Species IX. ^TRIX NJEVIA* 



MOTTLED OWL. 



[Plate XIX. Fig. 1, Female.] 

 Arct. Zool. 231, No. 118.— Latham, i., 126.— Turton, i., 167. 



On contemplating the grave and antiquated figure of this night 

 wanderer, so destitute of everything like gracefulness of shape, I can 

 scarcely refrain from smiling at the conceit, ©f the ludicrous appear- 

 ance this bird must have made, had nature bestowed on it the powers 

 of song, and given it the faculty of warbling out sprightly airs, while 

 robed in such a solemn exterior. But the great God of Nature hath, 

 in his wisdom, assigned to this class of birds a more unsocial, and less 

 noble, though, perhaps, not less useful, disposition by assimilating them, 

 not only in form of countenance, but in voice, manners, and appetite, 

 to some particular beasts of prey ; secluding them from the enjoyment 

 of the gay sunshine of day, and giving them little more than the few 

 solitary hours of morning and evening twilight, to procure their food, 

 and pursue their amours ; while all the tuneful tribes, a few excepted, 

 are wrapped in silence and repose. That their true character, however, 

 should not be concealed from those weaker animals on whom they feed 

 (for Heaven abhors deceit and hypocrisy). He has stamped their coun- 

 tenance with strong traits of their murderer the Cat ; and birds in this 

 respect are, perhaps, better physiognomists than men. 



The Owl now before us is chiefly a native of the northern regions, 

 arriving here, with several others, about the commencement of cold 

 weather ; frequenting the uplands and mountainous districts, in prefer- 

 ence to the lower parts of the country ; and feeding on mice, small 

 birds, beetles, and crickets. It is rather a scarce species in Pennsyl- 

 vania ; flies usually in the early part of night and morning ; and is 

 sometimes observed sitting on the fences during day, when it is easily 

 caught ; its vision at that time being very imperfect. 



The bird represented in the plate was taken in this situation, and pre- 

 sented to me by a friend. I kept it in the room beside me for some 

 time ; during which its usual position was such as I have given it. Its 

 eyelids were either half shut, or slowly and alternately opening and 



* Strix asio. This is the adult of the following species, and the name asio given 

 to the young, must be retained for the species, as the young was first described. 

 See Linn. Syst. i., p. 92, No. 3, ed. 10. 



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