Genus OTUS. 
Gen. Cuan. Bill bending, and forming an elliptic curve, the cere covering the basal ridge for 
nearly half the length of the bill; cutting margin of the upper mandible straight, the 
under one having the tip obliquely truncated and notched. Nosérils oval, obliquely 
placed. _ Fascial disc of moderate size and complete. Conch of the ear extending from 
the outer angle of the eye to behind the limb of the lower jaw, the opening defended by 
a flap or operculum. Head furnished with egrets. Wings long; the second quill-feather 
the longest. Tazl even, and scarcely showing any concavity beneath. Legs and toes 
feathered to the insertion of the claws. Toes rather short; the outer one reversible. 
Claws moderately curved, long, and very sharp ; rounded beneath, except the middle one, 
which is grooved, and with a sharp inner edge. 
LONG-EARED OWL. 
Strix otus, Lenn. 
Otus vulgaris, Mem. 
Le Hibou moyenduc. 
Tux habits of this Owl lead it to frequent thick woods, in the depths of which it lives retired from observation, 
concealing itself during the day amongst the foliage of the holly and ivy-clad trees, whence it emerges at the 
approach of evening in quest of food ; and dissection confirms the opinion that small mammalia, such as mice, 
moles, and rats form its principal subsistence ; in fact, as regards food, it agrees closely with the others of its 
tribe. Most of the woody districts, especially in the northern portions of England, and in Scotland, are the chief 
localities wherein it may be found in our own islands; it is, however, by no means so common as the Tawny 
Owl, which generally frequents the same situations. It has a wide range over the continent of Europe. The 
same species, and one so closely allied to it as to render it difficult to say whether it can be fairly separated, 
is found in the United States and the northern regions of America as far as the sixtieth degree of latitude. 
Unlike the Tawny and Barn Owls, which breed in hollow trees, the present species evinces a partiality for 
the deserted nests of the Crow, Raven and Magpie for the purpose of nidification : it lays about four white 
eggs ; the young are covered with a full coat of white down, which lasts for a considerable time, and 
disappears gradually as the feathers advance. 
The sexes offer little or no external difference either in size or in the colour of the plumage. 
The head is ornamented with two egrets, consisting each of several feathers of a pale yellow colour at the 
edges, with broad central dashes of black ; the whole of the upper surface is of a tawny yellow clouded with 
grey, each feather having its centre black, and the whole being checquered with zigzag bars and dots of brown 
and black ; the under surface is pale tawny with longitudinal dashes of black ; tail barred ; facial dise light 
grey, clouded with tawny brown ; irides orange; beak black. 
Our Plate represents a male of the natural size. 
