238 SPRING. 



and it is favorable to the numbers of those that it 

 leaves the country before they congregate in flocks. 

 The other migratory hawk is the merlin (falco cesalon) ; 

 but though it shifts its quarters, it is really a native 

 bird, as it builds in the northern parts of the island, 

 and winters in the south. The whole of the crow tribe 

 are also stationary within the island, though some of 

 them have seasonal migrations from place to place ; but 

 as they are not generally speaking hawking birds, 

 though plunderers of nests, the food that they seek is 

 different from that of the birds of prey ; and insects, 

 carrion, and offal, are what they follow after in the 

 winter. 



Of those singular thieves of the night, or rather of 

 the twilight, the owls, eight distinct species have been 

 met with in different parts of this country. A good 

 many more have been mentioned, but as the owls, 

 like some of the other birds of prey, have differently 

 marked plumage at different ages, some confusion has 

 been introduced, though it be now tolerably clear that 

 the number that has been mentioned comprehends the 

 whole. Of these eight, four are what are called horned 

 or eared owls, that is, have a tuft of feathers upon 

 each side of the head, which they can erect in the 

 same manner as other birds can erect their crests. 

 Only one horned owl, the long eared owl (strix otus) 

 is a permanent inhabitant of Britain ; and it is not 

 very common, or often found out of its native haunts, 

 except when driven by the severity of winter to seek 

 its food nearer the habitation of man. Where it does 

 frequent, its moan is deep and dismal, lasting the 

 greater part of the night, and making the woods echo ;' 



