266 
TAWNY OWL. 
•whole or in fragments, lying under the trees on 
which I have observed the young birds to perch 
after they had left the nest.” Mr Waterton also 
confirms the fact; and from the different localities 
it would appear that this food was pretty generally 
sought after by the Brown or Tawny Owl. The 
manner of taking the prey is scarcely so well 
ascertained, from the account given at page 250, 
the White Owl seized its prey in the water, 
and we have an anecdote mentioned by Mr 
Jennings, where the gold and silver fish in the 
flower garden at Bulstrode were missing, and 
watchmen being appointed, saw Owls, which they 
called the common Brown Owl, alight on the side 
of the pond, and “ there waiting the approach of 
the fish, captured and devoured them.” Mr 
Waterton also remarks, “ I have found by dis- 
secting the bolus of this species, that it feeds 
copiously on different sorts of Beetles,” a circum- 
stance not entirely confined to this species. 
The plumage of this species varies considerably 
in its tint and intensity, whence it has been 
described under more than one title, or composing 
more than one species; the distributions of the 
principal workings, however, continue similar, but 
there is a considerable variation in the form and 
size of the more subordinate bars or crossings. 
The tint varies from a deep wood brown colour, 
to an umber or tawny brown, more or less tinted 
