"LORD ELDON" 41 



fluffy feathers of her neck, gently to scratch her poll. 

 Considunt ir&. 



A considerable number of these splendid birds 

 were, for many years, kept in a fit abode for them, 

 the ancient keep of Arundel Castle, the whole of 

 which was netted in for the purpose, and allowed 

 them to be observed in almost a state of Nature. 

 As you entered, and saw one and another of these 

 truly regal birds sitting in each niche or window of 

 the keep, in stately repose, you felt somewhat as the 

 rude Gaul or as the envoy of Pyrrhus felt, when 

 he entered the Roman Senate, that it was an 

 assemblage, if not of gods, at least of kings. A 

 clump of trees and of thick bushes in the centre of 

 the keep gave them such shade as they required 

 the eagle owl is not so exclusively nocturnal in its 

 habits as are most other owls, and will often take his 

 prey by day and the open space between it and the 

 wall gave you ample room to observe the wide spread 

 of their wings as they swept, in their eerie flight, 

 noiselessly round and round. The finest of the 

 whole assemblage was known by the strange name 

 of " Lord Eldon." One of the daughters of the 

 famous Lord Chancellor, entering, one day, the keep, 

 in ignorance of what was there, and catching sight 

 of the venerable bird sitting in its post of state, and 



