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BIRDS. 



The COMMON HORNED OWL is much fmaller; his horns, 

 about an inch long, confift of fix feathers, variegated with black and 

 yellow i his extent of wing about three feet. A fmaller kind of horned 

 owl is little larger than a black-bird, whofe horns, remarkably Ihort, 

 are compofed but of one feather, not above half an inch high. 



To thefe fucceeds the tribe without horns. The HOWLET is the 

 largeft of this kind, with dufky plumes, and black eyes ; the Screech- 

 OwL fmaller, with blue eyes, and iron-grey plumage; the White 

 Owl, about equal in fize, with yellow eyes and whicifn plumage ; thej 

 Great Brown Owl, lefs, with brown plumage and a brown beak ; 

 and the Little Brown Owl, with yellowilh-coloured eyes, and 

 orange-coloured bill. 



In proportion as one of thefe bears day-light beft, he begins earlier in 

 the evening his purfuit of prey. The cavern of a rock, a hollow tree.> 

 the battlements of a ruined caftle, wherever is obfcuriiy, there they 

 retreat i if they be feen out of thefe in the day-time, they may be con- 

 fidered as wandering, and furrounded with danger. At the approach of 

 evening they fally forth, and Ikim along the hedges ; but the barn-owl, 

 who lives chiefly upon mice, takes his rcfidence upon fome fliock of 

 corn, or the point of fome old houfe ; and there watches in the 

 dark, with the utmoft pei^fpicacity and perfeverance. They all have an 

 hideous note, which has fomething terrifying in it ; as in the filence of 

 midnight, it breaks the general paufe with a variation, alarming and dil- 

 agreeable. The prejudices of mankind have united v^^ith their fenfations 

 to make the cry of the owl difagreeable, and the fcreech-owl's voice was 

 confidered among uninformed people as ominous, whereas it is his note 

 of tendernefs to his mate. While preying, they are filent. 



When one is furprifed by day-light, he takes fhelter in the firfl 

 tree or hedge that off^ers concealment, but often, with all his precaution, 

 is defcried by the birds of the place. The fmalleft, the feebleft, the 

 moft contemptible of his enemies, are then foremoft to torment him. 

 They increafe their cries and turbulence round him, and flap him with 

 their wings. Aftonifhed and dizzy, he only replies to their mockeries 

 by awkward and ridiculous geftures, by turning his head, and fiupidly 

 rolling his eyes. An owl by day fets the whole grove in an uproar. 

 Sometimes they hunt him till evening returns; but this refl:oring him his 

 fiorht, thofe birds, which a few minutes before came to provoke their ene- 

 my, now fly him with terror, as lately they teafed him with infolence. 



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