576 EAPTOEES, OR BIRDS OF PREY. 



The Owl has given rise to more fables and prejudices than any 

 living creature, doubtless in consequence of its peculiarities. 

 Although inoffensive in general, and even useful — for they destroy 

 a large quantity of rats and mice — in the rural districts nocturnal 

 birds of prey have occasioned so much superstition and terror, 

 that they have been hunted down with the utmost animosity. 



The Greeks dedicated the Owl to Minerva, the goddess of 

 wisdom, no doubt on account of the calm and grave attitude 

 which distinguishes it, and gives it the air of a philosopher medi- 

 tating on the problems of life. 



Mr. Swainson divides Owls into three groups — namely, Typical 

 Owls, Horned Owds, and Hawk Owls ; for simplicity and brevity 

 Ave prefer making only two families — namel}^, those with horns and 

 those without. 



Horned Owls. 



Horned Owls are distinguished by two tufts or horns of feathers 

 placed on each side of their head. They are subdivided into 

 three genera — the Great Horned Owls, the Long-eared Owls, and 

 Small Horned Owls. 



The Common Great Owl {Bubo maximus), Fig. 274, is the 

 most remarkable of the family on account of its size and strength. 

 Its height is, on an average, two feet, and it is justly acknow- 

 ledged as the king of nocturnal birds. Its bill and claws are 

 of a black colour, very strong and hooked. Its plumage is 

 russet, variegated with black spots and brown stripes ; its wings, 

 when extended, are not less than five feet across. Its eyes are 

 large and fixed, with black pupils surrounded with yellow. 

 It bears light with less inconvenience than the other nocturnal 

 birds, and therefore goes out sooner in the evening and returns 

 home later in the morning. This bird makes its home among 

 the clefts of rocks, or in the recesses of old towers situated on 

 the mountains, which elevated ground it but rarely leaves to 

 descend into the plain. Its cry, huibou, koukou, boukou, ouhou, 

 resounding in the silence of the night, is a source of terror to 

 those animals which form its prey. It feeds principally upon 

 hares, rabbits, moles, rats, and mice. Now and then, and especially 



