132 THE BARRED OWL. 



undulated with darker; tail similarly barred; ruff-feathers white toward the 

 end, dark brown in the centre; disks on their inner sides grey, with black 

 tips, in the rest of their extent greyish-white, with six bars of blackish-brown 

 very regularly disposed in a concentric manner; lower parts greyish-brown, 

 variegated with greyish and yellowish- white; feet barred with the same. 

 Female, 30£, 48^. 



THE BARRED OWL. 



"tSyrnium nebulosiim, Linn. 



PLATE XXXVL— Male. 



Should you, kind reader, visit the noble forests of the lower parts of the 

 State of Louisiana, about the middle of October, when nature, on the eve of 

 preparing for approaching night, permits useful dews to fall and rest on 

 every plant, with the view of reviving its leaves, its fruits, or its lingering 

 blossoms ere the return of morn; when every night-insect rises on buzzing 

 wings from the ground, and the fire-fly, amidst thousands of other species, 

 appears as if purposely to guide their motions through the sombre atmosphere; 

 when numerous reptiles and quadrupeds commence their nocturnal prowl- 

 ings, and the fair moon, empress of the night, rises peacefully on the distant 

 horizon, shooting her silvery rays over the heavens and the earth, moving 

 slowly and majestically along; when the husbandman, just returned to his 

 home, after the labours of the day, is receiving the cheering gratulations of 

 his family, and the wholesome repast is about to be spread out; — it is at this 

 moment, kind reader, that your ear would suddenly be struck by the dis- 

 cordant screams of the Barred Owl. Its ivhah, whah, ivhah, whah-aa is 

 uttered loudly, and in so strange and ludicrous a manner, that I should not 

 be surprised were you to compare these sounds to the affected bursts of 

 laughter which you may have heard from some of the fashionable members 

 of our own species. 



How often, when snugly settled under the boughs of my temporary 

 encampment, and preparing to roast a venison steak or the body of a squir- 

 rel, have I been saluted with the exulting bursts of this nightly disturber of 

 the peace, that, had it not been for him, would have prevailed around me, 

 as well as in my lonely retreat! How often have I seen this nocturnal 

 marauder alight within a few yards of me, expose his whole body to the 

 glare of my fire, and eye me in such a curious manner that, had it been 



