Remarks on Facial Expression of Birds 
143 
Owl there is a distinct facial expression, though in cases there 
is a marked similarity. Certain expressions, for example, of the 
Short-eared and Long-eared Owls suggest each other strongly, 
due probably to the fact that the eyes of both are compara- 
tively small, — and there are certain points common to the Great 
Horned and Snowy. But there is quite as great a difference 
between the facial expressions of a Barn and Barred Owl as 
there is between those of a Canary and a squirrel, at least so far 
as shape and general effect of the facial arrangement is con- 
cerned. The Barn Owl’s face may be described as sad, weird, 
or mystical; the Barred Owl’s as open, rather mild, and frank. 
The weird face of the Barn Owl has gained for him an enviable 
publicity, for the most part in small town newspapers. He is 
usually heralded as the Monkey-face, and may even be described 
as a new beast — half monkey and half Owl. All this enthusi- 
asm in announcing the bird as unheard of before is due to the 
extremely odd, even unique face. The Barn Owl, so far as the 
writer’s experience goes, never freezes.” 
The Owls, as a group, are particularly attractive in a dis- 
cussion of this phase of bird-study, and might well form the 
subject of an entire paper, but possibly it is well to cover more 
ground in this paper which must be, at best, merely a collec- 
tion of preliminary remarks. But before passing on, attention 
should be called in this connection to the Marsh Hawk, which 
in certain moods, and viewed from certain angles, suggests an 
Owl considerably. A female Marsh Hawk from front, with 
feathers of the head and body flulfed out, becomes a very owl- 
like creature. In this case the similarity is due to the facial 
disc of feathers, which, as is well known, is characteristic of 
the genus Circus. 
Among the Falcons, Buzzard-Hawks, Accipitrine forms, and 
Eagles, the superciliary shield plays an important part in the 
facial expression, in every case giving them, with the aid of 
clean-cut contour and bold bill, a characteristically wild, tierce, 
physiognomy. In the lovely dark eyes of the Sparrow Hawk, 
and the great far-seeing orbs of the Golden Eagle is a keen, intel- 
ligent expression closely akin, while in almost every bird of prey 
is a certain brilliance and piercing quality due to the fact that 
the eyes are deeply set, and that the high light, and often 
brilliant iris, blaze out from comparatively sombre surround- 
ings. But if for an instant it is imagined that the eye with its 
superciliary shield only is responsible for the fierce visage of 
