in colour. The femak exceeds confiderably in fize, being 

 feventeen inches long and two feet ten inches wide, and 

 weighing nineteen ounces. 



The Tawny is the moft common of the Britifh Owls, it 

 reforts to woods, and particularly to plantations of fir, where 

 it conceals itfelf during the day ; at the approach of night it 

 makes its appearance, and is eafily diftinguilhed from all its 

 congeners by its hooting, which noife it makes both when on 

 ■wing and at reft, befides which it frequently utters a harfh 

 fcreaming note. This is the only fpecies known to hoot. 



Owing to the fize of the pupil of the eye, this fpecies is 

 unable to endure the light of day, and fhould it be difturbed 

 or made to take wing in the day-time, it flies frequently 

 againft trees, and we have known one to fly with fuch force 

 againft the fide of a barn, as to bring it to the ground, quite 

 ftunned with the violence of the b^ow^ 



It breeds in the decayed hollows of trees, and fometimes in 

 barns and ruined edifices, its neft is of a very flight texture, 

 and compofed of fuch foft materials as the place may afford ; 

 when it lays in the hales of trees, the eggs are moftly depo« 

 fited on the decayed wood without any neft : it lays two or 

 three opaque duflcy white eggs, which are of a ** roundifli 

 form." The young are eafily brought up by hand, and are 

 very ufeful in barns or granaries, being moft excellent 

 moufers ; they are at firft covered with light -coloured down. 



The food of this, like moft other fpecies, confifts of young 

 hares and rabbitSj rats, mlce^ and pigeons^ in queft of the 



latter 



