H O W L ,
9-
+- SHORT.
EARED
O.
D escription
clear to me, as, on examination of the two firft, they do not bear
relemblance; as to the laft-mentioned, I never faw it, mult
therefore be filetit on that head.
Short-eared Owl, Sr. Zool, N° 66. t. 31.
Strix brachyotos, Phil. Tran/, yol. Ixii. p. 384. N° i .
Short-eared Owl, Amer. Zool. N°
Sr. Muf. Lev. Mu/.
• 'J 'H E length of this bird is fourteen inches : breadth three feet:
weight fourteen ounces. The bill is dulky: irides yellow :
the circle of feathers which furrounds the eyes is white; clofe to
the eyes black; the outer edge black and tawny mixed: it has
one feather longer than the reft on the head, which it can ereft
at will. The feathers on the upper part of the body are brown,
with pale dull yellow edges; thofe beneath of a pale yellow,
longitudinally ftreaked with brown: the thighs to the toes are
feathered, and of a yellowilh colour: the tail is brown; the
four middle feathers have a brown fpot, encircled with yellow,
oneach fide theIh aft : the tip is white.
Mr. Pennant fays further, that it is a bird of paflage, vifiting
us in Oltober, and retiring in Spring-, and adds, that it’s probable
fummer retreat is Norway.
S r . Forfter, in the Phil. Tranf. above quoted, fays it is called
Msufe Hawk in Hudfon’s Bay, where it is found, as well as in
Europe. This name may well arife from two circumftances; the
firft, from the head being fmaller than in moft Owls; fecondly,
that the ears do not appear, nay, are often difficult to find, in
the dead bird ; for which reafons it may well be miftaken for a
9 Hawk.
Hawk. It’s food is mice, watching them with the fedulous attention
of a do-meftic Cat. It is alfo obferved to be a bird of
paflage in thofe parts. I have frequently met with it in Kent.
M. de Buffon * feems to think that this bird is the Scops, than
which no two of the fpecies differ more. We have not the
Scops in England, neither do I think the above-defcribed bird to
be an inhabitant of France. It would therefore have appeared
candid in the above-mentioned author, to have fufpended his
opinion of the matter till he had been better informed, as he
feems to bear fomewhat hard upon Mr. Pennant, who, I am
clear, is the firft who has defcribed it.
Le Hibou du Brefil, Brif. or*, i. p. 499. N° 8.
Cabure, ou Caboure, Buf. oif. i. p. 383.
Noâua Brafilienlibus Cabure di£ta, Bait Syn, p. 26. N° 7,
Cabure, Will. or*, p. 107. N° 8.
C I Z E of a Thrufh. Bill yellowilh: iris yellow: under the
® eyes, and the fides of the bill, befet with long brown hairs :
the body is of a pale ferruginous brown above, fpotted with
white: about the ears the fame: beneath it is whitilh, marked
with pale ferruginous brown Ipots : tail the fame, waved with
white: the wings reach very little beyond the origin of the tail:
the legs are Ihort, and feathered to the toes, with yellowilh feathers
: the toes are yellow: claws black.
Inhabits Brafil.
10.
BRASILIAN
E. O.
D escription.