CHAPTER XXIII. 
OWLS . 
WLS ! owls !” screamed the children in delight 
as they looked at the pictures. “ Oh, Miss 
Harson, how funny they look ! Are you going to 
tell us about them this evening?” 
“ That is my intention,” was the smiling reply, 
“ and I seem likely to have quite an animated audi- 
ence. But there are said to be fifty different kinds 
of owls, and we can only attempt a few of them. In 
some particulars they are all alike, but they vary in 
size, color, and places of residence. They belong to 
the falcon or hawk family ; and so completely are 
they birds of night that they are especially formed 
for this purpose, and are generally acknowledged as 
emblems of darkness and the works of darkness. 
The owd has been called the ‘ bird of Minerva ’ from 
its look of intense wisdom, as the eagle is called the 
4 bird of Jove ’ from his great strength and power. 
He frequents barns, old buildings, the towers of 
churches, hollow trees, and similar localities, prefer- 
243 
