rison. He has other nocturnal solos, no less melodious, one of which very strikingly resembles the half-suppressed screams of a person suffocating, or throttled, and cannot fail of being exceedingly entertaining to a lonely benighted traveller, in the midst of an Indian wilderness.

This species inhabits the country round Hudson's Bay; and, according to Pennant, who considers it a mere variety of the Eagle Owl, (Strix bubo) of Europe, is found in Kamtschatka; extends even to the arctic regions, where it is often found white; and occurs as low as Astrakan. It has also been seen white in the United States; but this has doubtless been owing to disease or natural defect, and not to climate. It preys on young rabbits, squirrels, rats, mice, Partridges, and small birds of various kinds. It has been often known to prowl about the farm-house, and carry off chickens from the roost. A very large one, wingbroken while on a foraging excursion of this kind, was kept about a house for several days, and at length disappeared, no one knew how. Almost every day after this, hens and chickens also disappeared, one by one, in an unaccountable manner, till in eight or ten days very few were left remaining. The fox, the minx and weasel, were alternately the reputed authors of this mischief, until one morning, an old lady, rising before day to bake, in passing towards the oven, surprized her late prisoner the Owl, regaling himself on the body of a newly killed hen. The thief instantly made for his hole under the house, whence the enraged matron soon dislodged him with the brush-handle, and without mercy despatched him. In this snug retreat were found the greater part of the feathers, and many large fragments, of her whole family of chickens.

There is something in the character of the Owl so recluse, solitary and mysterious, something so discordant in the tones of its voice, heard only amid the silence and gloom of night, and in the most lonely and sequestered situations, as to have strongly impressed the minds of mankind in general with sensations of awe, and abhorrence of the whole tribe. The poets have indulged freely in this general prejudice; and in their de

scriptions and delineations of midnight storms, and gloomy scenes of nature, the Owl is generally introduced to heighten the horror of the picture. Ignorance and superstition, in all ages, and in all countries, listen to the voice of the Owl, and even contemplate its physiognomy with feelings of disgust, and a kind of fearful awe. The priests, or conjurers, among some of our Indian nations, have taken advantage of the reverential horror for this bird, and have adopted the Great Horned-Owl, the subject of the present account, as the symbol or emblem of their office. "Among the Creeks," says Mr. Bartram, "the junior priests, or students, constantly wear a white mantle, and have a Great Owl skin cased and stuffed very ingeniously, so well executed as almost to appear like the living bird, having large sparkling glass beads, or buttons, fixed in the head for eyes. This insignia of wisdom and divination they wear sometimes as a crest on the top of the head; at other times the image sits on the arm, or is borne on the hand. These bachelors are also distinguished from the other people by their taciturnity, grave and solemn countenance, dignified step, and singing to themselves songs or hymns in a low, sweet voice, as they stroll about the town."*

Nothing is a more effectual cure for superstition than a 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 dependent 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

* Travels, p. 504.

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 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 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 eyes and bill whitish; whole lower parts elegantly marked with numerous transverse bars of dusky, on a bright tawny ground, thinly interspersed with white; vent pale yellow ochre, barred with narrow lines of brown; legs and feet large and covered with feathers, or hairy down, of a pale brown colour; claws very large, blue black; tail rounded, extending about an inch beyond the tips of the wings, crossed with six or seven narrow bars of brown, and variegated or marbled with brown and tawny; whole upper parts finely pencilled with dusky, on a tawny and whitish ground; chin pure white, under that a band of brown, succeeded by another narrow one of white; eyes very large.

The female is full two feet in length, and has not the white on the throat so pure. She has also less of the bright ferruginous or tawny tint below; but is principally distinguished by her superior magnitude.

VOL. I.-u u

SPECIES 8. STRIX OTUS.

LONG-EARED OWL.

[Plate LI.-Fig. 3. Female.]

GMEL. Syst. 1, p. 288.-BEWICK, I, p. 84.-PEALE's Museum, No.

484.*

THIS Owl is common to both continents, and is much more numerous in Pennsylvania than the White, or Barn Owl: six or seven were found in a single tree, about fifteen miles from this city. There is little doubt but this species is found inhabiting America to a high latitude; though we have no certain accounts of the fact. Except in size, this species has more resemblance to the Great Horned-Owl than any other of its tribe. It resembles it also in breeding among the branches of tall trees; lays four eggs of nearly a round form, and pure white. young are grayish white until nearly full grown, and roost during the day close together on a limb, among the thickest of the foliage. This Owl is frequently seen abroad during the day, but is not remarkable for its voice or habits.

The

The Long-eared Owl is fourteen inches and a half long, and three feet two inches in extent; ears large, composed of six feathers, gradually lengthening from the front one backwards, black, edged with rusty yellow; irides vivid yellow; inside of the circle of the face white, outside or cheeks rusty; at the internal angle of the eye a streak of black; bill blackish horn colour; forehead and crown deep brown, speckled with minute points of white and pale rusty; outside circle of the face black,

We add the following synonymes:-Strix otus, LINN. Syst. 1, p. 92, No. 4, ed. 10.—BUFF. Pl. Enl. 29.—LATH. Gen. Syn. 1, p. 121, Ind. Orn. p. 55. † Buffon remarks, that it rarely constructs a nest of its own; but not unfrequently occupies that of others, particularly the Magpie.