THE OWLS 237 



The EAGLE OWL is a robber, but who will deny that 

 he is a most kingly one ? The charge brought against him — 

 that he attacks hares, rabbits, and game-birds like pheas- 

 ants, partridges, and grouse, and occasionally even fawns — 

 cannot be denied, yet surely it is worth losing a few of 

 these jealously preserved creatures, which are only bred to 

 be shot, for the rare privilege of seeing this superb visitor ? 



Mr. Bosworth Smith, who made a special study of Owls, 

 and kept several pairs of Eagle Owls in succession in an 

 aviary, when he was a master at Harrow, went so far as to 

 say, " He is the most magnificent, I think, not only of the 

 Owls, but of all birds." 



It is only now and then that he comes to Britain. 

 When he does come it is usually to the wild northern end 

 of our island — more often than not to the outlying islands 

 of Orkney and Shetland. And those landowners who care 

 only for the "shooting," and nothing for the natural 

 history, of their estates, no doubt fervently hope that his 

 visits may be "like angel- visits, few and far between." 



If, however, he is scarce in this country, he and his 

 family are to be found pretty well all over the world, 

 except where the place would be unsuitable to his ways 

 and wants. You will hear his cry in the dreary flats and 

 forests of Siberia and the sun-baked sands of North Africa, 

 on the banks of great rivers like the Danube and in the 

 islands of the Indian Seas. 



In what we call Bible lands the Eagle Owl is, or used 

 to be, common enough. Canon Tristram found it "most 

 abundant about the ruined temples of Egypt, and especially 

 plentiful in the rock tombs of Petra, the ancient ' Edom.' 

 It inhabits ruins and caves all over the Holy Land. We 

 found it in tombs in Carmel, in the robbers' caves near 

 Gennesaret, in the hermit caves above Jericho, among the 



