2o6 OBSERVATIONS CONCERNING 



lus, without admitting that it had fome reference to the 

 religious notions of the deceafed. I know that fevcval 

 fpecies of birds are objedls of fuperftitious veneration, or 

 regard, among many of the prefent races of North-Ame- 

 rican Indians ; and I learn from Acofta and other writers, 

 that fome of the Mexican idols had bird's heads. 



I have faid that many of the Indians have a fuperfti- 

 tious regard or veneration for certain fpecies of birds. It 

 may not be improper to take notice of fome of thefe birds. 



Among the Lennape, or Delawares, the ow^l is held 

 in particular veneration, or regard. " I have frequently 

 (fays Mr. John Heckewelder*) been with them in the 

 woods at night. "When the owls have fet up a noife, 

 they, or one of the company, would immediately rife up, 

 and ftrew fome tobacco in the fire. Upon inquiry, I 

 was told, that thefe were a guard over them by night, for 

 they gave them warning, whenever an enemy ap- 

 proached, or was about to furround them, efpecially when 

 at war."-!- 



* M. S. fenes me. 



f The loUowing paffage is fo curious, as ccnneJied with my fubjefl, that 

 I fliall give it, at length, in the words of Stiahlenberg. " There are (fays 

 this induftriciis author, whofe work Mr. Pinkertonis pleafed to call " a pro- 

 lix and weak work") a Sort of Owls in Siberia, not far from Crajnoyahr, 

 which are as white as Snow, and as large as Hen-Turkeys ; tlie Rujjians call 

 them l^un, and Uiun ; the Tartars, Aclia and Aclyl ; and the Kalmucks name 

 them Zagan Schub, and alfo 'Lagan Gorockun. The latter hold them facred, and 

 fuffer no-body to fhoot them. I never afked them the Reafon of it ; but, 

 I find, in H'tihrer's Polilical Hijlcry of Tartary, in an Extraft of the Life and 

 Aflions of Cingis-Chan, Founder of the Monarchy cf the Mungal and Kalmuck 

 Tartars, the following Account: it happened that he, and his fmall Army, 

 were furprized, and put to Flight, by his Enemies ; and feeking to conceal 

 himfelf in a fmall Coppice, where he might very eafily have been difcovered 

 by the Enemy, an O'-jui, which is a very fliy Bird, fettled upon one of the 

 Bufhes, which made his Furfuers defift from looking for him there, not think- 

 ing any Man could be hid where this Bird would flay : this gave Cingis-Chan 

 an Opportunity of making his Efcape by the Favour of the Night. And fee- 

 ing the Prefervaiion of his Life was entirely owing to the Oivl, this Bird 

 was, from that Time, looked upon fo facred, that every one of them wore 

 a Plume of Owl's Feathers on his Head. Now fince in thefe Parts, there are 



white 



