cuap. vi.] An Orchestra Disturbed. 125 
his burrow, and drew out his gun for the purpose of shoot- 
ing the owl; but before he could do this, the owl had taken 
to his wings and fled away with his booty. 
Besides the long-eared owl, Edward also met with the 
brown owl—the only two species that he met with in his 
district, or of which he can speak from personal observation. 
Both of these owls uttered a too-hoo when sinking down 
upon their prey; and after they had secured it, they would 
fly away without any further noise; but if obstructed, they 
would both set up a loud screech. Edward had many op- 
portunities of witnessing this trait in their characters. The 
best instance occurred in the wood of Backlaw. 
_ “Near the centre of this wood,” he observes, “‘and not 
far from the farm of the same name, there is a small piece 
of stagnant water. I was reclining against a tree one night, 
listening to a reptilian choir—a concert of frogs. It was 
delicious to hear the musicians endeavoring to excel each 
other in their strains, and to exhibit their wonderful vocal 
powers. The defect of the concert was the want of time. 
Each individual performer endeavored to get as much above 
the concert-pitch as possible. It was a most beautiful 
night—for there are beautiful nights as well as days in the 
North—and I am certain that these creatures were enjoying 
its beauty as much as myself. Presently, when the whole 
of the vocalists had reached their highest notes, they be- 
came hushed in an instant. I was amazed at this, and be- 
gan to wonder at the sudden termination of the concert, 
But, looking about, I observed a brown owl drop down, 
with the silence of death, on to the top of a low dike close 
by the orchestra. 
“ He sat there for nearly half an hour, during which there 
was perfect silence. The owl himself remained quite mo- 
tionless, for I watched him all the time. Then I saw the 
owl give a hitch, and move his head a little to one side. 
He instantly darted down among the grass and rushes, after 
which he rose with something dangling from his claws. It 
