RAPTORES. STRIGIDÆ.
TH E L IT T L E OWL.
Strix passerina,
Noctua ,,
,, nudipes,
Sirix passerina,
Little Owl, P enn. Brit. Zool. vol. i. p. 270.
,, ,, Montagu, Ornith. Diet.
,, ,, B ewick, Brit. Birds, vol. i. p. 69.
,, ,, E lem. Brit. An. p. 58.
Little Night Owl, Selby, Brit. Ornith. vol. i. p. 107.
„ ,, ,, J enyns, Brit. Vert. p. 9 4 .
,, ,, ,, Gould, Birds of Europe, pt. xii.
Chouette chevêche, Temm. Man. d’Ornith. vol. i. p. 92.
N octua. Generic Characters.—Head not furnished with tufts of feathers.
Beak curved and bending from the base; cere short; nostrils oval. Auditory
opening large ; facial disk not well defined. Wings large ; the third and fourth
quill-feathers nearly equal in length. Legs and toes covered with feathers.
Claws curved and sharp.
T h i s L i t t l e Owl, and that which is next to follow, can
only be considered as occasional visitors to this country,
though both have now been taken several times, and most of
those instances will be here mentioned. There is reason,
however, to believe that from the general similarity in appearance
of these two small Owls, they have been frequently
mistaken the one for the other. The specific distinctions
will be pointed out. The Little Owl is strictly nocturnal in
its habits, but towards the evening becomes active and
vigilant. Bechstein, in his Natural History of Cage Birds,
—for a published translation of which we are indebted to
Mr. Bennie,—says, “ In its wild state this small species of
Owl frequents old buildings, towers, and church walls, where
its nest is also found. The female lays two white eggs of a
short oval form, one inch four lines in length by one inch one
line in breadth. The male takes his turn to sit upon the
eggs during incubation ; and the young ones may be very
easily reared on fresh meat, particularly on Pigeons.” This
species is very frequently exposed for sale in the markets of
Germany, Holland, and France.
In a wild state it feeds on mice, bats, small birds, which it
takes from the roost, and insects.
“ In a cage,” according to Bechstein, “ it may be kept
for some time in good health, if fed on dried mutton: the
skin, fat, and bones must be removed, and the meat left to
soak in water for two days before it is eaten. Three quarters
of an ounce a day of this meat dried will be sufficient, particularly
if now and then some mice or small birds be given
it, which it swallows, feathers and all: it can devour as many
as five mice at a meal. I t begins to wake up at about two
in the afternoon, and then becomes very lively, and soon
wants its food. I f great care be not taken sometimes to give
it mice or birds, the fur and feathers of which cleanse the
stomach, it will soon die of decline. I t is easily captured
when the place of its retreat during the day is discovered,
by placing a net in the form of a bag over the mouth of the