Mr. J. BlackwalPs Ornithological Notes. 371 



XXXIX. — Ornithological Notes. By John Blackwall, F.L.S. 



[Continued from vol. xv. p. 171.] 

 The White Owl, Strix flammea. 



Does the white owl hoot or does it not ? is a question which 

 has engaged the attention of ornithologists in consequence of a 

 doubt expressed on the subject by the llev. Gilbert White, in his 

 ' Natural History of Selborne/ Letter XV., addressed to the 

 Honourable Daines Barrington. 



Having enjoyed peculiarly favourable opportunities of deciding 

 this question, I am prepared to answer it in the negative. 



For a long series of years I resided at Crumpsall Hall, near 

 Manchester, situated in the township from which it takes its 

 name ; and during the greater part of that period the premises 

 were constantly frequented by this species of StriXy but no hooting 

 ever occurred there, and I may add that the tawny owl, Syrnium 

 alucOy was unknown in the township. This last remark applies 

 equally to the adjoining township of Broughton, in which a 

 pair of white owls brought up their young annually in an out- 

 building attached to Broughton Hall, the residence of the late 

 Rev. John Clowes, under whose protecting care they enjoyed a 

 secure asylum ; the call termed hooting, however, was never 

 heard in that locality either by Mr. Clowes, by myself, or by any 

 persons familiar with the neighbourhood as far as I had an op- 

 portunity of ascertaining the fact. I am decidedly of opinion 

 therefore that the white owl does not hoot. 



It would seem that the tawny owl ceases to hoot when in 

 captivity ; at all events, I have kept individuals of this species for 

 several years confined to a piece of ground surrounded with walls, 

 including a dark shed in which they roosted, without once hear- 

 ing this their well-known call. 



The singularity of the incident I am ahout to narrate will serve 

 as a sufficient apology for its introduction here. 



Very early one fine morning in June 1831 my slumbers were 

 interrupted by the sound produced by something beating against 

 one of the windows of my sleeping-room at Crumpsall Hall, and 

 on looking in the direction from which the noise proceeded, I 

 was surprised to see a white owl clinging by its talons to the 

 window-frame and striking against the glass with the extremities 

 of its expanded wings ; at last it flew away, having persevered 

 in this extraordinary occupation for more than a minute. Pre- 

 viously to quitting my room I opened the window at which the 

 bird had appeared so desirous to effect an entrance, and on joining 

 the family at the breakfast -table mentioned what had occurred, 

 when my brother, Mr, Thomas Blackwall, stated that he had beeu 



