4^8 BUBO MAXIMUS. 



of the eye. It frequently drew the nyctitant mem- 

 brane over the eyes, but could gaze for a long time 

 without winking in any shape. Generally both mem- 

 branes were simultaneously employed, but sometimes 

 only one ; and I have seen it draw down the upper 

 eyelid of one eye several times in succession, without 

 moving that of the other. The iris, which was of a 

 beautiful orange colour, was continually contracting 

 and expanding. When it was irritated, or when look- 

 ing intently on an object, it dilated the pupil, and 

 when listless or dozing, with its eyes half closed, it 

 contracted it. The eyes did not shine in the dark like 

 those of a cat ; nor did those of the mottled tufted-owl, 

 which I kept alive for some time. Mr Audubon in- 

 forms me that the eyes of no owls with which he is ac- 

 quainted reflect any light in this manner. Their in- 

 ternal structure, in fact, shews that they cannot. 



Having sketched it in three different attitudes, and 

 observed its manners, I at length found it necessary 

 to accomplish the object for which it had been pre- 

 sented to me by my friend. I therefore put a rope 

 round its neck, gave it a sudden jerk, and, with the aid 

 of another bimanous animal, strangled it in less than 

 two minutes, and then divided the spinal cord with a 

 pin. It struggled very little. On opening the eyes, 

 which were closed, I observed that the iris had con- 

 tracted so as to have a breadth of only one-twelfth of 

 an inch. 



Many particulars respecting its organization I must 

 reserve for another occasion ; because, in this volume, 

 I have pm-posely restricted myself to the external parts, 

 and the intestinal canal. 



