58 WHITE, OR BARN OWL. 



tribes have an idol in form of an Owl, to which they fasten the 

 real legs of one/^^ 



This species is rarely found in Pennsylvania in summer. Of 

 its place and manner of building I am unable, from my own ob- 

 servation, to speak. The bird itself has been several times found 

 in the hollow of a tree, and was once caught in a barn in my neigh- 

 bourhood. European writers inform us, that it makes no nest; 

 but deposits its eggs in the holes of walls, and lays five or six of 

 a whitish color; is said to feed on mice and small birds, which, 

 like the most of its tribe, it swallows whole, and afterwards emits 

 the bones, feathers and other indigestible parts at its mouth, in 

 the form of small round cakes, which are often found in the empty 

 buildings it frequents. During its repose it is said to make a blow- 

 ing noise resembling the snoring of a man.t 



It is distinguished in England by various names, the Barn Owl, 

 the Church Owl, Gillihowlet and Screech Owl. In the lowlands 

 of Scotland it is universally called the Hoolet. 



The White or Barn Owl is fourteen inches long, and upwards 

 of three feet six inches in extent; bill a whitish horn color, longer 

 than is usual among its tribe; space surrounding each eye remark- 

 ably concave, the radiating feathers meeting in a high projecting 

 ridge arching from the bill vipwards; between these lies a thick 

 tuft of bright tawny feathers that are scarcely seen unless the ridges 

 be separated ; face white su^rrounded by a border of narrow, thick- 

 set velvetty feathers, of a reddish cream color at the tip, pure sil- 

 very white below, and finely shafted with black; whole upper parts 

 a bright tawny yellow, thickly sprinkled with whitish and pale 

 purple, and beautifully interspersed with larger drops of white, 

 each feather of the back and wing coverts ending in an oblong 

 spot of white bounded by black; head large, tumid; sides of the 

 neck pale yellow ochre, thinly sprinkled with small touches of 



* Arct. Zool. p. 235. f Bewick, I, p. 90. 



