262 
HORN OWL. 
difficult to detect, there being a difference in the bill, and also in the iris, 
which in the Horned Grebe is composed of two colours, but in the Eared 
Grebe of only one. This species is found in great abundance, in the 
south and east of Europe, but is rare in Germany, and only found acci- 
dentally in Holland; the nest is constructed of grass, floating among 
the reeds ; it lays three or four white eggs, stained with dirty brown.”* 
HORN FINCH. — A name for the Petrel. 
HORN OWL (^Otus aurita^ Ray.) 
*Strix Otus, Linn. Syst. 1. p. 132. 4., — Gmel. Syst. 1. p. 288. sp. A.— 'Lath. Ind. 
Orn. 1. p. 53. 7. — Laii, Syn. p. 25. A. 2. Will. p. 64. t. 12. — Le Moyen Due, 
ou Hibou, Buff. Ois. 1. p. 342 — Ib. pi. Enl. 29 Hibou Mogen Due, Temm. 
Man. d’Orn. 1. p. 102, — Mittler Ohrenle, Bechst. Naturg. Deut. 2. p. 896— 
Meyer, Tasschenb. Deut. 1. p. 93. — Frisch, Vbg. 29. — Hoorn Uil, Sepp. Nederl. 
Vbg. p. 303. — Horn Owl, Fleni. Br. Anim. p. 56. — Long-eared Owl, Penn. Br. 
Zool. 1. No. 65. t. 30. — Arct. Zool. 2. No. 115. — Lath. Syn. 1. p. 121. — Ib. 
Supp. p. 42. — Lewin’s Br. Birds, 1. t. 24. — Mont. Orn. Diet. — lb. Supp. — 
Wale. Syn. t. 23. — Will. (Angl.) p. 99. t. 12.. — >Bewick’s Br. Birds, 1. P, 1.46. 
—Italian-eared Owl, Lath. Syn. 1. p. 122. — Selby, pi. 20. p. 52.* 
This beautiful species is nearly fifteen inches in length ; weight nine 
or ten ounces. The bill is black ; irides orange-yellow. The feathers, 
of a hair-like form, that cover the bill, are white, with black shafts ; 
over the eye and round the angle next to the bill is black; cheeks 
pale rufous ; over the eyes are two tufts of feathers, erect like ears, 
composed of six feathers that appear in front, gradually lengthening 
from the first to the last ; the hindmost is an inch and a half long, 
black, bordered with dull yellow ; the circle round the face is white, 
speckled with black and rufous ; those that immediately cover the ears 
are tipped only with black, forming a semicircular line of that colour ; 
the general colour of the bird is an ochraceous yellow, elegantly 
streaked above with black, and speckled with the same, ash-colour, 
and white ; beneath, the feathers are tinged with light ferruginous, 
streaked with black down the shafts ; the quills are barred with black 
and cinereous ; on the primores are two bars of dull yellow ; the tail 
is barred, and speckled with dusky and cinereous ; legs and toes are 
covered with down of a yellowish buff-colour ; claws dusky. 
This description is taken from a female ; the male differs in nothing 
but in being rather less. The wings of this species are very long, 
reaching beyond the tail when closed, and crossing each other at the 
points ; the second feather is the longest. 
This is by no means so common as the tawny or white owls ; and 
though it is frequently taken in England, very little is known of its 
habits. It is said to make no nest, but to take possession of that of a 
magpie or crow ; and that it lays four or five eggs. It remains with 
us the whole year, having killed them both in summer and winter ; of 
