STRIG1D.E.
Most of the various systematic names by which this Owl
has been designated are here brought together in one view,
as referring to the same bird : differences observed in the
plumage, some specimens being reddish brown or tawny,
while others were grey, had led to a belief in the existence
of two distinct spe'cies.
The Tawny Owl is a common bird in most well-wooded
districts, and is strictly nocturnal in its habits, seldom moving
or leaving its place of concealment during the day, and
appears, more than any other species of Owl, to be incommoded
by bright light. It inhabits thick woods, or strong
plantations of evergreens, and at nightfall issues forth to seek
its food, sometimes visiting small enclosures about farmhouses,
at others taking a wider range over the neighbouring
fields. It feeds indiscriminately on leverets, young rabbits,
moles, rats, mice, birds, frogs-, and insects. Several writers
have proved that this Owl feeds occasionally on fish, and
that it is able to catch either those species that swim near the
surface in deep water, or the bullhead and loach, that are to
be found among stones in the shallowest parts of brooks.
The eggs of this species are large compared with those of
either of the three Owls last described. They are smooth
and white, measuring one inch ten lines in length, by one
inch six lines in breadth. These, to the number of three or
four, are usually deposited in a hole in a tree, and, according
to Mr. Jenyns, are hatched in April. For a considerable
time the young, covered with a greyish white down, are fed
in the nest; they afterwards perch among the branches of
trees near the nest, where the parent birds still continue to
feed them. The young of this species of Owl are said to be
more easily reared than others, being much less choice in the
quality of their food. The note of this Owl is a loud and
melancholy hoot, most frequently heard in the evening.
The Tawny Owl may be traced through the western counties
of England, but has not been recognised by practical
ornithologists as existing in Ireland. I t occurs also m the
northern counties of England, but is more rare in Scotland.
Mr. Low includes it among the birds of Orkney that are seen
in summer, but not in the winter. I t inhabits Scandinavia,
Lapland, Russia, the wooded countries of the European continent,
and is found in Spain and Italy ; it was seen by Mr.
Strickland as far to the southward and eastward as Smyrna.
M. Temminck includes this Owl in his Catalogue of the
Birds of Japan.
The adult male has the head large; the beak whitish horn
colour : the eyes large and full ; the irides dark blue, almost
black: the facial disk greyish white, defined by a dark brown
marginal line ; top of the head, neck, back, and wings, a mixture
of ash grey, mottled with two shades of brown ; a descending
line of white spots at the edge of the scapulars, and
another on the edge of the wing-covertswing-primaries
barred with dull white and dark brown, the wings not reaching
to the middle of the ta il; upper surface of the tail-
feathers barred with two shades of brown, the central pair of
feathers being the most uniform in colour. The under surface
of the body greyish white, mottled and streaked longitudinally
with pale and dark brown ; under tail-coverts white,
under surface of tail-feathers greyish white, barred transversely
with reddish brown ; legs and toes covered with short greyish
white feathers; claws horn white at the base, becoming
darker towards the tip. The whole length about fifteen
inches.
The females are larger, and much more ferruginous or
tawny in the general colour of their plumage. \ oung males
are for a considerable time, probably till their second autumn,
similar in colour to the females.