STRIX, or OWL, of which some of the principal characters are, bill-hook cd, without a sere; nostrils oblong, covered with recum bent sef aceous feathers ; head, eyes, and ears large, tongue bifid, and exterior toe reversible, or moveable backwards. They may be conveniently divided into the horned and hornless or smooth-headed ; the former com prising such as have lengthened feathers on each side of the head resembling horns or ears, and capable of being more or less erected at the bird's pleasure ; and the latter, such as are destitute of those lengthened plumes. Other minute divisions and sub-divisions of the race have been instituted, but without sufficient attention to the approximating gradations of the foreign species, which connect most of the family by imperceptible links. 'We should likewise remark, that several of the sorts, previous to their first moulting, exhibit various degrees of darkness on the face, and have thus been described by some ornithologists as distinct species.
S. ntue, Lin. Ste ; Long-eared, or Horn-owl. Yellow ferruginous, with black and grey variegations ; ear-tuft, consisting of six plumes, of a brownish-fulvous, barred with black. The length of the female is about fifteen in ches, the extent of its expanded wings three feet four in ches, and its weight ten ounces. The male is a little smaller in its dimensions.
The long-eared owl seldom takes the trouble of con structing a nest, but seizes on that of a magpie, buzzard, or other large bird, in which it deposits four or five rounded white eggs. The young are at first entirely co vered with white down, but begin to acquire their appro priate colours at the expiration of fifteen days. This bird frequents extensive woods, and wooded or rocky solitudes, manifesting a partiality to plantations of fir, box, or holly, in which it more readily conceals itself by day, during all seasons of the year. In France, however, and some other countries of Europe, in which it is by no means uncommon, it often quits the forests and caverns in winter, and comes down to the plains, when it will even approach houses. Its cry is loud, and heard at a
very considerable distance, being a grave and protracted moaning, incessantly reiterated during the night : but on commencing its flight, it also emits a sharp sobbing-like sound, which has been attributed to the violent contrac tion of the pectoral muscles. It is found in all the quar ters of the world ; and is common at Hudsons's Bay, where it preys by night with much clamour, and often ap proaches the dwellings of the inhabitants. In Britain, it is not of very ordinary occurrence, but has been met with in the north of England, Cheshire, and Cornwall. Unless taken when very young, it refuses food in confine ment. It is occasionally used as a call-bird, to decoy others.
S. bachyotos, Lath. Gmel. Tern.; including the Ulula of the two former, the Accipitrina, of Pallas, and the Stridula, Palustris, Brachyura,.Tripennes,..drctica, &c. of different writers, Short-eared, Brown or Caspian Owl ; provincially, Mouse-hawk, Hawk-Owl, Woodcock-Owl, &c. Yellow-ferruginous, varied with brown ; ear-fea thers narrow, and the tail marked with sub-ocellated spots. Until lately, this and the Ulula were conceived to be distinct species, an error which originated in the minuteness of the ear-feathers, which are often not erect ed, ana never after death; so that the same bird was des cribed by different ornithologists as horned or hornless, according to the state in which it happened to be examin ed. Mr. Pennant, who first introduced it into the British Fauna, and who has described it in a manner which should have protected him from the misplaced and uncourteous criticism of Bufron, is nevertheless mistaken, when he asserts that it has only one feather erectable on each side of the head. The length of the short-eared owl is four teen or fifteen inches, the extent of wing three feet, and the weight fourteen ounces.