The Harfang, or Great Snowy Owl. 215 
peculiar, and so much in. its nature resembling that of 
the feline kind, that it can see much better at dusk than 
by daylight. The Barn Owl sees in a greater degree 
of darkness than the others ; and, on the contrary, the 
1 1< uned Owl is enabled to pursue his prey by day, though 
with difficulty. Owls are sometimes tamed by persons 
in the country, who carefully rear them in a domestic 
state, from their propensity to chase and devour mice 
and other vermin, of which they clear the houses with 
as much address as cats. The Owl is a solitary bird, and 
is said to retire into holes in towers and old walls in the 
winter, and pass that season in sleep. 
" The solitary bird of night, 
Through the pale shade now wings his flight, 
And quits the time-shook tower ; 
Where, shelter'd from the blaze of clay, 
In philosophic gloom he lay, 
Beneath his ivy bower.'' CAKTEn. 
THE HARFANG, OK GREAT SNOWY OWL. 
The Harfang, or Great Snowy Owl, (Surnia nydea,) is 
another species which takes its prey occasionally by day- 
