Natural Hi/lory of the Ancients. 77 



In Shakefpeare it is " the baker's daughter," by a 

 feeming confufion of folk-lore with the wood- 

 pecker. It is " the fatal bellman, which gives the 

 ftern'ft good-night ;" the " boding fcritch owl ;" 

 the " ominous and fearful owl of death." When 

 it appeared by day (as the barn-owl often does), 

 its character only feemed the blacker : 



" The bird of night did fit 

 Even at noonday upon the market-place, 

 Hooting and fhrieking." (Jut. C<es., i. 3.) 



King Lear, when he would fly from men to 

 dwell among the direft and moft cruel of 

 creatures, determines "to be a comrade with the 

 wolf and owl " (ii. 4). Spenfer alfo places the 

 poor owl in ill company, when, as Guyon and 

 the Palmer failed together : 



" Suddeinly an innumerable flight 

 Of harmefull fowles about them fluttering cride, 

 And with their wicked wings them ofte did fmight, 



And fore annoyed, groping in that griefly night. 



" Even all the nations of unfortunate 



And fatall birds about them flocked were, 



Such as by nature men abhorre and hate ; 



The ill-fafte owle, death's dreadfull meffengere ; 



The hoars night-raven, trump of doleful drere ; 



The lether-winged batt, dayes enimy ; 



The rue full ftrich, ftill waiting on the bere ; 



The whiftler fhrill, that whofo heares doth dy ; 

 The hellifh harpyes, prophets of fad deftiny ; 



" All thofe, and all that els does horror breed, 

 About them flew, and fil'd their fayles with feare." 1 



Another and a different view of the bird is taken 

 by Daniel. This fcene of the little birds flouting 



1 "Faerie Queene," ii. xii. 35. 



