86 IN THE ACADIAN LAND. 



bill, and his cruel claws drawn up into fists and 

 ready for action. There is no need to mistake 

 the mission of this feathered marauder. All 

 day long he has slept and dozed in the gloomi- 

 est retreat of yonder hemlock wood. As the 

 day wore on the pangs of hunger grew stronger; 

 the eyes opened wider as the fading light went 

 out. He must have meat or he must die. No 

 other food will keep life in him. He has glided 

 off his perch to kill something. For that pur- 

 pose is he equipped with night-seeing eyes like 

 tigers and cats, with fierce and strong claws 

 and tearing beak. His noiseless wings are 

 covered with a velvet-like texture of finest 

 feather-work. He expects to pounce on some 

 sleeping bird or feeding rabbit. This is the 

 cat-owl, or horned owl (Bubo virginianus). 

 He has no need to fear any enemy but man. 

 The whole family of them seem to represent a 

 night side of Nature. They have never been in 

 favor with mankind. Their solitary habits, 

 their preference for dark places in the daytime, 

 their murderous dispositions have all been 

 against them, from our point of view. Pliny, 

 the old Roman author, says of owls: "They 

 are the veiy ministers of the night, neither cry- 

 ing nor singing clear, but uttering certain 

 heavy groans, and if therefore they be seen 



