242 THE BIRDS OF KENT 



swelling, now diminishing, the sounds intermixed with 

 chnrring and croaking notes, some of the sounds having 

 a ventriloquial effect : there was now and then a sharp, 

 unearthly kind of shriek. Presently there were the same 

 sounds issuing from other quarters of the wood, until the 

 W'hole place was ringing with the wild nocturnal notes. 

 As day-break advanced, I could see the Fern-Owls (there 

 were at least from four to six birds) hawking for moths, 

 chasing and pursuing each other, and sweeping along 

 with surprising sudden turns and tumblings. As I sat 

 motionless, with my head just above the surface of the 

 hay-cock, I had a good view of their proceedings ; the 

 birds were continually snapping at the numerous small 

 moths which were hovering over the heaps of hay. The 

 birds are not very shy when pursuing their prey, for they 

 would glide along close to me ; amidst the gloom one 

 could see them looming in certain positions, as a ship at 

 sea is sometimes to be seen in the night-time. At times 

 the Fern-Owls would suddenly appear close to me as if 

 by magic, and then shoot off, like meteors passing 

 through the air. 



" The spectral and owl-like appearance, the noiseless, 

 wheeling flight of the birds as they darted by, would 

 almost persuade one that he was on enchanted ground, 

 spell-bound, whilst witnessing the grotesque gambols of 

 this singular bird ; there only needed Puck, with his elfin 

 crew, attendant fairies, &c., in connection with the aerial 

 flights of the Fern-Owl, to have made it, as it was to me, 

 a tolerably complete Midsummer Night's Dream, espe- 

 cially as the fever of my night-haunted imagination had 

 not as yet vanished. As it was, I was delighted with this 

 nocturnal and beautiful scene from Nature, and I wished 

 at the time that some of our museum naturahsts had 

 been with me, to have shared the pleasure that I felt. 



