1540 Birds. 



Again, in allusion to the great age attained by the bird, the fol- 

 lowing lines occur in c Timon of Athens,' 



" Will these moss'd trees, 

 That have out-lived the eagle, page thy heels ?" 



As is the case in most writings of an early date, we never find the 

 Owl spoken of, except with a feeling of superstitious dread, as the har- 

 binger of evil, and his note universally considered as the presage of 

 some forthcoming calamity. The exceeding solitude and gloom of his 

 usual haunts, and the circumstance that his voice is never heard ex- 

 cept in the solemn stillness of the night, when all the rest of the 

 feathered tribes are silent, seem to be the only things calculated to 

 give rise to this impression. I am glad however to find that this silly 

 dislike to a most useful bird is gradually declining, and I doubt not 

 ere long, that instead of finding the owl chased and destroyed as an 

 unwelcome visitant, we shall see him protected and encouraged as one 

 of the farmer's best friends. Most people have hitherto been only 

 struck with dread at his melancholy cry, and without making themselves 

 acquainted with the habits of the bird and his great usefulness, have 

 condemned him as an ill-favoured augur of mischief, and spared no 

 pains to destroy him. 



Thus in the ' Midsummer Night's Dream,' we have the following men- 

 tion of him : 



" Whilst the scritch-owl, scritching loud, 

 Puts the wretch that lies in woe, 

 In remembrance of a shroud." 



Again, in ' Henry the 6th' we have a series of curses concluded thus? 



"And boding-screech owls make the concert full ! 

 All the foul terrors in dark-seated hell." 



And the latter is enumerated as though it was considered a most 

 fearful addition to the wretchedness and gloom denounced. 



In ' Henry the 6th,' we also find the following allusion to the birth of 

 Richard the 3rd. 



" The owl shriek'd at thy birth, an evil sign ; 

 The night-crow cried, aboding luckless tune ; 

 Dogs howl'd, and hideous tempests shook down trees ; 

 The raven rook'd her on the chimney's top, 

 And chattering pics in dismal discords sung.'' 



Whether King Richard was the mis-shapen being in figure that we 





