THE HORNED OWLS. 
95 
Toting. — Coloured like the adults, but the markings not so 
pronounced. The nestling is covered with grey down, with a 
good deal of orange-buff. 
The slender body, with the long car -tufts, the black streaks 
on the breast-feathers, and the blackish cross-markings on the 
plumage, distinguish the Long-eared Owl from all the other 
British species. Its smaller size prevents its being mistaken for 
the Great Eagle-Owl. 
Range in Great Britain. — Wherever pine-woods or fir-plantations 
occur throughout the British Islands, the Long-eared Owl is to 
be found, and there is scarcely a county in which it is not a 
resident, while in Ireland, Mr. Ussher states that it is common 
in most counties, and breeds in every one of them. It nests 
in the Hebrides in favourable localities, but is only a visitor to 
the Orkneys and Shetland Islands. A considerable increase in 
the number of the species takes place in the autumn, when a 
good many migrate into our i.slands. 
Range outside the British Islands. — In its favourite haunts, the 
present species is distributed over the greater part of Europe, 
and extends throughout Southern Siberia to the Japanese 
Islands, occurring also in the Himalayas, where it appears to 
breed, and it winters in wooded districts in the plains of India. 
In Scandinavia and Northern Russia it ranges as high as 63° 
N. lat. and to 59° in the Ural Mountains. The birds which breed 
in many parts of Europe are only found to do so in the moun- 
tain forests, and in winter they descend to the lower ground. 
The species is also found in the Azores, Madeira, and the 
Canaries, and also inhabits Northern Africa. In North America 
the Long-eared Owl is replaced by a darker race, ^sio ameri- 
canus. 
Hahits. — This Owl is a strictly nocturnal species and is seldom 
found in the day-time, though, if disturbed and frightened, it 
will fly out into the daylight, which does not seem to incon- 
venience it much. As evening closes in, however, it becomes 
more active, and commences to hunt in the twilight. It seems 
never to make a nest for itself, but will appropriate the old 
nest of any other bird which appears suitable. Thus the nests 
of Crows, Magpies, Sparrow-Hawks, or Wood-Pigeons may 
be used, and these are merely slightly flattened, and a little 
