96 
GREAT HORNED OWL. 
bachelors are also distinguished from the other people by their taci 
turnity, grave and solemn countenance, dignified step, and singing to 
themselves songs or hymns in a low, sweet voice, as they stroll about 
the town."* 
Nothing is a more effectual cure for superstition than a knowledge 
of the general laws and productions of nature ; nor more forcibly leads 
our reflections to the first, great, self-existent cause of all, to whom 
our reverential awe is then humbly devoted, and not to any of his 
dependent creatures. With all the gloomy habits, and ungracious tones, 
of the Owl, there is nothing in this bird supernatural or mysterious, or 
more than that of a simple bird of prey, formed for feeding by night, like 
many other animals, and of reposing by day. The harshness of its 
voice, occasioned by the width and capacity of its throat, may be intended 
by heaven as an alarm and warning to the birds and animals on 
which it preys, to secure themselves from danger. The voices of all 
carnivorous birds and animals are also observed to be harsh and hideous, 
probably for this very purpose. 
The Great Horned Owl is not migratory, but remains with us the 
whole year. During the day he slumbers in the thick evergreens of 
deep swamps, or seeks shelter in large hollow trees. He is very rarely 
seen abroad by day, and never but when disturbed. In the month 
of May they usually begin to build. The nest is generally placed in 
the fork of a tall tree, and is constructed of sticks, piled in considerable 
quantities, lined with dry leaves, and a few feathers. Sometimes they 
choose a hollow tree, and in that case carry in but few materials. The 
female lays four eggs, nearly as large as those of a hen, almost globular, 
and of a pure white. In one of these nests, after the young had flown, 
were found the heads and bones of two chickens, the legs and head of 
the Grolden-winged Woodpecker, and part of the wings and feathers of 
several other birds. It is generally conjectured that they hatch but 
once in the season. 
The length of the male of this species is twenty inches ; the bill is 
large, black and strong, covered at the base with a cere ; the eyes 
golden yellow ; the horns are three inches in length, and very broad, 
consisting of twelve or fourteen feathers, their webs black, broadly edged 
with bright tawny ; face rusty, bounded on each side by a band of black ; 
space between the eyes and bill whitish ; whole lower parts elegantly 
marked with numerous transverse bars of dusky, on a bright tawny 
ground, thinly interspersed with white ; vent pale yellow ochre, barred 
with narrow lines of brown ; legs and feet large and covered with 
feathers, or hairy down, of a pale brown color ; claws very large, blue 
black ; tail rounded, extending about an inch beyond the tips of the 
* Travels, p. 504. 
