K THE BAEN OWL 



Siriz Jlammca. 



PROMINENT position in popu-= 

 lar superstition lias been held by 

 thisjbird from time immemorial ; 

 for the " White/^ or^, as it is more 

 generally termed, the " Barii/^ 

 Ovvl, is possessed of a peculiar 

 screechy which_, being uttej:ed at 

 night, has a particularly weird 

 sound, and was held, in country 

 districts more especially, to be a. 

 certain indication of an approach- 

 ing death in the family. This 

 peculiar note has earned for this 

 bird the name of the " Screech 

 Owl/' 



. ; Keats mentions this bird 

 thus : — Lr"^^^ 



*' St. Agnes' Eve ! ah ! bitter chill it was ; 



The Owl, for all his feathers, was 

 acold ; 

 The hare limp'd trembling through the 



frozen grass, 



And silent was the flock in woolly 

 fold." 



— therein pointing to the fact 

 that the Barn Owl remains in 

 England throughout the winter. 



