OF SELBORNE. 185 
every amimal is possessed of as far as regards the 
well-being of itself and offspring. But a piece of 
address which they show when they return load. 
ed, should not, I think, be passed over in silence. 
As they take their prey with their claws, so they 
carry it in their claws to their nest; but, as the 
feet are necessary in their ascent under the tiles, 
they constantly perch first on the roof of the chan- 
cel, and shift the mouse from their claws to their 
bill, that the feet may be at liberty to take hold of 
the plate on the wall as they are rising under the 
eaves. 
Wuire Ow1s seem not (but in this I am not pos- 
itive) to hoot at all; all that clamorous hooting ap- 
pears to me to come from the wood kinds. The 
white owl does indeed snore and hiss in a tremen- 
dous manner; and these menaces will answer the 
intention of intimidating, for [ have known a whole 
village up in arms on such an occasion. White 
owls also often scream horribly as they fly aiong ; 
from this screaming probably arose the common 
