476 



British Cage Birds. 



white ; across the throat is a broadish band of greyish 

 white. The breast, belly, sides, and vent, are dingy white, 

 spotted with brown, which has a yellowish tinge in young 

 birds. The legs are covered with reddish grey down ; the 

 toes are dark brown, with a few white hairs growing 

 between them ; the claws are dusky black. In some speci- 

 mens there are bars of white in the tail as well as the 

 russet bars. Like all the tribe of Owls, the plumage varies 

 to some extent in different specimens. 



Habits and Beeeding.— The Little Owl is rather un- 

 common in Great Britain, but quite plentiful in some parts 

 of Europe. In Germany, Norway, and Sweden, it is con- 

 sidered common. Specimens have likewise been discovered 

 in different parts of North America, having been found as 

 far north as Hudson's Bay. In Great Britain, it is pro- 

 bably most numerous in Wales, and the English counties of 

 Somerset, Hereford, and Salop, though it is occasionally 

 met with in Derbyshire, Yorkshire, and Durham. The 

 Little Owl is presumed to be a bird of passage, although 

 instances of its breeding and wintering in this country 

 are well known. 



It inhabits ruinous edifices, towers, old churches, rocks, 

 caves, and similar places to the White Owl. The female 

 makes a rude nest, and lays two white eggs, almost round 

 in form, which she incubates for about seventeen days. The 

 young are reared on mice and young birds chiefly. The 

 eyes of this variety differ somewhat in construction from 

 those of the White and Tawny Owls, which enables it to 

 see and pursue its prey at daytime, and more particularly 

 on dull, dark days, when it sometimes hawks hedgerows 

 and newly-ploughed fields for mice and birds. This variety 

 attacks small birds indiscriminately, and has been seen in 

 eager pursuit of them by the light of day — generally in the 

 latter part of the afternoon. 



Methods of Captuee. — Wherever these birds are known 

 to resort to a hole in a tree, a few wire staples should be 

 driven around the orifice, and a bag net fixed to them by 

 means of wire hooks attached to the net. The latter should 

 be prevented from hanging too low, which might prevent 

 a bird entering, by looping the protruding part to an upper 

 branch. When one of the prisoners essays to emerge from 



