108 STRIGID.E. 



cere, large, oval or rounded. Facial disk incomplete above the eyes. Auditory 

 opening, small, oval, without an operculum. Wings rather short, concave ; 

 the third and fourth quill- feathers generally the longest. Legs and toes co- 

 vered with feathers; claws long, curved and sharp. 



The cliaracters and appearance of Owls are so singular 

 and so peculiar, tliat once having seen them they are not 

 readily forgotten. They have but little external beauty of 

 form. The head is large, the expression grotesque, the body 

 bulky in appearance, the plumage soft and downy. Unlike 

 the Falcons, which hunt for their food by day, the Owls 

 seek their prey during the twilight of morning and evening, 

 and probably during the greater part of the night, if the state 

 of the moon or the atmosphere affords sufficient light for the 

 purpose. From this habit of flying at night, the singular 

 appearance of the bird produced by the arrangement of the 

 feathers of the face, forming a broad circular disk, a peculiar 

 hollow tone of voice, unlike that of any other bird, and the 

 additional circumstance of most of the species selecting ivy- 

 covered ruins of sacred edifices as places of resort from the 

 solitude and protection the character of such remains afford, 

 Owls have been considered by the superstitious as birds of 

 darkness and ill-omen, and by some even as messengers of 

 death. Thus Shakspeare says — 



" Out on ye. Owls ! nothing but songs of Death." 



Richard the Third, 



The eyes of Owls are large, and appear to be particularly 

 susceptible of impression from light. If exposed to the 

 glare of day, most of the species seem to be powerfully 

 affected by it, and the eyes are either closed entirely or 

 defended by an internal eyelid, which is brought down with 

 ease and rapidity. The power of hearing in Owls is pro- 

 bably more acute than in many other birds ; the auditory 

 opening in some species is very large, and covered by an 

 operculum, which is elevated or closed at pleasure. Their 



