212 GREAT HORNED OWL. 



It is found however of a deeper or lighter hue, 

 according to various circumstances of age, health, 

 and climate: the larger wing and tail-feathers are 

 obscurely varied by dusky transverse bars : the 

 bill is black, the eyes very large, and of a bright 

 reddish or golden-orange colour: the legs are short 

 and strong, thickly clothed, down to the very claws, 

 with fine downy and setaceous plumes, and the 

 claws are extremely large, strong, and black. 



This species, including its varieties, appears to 

 be pretty generally diffused throughout the tem- 

 perate and northern parts of the old continent, 

 and is even supposed to occur both in North and 

 South America*. In our own country it is very 

 rarely seen, and can only be considered in the light 

 of an occasional straggler. In Germany it seems 

 to be more common than in other parts of Europe, 

 It preys in the manner of Eagles and the larger 

 Falcons, on hares, rabbets, and almost all kind of 

 birds, and builds its nest, which is composed of 

 strong twigs, and lined or spread with dried leaves, 

 Sec. among the crags of rocks, or among ruined 

 edifices, and lays, as is supposed, rarely more than 

 two eggs, which are larger and rounder than 

 those of a hen, and of a rufous colour, blotched 

 with variegations not much unlike those of the 

 bird itself 



It is needless to observe that Owls in general 

 are regarded in most countries as birds of ill omen, 



* Tlie Jurucutu of Marcgrave seems to be the same species, 

 as well as the Bubo Ludovicianus, or Grand Due de la Louisiana 

 of Monsieur Daudin. 



