BARRED OWL. $g 



woods that border the extensive meadows of Schuylkill and 

 Delaware. It is very frequently observed flying during day, 

 and certainly sees more distinctly at that time than many of 



nocturnal marauder alight within a few yards of me, exposing his whole 

 body to the glare of my fire, and eye me in such a curious manner, that, 

 had it been reasonable to do so, I would gladly have invited him to 

 walk in and join me in my repast, that I might have enjoyed the 

 pleasure of forming a better acquaintance with him. The liveliness of 

 his motions, joined to their ocldness, have often made me think that his 

 society would be at least as agreeable as that of many of the buffoons 

 we meet with in the world. But as such opportunities of forming 

 acquaintance have not existed, be content, kind reader, with the imper- 

 fect information which I can give you of the habits of this Sancho 

 Panca of our woods. 



" Such persons as conclude, when looking upon owls in the glare of 

 day, that they are, as they then appear, extremely dull, are greatly 

 mistaken. Were they to state, like Buffon, that woodpeckers are 

 miserable beings, they would be talking as incorrectly ; and, to one who 

 might have lived long in the woods, they would seem to have lived only 

 in their libraries. 



" The barred owl is found in all those parts of the United States which 

 I have visited, and is a constant resident. In Louisiana, it seems to be 

 more abundant than in any other state. It is almost impossible to 

 travel eight or ten miles in any of the retired woods there, without 

 seeing several of them even in broad day ; and, at the approach of 

 night, their cries are heard proceeding from every part of the forest 

 around the plantations. Should the weather be lowering, and indica- 

 tive of the approach of rain, their cries are so multiplied during the 

 day, and especially in the evening, and they respond to each other in 

 tones so strange, that one might imagine some extraordinary fete about 

 to take place among them. On approaching one of them, its gesticula- 

 tions are seen to be of a very extraordinary nature. The position of 

 the bird, which is generally erect, is immediately changed. It lowers 

 its head and inclines its body, to watch the motions of the person 

 beneath ; throws forward the lateral feathers of its head, which thus 

 has the appearance of being surrounded by a broad ruff ; looks towards 

 him as if half blind, and moves its head to and fro in so extraordinary 

 a manner, as almost to induce a person to fancy that part dislocated 

 from the body. It follows all the motions of the intruder with its eyes ■ 

 and should it suspect any treacherous intentions, flies off to a short dis- 

 tance, alighting with its back to the person, and immediately turning 

 about with a single jump, to recommence its scrutiny. In this manner, 

 the barred owl may be followed to a considerable distance, if not shot 



