Clafs II. ] BIRDS. 
SPECIES VI. The little Owl. Plate B. 5. 
Little owl. IVil. orn. 105 ? 
Raii fyn. av. 26 ? 
Edzv. 228. 
T HIS elegant fpecies is very rare ill 
England $ it is fometimes found in 
Yorkjloire , Flintjhire , and alfo near 
London: in lize it fcarcely exceeds a thrufh, tho’ 
the fullnefs of its plumage makes it appear larger : 
the irides are of a bright yellow: the bill of a 
paler color: the feathers that encircle the face 
are white, tipt with black: the head brown fpotted 
with white : the back, and coverts of the wings 
* <D 
are of a deep olive brown; the latter fpotted with 
white : on the bread: is a mixture of white and 
Noclua minor. BriJJon av. I. 514. 
Strix pafferina. Lin.fyft. 93. 
Noclua. Gefner av. 620- 
La chivetta. Olina 65. 
brown: the belly is white, marked with a few 
brown fpots : the tail is of the fame color with 
the back : in one fubje£l we faw, each feather w r as 
barred with w r hite ; in another, each was adorned 
with circular white fpots, placed oppofite one an¬ 
other on both fides the lhaft: the legs and feet 
are covered with feathers down to the claws. 
The Italians made ufe of this owl to decoy 
fmall birds to the limed twig: the method of 
which is exhibited in Olina’’s uccelliera , p. 65. 
GENUS III. Butcher Birds. 
SPECIES I. Great afh colored Butcher Bird. Plate C. 
Greater Butcher Bird, or Mattagefe; 
in the North of England, Wieran- 
gle. IVil. orn. 87. 
Raii fyn. av- 18. 
Butcher-bird, murdering - bird cr 
HIS bird weighs three ounces ; its 
length is ten inches : its breadth four¬ 
teen : its bill is one inch long, hooked 
at the end ; the upper mandible furnilhed with a 
(harp procefs ; the mufcles that move the bill are 
very thick and flrong ; which makes the head 
very large. The colors of the plumage, and 
their difpofition, are truly reprefented in the plate. 
This fpecies preys on fmall birds and infecls 5 the 
method of killing its prey is very fingular ; and 
its manner of devouring it not lefs extraordinary : 
fmall birds it will feize by the throat and flran- 
gle* ; which probably is the reafon the Germans 
fkreek. Mer. Pinax. 170. 
Night jar. Mort, Northampt. 424. 
Lanius cinereus. BriJJon av. 2. 141. 
Lanius excubiton Lin. fyjt. 94. 
Lanius cinereus. Gefner av. 579. 
call this bird Warchangel , or the fuffocating angel. 
When it has killed the prey, whether it be birds 
or infers, it fixes them on fome thorn, and when 
thus fpitted pulls them to pieces with its bill : on 
this account the Germans call it Ehorntraer and 
Ihornfreker. We have feen them, when confined 
in a cage, treat their food in much the fame man¬ 
ner, flicking it againfl the wires before they would 
devour it. Mr. Edwards very juftly imagines that 
as nature has not given thefe birds flrength fuf- 
ficient to tear their prey to pieces with their feet, 
as the hawks do, they are obliged to have recourfe 
to this artifice. 
S SPECIES 
* Ed. Gl. 3, 233. 
