166 PEPACTON 



to be a part of a shrew-mouse, and -darted back into 

 the thick cover, uttering a loud, discordant squawk, 

 as one would say, " Scat ! scat ! scat ! " The owl 

 alighted, and was, perhaps, looking about him for 

 the shrike's impaled game, when I drew near. On 

 seeing me he reversed his movement precipitately, 

 flew straight back to the old tree, and alighted in 

 the entrance to the cavity. As I approached, he 

 did not so much seem to move as to diminish in 

 size, like an object dwindling in the distance; he 

 depressed his plumage, and, with his eye fixed upon 

 me, began slowly to back and sidle into his retreat 

 till he faded from my sight. The shrike wiped his 

 beak upon the branches, cast an eye down at me 

 and at his lost mouse, and then flew away. He 

 was a remarkably fine specimen, his breast and 

 under parts as white as snow, and his coat of black 

 and ashen gray appearing very bright and fresh. 

 A few nights afterward, as I passed that way, I 

 saw the little owl again sitting in his doorway, 

 waiting for the twilight to deepen, and undisturbed 

 by the passers-by; but when I paused to observe 

 him, he saw that he was discovered, and he slunk 

 back into his den as on the former occasion. 



SHAKESPEARE'S NATURAL HISTORY 

 It is surprising that so profuse and prodigal a 

 poet as Shakespeare, and one so bold in his dealings 

 with human nature, should seldom or never make 

 a mistake in his dealings with physical nature, or 

 take an unwarranted liberty with her. True it is 



