• E A R E D O W L S .
Strix bubo, Lin. Sjfl. i. p. 131. N° i.
~ Scop. Ann. i. p. jg,
Le grand Due, Brif. orn. i. p. 477. N° 1*
Le Due, ou grand Due, Buf. oif. i. p. 332, t. z z .
" PI. enl. 435»
Bubo, Bait Sjn. p. 24. N° j,
Schuffut, Frifeb. t. 93.
Great Horn-owl, or Eagle-owl, Will. or», p. 99. t. 12.
Eagle-owl, Br. Zool. N° 64. t. 29.
Great Owl, Am. Zool. N °
Br. Muf. Lev. Muf.
D escrietion. JN fize it is almoft equal to an Eagle. Irides bright yellowr
head and whole body finely varied with lines, fpots, and fpecks
of black, brown, cinereous, and ferruginous: wings long : tail
Ihort, marked with dulky bars : legs thick, covered to the very
end of the toes with a dole and full down of a teftaceous colour
: claws great, much hooked, and dulky.
This is Mr. Pennant’s defeription; which will as fully fuffice
as a longer one.
Manners. The above noble fpecies for the moll: part inhabits ruined
edifices, mountainous and cavernous places, and inaccellible
rocks j feldom being feen on the plains, nor often perched on
trees. It’s prey chiefly confifts of Leverets, Rabbits, Moles,
Rats, and Mice. Of thele it Iwallows the large!!' by morfels.;
bones, hair, and a ll: the lefier ones whole. After due digeftion
of the nutritious parts, it emits the indigeftible ones, in the lhape
of round pellets; which are often found in it’s haunts. This
bird
1.
GREAT EARED
O.
bird likewife feeds it’s young with Bats, Snakes, Lizards, Toads»
and Frogs *.
Aldrovandus lays that it provides well for it’s young, and fo
plentifully, that a perfon living in the neighbourhood of the nelt
of one of thefe, may be fupplied therefrom with Ibme dainties, and
yet leave enough to fatisfy the young birds.
This is not very common in France, nor is it certain that it
Hays there the whole year. Not more than two eggs have been
found in the nelt; the colour o f them not unlike that of the bird
itfelf; in fize fomewhat bigger than an Hen’s egg.— The Italians,
according to Olina, fometimes train it up for the ules of falconry.
It has been lhot in Scotland, and in Torkßire, and, if a friend
of mine does not deceive me, has once been feen in Kent, perched
upon a gate, near to a large wood, in the fpring 1770.
• It is laid that neither Owls, nor other birds of prey, have been obferved
to drink; inlbmuch that many, who have kept them, did not furniih them
with water, on the fuppoiition of their not wanting it. M . do Bujfon has
watched one of the Falcon tribe, which would by no means be tempted to drink
while any one was in light; but as foon as the perfon, who was fet to watch
it, difappeared, the bird, after looking round to fee all was- fafe, plunged it’s
head into the water, as fa r as the eyes, and took feveral gulps. H iß . des Oif. i.
p. 127.
The reverfe of this was the cafe in my Carrion Vulture, for I have feen this
dip it’s bill into the water to All the mouth, after which it held up the head to
fwallow it, j Lilt in the manner of our domeftic poultry.