142 BIRDS OF PREY. 



and the probability of such an effect will not be surprising, 

 when we consider the delicacy and magnitude of the au- 

 ditory apparatus of this bird, the use of which is, probably, 

 necessary to discover the otherwise silent retreats of their 

 tiny prey. When taken captive, according to Buffon, they 

 do not long survive the loss of liberty, and pertinacious- 

 ly refuse to eat ; a habit very different from that of the 

 young Mottled Owl, who allowed himself to feed from my 

 hand, and tugged greedily and tamely at the morsel held 

 out to him until he got it into his possession ; small birds 

 also he would instantly grasp in his talons, and hiss and 

 shaie, sJiaie, when any attempt was made to deprive him of 

 his booty. 



A superstitious legend prevails in the north of England, 

 that Pharaoh's daughter was transformed into an Owl, 

 and the common distich, which I have often heard when 

 a child, and while the Owl was screaming on a winter's 

 night, ran thus : 



O/i,' 060 00 



" I once was a king's daughter and sat on my father's knee, 

 But now I'm a poor Hoolet, and hide in a hollow tree !" 



an invention that might do credit to the genius of Ovid, 

 who thus describes this species of Strix, and the etymolo- 

 gy of its name : 



" Large is their head, and motionless their eye, 

 Hook-billed, sharp-clawed, and in the dusk they fly. 



Screech-Olds they're called; because with dismal cry, 

 In darkhng night, from place to place they fly." * 



* Grande caput, stantes oculi, rostra apta rapinao 

 Canities pennis, unguibus hamus inest. 

 ** **** * * 



Est illis strigibus nomen ; sed nominis hujus 

 Causa quod horrenda stridere node sclent. 



Fasti, lib. vi. 139. 



m 



