170 POPULAR SCRIPTURE ZOOLOGY.

(whose adaptation to nocturnal habits is most complete, and
who, during the day, with their eyes half shut, present a
great appearance of gravity), have a large external ear, and
large and complete discs round the eyes; the horned owls,
in which the external ear is smaller, but the discs round the
eyes still large, and in which the head is furnished with
two feathery tufts resembling horns; and the Aawék-ovls, in
which the external ear is very small, the discs wanting, and
the feathery tufts absent*.”

The Barn Owl (Strix flammea, Plate XI.) is found
throughout the temperate and warm regions of Europe (other
species, more or less resembling it, being known in most
of the temperate portions of the globe), and is probably the
one alluded to in Leviticus. It is a beautiful bird, mea-
suring about fourteen inches*in length; the head and
upper parts of the body are of a pale orange-colour, slightly
marked with chestnut spots; the feathers on the back are
tipped with grey, and finely sprinkled with black ; the face
is white, but the ruff is elegantly edged with a mixture of
reddish-brown and white; tail and quill-feathers slightly
barred with brown, and the whole of the under parts white.

Mr. Waterton says, that “if this useful bird caught its

* Manunder’s Treasury.