CHAPTER LXXXYII. 



The White Owl. 



Strix Jlammeau, Lin. ; VEffraire, ou la Fresaie, Buf. 



Description and Character. — The White Owl, more commonly 

 known as the Barn Owl, is a handsome bird, although singularly 

 grotesque in its general appearance ; this description, to an 

 ordinary observer, may appear hypercritical, but it is strangely 

 true. The colour and markings of the plumage are extremely 

 delicate, and even elegant, whilst the broad but somewhat 

 puckered-up, concave visage, is remarkably unique and curious. 



An adult White Owl measures 14in. from tip of the beak to 

 end of the tail — the latter being 4Jin. long — is 3ft. across the 

 wings, and weighs lloz. Theirides are dusky brown. The bill is 

 yellowish white, and lin. long, half of its length being hidden 

 by the facial ruffle of feathers ; the under mandible is short and 

 stout, and the upper one much hooked, especially at the tip, and 

 projecting fully a quarter of an inch beyond the lower. The 

 head, back of the neck, back, saddle, and wing and tail coverts, 

 are a beautiful cinnamon yellow or rich fawn colour, the edges 

 of the feathers being fringed with silvery grey, and enriched 

 by two lovely spots of grey ; at the extremities are two dark 

 spots — that is to say, a dark spot at each end, and one in the 

 middle — and between these are silvery grey spots resembling 

 pearls. The pen feathers are fawn colour on the outer, and white 

 on the inner, web, marked with four black spots on each side. 



The wings are very long, and when folded project l^in. beyond 

 the tail ; the second primary feather is the longest. The tail is 

 white, mottled and barred with dasky black, excepting the 



