HAWK OWL. 175 



as having been shot whilst hawking for prey on Backwell 

 Hill, near the Yatton (Clevedon) Station, of the Bristol and 

 Exeter Railway, at about two o'clock, on the 25th. or 26th. 

 of August, in the year 1847, the sun shining bright at the 

 time. 



This species flies by day, but seeks its food mostly in the 

 morning and evening. It frequents small woods, and is a 

 bold and daring bird, frequently carrying off game from the 

 fowler, whom it attends for the purpose: it is easily tamed. 

 Wilson remarks in writing of this Owl that Mt wants the 

 filaments on the outsides of the quill feathers which the Owls 

 that fly by night possess, to enable them, as he imagines, to 

 steal more noiselessly on their prey; but surely such an ad- 

 vantage would be far more useful by day than by night. 

 There is indeed an all- wise reason for everything in nature; 

 but I believe we are in the dark as to by far the most. We 

 are apt to argue that such or such is the reason of this or 

 that fact, or the use of this or that possession, when the 

 presence or the absence of the like in some kindred or 

 dissimilar species at once overturns our shallow hypothesis. 



The flight of the Hawk Owl is rather slow: at times it 

 mounts to a considerable height, and is also said to move in 

 circuitous rounds from tree to tree, and to roost sometimes 

 on the ground in marshy situations, as do the Harriers. 



Its food consists of rats and mice, partridges and other 

 birds, and insects. In winter it makes great havoc among 

 the flocks of ptarmigans. 



The note of this bird is said to resemble that of the Kestrel. 



The superstitions of all nations in all ages have associated 

 the doleful note of the Owl with the idea of calamity and 

 death, yet all the while it is for the most part nothing but 

 a love-note that is uttered, or a voice of alarm; as when, as 

 described in Gray's most truly beautiful poem, the 'Elegy 

 written in a country churchyard' 



'The moping Owl does to the moon complain 

 Of such as wandering near her sacred bower, 

 Molest her ancient solitary reign.' 



The nest is built in a tree, and is composed of sticks, grass , 

 and feathers. 



The eggs are white, and like those of the Owls generally, 

 of the dual number. 



