T H E O W L, 19 



not much bigger than a tit-moufe. Of foreign birds of this kind there 

 are fcveral varieties, whofe manners are little known. The hot climates 

 produce mofl, and among them one tufted. 



O F T H E 



OWL KIND. 



BIRDS of this kind have ons common markg by which they are 

 diflinguilhed : their eyes arc: formed for feeing better in the dulk 

 than in fun-fhine, whereby they are fitted for a life of nofturnal depre- 

 dation. In thefe birds the pupil is capable of opening very wide, or 

 (hutting very clofe ; befide this, there is an irradiation on the back of the 

 <^y^j and the iris has a faculty of refieding the rays of light, to afTift 

 vifion in gloomy places, where thefc birds frequent : but they do not fee 

 beft in the darkcft nights, but in the dufk of evening, or the grey of 

 morning. When the moon fliines is the time of their mod fuccefsful 

 plunder. The faculty of noflurnal vifion is not alike in all : fome fee 

 by night better than others ; and fome are fo little dazzled by day-light, 

 as to perceive their enemies. The white, or barn-owl, fees with fuch 

 exquifitc acurenefs in the dark, that though the barn has been fhut at 

 night, and the light excluded, it perceives the fmalleft moufe that peeps 

 from its hole j and the brown horn-owl is feen to prowl along the 

 hedges by day, fometimes with fuccefs. 



Owls may be divided into thofe with horns, and thofe without. The horns 

 are two or three feathers that ftand upon each fide the head over the ear. 



Of the horned kind is, the GREAT HORNED OWL, which 

 appears as large as an eagle ; but obfervcd more clofely is much 

 lefs i his extent of wing about five feet : his horns are compofed of fea- 

 thers, that rife above two inches and a half, and which he can erect or 

 deprefs at pleafure j his eyes are large and tranfparent, encircled with an 

 orange-coloured iris ; his ears large and deep, probably he pofiTefles mofl: 

 exquificely the fenfe of hearing ; his plumage is reddihi brown, marked 

 on the back with black and yellow fpots, on the belly yellow only, 



D 2 the 



