66 



LITTLE OWL. 

 STRIX PASSEEINA. 

 [Plate XXXIV.— Fig. 1.] 



Arct. ZooL 236, No. 126.— Turton, Syst. 172.— Peale's Museum, No. 522, 



THIS is one of the least of its whole genus, but like many 

 other little folks makes up in neatness of general form and appear- 

 ance, for deficiency of size, and is perhaps the most shapely of 

 all our Owls. Nor are the colors and markings of its plumage 

 inferior in simplicity and effect to most others. It also possesses 

 an eye fully equal in spirit and brilliancy to the best of them. 



This species is a general and constant inhabitant of the middle 

 and northern states ; but is found most numerous in the neighbour- 

 hood of the sea shore, and among woods and swamps of pine trees. 

 It rarely rambles much during day ; but if disturbed flies a short 

 way, and again takes shelter from the light; at the approach of 

 twilight it is all life and activity; being a noted and dexterous 

 mouse-catcher. It is found as far north as Nova Scotia, and even 

 Hudson's bay; is frequent in Russia; builds its nest generally in 

 pines, half way up the tree, and lays two eggs, which like those of 

 the rest of its genus are white. The melancholy and gloomy um- 

 brage of those solitary evergreens forms its favorite haunts where 

 it sits dosing and slumbering all day, lulled by the roar of the 

 neighbouring ocean. 



The Little Owl is seven inches and a half long, and eighteen 

 inches in extent; the upper parts are a plain brown olive, the sca- 

 pulars and some of the greater and lesser coverts being spotted 

 with white; the first five primaries are crossed obliquely with five 

 bars of white; tail rounded, rather darker than the body, crossed 



