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talons in his face, lacerated him in a most 
allocking manner." 
This is by far the most plentiful species of 
Owl in this country. It resides chiefly in 
woods and plantations, concealing itself in 
the thickest places; sometimes, when un- 
molested, it settles on the ground, but always 
on being disturbed takes shelter in a neigh- 
bouring tree. 
An ornithological friend informed us that 
this species of Owl is incapable of moving its 
eyes in their sockets, (and he suspects it also 
to be the case witli the whole genus.) If so, 
may not the extraordinary facility of turning 
the head as if it were fixed upon a pivot have 
been provided by nature as an adequate sub- 
stitute for the defect ? Certain it is that its 
eyes are much larger than those of any other 
of the British species, and the pupil incapa- 
ble of sufficient contraction to enable it to se e 
distinctly by day-light, at which time it is 
rarely seen on wing, except forced from its 
haunts ; and when such is the case, it is no 
uncommon thing for boys to hunt it down 
with sticks and stones. 
The depredations of this species are truly 
