345 



rock. At another time, when I was clambering over the hills that skirt the harbour between 

 ' Pearl Bay' and ' Odin Bay,' I suddenly turned a corner and came close in view of a very fine 

 specimen, which at once rose respectfully and flapped over the valley out of view. These birds, 

 I presume, banquet off the hares (Lepus sinensis) that scantily people the surrounding country." 



Major W. E. Hay shot a specimen of the pale variety on the borders of the Pangkong Lake, 

 in Thibet ; and Dr. Jerdon writes that it " occurs in the higher region of the Himalayas, but 

 apparently along the snow-line. A specimen was sent to the Museum of the Asiatic Society by 

 Captain Smyth, of Almorah. Blyth, however, informed me that Hodgson's Shikarees, when in 

 Calcutta, recognized Bubo maximus as a species which they knew ; so it may hereafter demand a 

 place among the birds of India." And he further adds (Ibis, 1871, p. 345), in his additional 

 notes, that it " has been killed several times in the Himalayas, generally at a considerable 

 elevation." 



This bird, the most powerful amongst the Owls, is also one of the boldest and most rapacious 

 of the European birds of prey. Naumann states that it will even attack, and has been known to 

 vanquish, the Eagle. Though a nocturnal bird, it is not stupid or dazed when exposed to the 

 glare of the sun, but flies with great ease, threading its way with facility through the dense 

 forest if roused during the daytime, and is shy, difficult of approach, and quite capable of taking 

 care of itself as well during the day as at night. Usually it remains quiet during the day, hidden 

 in some dark ravine or dense forest, but often appears about in search of prey quite early in the 

 evening before the twilight has set in. Its flight, like that of all the Owls, is noiseless and 

 powerful ; and its note, a deep and loud hoot, consisting of the syllables hu hu, modulated in 

 various ways, can be heard at considerable distances. Uttered at night from some dark, gloomy- 

 looking gorge, the gruff call-note of the Eagle Owl sounds peculiarly weird and wild. It occa- 

 sionally varies its usual note ; so that it may be sometimes likened to a hoarse laugh, and at others 

 it is not much unlike the neighing of a horse. The superstitious peasants in the north believe 

 when they hear the hoot of this Owl that evil spirits are about ; and the various legends of the 

 wild huntsman, the so-called ' wilde Jagd,' so firmly believed in by many of the German peasants, 

 doubtless have their origin from this bird. Few birds of prey are so destructive to game as the 

 present species ; for there is no game-bird, not even the Capercaillie, which is too large for him, 

 and he does not disdain to hunt after the smaller species also ; mice and rats, hares, rabbits, 

 young fawns, black game, pheasants, partridges, and hazel-grouse, all are equally good in his 

 sight, and form a portion of his daily diet when obtainable ; but jays, and especially crows, 

 appear to be favourite articles of food with him, and remains of the latter are very frequently 

 met with in his larder. As a cage-bird the Eagle Owl thrives well, and breeds not unfrequently 

 in confinement ; indeed Mr. Castang, the game-dealer, is seldom without live specimens which 

 have been hatched and reared in confinement in this country. Professor Newton (Yarr. Brit. 

 Birds, p. 171) says that "it has been known to live to a great age, and has bred in confinement 

 at Arundel Castle and elsewhere. Mr. Edward Fountaine, who has been remarkably successful 

 in his treatment of birds of this family, has for some years kept many Eagle Owls at Easton, 

 near Norwich, the majority having been reared in his aviaries ; and as some of them were hatched 

 from eggs laid by birds bred by him, he may be considered to have, in some degree, domesticated 

 the species." Mr. J. H. Gurney informs me that from the original pair referred to by Mr. 



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