THE WHITE OWL. 91 



with which it was clad. Tliis Owl always welcomed the approach of its friend, and when it 

 perched upon its back, seemed as pleased as a horse when his favorite cat comes to bear him 

 company. No other bird was so honored, and a pair of gokllinches that were kept in a cage 

 were constantly persecuted by the Owl, which could never understand that they were not to 

 be killed, and was in the habit of pushing his feet through the bars, in vain attempts to secure 

 the inmates. 



It was a confirmed murderer of bats, and small birds as well as mice, and was accustomed 

 to push its prey into a hole in an old wall that had been occasioned by the fall of a brick. In 

 this odd larder were constantly found a strange variety of slaughtered game. Six to eight 

 small birds were often counted when the hole was explored in the early morning, and once the 

 Owl had poked fourteen bats into the aperture. On several occasions, the bird had contrived 

 to pack a moderately sized eel into its storehouse, having always killed the eel by a bite across 

 the back of the neck. The Owl was always attracted by bright and glittering objects, and 

 once was seen to pounce upon a knitting-needle that lay glistening in the moonshine, and to 

 carry it away to its usual receptacle. 



This bird was remarkably fond of half -cooked chicken, and was wonderfully delighted if 

 its meal were seasoned ^vith a very slight sprinkling of sugar and salt, a fact which is rather 

 remarkable, because, as a general rule, the predaceous birds do not care for siigar. 



The hunting hour of this Owl varied much according to the time of year, and was about 

 six p. jr. in April and May, and eight in June and July. It was a spitefnl bird, and very 

 much given to attacking strange men and beasts. His last escapade was of such a serious 

 nature, that he was summarily handed over to the executioner. He dashed at a pony which 

 was coming towai'ds the house, and fastening on its nose with its claws, battered the poor 

 beast with his ^\•ings to such an extent that it became quite frantic, and by a powerful toss of 

 the head flung its assailant violently on the ground and broke one of his legs. Nothing 

 daunted by this mishap, the Owl returned to the attack, and, grasping the pony's nose with 

 the sound foot, struck his curved beak into its face and I'ecommenced his buifeting. He was 

 at last torn away by main force, and paid the penalty of his mischief with his life. 



This species is generally considered to be the typical example of the Owl tribe, as it 

 exhibits in great perfection the different characteristics of the Owls, namely, the thick coat of 

 downy plumage, the pecidiar disc round the eye, the large eye-balls, and the heavily feathered 

 legs and toes. The feathers are so thickly set upon this bird, that it appears to be of much 

 greater dimensions than is really the case. When standing on its feet, or while flying over 

 the fields like a huge bunch of thistle-down blown violently by the night breeze, the Barn 

 Owl appears to be rather a large bird; but when the creature is lying on the bird-stuffer' s 

 table, after its skin and feathers have been removed, the transformation is really astonishing. 

 The great round head shrinks into the shape and size of that of a small hawk, the body is 

 hardly larger than that of a pigeon, and biit for the evident power of the firm muscles and 

 their glistening tendinous sheaths, the bird would appear absolutely insignificant. 



Although so small, it is a terrible bird to fight, and when it flings itself defiantly on its 

 back, ire glancing from its eyes, and its sharp claws dra^vn up to its breast ready to strike as 

 soon as its antagonist shall come within their range, it is really a formidable foe, and will test 

 the nerves of a man to some extent hefore he can secure the flerce little bird, as I can assert 

 from experience, having had my hands somewhat torn in such an encounter. So fiercely does 

 this bird strike, that I knew an instance where a dog was blinded by the stroke of a Barn 

 Owl's claws. The Owl was a tame one, and the dog— a stranger— went up to inspect the bird. 

 As the dog approached the Owl, the bird rolled quietly over on its back, and when the dog 

 put his head to the prostrate bird, it struck so shai-ply with its claws that it desti'oyed both 

 the eyes of the poor animal, which had to be killed on account of the injury. AVliile its young 

 are helpless, the White Owl watches over their safety with great vigilance, and if any living 

 thing, such as a man or a dog, should approach too closely to the domicile, the Owl will dash 

 fiercely at them, regardless of the consequence to itself. 



The nest of this species is placed either in a hollow tree, or in a crevice of some old build- 

 ing, where it deposits its white, rough-surfaced eggs upon a soft layer of dried "castings." 



