GENERAL CHARACTERS. 141 



nocturnal birds, invariably absent. The young are born in a helpless condition, 

 and covered with down ; and the eggs are invariably white, and of a rounded form. 

 In size these birds are subject to great variation ; the eagle-owls reaching to 28 

 inches in length, while the owlets are not larger than a thrush. Considerable 

 diversity of view has obtained as to the aflfinities of the owls, some authorities 

 considering that their nearest relationships are w^ith the diurnal birds of prey, 

 while others regard them as more nearly related to the Picarians. From their 

 osteology alone they appear, however, to be related on the one hand to the parrots, 

 while on the other they are intimately connected through the ospreys with the 

 diurnal birds of prey ; in their soft internal parts they differ, however, very con- 

 siderably from the latter. 



Distibution and Unlike the parrots, the o^^ds (of which there are probably about 



Habits. ^^YQ hundred species), enjoy a cosmopolitan distribution, ranging from 

 the Arctic regions to the most distant islands of Oceania. The great majority of 

 them are crepuscular and nocturnal in their habits, and are more or less completeh' 

 dazed if disturbed and driven from their haunts during the daytime. Others, how- 

 ever, are but little incommoded by daylight ; while the hawk-owls actually seek 

 their prey in the full glare of the sun. As owls subsist entirely on living prey, 

 which at night must be closely approached before it can be detected, an absolutely 

 silent flight is essential, and this is effected by the soft and fluffy nature of their 

 plumage. It is doubtless from this ghost-like, stealthy flight, coupled with their 

 nocturnal habits, their large glaring eyes, and their weird hootings and screechings, 

 that these birds have in all ages and in all countries been regarded as creatures of 

 ill-omen. Indeed, in this respect, owls hold a position among birds precisely similar 

 to that occupied by lemurs among mammals ; with the difterence that, owing to 

 distribution, while in the one case the superstition is universally diflused, in the 

 other it is conflned to certain races inhabiting the warmer regions of the Old 

 World. While the majority of owls are arboreal, some of the species roost in holes 

 or clefts of rocks or in buildings. It is common to see owls in museums mounted 

 with three toes in front of and one behind the perch on which they are seated. An 

 anonymous observer states, however, that tliis is totally incorrect, and that no 

 living owl ever j^laces three toes in front of his perch, although he could do tliis for 

 a moment if he felt so minded. The same writer also observes that " no owl seizes 

 his prey or holds it with both feet, thongli both feet may be used to carry it wlien 

 the prey is a large one ; such quarry, for instance, as a full-grown rat. With one 

 foot the owl grasps his prey, the other foot grasps a tuft or some other inequality 

 of the ground. Tlien the bird goes to work." 



Owls feed chiefly on small mammals, such as rats, mice, voles, and shrews — 

 more especially the two latter — as well as on birds, reptiles, fishes, and insects. 

 The large eagle-owls will readily attack and kill hares, rabbits, and the largest 

 game-birds ; and it is undoubtedly the case that such species inflict much harm on 

 game-preserves. The smaller kinds do, however, far more good than harm to the 

 agriculturist ; and although they were formerly shot down ruthlessly, both by the 

 gamekeeper and the farmer, there is some reason to believe that the latter, at least, 

 is beginning to see the error of his ways. If proof were needful of the usefulness of 

 these birds in keeping in clieck the pestilential field-vole, it is aftbrded by the flocks 



