GREAT HORNED OWL. 
263 
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 dependant 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 mate- 
rials. 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 Golden-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 
