Identifier: royalnaturalhist47lyde (find matches)
Title: The royal natural history
Year: 1893 (1890s)
Authors: Lydekker, Richard, 1849-1915 Sclater, Philip Lutley, 1829-1913 Frostick, W. B., former owner. DSI Brooks, W. T., former owner. DSI
Subjects: Zoology Natural history
Publisher: London and New York : Frederick Warne & Co.
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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EAOLE-owi. (\ nat. size). may be distinguished by their relatively shortci- wings, which never reach withina considerable distance of the end of the tail: while the great size of the ear-tufts and the beautifully barred plumage aitls in recognising these magnificentbirds. Although the toes may be sometimes bare or but sparsely feathered, themetatarsus is always plumed throughout. The beak is short and strong, with acompressed tip, and the large nostrils are either oval or rounded. Of eagle-owls there are nearlj^ a score of species, ranging over the greater part of theOld and Now Worlds, although unrepresented in Australasia. As being the only i66 O JFLS. species found in Western Europe, the best known of ail is the great eagle-owl(Bubo ignavus), of which specimens are occasionally taken in Britain. Thissplendid bird, of which the total length may reach 28 inches, belongs to a group oftwo or three species characterised by the toes being so thickly feathered that even
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EAGLE OWL SEIZIXG ITS PREY their last joints are concealed. It has a black beak and bright orange iris; whilethe plumage is a beautiful blending of various shades of l)rown. The ear-tuftsinclude a few dark feathers, with light bars on the inner \vebs; the hind-neck andback are mottled dark and reddish brown, witli the dark tint occupying the middle EAGLE-OWLS. 167 of the feathers; and the same colours, but arranged in transverse bars, occupy theprimary quills and tail-feathers. On the face-disc the feathers are light brownwith greyish black speckles; while the breast is pale brown, with longitudinalstreaks of darker brown, and the remainder of the under-parts are shades ofbrown banded with darker bars. The great eagle-owl inhabits the greater part of Europe and Northern Asia,the Central Asian form (B. turconianus) being paler than ordinary. In Asia itextends as far south as the Pangong Lake and the Himalaya; and it has also beenobtained from North-Eastern Africa. Common in Scandinavia

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