THE HORNED OWL. 



This bird is one-fourth larger than the common species, and, like it, yellow, dotted with 

 brown, and vermiculated on the wings and back ; but the belly is striped across with 

 narrow lines. It is a native of Africa, but sometimes appears in Europe. 



The Great Horned Owlf is spread from the Arctic regions to the Straits of Magellan. 

 " His favourite residence," says Wilson, " is the dark solitudes of deep swamps covered 

 with a growth of gigantic timber; and here as soon as evening draws on, and mankind 

 retire to rest, he sends forth such sounds as seem scarcely to belong to this world, 

 startling the solitary pUgiim as he slumbers by his forest fire." 



Dr. Richardson relates an instance which came to his own knowledge, of the conse- 

 quences arising from a visit of this nocturnal wanderer. 



" A party of Scotch Highlanders, in the service of the Hudson Bay Company, hap- 

 pened in a winter journey, to encamp after nightfall in a dense clump of trees, whose 

 dark tops and lofty stems, the growth of more than one century, gave a solemnity to 

 the scene that strongly tended to excite the superstitious feelings of the Highlanders. 

 The eifect was heightened by the discovery of a tomb, which, with a natural taste often 

 exhibited by the Indians, had been placed in this secluded spot. Our travellers having 

 finished their supper, were trimming their fire, preparatory to retiring to rest, when the 

 slow and dismal notes of the homed owl fell on the ear with a starthng nearness. None 

 of them being acquainted with the sound, they at once concluded that so unearthly a 

 voice must be the moaning of the spirit of the departed, whose repose they supposed 

 they had disturbed, by inadvertently making a fire of some of the wood of which his 

 tomb had been constructed. They passed a tedious night of fear, and, -with the fii'st 

 dawn of day, hastily quitted the ill-omened spot." 



* Strix Ascalaplms. — Viellot. f Bubo Virgianus. 



