224 SHORT-EARED OWL. 



the head, back, and coverts of the wings, are brown, 

 edged with pale dull yellow : the breast and belly 

 of the same colour, marked with a few long narrow 

 streaks of brown, pointing downwards: the thighs, 

 legs, and toes are covered with plain yellow fea- 

 thers: the quill- feathers are dusky, barred with 

 red: the tail is of a very deep brown, adorned on 

 each side the shaft of the four middle feathers with 

 a yellow circle, which contains a brown spot: the 

 tip of the tail is white. The horns of this species 

 are very small, and each consists of only a single 

 feather ; these it can raise or depress at pleasure, 

 and in a dead bird they are with difficulty discover- 

 ed. This bird is scarcer than the former, (Long- 

 Eared Owl ^) both are solitary birds, avoiding in- 

 habited places. These species may be called long- 

 winged Owls; the wings when closed reaching 

 beyond the end of the tail ; whereas in the common 

 kinds they fall short of it. This is a bird of passage, 

 and has been observed to visit Lincolnshire the 

 beginning of October, and to retire early in the 

 spring; so probably, as it performs its migrations 

 like the Woodcock, its summer retreat is Nonvay. 

 During the day it lies hid in long old grass; when 

 disturbed it seldom flies far, but will light, and sit 

 looking at one, at which time the horns may be 

 seen very distinctly. It has not been observed to 

 perch on trees, like other Owls : it will also fly in 

 search of prey in cloudy hazy weather. Farmers 

 are fond of seeing these birds in their fields, as they 

 clear them from mice. It is found frequently on 

 the hill oi Hoy in the Orknies^ where it flies about 



