154 SCRIPTURE NATURAL HISTORY. 



In addition to these passages, there are others in which our version 

 introduces the owl without reason, as the original writers no doubt 

 intended birds of another description. 



The race of owls presents several varieties, all equally cruel and 

 rapacious ; and who add to their savage disposition the further re- 

 proach of treachery, by carrying on all their depredations by night. 

 Thus, as Goldsmith remarks, there seems no link in Nature's chain 

 broken, no where a dead, inactive repose ; but every place, every 

 season, every hour of the day and night, is bustling with life, and 

 furnishing instances of industry, self-defence, and invasion. 



The owl tribe, however they may differ in their size and plum- 

 age, agree in their general characteristics of preying by night, and 

 having their eyes formed for nocturnal vision. In the eyes of all 

 animals, the Author of their being has made a complete provision 

 either to shut out too much light, or to admit a sufficiency, by the 

 dilation and contraction of the pupil. As in the eyes of tigers and 

 cats, that are formed for a life of nocturnal depredation, there is a 

 quality in the retina that takes in the rays of light so copiously as to 

 permit their seeing in places almost totally dark ; so, in owls, there 

 is the same conformation of that organ ; and though, like us, they 

 cannot see in a total exclusion of light, yet they are sufficiently 

 quick-sighted at times when we remain in total obscurity. Besides 

 this, there is an irradiation on the back of the eye, and the very 

 iris itself has a faculty of reflecting the rays of light, so as to assist 

 vision in the gloomy places these birds are found to frequent. 



Predicting the desolation of Idumea, the prophet Isaiah says, her 

 palaces shall be a resting place for ' the screech-owl ' (Isaiah xxxiv. 

 14), whose horrid and terrifying cry would form a sad contrast to 

 the melody of the harp and the tabret, which then resounded with- 

 in their walls. But to show, probably^ the extent and permanency 

 of that desolation which was threatened, the prophet in the next 

 verse represents the devoted country as becoming the constant 

 abode of birds of prey, among which the one we are describing was 

 to be found : ' There shall the great owl make her nest, and lay 

 and hatch, and gather under her shadow,' 



