BIRD TRAITS. 209 



in the expression of a dying bird of prey which 

 suggests the agony of sin buried in remorse which 

 comes too late. 



Owls and hawks are murderers by night or 

 robbers by day. There is something inspiring 

 in the sight of a great bird with wonderful 

 powers of vision and flight soaring higher and 

 higher towards the sun. Man cannot imitate his 

 flight ; but there are men who do in spirit what 

 the hawk or eagle does in the flesh. They with- 

 draw their business plans and purposes far from 

 the ken of their fellows and expected victims, 

 and then from their vantage point descend to 

 strike suddenly with the swiftness and cruelty of 

 the plundering eagle. 



The owl reminds me of some men whom I 

 have had the misfortune to know — silent and 

 sinister by day or when exposed to the scrutiny 

 of their fellows ; taking without reply or blow 

 the taunts and abuse of those whom they have 

 wronged ; but by night devils in thought, pur- 

 pose, and action. To the owl everything which 

 possesses the power of motion is, presumably, fit 

 to be devoured ; quadruped, bird, fish, reptile, 

 insect, mollusk, any or all, imless specially pro- 

 tected, invite to murder ; so with some men, no- 

 thing is too pure, too beautiful, too defenseless 

 to be sacrificed to their selfishness. One owl is 

 enough for many miles of forest. Fortunately 

 for society, owlish men are similarly scarce. 



