一切經音義 36.74

36.74

Collared scops owl (the first character is pronounced xiū; the second is pronounced liú. Examining the scops owl: it is an ominous bird that flies at night, also called the xùnhóu, or the xùnhú, named after the cry it makes. It mostly inhabits earthen caves and crevices, hiding by day and emerging at night to hunt mice, Eurasian scops owls, and other small birds for food. Its plumage is greyish and mottled, it is as large as a hawk, its eyes are round with red pupils, and its talons resemble a hawk's; it belongs to the same class as the horned owl, yellow owl, and barn owl, but is slightly larger).