GREAT HORNED-OWL. 135 



scriptions and delineations of midnight storms, and gloomy 

 scenes of nature, the Owl is generally introduced to heighten 

 the horror of the picture. Ignorance and superstition, in all 

 ages, and in all countries, listen to the voice of the Owl, and 

 even contemplate its physiognomy with feelings of disgust, and 

 a kind of fearful awe. The priests, or conjurers, among some 

 of our Indian nations, have taken advantage of the reverential 

 horror for this bird, and have adopted the Great Horned-Owl, 

 the subject of the present account, as the symbol or emblem of 

 their office. " Among the Creeks/ 3 says Mr. Bartram, "the 

 junior priests, or students, constantly wear a white mantle, and 

 have a Great Owl skin cased and stuffed very ingeniously, so 

 well executed as almost to appear like the living bird, having 

 large sparkling glass beads, or buttons, fixed in the head for 

 eyes. This insignia of wisdom and divination they wear some- 

 times as a crest on the top of the head; at other times the image 

 sits on the arm, or is borne on the hand. These bachelors are 

 also distinguished from the other people by their taciturnity, 

 grave and solemn countenance, dignified step, and singing to 

 themselves songs or hymns in a low, sweet voice, as they stroll 

 about the town."* 



Nothing is a more effectual cure for superstition than a know- 

 ledge of the general laws and productions of nature; nor more 

 forcibly leads our reflections to the first, great, self-existent 

 CAUSE of all, to whom our reverential awe is then humbly de- 

 voted, and not to any of his dependent creatures. With all 

 the gloomy habits, and ungracious tones, of the Owl, there is 

 nothing in this bird supernatural or mysterious, or more than 

 that of a simple bird of prey, formed for feeding by night, like 

 many other animals, and of reposing by day. The harshness 

 of its voice, occasioned by the width and capacity of its throat, 

 may be intended by heaven as an alarm and warning to the 

 birds and animals on which it preys, to secure themselves from 

 danger. The voices of all carnivorous birds and animals are 



* Travels, p. 504. 



