90 BRITISH LAND BIRDS. 



for this bird; and I have offered it hospitality 

 and protection on account of its persecutions, and 

 for its many services to me." 



After lamenting the evil consequences to his 

 favourite, of the old and deeply-rooted prejudices 

 everywhere entertained against him, Mr. W. says, 

 " Amongst the numberless verses which might be 

 quoted against the family of the owl, I think I 

 only know of one little ode which expresses any 

 pity for it. Our nursery maid used to sing it to 

 the tune of the 4 Storm/ ' Cease, rude Boreas, 

 blustering railer.' I remember the first two 

 stanzas of it : 



*' Once I was a monarch's daughter, 



And sat on a lady's knee, 

 But am now a nightly rover, 



Banish' d to the ivy tree ; 

 Crying, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, 



Hoo, hoo, hoo, my feet are cold ! 

 Pity me, for here you see me, 



Persecuted, poor and old." 



Mr. Waterton resolved that he would respond 

 to this appeal for compassion which his infant ear 

 had eagerly drunk in, and which, it should seem, 

 he never after forgot. He accordingly, in the 

 year 1813, after his return from America, com- 

 menced his friendly operations on behalf of the 

 poor owls in his park, which, till then, had " had 

 a sad time of it," owing to the popular prejudices 



