. Animate creation : popular edition of "Our living world" : a natural history. Zoology; Zoology. 80 THE SCOPS EARED OWL. called the Anstrian Riifous Owlet, or the Sparrow Owl. Although so small a creature, ita food is the same as that of any of its larger relatives, consisting of small birds, bats, mice, and various insects. The general color of this curious little Owl is clove-brown, banded and marked with yellowish-brown, gray, and white. It may easily be distinguished from other Owls by the legs, which are very long in proportion to the dimensions of the bird, and instead of bein
. Animate creation : popular edition of "Our living world" : a natural history. Zoology; Zoology. 80 THE SCOPS EARED OWL. called the Anstrian Riifous Owlet, or the Sparrow Owl. Although so small a creature, ita food is the same as that of any of its larger relatives, consisting of small birds, bats, mice, and various insects. The general color of this curious little Owl is clove-brown, banded and marked with yellowish-brown, gray, and white. It may easily be distinguished from other Owls by the legs, which are very long in proportion to the dimensions of the bird, and instead of being feath- ered dowm to the toes, are covered with very short hair-like plumage, becoming very scanty over the toes. It is easily domesticated, and in a tamed state is so voracious that, according to Bechstein, it can swallow five mice at a single meal. Another curious little Owl is the Te^^gmalm's Owl, or Death Bird ; the latter name having been given to it on account of a common sujjer- stition that reigns among several of the North American Indian tribes. When an Indian hears one of these birds utteiing its melancholy cry, he A\histles towards the spot from whence the sound pro;ceeded, and if the bird does not answer him, he looks for a speedy death. This species is at first sight not unlike the Little Owl, but may be at once distinguished from that bird by the structure of its legs and toes, and the thick feathery coating with which they are clad. It is a very common bird over the whole of the inhabited portions of North America, but is frequently found in Norway, Sweden, Russia, and even in Northern Prance and Italy. It is a nocturnal bird, seldom wandering from its home diiring the hours of daylight, as it is almost blinded by the unaccustomed glare, and may be easily captured by hand while thus bewildered. The nest of the Tengmalm's Owl is generally made of grass, and is placed about half->vay up some convenient pine-tree. The eggs are seldom more than two in number, ar
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Keywords: ., bookauthorbr, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectzoology
