THE HAWK-OWL. 



Sur7iia funerea (Linnaeus). 

 Plate 27. 



The Hawk-Owl, of which there are two forms, one inhabiting Northern 

 Europe and Asia, and occasionally occurring in Alaska ; and the other a native 

 of North America — the Surnia tthila caparoch of trinomialists — is a rare visitor 

 to the British Islands. Of the latter race, which differs mainly from the European 

 bird in having the transverse bars on the breast broader and of a ruddier colour, 

 four examples have occurred, while about an equal number of the former have 

 been recorded. 



The European Hawk-Owl lays its eggs, which are white in colour and number 

 from five to eight, in a hole in a decayed pine or fir, or in the nesting-boxes of 

 hollowed trunks set up by the peasants of Scandinavia for ducks. 



It preys on lemmings, mice, and other rodents, as well as birds, such as 

 the Ptarmigan, Willow-Grouse, and Siberian Jay. 



According to Mr. G. E. Lodge — who, having had good opportunities of 

 watching the habits of this species in Norway, obligingly lent me a series of 

 sketches done from life, which were invaluable to me when painting the picture — 

 the Hawk-Owl usually takes up a position on the bare upper branch of a pine, 

 keeping the body and tail in a much more horizontal position than other Owls, 

 and with head pressed downwards watches with its keen yellow eyes for some 

 movement that might betray the whereabouts of the prey below : they are very 

 fearless, and often show a considerable amount of bold curiosity on the sight 

 of a human being, frequently flying straight, towards one, and settling on the 

 top of a fir, either large or small. 



The Hawk-Owl has a weird strange cry, and does not avoid sunlight. 



Like the other Owls, the female is larger than the male, but shows no 

 appreciable difference in colour. 



II. 



41 



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