80 A HISTORY OF 



appear that no animal was possessed with a more exquisite sense of 

 hearing : his plumage is of a reddish brown, marked on the back with 

 black and yellow spots, and yellow only upon the belly. 



Next to this is the Common Horned Owl, of a much smaller size 

 than the former, and with horns much shorter. As the great owl was> 

 five feet from the tip of one wing to the other, this is but three. The 

 horns are but about an inch long, and consist of six feathers, variega- 

 ted with black and yellow. 



There is still a smaller kind of the horned owl, which is not much 

 larger than a black-bird, and whose horns are remarkably short, being 

 composed but of one feather, and that not above half an inch high. 



To these succeeds the tribe without horns. The Howlet, which is 

 the largest of this kind, with dusky plumes and black eyes ; the 

 Screech-Owl, of a smaller size, with blue eyes, and plumage of an 

 iron grey ; the White Owl, about as large as the former, with yellow 

 eyes and whitish plumage; the Great Brown Owl, less than the for- 

 mer, with brown plumage and a brown beak ; and lastly, the Little 

 Brown Owl, with yellowish coloured eyes, and an orange-coloured bill. 

 To this catalogue might be added others of foreign denominations, 

 which differ but little from our own, if we except the Harfang, or 

 Great Hudson's Bay Owl of Edwards, which is the largest of all the 

 nocturnal tribe, and as white as the snows of the country of which he 

 is a native. 



All this tribe of animals, however they may differ in their size and 

 plumage, agree in their general characteristics of preying by night, 

 and having their eyes formed for nocturnal vision. Their bodies are 

 strong and muscular ; their feet and claws made for tearing their 

 prey ; and their stomachs for digesting it. It must be remarked, 

 however, that the digestion of all birds that live upon mice, lizards, 

 or such like food, is not very perfect ; for though they swallow them 

 whole, yet they are always seen some time after to disgorge the skin 

 and bones, rolled up in a pellet, as being indigestible. 



In proportion as each of these animals bears the day-light best, he 

 sets forward earlier in the evening in pursuit of his prey. The great 

 horned owl is the foremost in leaving his retreat, and ventures into 

 the woods and thickets very soon in the evening. The horned and 

 the brown owl are later in their excursions ; but the barn-owl seems 

 to see best in profound darkness, and seldom leaves his hiding-place 

 till midnight. 



As they are incapable of supporting the light of the day, or at least 

 of then seeing and readily avoiding their danger, they keep all this 

 time concealed in some obscure retreat, suited to their gloomy appe- 

 tites, and there continue in solitude and silence. The cavern of a 

 rock, the darkest part of a hollow tree, the battlements of a ruined and 

 unfrequented castle, some obscure hole in a farmer's out-house, are 

 the p.aces where they are usually found : if they be seen out of these 

 retreats in the day-time, they may be considered as having lost their 

 way : as having by some accident been thrown into the midst of their 

 enemies, and surrounded with danger. 



Having spent the day in their retreat, at the approach of evening 

 they sally forth, and skim rapidly up and down along the hedges. The 

 barn owl, indeed, who lives chiefly upon mice, is contented to be mor 



