NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. 165 



along; from this screaming probably arose the common people's 

 imaginary species of screech-owl, which they superstitiously think 

 attends the windows of dying persons. The plumage of the remiges 

 of the wings of every species of owl that I have yet examined is 

 remarkably soft and pliant. Perhaps it may be necessary that the 

 wings of these birds should not make much resistance or rushing, 

 that they may be enabled to steal through the air unheard upon a 

 nimble and watchful quarry. 



THE BROWN OWL (Syrnium Aluco). 



While I am talking of owls, it may not be improper to mention 

 what I was told by a gentleman of the county of Wilts. As they 

 were grubbing a vast hollow pollard-ash that had been the mansion 

 of owls for centuries, he discovered at the bottom a mass of 

 matter that at first he could not account for. After some ex- 

 amination he found that it was a congeries of the bones of mice 

 (and perhaps of birds and bats) that had been heaping together 

 for ages, being cast up in pellets out of the crops of many genera- 

 tions of inhabitants. For owls cast up the bones, fur, and feathers, 



