58 
STRIGIDiE. 
RAPTORES. 
STRIGIDjE. 
SHORT EARED OWL. 
Otus brachyotos. 
PLATE XVII. FIG. II. 
The Short-eared Owl, departing from the habits of 
the rest of the genus, rears its young ones on the ground; 
it forms, also, in its mode of breeding, as it does in its 
flight and general appearance, one of the connecting 
links between the Falconidae and the owls. Although 
they for the most part go further north to breed, a few 
of them remain upon the moors of Northumberland, 
where Mr. Charlton of Hesleyside informs me he has 
frequently found their eggs amongst the heath in his own 
neighbourhood. Mr. R. R. Wingate has also met with 
the young ones on the same moors before they were able 
to fly. 
The Rev. George Low, in his Fauna Orcadensis, says 
that in his time this owl was very frequent on the hill of 
Hoy, where it built its nest amongst the heath, and was 
so impudent during the breeding-season as to take up 
chickens from the door, and chase pigeons in daylight. 
In a nest which he found were the remains of a moor- 
fowl and two plovers ; it was placed in a large heath-bush, 
was made without any art, and intolerably foetid. 
The following notes relating to this species are from 
Sir William Jardine’s edition of “ Wilson’s Ornithology.” 
“ In England it bears the name of Woodcock Owl, 
from its appearance nearly about the same time with that 
