THE SHOET-EARED OWL. 
163 
Genus ASIO, Brisson. 
543. ASIO ACCIPITRINUS. 
THE SHOET-EAEED OWL. 
Stryx accipitrina, Pall. Reise Russ, Reichs, i. p. 455. Strix brachyotos, Forst. 
Phil. Trans. Ixii. p. 384 ; G7n. Syst. Nat. i. p. 289 ; Seehohm, Brit. Birds, i. p. 167. 
Otus brachyotus, Jerd. B. Ind. i. p. 126 ; Hume, Rough Notes, ii. p. 364 ; 
David et Oust. Ois. Chine, p. 41. iEgolius brachyotus, Bl. ^ Wald. B.Burm. 
p. 66. Asio accipitrinus, Sharpe, Cat. Birds B. 3Ius. ii. p. 234 ; Dresser, Birds 
Eur. V. p. 257, pi. ; Wardlaw Ramsay, Ibis, 1877, p. 454 ; Hmne i^- Dav. S. F. vi. 
p. 30 ; Cripps, 8. F. vii. p. 253 ; Hume, S. F. yiii. p. 83 ; Gates, S. F. x. p. 182. 
Description. — Male and female. The whole upper plumage and Aving- 
coverts brown^ eacli feather margined at the sides with tawny ^ more broadly 
so on the neck and back than elsewhere ; tail light tawny regularly banded 
with brown ; the tawny interspaces on the central feathers also mottled 
with brown ; quills bright tawny barred with brown ; a black ring round 
the eye ; disk dull tawny streaked with black ; lower plumage fulvous^ 
streaked with dark brown_, the streaks broadest on the throat and gradually 
diminishing in width ; thighs and under tail-coverts without streaks ; ear- 
tufts very short. 
Bill and claws blackish ; iris bright yellow. 
Length 15 inches, tail 6*3_, wing 12_, tarsus 1*8_, bill from gape 1*2. The 
female is a little larger. 
The Short-eared Owl is stated by Mr. Blyth to occur in Arrakan; and 
Capt. Wardlaw Eamsay procured one specimen at Tonghoo in Pegu. 
This species is found nearly over the whole world^ except in very high 
latitudes ; and it is absent^ according to Mr. Sharpe_, from West Africa^ 
Australia and the greater portion of the islands of the Pacific Ocean. Mr. 
Seebohm met with it in Siberia in 67° N. lat. 
This Owl is found in India principally in long grass_, and it is only a 
winter visitor. It is very likely to be found commonly in some parts of 
British Burmah when plains of grass are beaten for game ; and I am under 
the impression I have seen it more than once under these circumstances. 
It has a cry consisting of three hoots^ and it lays its eggs on the bare 
ground. It does not_, of course^ breed in Burmah. 
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