S7RIGES. ( 280 ) STRIGID/E. 



THE BAHN OWL. 



WHITE OWL, YELLOW OWL, SCREECH OWL, HISSING OWL, 

 CHURCH OWL, GILLIHOWTER, HOWLET, HOOLET. 



Aluco flammeus. 



The bird of eve flits sullen by, 



Her home, these aisles and arches high ; 



The choral hymn, that erst so clear 



Broke softly sweet on fancy's ear. 



Is drowned amid the mourtiful scream 



That breaks the magic of my dream ; 



Roused by the sound, I start and see 



The ruin d sad reality. 



Burns, Lincludcn Abbey. 



Solis et occasum servatis de cnlmine sunimo 

 Nequidquam seros exercet Noctua cantus. 



Virgil, Georgics. 



This beautiful, interesting, and very useful bird, which was 

 formerly found in various districts of Berwickshire, seems 

 now to be almost extinct in the county. From twenty-five 

 to fifty years ago it was plentiful, and used to breed regu- 

 larly every year in the precipitous rocks on the banks of 

 the Tweed, Whitadder, and Blackadder, as well as in some 

 of our old ruins. 



The high rocks on the north side of the Tweed at Scars- 

 heugh, a short distance above Milne Graden, were a favourite 



