148 LOCH CRERAN. 



tured last evening before it got dark ! The poor bird 

 only flew a short way when he secured it, and although 

 it refused nourishment, and finally died before morning, 

 still it is " a beautiful corpse," and he is sure would 

 interest us. 



We have not seen any but the white barn owl in the 

 neighbourhood, so follow our leader to his home under 

 the beautiful many-armed silver fir, that proves a sort of 

 sword of Damocles to the household during these con- 

 stantly recurring and terrible gales. For all around them 

 have fallen silver and beach of loftiest and most luxuriant 

 growth ; and why should not this vegetable giant some of 

 these nights, when the furies are afoot, also bow to cir- 

 cumstances and persistent onslaughts, or even throw off 

 a mighty limb to the destruction of a household ? To 

 us there is an air of solidity about him, and we enter the 

 doorway without forboding. Not so fast ! You imp of 

 Satan ! Are you the mute at the funeral, or can you be 

 vociferous as well as mute ? " Not a moment stopped 

 or stayed he," but toddled back and forward with one 

 eye turned upwards at the intruder, and looking what he 

 most certainly was, an impudent, tag-rag specimen of the 

 most impudent and interesting of pets a tame jackdaw. 

 You are living enough, at any rate, despite your ragged 

 appearance ; but where is the poor owl. " Forth they 

 bring our warrior dead," whether from the result of 

 violence at capture, or from some complaint, is not quite 

 apparent ; but when it is lifted up it is so very light that 

 inability to obtain food or make use of it is the most 

 natural explanation. Beautiful indeed is a white barn 

 owl, Strix fiamniea, yellow owl, as it is termed ; with its 

 snowy breast, exquisitely-tinted back, and wings of a 

 prevailing yellow ochrish tinge, finely marked with darker 



