in colour. The female exceeds confiderably in fize, being 
feventeen inches long and two feet ten inches wide, and 
weighing nineteen ounces. 
The Tawny is the moll common of the Britifh Owls, it 
reforts to woods, and particularly to plantations of fir, where 
it conceals itfelf during the day ; at the approach of night it 
makes its appearance, and is eafily diftinguifhed from all its 
congeners by its hooting, which noife it makes both when on 
wing and at reft, befides which it frequently utters a harfti 
fcreaming note. This is the only fpecies known to hoot. 
Owing to the fize of the pupil of the eye, this fpecies is 
unable to endure the light of day, and fhould it be difturbed 
or made to take wing iji the day-time, it flies frequently 
againft trees, and we have known one to fly with fuch force 
againft the fide of a barn, as to bring it to the ground, quite 
llunned with the violence of the blow. 
It breeds in the decayed hollow^ of trees, and fometimes in 
barns and ruined edifices, its neft is of a very flight texture, 
and compofed of fuch foft materials as the place may afford ; 
■when it lays in the holes of trees, the eggs are moftly depo- 
fited on the decayed wood without any neft : it lays two or 
three opaque dufl^y white eggs, which are of a " roundifh 
form/* The young are eafily brought up by hand, and are 
very ufeful in barns or granaries, being moft excellent 
moufers ; they are at firft covered with light -coloured down. 
The food of this, like moft other fpecies, confifts of young 
liares apd rabbits, rats, mice, and pigeons, in queft of the 
latter 
