THE BARN OWL. 161 



the door, when he heard a noise, so strange, so loud, 

 that he was startled, and full of fear ; and hurrying- 

 back as fast as he could go, he described his alarm, and 

 entreated that some one else might be sent for what he 

 was directed to bring. Loud was the laugh as he was 

 told the noise was that of his favourite Madge ; but 

 pity operated too, for his plea prevailed ; and his first 

 was his last visit to the cellar during the short time that 

 the owl was there. 



Owls are generally harmless to man ; but as they are 

 very strongly attached to their young, it is dangerous to 

 meddle with them. Even a suspicion of injury may fill 

 them with rage. A carpenter passing through a field 

 near Gloucester, was attacked by an owl that had a nest 

 of young ones in a tree near the path. The owl flew at 

 his head, and the man, striking at it with a tool which 

 he had in his hand, missed his blow ; on which the owl 

 repeated her attack, and fastening on his face with her 

 talons, injured him very seriously. 



The barn owl is sometimes kept in cages and aviaries, 

 but commonly it is the object of prejudice, and doomed 

 to destruction. Mr.Waterton, of Walton Hall, in the 

 county of York, to whom we have before alluded, is one 

 of the comparatively few who regard this bird with lively 

 interest. He tells us, that up to the year 1813 it had 



M 



