GREAT HORNED OWL. 
where it fixes it's gloomy abode. It haunts 
only rocks, or such old deserted towers as are 
situated near mountains: it seldom ventures 
into the plains ; and, declining the boughs of 
trees, commonly perches on solitary churches, 
and ancient castles. It's prey consists, in ge- 
neral, of young hares, rabbits, moles, and 
mice ; which it swallows entire, digests the 
fleshy parts, and afterwards throws up the hair, 
bones, and skin, rolled into a ball : it also de- 
vours bats, serpents, lizards, toads, and frogs, 
and feeds it's young with them. " This spe- 
cies,"' Buffbn remarks, is not- so numerous 
in France as those of the other Owls ; and it 
is by no means certain, iliat they remain the 
whole year in the country. They nestle, 
however, sometimes in hollow trees, and of- 
tenet in the crags of rocks, or in the lioles ot 
lofty old walls. Their nest, which is neaHy 
three feet in diametei-, is composed of small dry 
sticks, interwoven w-ith pliant roots, and 
strewed with leaves They commonly lay 
one or two eggs, and but seldom three; the 
colour of these somewhat resembles that ot 
the bird's plumage, and they are larger than 
hens eggs. The voung arc vers- voracious ; 
and 
