THE TAWNY OWL. 173 



less creatures are guilty of the preposterous act. 

 Notwithstanding the apprehensions of the dairy- 

 maid, I now and then venture to purchase a captive 

 hedgehog, and turn it into the park ; there to live 

 and die in peace. 



It was but the other day that a neighbouring 

 young lady complained to me of an owl which had 

 been hooting, for three or four successive nights, 

 far too near her bedroom windows ; and she wished 

 indeed that it were shot. I startled as she uttered 

 this, for it instantly occurred to me that the bird of 

 which she complained might possibly be one which 

 was bred here last summer ; and that its propensity 

 to night-errantry, had brought it into a scrape. So, 

 I tried to persuade her that nothing but sheer curi- 

 osity could have induced the owl to take the undue 

 liberty of peeping in at her window ; and I was sure 

 that it could have seen nothing there to displease it. 



I have never heard an owl, either in Europe or in 

 America, that utters sounds so nearly resembling 

 the human voice as those which our tawny owl 

 sends forth. Here, where all is still, and every 

 thing to be found that is inviting to the feathered 

 race, this bird will hoot at intervals throughout the 

 day, both in cloudy and in sunny weather. Were 

 you to pronounce the letter O in a loud and very 

 clear tone of voice, and then, after a short pause, 

 repeat the same letter in a drawling, tremulous 

 accent, you would have a tolerably just idea of the 

 hooting of the tawny owl. It will sometimes pro- 

 duce a sharp cry, which sounds not unlike the word 

 quo-ah : both male and female utter this cry. 



