THE OWL. 



sun-shine. As in the eyes of tigers and cats, 

 that are formed for a life of nocturnal depre- 

 dation, there is a quality in the retina that 

 takes in the rays of light so copiously as to 



tawny owl, it is found in most of the wooded districts of 

 England and Scotland. Plantations of fir, particularly 

 of the spruce kind, are its favourite haunts, as in these 

 it finds a secure and sheltered retreat during the day. It 

 also frequently inhabits thick holly or ivy bushes, whose 

 evergreen foliage ensures a similar retirement. It is 

 an indigenous species, and breeds early in spring ; not 

 making any nest of its own, but taking possession of that 

 of a magpie or crow. The eggs are generally four or 

 five in number, white, and rather larger and rounder 

 than those of the ring-dove. When first excluded, the 

 young birds are covered with a fine and closely set white 

 down ; they remain in the nest for more than a month 

 before they are able to fly. If disturbed and handled, 

 they hiss violently, strike with their talons, and, at the 

 same time, make a snapping noise with their bills. 

 When they quit the nest, they take up their abode in 

 some adjoining tree, and, for many subsequent days, 

 may be heard, after sunset, uttering a plaintive but loud 

 call for food ; during which time the parent birds may 

 be seen diligently employed in hawking for prey. Mice 

 and moles form the principal part of their provender ; 

 though Montagu says, that they sometimes take small 

 birds on the roost. It is pretty generally diffused 

 throughout Europe ; and in North America is found to 

 inhabit the woods at a distance from the sea. It has 

 been observed as far northward as Hudson's Bay. 



Short-eared Owl. The birds of this species are only 

 to be met with in England, between the months of Octo- 

 ber and April, as they migrate on the approach of spring, 

 to the northern islands of Scotland, where they breed. 

 Mr Low, in his Fauna, Orcadensis, mentions this owl as 

 being very frequent in the hills of Hoy, where it builds 

 its nest amongst the heath. It is there of great bold- 

 ness, and has been seen to chase pigeons in the open 

 day. In a nest, which contained two full-fledged young 

 ones, he found the remains of a moor-fowl, and two 

 plovers, besides the feet of several others. In this 

 country they generally remain concealed in long grass, 

 or in rushy places, upon waste ground, or moors. In 

 autumn, they are often met with in turnip fields, but are 

 seldom seen in plantations ; nor do they ever attempt to 

 perch upon a tree. Five or six of these birds are fre- 

 quently found roosting together ; from which circum- 

 stance it is probable that they migrate in families. 

 Montagu thinks that this may arise from the abundance 

 of food they meet with in the places where they are thus 

 collected, but the truth of this supposition may be doubt- 

 ed, from the fact of their being seldom met with during 

 two days together in the same place. The head of this 

 owl being smaller than the generality of its fellow spe- 

 cies, has procured it, in some parts, the name of hawk 

 owl, or mouse hawk. Many ornithologists have been in 

 doubt respecting it, and the synonymes are consequently 

 in some confusion and obscurity. This owl is of wide 

 locality, being met with in Siberia, and in many parts of 

 North America; and specimens are also mentioned as 

 having been brought from the Sandwich Islands. 



The Scops-eared Owl. It is very common in the 

 warmer parts of Europe during the summer months, but 

 regularly leaves them on the approach of autumn, for 

 regions itear to the equator. In France, it arrives and 

 departs with the swallow. Its favourite residence in 

 italy, according to Spallanzani, is in the lower wooded 

 regions. Field and shrew mice, insects, and earth- 

 worms, are its food, in quest of which it sallies forth at 

 night-fall, uttering at the same time its cry, which re- 

 sembles the word chivi, and whence, in some districts, 



permit their seeing in places almost quite 

 dark ; so in these birds there is the same con- 

 formation of that organ, and though, like us, 

 they cannot see in a total exclusion of light, 



it has acquired the name of Chevini. It constructs no 

 nest, but deposits five or six eggs in the hollow of a tree. 

 Snowy Owl. It is only within these few years past, 

 that this noble and beautiful owl has been established as 

 indigenous in Great Britain. In a^^ir^ made to the 

 Orkney and Shetland Isles, in the "y^fcsiS, Mr Bul- 

 lock, the late proprietor of the Lond^ Iv useum, met 

 with it in both groups of islands ; and it is now ascer- 

 tained that the species is resident, and breeds there. It 



is common in the regions of the arctic circle even inha- 

 biting the frozen coasts of Greenland. Is very numer- 

 ous on the shores of Hudson's Bay, in Norway, Sweden, 

 and Lapland ; but of very rare occurrence in the tem- 

 perate parts ot 1 Europe and America. 



Barn or White Owl. This is the most common of 

 the British species, and is found in every part of the 

 kingdom. It is an inhabitant of ruins, church-towers, 



barns and other buildings, where it is not liable to con- ' 

 tinual interruption ; and is of essential service in check- 

 ing the breed of the common and shrew mouse, upon 

 which it subsists. On the approach of twilight it may 

 frequently be seen issuing from its retreat to the adjoin- 

 ing meadows and hedge-banks in search of food, hunt- 

 ing with great regularity*, and precipitating itself upon 

 its prey with rapidity and unerring aim. This it swal- 

 lows whole, and without any attempt to tear it in pieces 

 with its claws. It breeds in old towers, under the 

 eaves of churches, or in similar quiet places, and some- 

 times in the hollows of trees, laying from three to five 

 eggs, of a bluish-white colour. The young, when first 

 from the shell, are covered with white down, and are a 

 long time in becoming fully fledged, or in being able to 

 quit the nest. Like the other species of owls, it ejects 

 the hair, bones, and other indigestible parts of its food, in 

 oval pellets, by the mouth. These castings are often found 

 in great quantities in places where these birds have long 

 resorted. In its flight it occasionally utters loud screams. 



