io6 
British Birds. 
THE AMERICAN 
HAWK-OWL. 
[Surnia funereal) 
The range of the Hawk-Owl extends from 
Northern Europe to Kamtchatka, and it occurs a little 
to the south of its breeding range during winter. 
It is a bold and fierce bird, and will attack a man 
who attempts to rob its nest. Its food consists 
of mice and lemmings, on which it preys largely, 
like the Snowy Owl. The bird makes no nest, 
but lays its white eggs (five to eight) on the wood 
at the bottom of a hole in a tree, their length being 
about one-and-a-half inches. 
The American repre- 
sentative of 5. ulula has 
occurred at least four times, 
twice in England, and twice 
in Scotland. It differs from its ally S. ulula in 
being a darker bird, with the bars on the under 
parts broader and more of a vinous brown. It is 
found throughout the Arctic regions of North 
America, and its habits, nest, and eggs, do not 
differ from those of its European ally. 
This is a small species, measuring about eight inches in 
length, with no ear tufts, but having a well-pronounced facial 
disk, as have so many of the Owls. This facial disk gives them 
that curious rounded visage which is a principal characteristic of the Strigiformes. 
The colour of the Little Owl is brown, with a good 
many ovate white spots on the upper surface, while 
the under surface of the body is white, with brown 
streaks on the breast and abdomen, and a bar of 
brown across the fore-neck; the iris is bright yellow. 
It is a species which is by no means rare on the con- 
tinent of Europe, and it has undoubtedly been met 
with as an occasional visitor to this country, but in 
future it will be more difficult to chronicle the Little 
Owl as a visitor, as several have been reared in this 
country in captivity and have then been allowed to 
fly, though up to the present time, I am not aware 
that any nests have been discovered in a wild state. 
It is found generally throughout Europe. It breeds 
freely in captivity, and makes an interesting little 
pet. The food of the Little Owl consists largely 
of insects, but it also catches mice and small birds. 
The American Hawk-Owl. 
THE LITTLE OWL. 
( Carine noctua.) 
The Little Owl. 
