Genus SCOPS.

Gen. Cuar. Bill curved from the base; the upper ridge of the culmen flattened; the cere
short. Vostrz/s round, placed in front of the cere. Facial disc small, and incomplete
above the eyes; auditory conch small, and without an operculum ; forehead with egrets or
tufts. Wengs long, the third feather the longest. Tazl even or slightly rounded, concave
beneath. Legs rather long. Tars? feathered to the toes, which have their upper joints
reticulated, and the anterior ones scutellated. Claws sharp, moderately curved, and

j partially grooved beneath. Plumage soft and downy.

 

 

 

SCOPS-EARED OWL.

Scops Aldrovandi, Will. and Ray.
Le Petit Duc.

 

Tue range of this beautiful little Owl is so extensive, that few of the larger species are more widely distributed.
Independently of its existence throughout most of the countries of Europe, it is found both in Africa and Asia ;
and individuals from China have come under our notice, differing in no respect from specimens killed in our
own island. Its occurrence here is, however, extremely rare in comparison to adjacent parts. It is abundant
in France, Switzerland, and all the southern and eastern portions of Europe: in Holland and the north-
western portion of the Continent it is almost as rare as it is in England.

In Europe it appears to be strictly migratory, arriving late in spring, when moths and the larger coleopterous
insects, upon which it principally subsists, abound ; but in the hotter portions of the Old World, where such
insects are always abundant, numbers of these birds are stationary throughout the whole of the year: to these,
its most common food, are added birds, mice, and other small animals. In its manners it is principally
nocturnal, issuing forth from its hiding-place on the approach of twilight, in chase of those insects which are
also roused from their state of repose to activity at the same time. In confinement it is docile and contented,
and especially interesting from its minute size and the elegance of its markings.

It breeds in the holes of decayed trees, clefts of rocks, and old buildings, the eggs being four or five in
number, of a pure white.

The sexes offer little or no variations of colour; indeed the female so exactly resembles the male as not to
be distinguished except by dissection. .

The general colour is grey blended with brown; and freckled with minute markings of black, relieved by
of most of the feathers ; the head is ornamented with egrets capable

bold longitudinal dashes down the centre
ack dashes encircle the disc of the face; the quills are barred

of being elevated and depressed at will; a few bl
alternately with rich brown and yellowish grey ; irides and feet brilliant yellow.

The Plate represents an adult bird of the natural size.

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