+Otus palustris+, _Darwin, Zool. Beagle_, iii. p. 33. +Otus brachyotus+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 116; _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 439 (Rosario); _Hudson, P. Z. S._ 1870, p. 800 (Buenos Ayres); _Durnford, Ibis_, 1877, p. 186 (Buenos Ayres), et 1878, p. 396 (Patagonia). +Asio brachyotus+, _Gibson, Ibis_, 1879, p. 423 (Buenos Ayres); _White, P. Z. S._ 1882, p. 622 (Buenos Ayres); _Withington, Ibis_, 1888, p. 468 (Lomas de Zamora). +Asio accipitrinus+, _Sharpe, Cat. B._ ii. p. 234. _Description._--Above streaked and variegated with fulvous and blackish brown; face whitish, with a large central blotch of blackish round the eye; wings pale tawny white, with several irregular broad blackish cross bars; tail whitish, with four or five broad black cross bands: beneath as above, but much whiter on the belly, which is only slightly streaked, and without markings on the crissum and thighs; bill black; tarsi and toes densely feathered: whole length 15·0 inches, wing 13·0, tail 6·0. _Female_ similar, but rather larger. _Hab._ Old and New Worlds. The Short-eared Owl is found throughout the Argentine country, where it is commonly called _Lechuzon_ (big Owl) in the vernacular. Like the species last described--the Barn-Owl--it has an exceedingly wide range. It is found throughout the continent of Europe; it also inhabits Asia and Africa, many of the Pacific Islands, and both Americas, from Canada down to the Straits of Magellan. Such a very wide distribution would seem to indicate that it possesses some advantage over its congeners, and is (as an Owl) more perfect than others. It is rather more diurnal in its habits than most Owls, and differs structurally from other members of its order in having a much smaller head. It is also usually said to be a weak flier; but this I am sure is a great mistake, for it seems to me the strongest flier amongst Owls, and very migratory in its habits, or, at any rate, very much given to wandering. Probably its very extensive distribution is due in some measure to a greater adaptability than is possessed by most species; also to its better sight in the daytime, and to its wandering disposition, which enables it to escape a threatened famine, and to seize on unoccupied or favourable ground.