OTUS VULGARIS.
L ong^eared Owl.
Otus albkollis, Daud. Traité d'Onu, tom. iL p. 213.
— Italiens, Daud. ibid., p. 213. 1 .
— vulgaris, Flem. Hist at" Brit. Anim., p. 56.
Européens, Steph. Cant of Shaw’s Gen. Zool., vol. xiii. pt. ii. p. 57.
— communis, Léss. Traité d Orn.. p. 110.
— aurita, Mont. Ora. Diet Bam. edit., p. 262.
Asio #>visw. f t * : . tom. L p. 491.
/»to« i .v Mati <! Orn., tom. i . p. 116.
Strix o m i  f |$ - Nat., tom. i. p. 132.
(folia oku, >:ï’j('giïï Rapt. Birds of Brit., p. 403.
Wav one group of CM- should have elongated tufts on the forehead, like the O t a mlgarh, others short
plumes as in the Bm ch jr im p almlm, while other groups have no trace of these appendages, is a matter for
speculation among naturalists. These lengthened feathers have obtained for the two birds above mentioned
the trivial names of the Long- and Short-eared Owls; but it must be understood that they are totally
unconnected with the ears, and are, in fact, nothing more than a prolongation o f that particular part o f the
bird’s plumage. Of course th e anatomist would find a particular muscle for the erection and depression of
these tufts, for nature »ever bestows such a feature without the means of showing it off to the best
advantage ■ thus the fine colours on the side o f the Bed-legged Partridge are displayed to the utmost, so
th at every band fells into i s right place, and so that the varied colours are in perfect harmony; and this law
prevails with even bird, from the Peacock, with its gorgeous train, to the humble Sparrow on the honse-top,
who, in h is manifest;!!; ms 1'lovc, exhibits to his mate far more varied markings than he is generally supposed to
possess. My own oraniow is, and always has been, tb at ornamentation is the chief design and intention of
these beauties, and thsi tbry have little o r no influence whatever on the bird’s well-being and economy. I t is
remarkable too how ,,ie g roup represents another in the great scheme of creation; how Falcons, among
birds answer to'the«*tm«i .ud the tro u t; and the Owls the cats among Mammals, even to the appearance of
the ears to say nothin« of the resemblance in their disposition and many of their actions. The poor mouse
has indeed mam cm'nic the Owl, the Kestrel, the Stork, and the Heron, among birds, the cat and the
weasel unong ru ad r -ed.- aid the snake and lizard among reptiles. But let us revert to the history o f the
Lo -eared Owl on. f the most interesting members o f its group. Does it constantly live in England ?
l- it urilhi an indi 'mu bird ? Is its dispersion general, from the most southern to the most northern
»arts of ! „,1 s .- land ? Does it inhabit the sister kingdom o f Ireland, as well .as the islands
contiguous Brit** ‘ T« »11 and every one o f these queries I answer, Yes. Every extensive wood, nearly
- . eh, Scotch, o r silver) has its pair of Long-eared Owls ; or if it he not so, it is
^ , „. snrwtsman, and the collector, instead of befriending the poor bird, strive to extirpate
it by ruthlcwfr . ooti. every individual that may flap forth when the covers are beaten for the stealthy
Woodcock a n d f t » Pheasant. A moment’s reflection only is necessary to convince every one o f the folly
o f destroyin': so k iful a* ornament o f the country, and so useful a denizen o f our woods and pastures,
which is evidently dswgned lv> keep in check the numbers of the field-mice, young weasels, and smaller
b rd all of which a nrndilv -1 vours. To show the great amount of good it effects in this way, I may
the following , .'-s... m a M Selby’s account of this species t— •• In the stomach of one individual I found
fiv skulls o f n .-c, were, without doubt, the relics from its repast of the previous night.
. , , j e> ^ Inlands, the Long-eared Owl is found in all parts of Europe, fro »
I 1 Th chances aw that it >■ atmerally dispersed over Africa; for we know that it frequent* ■
f tl e them o f Ttrirf country, and that it also occurs within the Colony of the <-*
v £ fc|ie ; i( peninsula• but Mr. Jerdon states, in bis recenth published
■. . r ., . c,iita(. •. (|1C Himalayas from Nepaul to Cashmere, but » i
* |jew lim ,nore scarce. Mr. Wheelwright states that neitbv ttptc** nor