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7% Little-Owl. .Noótua.
' ' ' ■' ''s c s J ■
Numb, XII.
IT was about the Bignefs -of a Blackbird ; it weighed three Ounces ; its Length
from the Tip o f the Beak to the End of the Tail, was feven Indies and a half;
when the Wings were extended 'twas fourteen Inches : its Bill was like^ that o f other
Owls s the Tongue a little divided, as in the reft o f this Tribe ; the Palate below black,
having a wide or gaping Cleft, and below it a round Hole ; the Noftrils oblong ; the
Ears great ; the Eyes leffler than in other Owls.
The Wreath or Circle qf Feathers encompaffing the Face, beyond the Ears lefs
and lefs difcernable; the upper Part o f the body was of a dark Brown, with a Mixture
o f red, having tranfverfe white Spots, intermixed with Lines and fmall Specks of
black; the Tail was two Inches long, made up of twelve Feathers exafitly equal,
having fix whitifh tranfverfe Bars.
The Feathers about the Ears were more variegated with black and white ; the Chin
and Belly o f a yellowilh white ; the Breaft marked with long dusky Spots inclofed
with a Border o f white.
The Number o f Beam-Feathers in each Wing was twenjy two, the firft o f which
was Ihorter by half an Inch than the.fecond, third, and fourth, which were o f equal
Length, the fifth equal to the firft ; then ihortening by degrees to the eleventh,
then increafing in Length to the nineteenth, then decreafing again, the twenty fecond
being the ihorteft o f a ll; both inner and outer Webs were fpotted with white Spots.
It was feathered down to thè Claws ; the Feet were o f a dark yellow ; the Claws
blackilh : It had two Fore-Toes and two back-Tocs; the Talons black; the inner Side
o f the middle Talon is thifined into an Edge.
It hath a great Gall ; the Length of the Guts was ten Inches ; o f the blind Guts,
one Inch and a- quarter. _
This Bird was taken on the Coaft of Ufhant by Captain Boreman,, it haying loft
its Way at Sea, lighting on the Maft o f the Ship, was fo tired that it fuffered it felf
to be taken without any Refiftance, and was preicryed and brought home by him, and
given to me by his Brother Thomas Boreman, Bookfeller on Ludgate-Hill.