GREAT HORNED OWL. 
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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. Duripg 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 con- 
structed 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 golden-winged woodpecker, and part 
of the wings and feathers of several other birds. It is 
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 
