2i 8 The Natural History of Selborne 



to run) they sally forth in quest of prey, and hunt all round 

 the hedges of meadows and small enclosures for them, which 

 seem to be their only food. In this irregular country we can 

 stand on an eminence and see them beat the fields over like 

 a setting-dog, and often drop down in the grass or corn. I 

 have minuted these birds with my watch for an hour together, 

 and have found that they return to their nest, the one or the 

 other of them, about once in five minutes ; reflecting at the 

 same time on the adroitness that every animal is possessed of 

 as far as regards the well-being of itself and offspring. But a 

 piece of address, which they show when they return loaded, 

 should not, I think, be passed over in silence. As they take 

 their prey with their claws, so they carry it in their claws to 

 their nest ; but, as the feet are necessary in their ascent under 

 the tiles, they constantly perch first on the roof of the chancel, 

 and shift the mouse from their claws to their bill, that their 

 feet may be at liberty to take hold of the plate on the wall as 

 they are rising under the eaves. 



White owls seem not (but in this I am not positive) to hoot 

 at all; all that clamorous hooting appears to me to come 

 from the wood kinds. The white owl does indeed snore and 

 hiss in a tremendous manner ; and these menaces well answer 

 the intention of intimidating ; for I have known a whole village 

 up in arms on such an occasion, imagining the churchyard to 

 be full of goblins and spectres. White owls also often scream 

 horribly as they fly 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. 



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 



