OWL 
But t'he facult)' of feeing in the night, or of be- 
ing entirely dazzled by day, is not alike in every 
fpccies of thefe no6lurnal birds: fotne of them fee 
by night better than others ; and fome are fo little 
dazzied by the day-light, as to perceive their ene- 
mies, and to avoid them. The common white, 
or Barn-Owl, fees with fuch exquifite acutenefs 
in the dark, that though the barn has been flnit 
at night, and the light thus totally excluded, it 
perceives the fmalleft moufe that peeps from it's 
hole: on tlie contrary, the brov/n Horn-Owl is 
often feen to prowl along the hedges by day, like 
the fparrow-hawk ; and fometimes with much 
fuccefs. In proportion as each of thefe animals 
beft endures the day-light, it proceeds the earlier 
in the evening in puifuit of it's prey. The great 
horned Owl is the foremofb in quitting it's re- 
treat, and penetrates the woods and thickets very 
early in the evening; the horned Owl and the 
brown Owl are later in their excurfions; but the 
Barn-Owl feldom leaves it's retreat till midnight, 
feeming to prefer almoft total obfcurity either to 
the dufK of the evening or tlie grey of the morn- 
ing. 
As thefe birds are incapable of fupporting the 
light of day, or at leaft of then feeing and readily 
avoiding danger, they remain concealed in fome 
obfcure retreats adapted to their gloomy difpofi- 
cions. The cavern of a rock, the darkefc part of 
a hollow tree, the battlements of a ruinous and 
unfrequented caftle, or fome obfcure hole in a 
farmer's hovel, are the favourite retreats of thefe 
imjoyous birds ; and, whenever feen in the day- 
time, they may be confidered as either having 
ioft their v/ay, or been thrown by fome accident 
into the hands of their enemies. 
At the approach of evening, the Owl Tallies 
forth, ficimming rapidly up and down the hedges. 
The Barn-Owl, indeed, as it lives chiefly on 
mice, is contented to be more ftationary j and ac- 
cordingly places itfelf either in fome fhock of 
corn, or on the ridge of an old houfe, and Vv'atches 
it's prey in the dark v/ith great vigilance and 
pcrfeverance. 
Nor are thefe birds filent during tlie nofturnal 
hours; they all utter a hideous kind of note; 
which being frequently heard in the filence of 
midnight, breaks the general paufe with a horrid 
variation. This cry is difrerent in all; but in 
every fpecies it is both alarming and difagree- 
able. Father Kircher, who has fet the voices of 
birds to mufic, has given all the tones of the Owl 
note, which compofes a moft trem.endous fort of 
melody. Indeed, the prejudices of mankind 
unite with their fenfations to make the cry of the 
-Owl difguiling; for, among the vulgar, the 
Screech-Owl's voice has always been confidered 
as a prefage of fome direful calamity. 
While in purfuit of their prey, the note of thefe 
birds is fcldom heard; that important bufinefs is 
generally performed in filence, as it is by no 
means their intention to forewarn thofe little ani- 
mals they wifla to furprife of their danger. When 
their labours have proved fuccefsful, they foon 
return to their folitudes, or to their young, if it 
be in that feafon. When they find but little 
game, they continue on the watch fli 11 longer ; 
and fometimes hearkening to the voice of appe- 
tite rather than prudence, they purfue fo long, 
that broad day breaks in upon them, and leaves 
them dazzled, bewildered, and at a diltance from 
their retreats. Thus fituated, they are obliged 
to take fhelter in the firft tree or hedge that pre- 
fents itfelf, where they conceal themfelves till the 
returning darknefs once more fupplies them with 
a more diftinft viev/ of the country. But it fre- 
quently happens that, with all their precaution to 
conceal themfelves v/hen thus fa rprifed by day- 
light, they are difcovered by other birds, from 
v.hom they are fure to receive no mercy: the 
blackbird, the thrufli, the jay, the bunting, and 
the red-breaft:, all furround the haplefs wanderer,- 
on whom they employ all their little arts of iniult 
and abufe. The fmalleft and mod contemptible 
of the Owl's enemies are then the foremoft to 
injure and torment him: they taunt him with 
their cries, flap him with their wings, and aflc6l to 
appear courageous, in proportion as they" are un- 
der little or no apprehenfions of danger. The 
wretched bird of night, neither knowing whom 
to attack, or v/here to fly, patiently fuffers all the 
indignities offered to him: afloniflied and dizzy^ 
he anlwers their infults by aukward and ridiculous 
geftures, turning his head about, and rolling his 
eyes Vv'ith an air of ftupidity. 
The appearance of an Ov/1 by day is fufficienc 
to put a whole grove into a kind of uproar; for 
the averfion which all fm.all birds have to this 
animal, or the confcioufnefs of their own fecurity, 
induces them to purfue him unceafingly; while, 
by their mutual cries, they encourage each other 
to the encounter. Hov/ever, it fometimes hap- 
pens that the little birds continue their infults 
with the fame im.prudent zeal with which the Owl 
himfelf has purfued his depredations: they hunt 
him till the evening returns, which reftoring his 
faculties of fight, gives him an opportunity of 
making his purfuers pay dear for their iport. 
Nor are the refpe£lable gentlemen termed bird- 
catchers unconcerned fpeftators of thefe petty 
contentions. Having learnt the art of counterfeit- 
ing the cry of the Owl, and previoufly limed the 
branches of a hedge, they conceal themfelves, and 
then give the call; on which all the little birds 
within hearing flock to the place, expecting to 
meet with their ftupid antagonifl:; but, inftead of 
finding him, they too late perceive themfelves en- 
tangled in the hedge. This fport muft be put in 
practice an hour before night-fall, if thefe gentle- 
men would wifli to be fuccefsful ; for, if it be de- 
ferred later, thofe birds, which but a few minutes 
before thronged to infult the Owl, will then fly 
from him with no fmall degree of terror. 
To fee one flupid bird made in fome meafure a 
fort of decoy to deceive another, is perhaps not 
wholly devoid of entertainment. The great 
horned Ovvd is fometimes made ufe of in order to 
allure the kite, when falconers would catch him 
for the purpofe of training large hawks. On this 
occafion they afHx the tail of a fox to the great 
Owl, to render his figure extraordinary ; in which 
trim he fails fiowiy along, after his ufual manner. 
The kite, either curious to obferve this odd kind 
of animal, or perhaps inquifitive to know whether 
it may not be. proper for food, flies after, and ap- 
proaches it nearer and nearer. Tn this manner he 
continues to hover, and fometimes to defcend, 
till the falconer fends a flrong-winged hawk after 
him, who feizes him for the purpofe of training 
his young ones at home. 
Though Owls may certainly be deemed difa- 
greeable, and fometimes pernicious birds, the 
Barn-Owl, by it's activity in deflroying mice, luf- 
ficiently compenfatcs for the faults of the whole 
' iribe. 
