STRIGID^E. 137 



brown ; wings, scapulars, and tail (except two centre feathers) tipped with 

 white ; underparts white. Sexes alike. 



Young. Basal two-thirds of primaries chestnut; head blackish brown, 

 without any crest. Length 15-16 inches. 



Order STRIGES. Family STRIGIDJE. 



166. Strix flammea, Linnseus. The White or Barn-Owl. 



Moorish. Youka, Tair el m6t (Death-bird), Sehar, Bou tezaz. 

 Spanish. Lechuza. 



"This Owl, resident near Tangier, is nearly as abundant as 

 the Little Owl, inhabiting ruins and holes in rocks, and nesting 

 twice a year, between April and November. They lay from 

 three to four eggs. The inhabitants of Tangier consider this bird 

 the clairvoyant friend of the Devil. The Jews believe that 

 their cry causes the death of young children ; so, in order to 

 prevent this, they pour a vessel of water out into the courtyard 

 every time that they hear the cry of one of these Owls passing 

 over their house. The Arabs believe even more than the Jews ; 

 for they think that they can cause all kinds of evil to old as well 

 as to young ; but their mode of action is even more simple than 

 that of their antagonists the Jews, as they rest contented with 

 cursing them whenever they hear their cry. Endeavouring to 

 find out from the Mahometans what foundation there is for the 

 evil reputation of this species, I was told this : ' When these 

 birds cry, they are only cursing in their language ; but their 

 malediction is harmless unless they know the name of the 

 individual to whom they wish evil, or unless they have the 

 malignity to point out that person when passing him; as the 

 Devil sleeps but little when there is evil work to be done, he 

 would infallibly execute the command of his favourite if one did 

 not, by cursing the Owl by name, thus guard against the power 

 of that enemy who is sworn to do evil to all living beings.' 



