THE TAWNY OWL — THE WHITE OWL. 235 



To enjoy unrestrained of such day the delight, 

 From pleasure's clear stream each oft sipp'd where he 



might. 

 What excited the smiles of the Aquiline King, 

 Was the noise made by some birds in efforts to sing. 

 The jetty black Raven, now stretching his throat, 

 Did nothing but croak with a horrible note, 

 That of ill seem'd portentous, as down the deep dell, 

 Jn echoes heart-startling the wavy sound fell. 



hollow trees, sometimes in barns; eggs two or three, a dull 

 white, Said to be the only species known to hoot. (Montagu.) 

 I think, however, this is doubtful. 



" Heard ye the owl 

 Hoot to her mate responsive? 'Twas not she 

 "Whom floating on white pinions near his barn 

 The farmer views well pleas'd, and bids his boy 

 Forbear her nest; but she who cloth'd in robe 

 Of unobtrusive brown, regardless flies 

 Mouse-haunted cornstacks and the thresher's floor, 

 And prowls for plunder in the lonely wood." 



Gisborne's Walks in a Forest — Summer. 



This owl is an excellent mousing bird ; but it will sometimes 

 destroy pigeons. 



The Flamineu, White-Owl, Common-Barn Owl, Howiet, 

 Gi'lihnwter, Madge- Howiet, Church-Owl, Hissing-Owl, or 

 Screech-Owl, is about thirteen inches long ; the plumage elegant ; 

 body above pale yellow, with white dots ; beneath whitish, 

 with blackish dots ; almost a domestic bird, inhabiting barns, 

 hay-lofts, and churches ; utters a kind of hissing, or harsh and 

 mournful cries, formerly believed in the country to be ominous. 

 Found in Europe, America, and this country. Feeds chiefly on 

 mice, which it swallows whole, ejecting afterwards the bones and 



