The eggs of this bird, seldom exceeding three in number,
are smooth and white, one inch eight lines in length, by one
inch three lines and a half in breadth.
Small quadrupeds and small birds form the principal food
of this Owl. In the stomach of one, Colonel Montagu found
the remains of a Skylark and a Yellowhammer. Mr.
Thompson of Belfast found the legs of a Purre, Tringa
vanabilis of Meyer and Temminck; and in the stomach of
one examined by myself, were a half-grown rat, and portions
of a b a t; but this is the only bird in the stomach of which I
ever found the remains of a bat. Wilson, however, in his
account of the White, or Barn Owl, says that bats are the
favourite food of most of the American Owls.
The Short-eared Owl is well known in most of, if not all,
the southern and western counties of England, and, according
to Mr. Thompson, is one of the regular winter visitors
to the northern counties of Ireland, preferring wet and
boggy places, where Snipes might be expected. Localities
in the north of England, in Scotland, and the Orkneys,
have been already named. It inhabits the whole of the
continent of Europe, and is found also in India and in Africa.
Dr. Richardson says, “ it is a summer visitor to the fur-countries
of North America, arriving as soon as the snow disappears,
and departing again in September. I t was observed
as far north as latitude 67°; and a female, killed at Fort
Franklin on the 20th of May, contained several pretty large
eggs nearly ready for exclusion. In summer it is by no
means rare in the fur-countries: and, as it hunts frequently
for its prey in the day time, is often seen. When disturbed,
it flies low for a short distance, and then hides itself in the
heart of a bush, from whence it is not easily driven. Its
nest, formed of withered grass and moss, is placed on a dry
spot of ground.” This species frequents Hudson’s Bay,
Labrador, and Newfoundland, in summer, and is found on
the American continent in winter as far south as Pennsylvania.
Two specimens are said to have been brought from
the Sandwich Isles, and Mr. Gould has seen examples from
Brazil, and the Straits of Magellan.
The head of this species is small compared with that of
Owls generally; the tufts, about three-quarters of an inch
long, formed of three or four feathers, which can be elevated
or depressed at pleasure ; the beak is black ; the irides golden
yellow ; the feathers radiating from around each eye, forming
the facial disk, are dark, almost black at the base, but becoming
lighter in colour and mixed with brown towards the end, O O
those pointing in the direction of the beak hiding the cere ;
the facial disk surrounded by a whitish line or border ; top of
the head, neck, back, and wings, patched with very dark
brown : the feathers edged with fawn colour; wing-coverts
with a few roundish spots of yellowish white ; wing-primaries
pale reddish brown, barred with dark brown, and ending
with speckled ash grey; upper surface of tail feathers buff
colour, with five transverse bars of very dark brown ; the chin
white ; all the under surface of the body pale buff, with longitudinal
patches of blackish brown on the neck and breast,
and streaked with the same colour on the belly and flanks;
thighs, legs, and upper surface of the toes covered with short,
uniform, hair-like, pale buff-coloured feathers ; under surface
of the toes naked; claws almost black, curved and sharp.
The whole length from fourteen to fifteen inches. Wings,
when closed, reaching beyond the end of the tail. The females
are larger than the males ; but the differences in the
plumage of the sexes are not very obvious.