OF THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. 45 



stition ; — poets and historians, ancient and modern, uniformly 

 associating his name with evil. In the writings of Shakespeare 

 frequent allusion is made to the owl as a bird of evil repute, thus, 

 when speaking of the omens which preceded the death of Csesar, it 

 is said that " Yesterday the bird of night did sit even at noonday 

 upon the market-place, hooting and shrieking," And in that 

 memorable midnight ride when Thomas Graham, a farmer of 

 Shanter, was privileged to get a glimpse of the proceedings of a 

 social science meeting of the moving spirits of the time, the poet 

 Burns, in describing the farmer's progress homeward, says that 

 " Kirk allowa was drawin' nigh whaur ghaists and hoolets nichtly 

 cry." 



In the rural districts of Scotland where superstition still lingers, 

 the "hoolet" is regarded with aversion, and its visits to the farm 

 house are looked upon as forerunners of disaster to the family. Its 

 cry when heard at night is described as most appalling, and is often 

 referred to in this way in the Literature of the country. Thus, in a 

 song by Tannahill, the fellow townsman and brother poet of Wilson, 

 the hero of the song is entreating admission to the chamber of his 

 lady love, and in describing his uncomfortable position outside, 

 mentions among other causes that the "cry o' hoolets maks me 

 erie." I have hstened attentively to the cry of this and other owls, 

 but have not recognized anything so terrifying about them. Not 

 long ago I heard the serenade of the Great Horned Owl down near 

 Stoney Creek, under the mountain. It was loud and harsh, and 

 struck me at the time as resembling more than anything else the 

 neighing of a young colt. Such sounds, when heard unexpectedly 

 at night in a lonely place, are not calculated to inspire courage in a 

 breast already depressed with superstitious fear, but the effect 

 produced must to a great extent depend on the train of thought 

 passing through the mind of the hearer at the time, for though many 

 a stalwart Scot has quailed at the cry of the " hoolet," yet it is a 

 matter of history that the sons of that romantic land, when 

 roused to enthusiasm by similar sounds extorted from the national 

 instrument, have performed deeds of personal valor which will live in 

 song and story so long as poets and historians seek such themes. 



In our new country we have no birds of evil omen, and the owl 

 receives his proper place in science and literature. The poet 

 Longfellow speaks of him as " a grave bird ; a monk who chants 



