The Great Horned Owl. 445 



of all, to whom our reverential love is then humbly devoted, and 

 not to any of his dependent creatures, with all the gloomy Habits 

 and ungracious tones of the Owl, there is nothing in this bird 

 supernatural or mysterious, or more than that of a simple bird of 

 prey, formed for feeding by night, like many other animals, and of 

 reposing by day. The harshness of its voice occasioned by the 

 width and capacity of its throat, may be intended by heaven as 

 an alarm and warninor to the birds and animals on which it preys, 

 to secure themselves from danger. The voices of all carnivorous 

 birds and animals are also observed to be harsh and hideous, 

 probably for this very purpose." 



A good specimen of the great Horned Owl, taken in winter 

 when his plumage is in its most full state of* thickness and soft_ 

 ness, is one of the most handsome of American birds. The 

 length is nearly two feet ; the long plume like tufts, or horns as 

 they are called, several inches in length, and the whole body 

 richly barred and variegated with white, brown and tawney 

 colours. The eyes are large yellow, flashing with a golden light 

 when excited, and the whole bearing fearless and noble. 



This species lives retired in the most secluded recesses of the 

 forest, but often sallies forth at night on a tour of inspection, 

 around thebarn where now and then some unlucky fowl becomes his 

 prey. His strength is sufficiently great to enable him to capture 

 and destroy birds several times his own bulk, and consequently 

 the common barn fowls are easily carried away to his haunt in the 

 woods. Wild turkeys, mallards, guinea fowls, young rabbits, 

 hares, squirrels, mice, partridges, and small birds of all kinds, 

 furnish him with subsistence, and as he hunts while others sleep, 

 no doubt his larder is generally well supplied. 



The great Horned Owl begins to pair early in spring, the nest 

 is very long, and built upon a large branch usually, at no great dis- 

 tance from the trunk of the tree. It is composed externally of 

 crooked sticks, and is lined with coarse grasses and some feathers. 

 The whole measures nearly three feet in diameter ; the eggs, which 

 are from three to six, are almost globular in form, and a dull 

 white colour. The male assists the female in sitting on the eggs. 

 Only one brood is raised in a season. The young remum m 

 the nest until fully fledged, and afterwards follow the parents 

 for a considerable time, uttering a mournful sound to induce 

 them to supply them with food. They acquire the full plu- 

 mage of the old birds in the first spring, and until then, are con- 



