186 Birds I Have Kept. 



secure it in the strong grip of their powerful talons before it 

 has had time to wake, or make the slightest effort to escape 

 from its enemy. 



Flesh is the natural food of the Owls, although some of 

 the smaller species partly feed on nocturnal insects, as well 

 as on small quadrupeds and birds: but many of the larger 

 sorts are so fierce and strong, that the hare, and even, it is 

 said, young lambs not unfrequently fall into their clutches, 

 from which, once seized, there is no possible escape for the 

 victim, unless all-conquering man should chance to appear upon 

 the scene, and, a veritable deus ex maoMnd, put a summary 

 end to the midnight marauder's career, by shooting a rifle 

 bullet through his body. 



The Owls, merciless as they are towards other birds, are 

 admirable parents, and patterns of conjugal devotion and ten- 

 derness; they pair for life, and each couple keeps closely 

 together, summer and wiuter, sharing all their joys and sorrows, 

 their seasons of prosperity and times of scarceness and adver- 

 sity; even in moments of direst distress one partner will not 

 forsake the other, but rather perish with it, than survive to 

 mourn its untimely end: whether the woods be clothed with 

 verdure, or mantled in a garb of spotless white, you will never 

 find an Owl alone, always two of them fly together, and for 

 constancy they might indeed supplant the proverbial Dove, 

 which really is anything but the model of connubial faithful- 

 ness it is popularly supposed to be. 



One of the most remarkable characteristics of the Owl family 

 is the eye, which is large and full, and placed more directly 

 in the front of the head, than happens in the case of any 

 other bird: an arrangement that adapts it for, or rather is 

 suited to, its mode of life, which is strictly nocturnal; so 

 much so that the majority of these birds are actually unable 

 to face the light of day, but sit blinking and almost helpless 

 in the sunshine, until the glare of midday has melted into 

 the softer radiance of twilight: then, when the rest of the 



