96 GREAT HORNED OWL. 



bachelors are also distinguished from the other people by their taci 

 turnity, grave and solemn countenance, dignified step, and singing to 

 themselves songs or hymns in a low, sweet voice, as they stroll about 

 the town."* 



Nothing is a more effectual cure for superstition than a knowledge 

 of the general laws and productions of nature ; nor more forcibly leads 

 our reflections to the first, great, self-existent cause of all, to whom 

 our reverential awe is then humbly devoted, and not to any of his 

 dependent creatures. With all the gloomy habits, and ungracious tones, 

 of the Owl, there is nothing in this bird supernatural or mysterious, or 

 more than that of a simple bird of prey, formed for feeding by night, like 

 many other animals, and of reposing by day. The harshness of its 

 voice, occasioned by the width and capacity of its throat, may be intended 

 by heaven as an alarm and warning to the birds and animals on 

 which it preys, to secure themselves from danger. The voices of all 

 carnivorous birds and animals are also observed to be harsh and hideous, 

 probably for this very purpose. 



The Great Horned Owl is not migratory, but remains with us the 

 whole year. During the day he slumbers in the thick evergreens of 

 deep swamps, or seeks shelter in large hollow trees. He is very rarely 

 seen abroad by day, and never but when disturbed. In the month 

 of May they usually begin to build. The nest is generally placed in 

 the fork of a tall tree, and is constructed of sticks, piled in considerable 

 quantities, lined with dry leaves, and a few feathers. Sometimes they 

 choose a hollow tree, and in that case carry in but few materials. The 

 female lays four eggs, nearly as lai-ge as those of a hen, almost globular, 

 and of a pure white. In one of these nests, after the young had flown, 

 were found the heads and bones of two chickens, the les:s and head of 

 the Golden-winged Woodpecker, and part of the wings and feathers of 

 several other birds. It is generally conjectured that they hatch but 

 once in the season. 



The length of the male of this species is twenty inches ; the bill is 

 large, black and strong, covered at the base with a cere ; the eyes 

 golden yellow ; the horns are three inches in length, and very broad, 

 consisting of twelve or fourteen feathers, their webs black, broadly edged 

 with bright tawny ; face rusty, bounded on each side by a band of black ; 

 space between the eyes and bill whitish ; whole lower parts elegantly 

 marked with numerous transverse bars of dusky, on a bright tawny 

 ground, thinly interspersed with white ; vent pale yellow ochre, barred 

 with narrow lines of brown ; legs and feet large and covered with 

 feathers, or hairy down, of a pale brown color ; claws very large, blue 

 black ; tail rounded, extending about an inch beyond the tips of the 



* Travels, p. 504. 



