ORDER ACCIPITRES. 253 



The owl is enabled to make the most of the short time al- 

 lowed for its predatory excursions, by the exposed situation 

 of its prey, and by some other conditions of its own, which 

 may deserve notice. Most of the small birds and quadrupeds 

 pursued by the owl are the less able to guard themselves by 

 flight, or concealment from the adversary, by the partial dark- 

 ness, which, while it is advantageous to the owl, deprives 

 them of the full advantages of sight. The quill feathers, more- 

 over, of the owl are so light and downy, that it makes very 

 little noise in flight, and gives, therefore, but little warning to 

 its prey through the sense of hearing. With these advantages 

 of its own, and disadvantages of its prey, therefore, the owl 

 has little difficulty in redeeming its many hours of necessary 

 inactivity ; and the capacity of its throat, and undivided pos- 

 session of its prey, consequent on its solitary habits, add still 

 more to its facilities, and neutralize any apparent disadvantages 

 incident to its condition in the pursuit of its food. 



Some species of the owl are not so much nocturnal in their 

 habits as others. The Great White owl, S. nyctea, and some 

 others, will hunt occasionally by day ; but they do so to consi- 

 derable disadvantage, and the little birds may then be seen 

 flying round about, though they will not venture to attack their 

 too formidable adversary. 



Ruined buildings and church towers are favourite places 

 for nidification of these birds; a circumstance which, con- 

 nected with their evening flight and melancholy cry, has doubt- 

 less assisted to inspire that ominous fear entertained so gene- 

 rally by the vulgar of these grotesque-looking birds. Some of 

 the species, however, are found to build on tufts or grass, or even 

 in little concavities on the bare earth, of their own making. 



The popular notion that the owl is an harbinger of adverse 



fate is by no means confined to the superstitions of our own 



time or country. Virgil tells us that, on the death of Dido, — 



Solaque culminibus ferali carmine bubo 

 Ssepe queri, et longas in fletuni ducere voces. 

 Multaque prjeterea vatum prsedicta priorura 

 Terribili monitu horriiicant. 



