THE OWL KIXD. 11? 



lowish-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 readi- 

 ly avoiding their danger, they keep all this time 



