LITTLE OWL. 
67 
shapely of all our Owls. Nor are the colours and markings 
of its plumage inferior in simplicity and effect to most others. 
It also possesses an eye fully equal in spirit and brilliancy to 
the best of them. 
This species is a general and constant inhabitant of the 
middle and northern states ; but is found most numerous in 
the neighbourhood of the sea shore, and among woods and 
swamps of pine trees. It rarely rambles much during day ; 
but, if disturbed, flies a short way, and again takes shelter 
from the light : at the approach of twilight it is all life and 
activity, being a noted and dexterous mouse catcher. It is 
found as far north as Nova Scotia, and even Hudson’s Bay ; 
is frequent in Russia ; builds its nest generally in pines, half 
way up the tree, and lays two eggs, which, like those of the 
rest of its genus, are white. The melancholy and gloomy 
umbrage of those solitary evergreens forms its favourite 
haunts, where it sits dozing and slumbering all day, lulled by 
the roar of the neighbouring ocean. 
The little Owl is seven inches and a half long, and 
eighteen inches in extent ; the upper parts are a plain brown 
olive, the scapulars and some of the greater and lesser coverts 
being spotted with white ; the first five primaries are crossed 
obliquely with five bars of white ; tail, rounded, rather darker 
than the body, crossed with two rows of white spots, and 
tipt with white ; whole interior vanes of the wings, spotted 
with the same ; auriculars, yellowish brown ; crown, upper 
part of the neck, and circle surrounding the ears, beautifully 
marked with numerous points of white on an olive brown 
ground; front, pure white, ending in long blackish hairs; at 
the internal angle of the eyes, a broad spot of black radiating 
outwards ; irides, pale yellow ; bill, a blackish horn colour ; 
lower parts, streaked with yellow ochre and reddish bay ; 
thighs, and feathered legs, pale buff ; toes, covered to the 
claws, which are black, large, and sharp-pointed. 
The bird, from which the foregoing figure and description 
were taken, was shot on the sea shore, near Great Egg Harbour, 
