T AW N Y , B R O W N , O R W O O D -O W L .
Syrnium ahico (Linn.).
TAWNY, BROWN, or WOOD-OWL
SYRNIUM ALUCO (Linn.).
Strix aluco, Linn. S. N. i. p. 132 (1766); Naum. i. p. 473;
Yarr. ed. 4, i. p. 146.
Ulula aluco, Macg. iii. p. 438.
Syrnium stridula, Hewitson, i. p. 63.
Syrnium aluco, Dresser, v. p. 271.
Chat-huant, French; Wald-Kantz, Wald-Eule, German;
Cdrabo, Spanish.
The Brown Owl, as it is generally termed, is still
tolerably common in the woodlands of England and
Scotland, in spite of the constant and senseless persecution
that it has suffered from in many places through
the stupid want of discrimination on the part of greedy
game-preservers and their servants. I have done my
best through my life to protect and encourage Owls of
all kinds, and have been rewarded not only by the
consequent opportunities of close observation of their
most interesting habits, but also by their keeping the
numbers of mice, voles, and, in a lesser degree, of rats
within nearly tolerable limits. This Owl especially loves
the concealment of old hollow trees, and does not, to
my knowledge, often frequent old buildings, unless,
indeed, they are densely clad with ivy; nor does it seem