THE HORNED OWLS. 
93 
Mr. Seebohm says that the flight of the Little Owl reminded 
him very much of that of a Bat. “ It was not an undulating 
flight, but a steady, slow, beating of the wings, without any 
apparent exertion ; and yet there w'as a butterfly-like uncer- 
tainty about it, as if it continually changed its mind and slightly 
altered its course At Athens it was very common 
on the Acropolis, and was evidently breeding in holes in the 
rocks and ruins. In the Parnassus we often heard its curious 
note, cuc-koo-vaH-ee, cuc-koo-vah'-ee, and were told that it re- 
mained there all the year. It may be seen perched on a tree, 
a rock, or on the roof of a house.” 
Nest. — None, or a small collection of rubbish gathered in 
the vicinity. The Little Owl breeds from the middle of April 
to the middle of May, and the nest is placed in a hollow tree, 
or in the cleft of a rock, or in the roof of a house, and Mr. 
Seebohm says that he has seen one under the roots of a tree. 
Eggs. — Four to six in number; pure white, and oval in 
shape. Axis, i ’3-1 ’4 inches ; diam., i'os-i‘i5. 
With the next genus we commence the Sub-family Syrniinm, 
to which it is difficult to a])ply an English name, as the Sub- 
family embraces Owls of very different appearance, some of 
them having ear-tufts, as in the genus Asia, while the Wood- 
Owls {Syrnium and Nyctald) have no tufts on the head. All 
the members of the Syrnnna have the facial disk complete, 
extending as far above the eye as it does below it, and the 
ear-conch is larger than the eye, and is closed by a very 
distinct operculum. 
THE HORNED OWLS. GENUS ASIO. 
Asia, Briss, Orn. i. p. 28 (1760). 
Type, Asia otus (L.). 
These Owls are distinguished by the very distinct tufts of 
feathers, or “ horns,” on the head, which are always present, 
though they are longer in some species than in others. The 
cere is also strongly marked, and is longer than the culmen. 
Seven species of Horned Owls are known, and they are found 
in the greater part of the Old and New Worlds, but they 
