O WL. 



373 



therefore, proceed to the next division or section, 

 which approaches most nearly to this one in num- 

 bers, which is more nocturnal than this division, and 

 in which the heads of all the species are marked with 

 tufts of hair or feathers, varying in length in the dif- 

 ferent species, and in some of them bearing- a slight 

 resemblance in external shape to the ears of a cat. 

 It is distinctly to be understood, however, that these 

 tufts are not ears in any one case, any more than they 

 are horns, for there is no projection of the skull or of 

 the skin answering. 



THE GREAT TUFTED OWL, OR EAGLE-OWL (S.bubo) 

 holds nearly the same rank, and also the same geo- 

 graphical place among the owls with produced 

 feathers on the head, and large discs of feathers sur- 

 rounding the eyes, as the snowy owl does among 

 those which are without these appendages. Like 

 that species, it is decidedly a bird of prey, levying 

 very large contributions upon game and other birds, 

 as well as upon hares, rabbits, and other small and 

 feeble mammalia. 



As is the case with the other two, it is found in 

 both continents, or, at all events, the species met with 

 in America, and that met with in the east, so nearly 

 resemble each other, in size, colour, and habits, that 

 a single description will serve quite well for the two. 

 This owl abounds in some places pretty far to the 

 north ; but it is not decidedly an arctic bird, like the 

 snowy owl. In Europe it is more abundant in the 

 north, on the mountains, and in the mountain forests 

 of Lapland and Russia, than it is in coming far- 

 ther to the south. It is found, however, in countries 

 pretty far south ; and as it is a bird which dashes 

 about with bold and powerful wing, it may sometimes 

 pass into Africa in the course of its migrations, reach- 

 ing the mountains of Atlas from the mountains of 

 Spain, as is the case with several birds of cold cli- 

 mates. In the mountains of western Asia, it most 

 likely extends seasonally along the Caucasus and ad- 

 joining mountains ; and it has certainly been seen as 

 far southward as the confluence of the Volga with the 

 Caspian. 



In America it is resident in every part of the 

 United States, where its manners, or at all events its 

 haunts, appear to be a little different from what they 

 appear to be in the east. The dark and dense forests 

 among the swamps are its favourite residence, in 

 which it remains silent for the day, but utters very 

 loud and dismal cries during the night. This part of 

 its character cannot be better described than in the 

 words of its American historian. " This noted and 

 formidable owl," "says Wilson, "is found in almost 

 every quarter of the United States. His favourite 

 residence, however, is in the dark solitudes of deep 

 swamps, covered with a growth of gigantic timber ; 

 and here, as soon as evening draws on, and mankind 

 retire to rest, he sends forth such sounds as seem 

 scarcely to belong to this world, startling the solitary 

 pilgrim as he slumbers by his forest fire, 



' Making night hideous.' 



Along the mountainous shores of the Ohio, and 

 among the deep forests of Indiana, alone, and re- 

 posing in the woods, this ghostly watchman has 

 frequently warned me of the approach of morning, 

 and amused me with his singular exclamations some- 

 times sweeping down and around my fire, uttering a 

 loud and sudden, Waugh O ! Waugh O I sufficient 

 to have alarmed a whole garrison. He has other 



nocturnal solos, no less melodious, one of which very 

 much resembles the half-suppressed screams of a per- 

 son suffocating, or throttled, and cannot fail of being 

 extremely entertaining to a lonely benighted tra- 

 veller, in the midst, of an Indian wilderness." 



Young birds, squirrels, rabbits, rats, mice, par- 

 tridges, and different kinds of small birds, are its prin- 

 cipal prey ; and in proof of its voracity in devouring 

 these, we may relate the following anecdote from 

 Wilson : " A very large one, wing-broken, while on 

 a foraging excursion, was kept about a farm-house for 

 several days, and at length disappeared for several 

 days, no one knew how. Almost every day after 

 this, hens and chickens also disappeared, one by one, 

 in an unaccountable manner, till, in eight or ten days, 

 very few were left remaining. The fox, the minx, 

 and the weasel, were alternately the reputed authors 

 of this mischief, until one morning the old lady her- 

 self, rising before day to bake, in passing towards the 

 oven, surprised her late prisoner, the owl, regaling 

 himself on the body of a newly-killed hen ! The 

 thief instantly made for his hole, under the house, 

 from whence the enraged matron soon dislodged him, 

 with the brush-handle, and without mercy despatched 

 him. In this snug retreat were found the greater 

 part of the feathers and many large fragments of her 

 whole family of chickens.'' 



These birds are not migratory in the United States, 

 but remain in the country all the year round ; and as 

 there is a bird very much resembling this in Mexico, 

 which is also resident there, they have been described 

 as two different species, and neither of them the same 

 as the European one. The one of the United States 

 has the crest, and also the markings somewhat diffe- 

 rent from the European one, but it is very doubtful 

 whether-these differences be anything more than cli- 

 matal ; and this is probably the real cause of difference 

 between those animals of the two continents, which 

 resemble each other in their general characters. The 

 American one has the tufts longer and broader than 

 the European ; but as we are quite ignorant of the 

 use of those tufts in the economy of the birds, we 

 have no clue whatever totheclimatal course by which 

 their form or size may be modified. 



In Europe the bird is more migratory, which is not 

 exactly in accordance with the general habits of birds 

 in the two continents. It is chiefly in the north in 

 the berry season ; and it very rarely comes to any 

 part of the British islands, excepting Shetland, Ork- 

 ney, and the extreme north of Scotland. Sometimes, 

 however, it does visit tho English shores ; and when 

 it does so, it is either to the northward of Flamborough 

 Head, or to the southward of the Thames, as the line 

 of the coast in both these places is most likely to in- 

 tercept a heavy bird when migrating southward, 

 and beaten from the direct line of its migration 

 by the north-east wind. It is not a little remarkable 

 that, while the birds which migrate from the north 

 most frequently take the English coast at one or 

 other of the places we have named, those of the eastern 

 migration more frequently land on that portion of the 

 coast which lies between these. 



When this singular bird, for both its appearance 

 and its voice are singular, visits a strange country, 

 and flies by day, as it often does, it seems to strike 

 kites, crows, and other wing birds with perfect asto- 

 nishment; for they appear to descend and crowd 

 about it for no other purpose than that of wondering 

 at it. This tendency which other birds have to be 



