' LETTER XLlir. 



der to render their scenery more impressive, have, in 

 conformity to popular superstition, frequently intro- 

 duced it into their descriptive representations, when 

 some melancholy scene was to be displayed. The 

 circumstance which has caused this bird to be ac- 

 counted ominous, appears to he that of its screaming 

 in fi tremendous manner, together with its natural 

 propensity of approaching toward a window, where 

 it sees a light at a late hour. As lights are generally 

 kept continually burning in the chambers of the sick, 

 and the screech owl prowls about in the dead time of 

 the night, it is no wonder, that in places where they 

 are numerous, they may sometimes have been at- 

 tracted by the light, and have approached the house 

 or the windows, and uttered those screams which are 

 natural to it, in consequence of fright or surprise. 

 Such a circumstance would be very apt to terrify a ti- 

 mid invalid, or an ignorant nurse, and from this source 

 might easily be derived all the absurd notions which 

 have prevailed concerning the ominous nature of the 

 screech owl. 



Mr. Pennant, in his Arctic Zoology, observes, that 

 the Mogul and Kalmuc Tartars pay almost divine ho- 

 nours to this bird; as attributing to it the preservation 

 of Jenghis Khan, the founder of the empire. This 

 prince having been surprised and ppt to ilight by his 

 enemies, was compelled to shelter himself in a cop- 

 pice; and a screech owl settled on the bush under 

 which he was hidden. His pursuers, judging that a 

 bird of that species would not perch where a man 

 was concealed, passed the spot, and thus suffered the 

 prince to escape. His countrymen thenceforth held 

 the owl sacred; and to the present day the Kalmucs 

 adorn their heads with plume 01 its feathers on all 

 solemn festivals. 



This bird, which is nearly of the same size as the 

 white, or common barn owl, is distinguished from the 

 latter species, by scarcely any other mark than the 

 colour of its plumage, which is a kind of mixture of 

 iron grey and tawney ; and my principal reason for 

 introducing it to your notice, "was to induce you to 



