AND AMERICAN RURAL SPORTS. 13 
a hole, with uplifted eye-brows, open mouth, and an ear- 
nest expression of uneasiness and apprehension—and these 
are really situations into which the traveller in the Andes 
is often thrown, though they disconcert the gravity and 
solemnity of his ‘‘ Personal Narrative.’””—Head’s Jour- 
neys across the Pampas. 
GREAT HORNED-OWL. 
STRIX VIRGINIANA. 
[Plate II. Vol. 2.] 
ret. Zool. p. 228, No. 114.—Epw. 60.—Larn. 1, 119. 
Turr. Syst. p. 166.—Hibou des Terres Magellaniques, 
Burr.—Pl. Enl. 385.—Bubo Virginianus, Briss. 1, 
p- 484.—Strix Virginiana, Ind. Orn. p. 52.—Guxt. 
Syst. 1, p. 287.—Virginian Eared Owl, Latu. Gen. 
Syn. Supl. vi, p. 40.—J. Doveuty’s Collection. 
“‘This noted and formidable Owl,” says Wutson, ‘‘is 
found in almost every quarter of the United States. His 
favourite residence, however, is in the dark solitudes of 
deep swamps, covered with a growth of gigantic timber; 
and here, as soon as evening draws on, and mankind re- 
tire to rest, he sends forth such sounds, as seem scarcely 
to belong to this world, startling the solitary pilgrim as he 
slumbers by his forest fire, 
‘ Making night hideous.’ 
Along the mountainous shores of the Ohio, and amidst 
the deep forests of Indiana, alone, and reposing in the 
woods, this ghostly watchman frequently warned me of 
the approach of morning, and amused me with his singular 
exclamations; sometimes sweeping down and around my 
fire, uttering a loud and sudden Waugh O! Waugh O! 
sufficient to have alarmed a whole garrison. He has 
other nocturnal solos, no less melodious, one of which 
very strikingly resembles the half-suppressed screams of 
a person suffocating, or throttled, and cannot fail of being 
exceedingly entertaining to a lonely benighted traveller, 
in the midst of an Indian wilderness. 
“This species inhabits the country round Hudson’s 
Bay; and, according to Pennant, who considers it a mere 
variety of the Eagle Owl, (Strix bubo) of Europe, is 
found in Kamtschatka; extends even to the arctic regions, 
where it is often found white; and occurs as low as Astra- 
kan. It has also been seen white in the United States; 
but this has doubtless been owing to disease or natural 
defect, and not to climate. It preys on young rabbits, 
squirrels, rats, mice, partridges, and small birds of various 
D 
kinds. It has been often known to prowl about the farm- 
house, and carry off chickens from the roost. A very 
large one, wing-broken while on a foraging excursion of 
this kind, was kept about a house for several days, and at 
length disappeared, no one knew how. Almost every 
day after this, hens and chickensalso disappeared, one by 
one, in an unaccountable manner, till in eight or ten days 
very few were left remaining. The fox, the minx and 
weasel, were alternately the reputed authors of this mis- 
chief, until one morning, an old lady, rising before day 
to bake, in passing towards the oven, surprised her late 
prisoner the Owl, regaling himself on the body of a 
newly killed hen. The thief instantly made for his hole 
under the house, whence the enraged matron soon dis- 
lodged him with the brush-handle, and without merey 
despatched him. In this snug retreat were found the 
greater part of the feathers, and many large fragments, of 
her whole family of chickens. 
“There is something in the character of the Owl so 
recluse, solitary and mysterious, something so discordant 
in the tones of its voice, heard only amid the silence and 
gloom of night, and in the most lonely and sequestered 
situations, as to have strongly impressed the minds of 
mankind in general with sensations of awe, and abhor- 
rence of the whole tribe. The poets have indulged freely 
in this general prejudice; and in their descriptions and 
delineations of midnight storms, and gloomy scenes of 
nature, the Owl is generally introduced to heighten the 
horror of the picture. Ignorance and superstition, in all 
ages, and in all countries, listen to the voice of the Owl, and 
even contemplate its physiognomy with feelings of dis- 
gust, and a kind of fearful awe. The priests, or conjurers, 
among some of our Indian nations, have taken advantage of 
the reverential horror for this bird, and have adopted the 
Great Horned-Owl, the subject of the present account, 
as the symbol or emblem of their office. ‘Among the 
Creeks,’ says Mr. Bartram, ‘the junior priests, or students, 
constantly wear a white mantle, and have a Great Owl 
skin cased and stuffed very ingeniously, so well executed 
as almost to appear like the living bird, having large 
sparkling glass beads, or buttons, fixed in the head for 
eyes. This insignia of wisdom and divination they wear 
sometimes as a crest on the top of the head; at other 
times the image sits on the arm, or is borne on the hand. 
These bachelors are also distinguished from the other 
people by their taciturnity, grave and solemn countenance, 
dignified step, and singing to themselves songs or hymns 
in a low, sweet voice, as they stroll about the town.’ 
“Nothing is a more effectual cure for superstition than 
a knowledge of the general laws and productions of nature; 
nor more forcibly leads our reflections to the first, great 
