480 



DE ULULIS. 



Gentle Reader ! — A lesson in Practical Ornithology ought to 

 come here ; but as the Owls have occupied so much space that 

 only a single page is left for it, I hope you will excuse me if I 

 substitute the relation of an occurrence which has afforded me 

 some amusement. 



Having one night in April laboured very assiduously in 

 correcting these sheets, I became somewhat imaginative about 

 three in the morning, and leaning back in my chair, beheld 

 four Hooting-Owls, which, having entered by the chimney, 

 alighted on the table in the midst of my books and papers. 

 They had probably been attracted by the odour emanating 

 from a Buzzard^s skull, which I had recently dissected ; for 

 they presently rummaged about in search of something to 

 pick at. Nothing here but dry sapless stuff, " Macgillivray"'s 

 Raptores, &c." observed one of the owls ; " Guts and giz- 

 zards," quoth another, " fit only for Turkey-vultures."" " Te- 

 dious technicalities and objectless digressions," shrieked the 

 third. " Besides," said the fourth, who had a dung-beetle 

 in his bill, which he crushed and swallowed, " the fellow^ ought 

 to imitate us, he has no respect to the majesty of nature, but 

 when he sees a wren hopping in a whin-bush, he runs after it, and 

 chirps to it." The owls now scattered my proof-sheets about, 

 then marshalling in order, stared upon me with their " moony 

 eyes," and swelling their throats w^ith solemn gravity, emitted 

 such a volley of discordant sounds, that, hardly knowing whe- 

 ther to laugh or to cry, I awoke. The light of morning 

 gleamed through the shutters, and a Blackbird and Mavis sung 

 their melodious matins in the garden of Heriot's Hospital oppo- 

 site. Sweet birds, said I, it is not the first time I have been 

 cheered by you. Willingly do I respond to your " harmonious 

 call." The birds of night having received due attention, I now 

 proceed to give the history of a more lively race. 



