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HAWK OWL. 



CANADA OWL. 



Strix funerea, TEMMIXCK. 



Sturnia funerea, GOULD. 



Noctua funerea, JENYNS. 



Strix Some species of Owl. Funerea Funereal. 



THE soft plumage of Owls, and the formation of the 

 feathers of their wings is, in the opinion of some writers, 

 to enable them to steal noiselessly on their prey. This, 

 however, I think is at best but a fanciful speculation; as far, 

 at least, I mean, as regards any peculiar advantage being 

 afforded to the Owl, 'par excellence,' on this account. No 

 birds of prey make such a noise with their wings as by it to 

 give their prey timely notice of their approach the Owl, 

 therefore, is not especially privileged in this respect. Q. E. D. 



The Hawk Owl is a connecting link between the Owls and 

 the Hawks, possessing many points of similarity to each; the 

 long tail and small head of the latter, as well as the habit 

 of flying by day; and resembling the former in the ruff and 

 the feet ; one might almost think it a hybrid between the two. 



This bird is an inhabitant of Germany, France, Denmark, 

 Norway, Sweden, Lapland, Russia, and other parts of the 

 north of Europe: in some years it appears far more abundantly 

 than in others. It is plentiful in all the high latitudes of 

 North America. A single specimen of this Owl w r as long 

 'left alone in its glory' as a British species. One was taken 

 at sea in an exhausted state off the Cornish coast, in March, 

 1830. It lived afterwards for a few weeks in the care of 

 Dr. Birkett, of Waterford, to whom it was given, the vessel 

 having been bound to that port. A second, however, has 

 been now recorded by E. T. Higgins, Esq., in the 'Zoologist,' 



