [lit. tree rabbit]. 

 The "Mirror" says: In nature this owl resembles No. 91. It is about the size of the 

 damin eagle (No. 52). 



Compare No. 60, where the same Turki name is applied to a species of eagle. 



93. Yapalaq. J^liU 



The Short-eared Owl. 



Otus brachyotus (Scully, S. F., 68). 



Manchu: El ben gowara. 



Chinese : Mao ch'ih [lit. reed-owl]. 

 The " Mirror" says : This bird is like No. 92, but smaller. 

 This would seem to imply that it was long-eared rather than short-eared. 



94. Sum Qus. J&^S fJi. 



A species of owl. 

 Manchu: Yabulan. 

 Chinese : Hsiao niao. 



The "Mirror" says: This owl resembles No. 93 ; its cry is disagreeable, but its flesh pleasant 

 to the taste. 



Zakharoff adds that it is the size of the turtle-dove ; and that its cry is regarded 

 as a bad omen. 



Giles says hsiao niao is a fabulous bird which devours its own mother, all but the 

 head; but the definition in the "Mirror" does not imply a fabulous bird. 



The Turki sum qus is a translation of the Arabic al-bum al-mas'um, the owl of 

 ill-omen. Steingass gives an idiom ^aily*. & "to call or invite the owl, to render 

 desolate." 



Persian literature is full of allusions to the ill-luck which owls bring. 



95 Cughunduk. u£j«V*=^a». 



Athene bactriana (Scully, S. F., 76 A). 



Carine bactriana (B. S. 28). 



Manchu: Ho s ah 6. 



Chinese : Yeh mao ERH [lit. the night-cat]. 



Giles gives yeh mao tzu = Scops sunia, the screech owl. 



The Turki word recalls the Persian chughud = little night-owls. 



