56 STRIGIDiE, 
Family STRioiDiE. 
35. Strix flammea. White or Barn-Owl. 
Moorish. Youka {Favier). Spanish. Lechuza. 
" This Owl, resident near Tangier, is nearly as abundant 
as the Little Owl, inhabiting ruins and holes in roeks, and 
nesting twice a year, between April and November. They lay 
from three to four eggs. The inhabitants of Tangier consider 
this bird the clairvoyant friend of the Devil. The Jews be- 
lieve that their cry causes the death of young children ; so, in 
order to prevent this, they pour a vessel of water out into the 
courtyard every time that they hear the cry of one of these 
Owls passing over their house. The Arabs believe even more 
than the Jews ; for they think that they can cause all kinds 
of evil to old as well as to young ; but their mode of action 
is even more simple than that of their antagonists the 
Jews, as they rest contented with cursing them whenever 
they hear their cry. Endeavouring to find out from the 
Mahometans what foundation there is for the evil reputation 
of tliis species, I was told this : — ' When these birds cry, they 
are only cursing in their language ; but their malediction is 
harmless unless they know the name of the individual to 
whom they wish evil, or unless they have the malignity to 
point out that person when passing him ; as the Devil sleeps 
but little when there is evil work to be done, he would 
infallibly execute the command of his favourite if one did not, 
by cursing the Owl by name, thus guard against the power of 
that enemy who is sworn to do evil to all living beings.' 
Having learned the belief of the Mahometans relative to 
this Owl, it was more difficult to find out exactly that of the 
Jews, who when questioned by me knew not how to answer, 
except that the act of pouring out water in the middle of the 
courtyard is a custom of long standing in order to avert the 
evil which the Owl is capable of doing ; that is to say, the 
water is poured out with a view of attracting the Evil Spirit's 
attention to an object which distracts him, and so hides from 
liim the infant which the Owl in its wickedness wishes to 
show him." — Favier. 
