64 



SHORT-EARED OWL. 

 STRIX BRACHYOTOS, 

 [Plate XXXIIL— Fig. 3.] 



TuRTON, Syst.p. 167.— Jrct. ZooL p. 229, Ao. 116.— Lath. I, 124.— La Chouette, ou la 

 grand Cheveche, Buff. I. PI. enl. 438. — Peale's Museum, No. 440. 



THIS is another species common to both continents, being 

 found in Britain as far north as the Orkney isles, where it also 

 breeds; building its nest upon the ground, amidst the heath; ar- 

 rives and disappears in the south parts of England with the Wood- 

 cock, that is in October and April; consequently does not breed 

 there. It is called at Hudson^s bay the Mouse Hawk; and is de- 

 scribed as not flying like other Owls in search of prey ; but sitting 

 quiet on a stump of a tree, watching for mice. It is said to be 

 found in plenty in the woods near Chatteau bay, on the coast of 

 Labrador. In the United States it is also a bird of passage, coming 

 to us from the north in November, and departing in April. The 

 bird represented in the plate was shot in New Jersey, a few miles 

 below Philadelphia, in a thicket of pines. It has the stern aspect 

 of a keen, vigorous and active bird; and is reputed to be an excel- 

 lent mouser. It flies frequently by day, particularly in dark cloudy 

 weather, takes short flights, and, when sitting and looking sharply 

 around, erects the two slight feathers that constitute its horns, which 

 are at such times very noticeable ; but otherwise not perceivable. 

 No person on slightly examining this bird after being shot, would 

 suspect it to be furnished with horns ; nor are they discovered but 

 by careful search, or previous observation on the living bird. Be- 

 wick, in his History of British Birds, remarks, that this species is 



