Chapter 62

THE THIRD SUB-ORDER.—STRIGES, THE OWLS.

The principal distinctions between Hawks and Owls (Striges) have been already pointed out (p. 255); but there are still some other smaller characters to which a passing allusion must be made. It would be difficult, for instance, for the merest novice in the study of ornithology to mistake an Owl, when seen alive in a cage, or even in a case of stuffed birds, its enormous head and short neck being unlike those of any of the other birds of prey. The neck of some Owls is, indeed, so short and contracted, that it is with difficulty that any intervening curve between the nape and the back, which would mark a perceptible neck as in most Hawks, can be detected. Again, the Owls have their eyes directed forwards, so that they confront the spectator; while most of the other birds of prey turn their head more or less on one side when their attention is diverted, and do not look one straight in the face as an Owl does. The cere is almost always hidden by bristles in theStriges, and the latter have a very distinct facial disc, surrounded by a curious ruff, somewhat similar to that of the Harriers (Circus, p. 268), and Harrier-Hawks (Micrastur, p. 270). The external ear-opening is a complicated organ in the Owls, and differs considerably, the orifices often being of different form on either side of the head; and in one species, Tengmalm’s Owl (Nyctala tengmalmi), the ear-openings are of different shape in the skull itself.

SKULL OF TENGMALM’S OWL.

To those interested in bird-lore, a most entertaining study might be afforded by tracing the superstitions with which Owls have been regarded in all countries, and in the earliest times. Such a study was begun by the late Mr. Broderip, in his “Zoological Recreations,”[209]where he quotes from the ancient writers many passages, which show that Owls were as much regarded as birds of ill-omen by the inhabitants of Greece and Italy in olden times as they have been in England up to the presentday. Nor is the infatuation confined to Europe, as later on are quoted instances of superstitious dread of the Owls in Morocco and West Africa; while they are equally held in fear in many Eastern countries.

The Athenians alone seem to have had a regard for these birds, and an Owl is found on the reverse side of many of their coins, the bird being sacred to their guardian deity, Athené. The species figured is probably the Little Owl (Carine noctua), a bird which is common in Greece. It is difficult to guess why the Owl came to be regarded as the embodiment of wisdom, unless it was from its having been sacred to Minerva, the Goddess of Wisdom, who is sometimes represented as the Owl-headed goddess.

LITTLE OWL.

“The Owlet’s wing,” writes Mr. Harting,[210]“was an ingredient in the cauldron wherein the witches prepared their ‘charm of powerful trouble’ (Macbeth, Act iv., sc. 1); and with the character assigned to it by the ancients, Shakspere, no doubt, felt that the introduction of an Owl in a dreadful scene of a tragedy would help to make the subject come home more forcibly to the people, who had, from early times, associated its presence with melancholy, misfortune, and death. Accordingly, we find the unfortunate Owl stigmatised as the ‘obscure,’ ‘ominous,’ ‘fearful,’ and ‘fatal’ ‘bird of night.’ Its doleful cry pierces the ear of Lady Macbeth while the murder is being done:—

‘Hark! Peace!It was the Owl that shriek’d, the fatal bellman,Which gives the stern’st good-night.’Macbeth, Act ii., Sc. 2.

‘Hark! Peace!

It was the Owl that shriek’d, the fatal bellman,

Which gives the stern’st good-night.’

Macbeth, Act ii., Sc. 2.

And when the murderer rushes in immediately afterwards, exclaiming—‘I have done the deed. Didst thou not hear a noise?’ She replies—‘I heard the Owl scream.’ And later on—‘Theobscure birdclamour’d the live-long night.’” (Macbeth, Act. ii., Sc. 3.)

The awe, no doubt, with which this bird is regarded by the superstitious, may be attributed in some measure to the fact of its flying by night.

“Deep night, dark night, the silent of the night,· · · · · · · · · ·The time when Screech-Owls cry and Ban-Dogs howl.”Henry VI., Part ii., Act i., Sc. 4.

“Deep night, dark night, the silent of the night,

· · · · · · · · · ·

The time when Screech-Owls cry and Ban-Dogs howl.”

Henry VI., Part ii., Act i., Sc. 4.

And yet, strange to say, the appearance of an Owl by day is by some considered equally ominous:—

“The Owl by day,If he arise, is mocked and wondered at.”Henry VI., Part iii., Act v., Sc. 4.

“The Owl by day,

If he arise, is mocked and wondered at.”

Henry VI., Part iii., Act v., Sc. 4.

“For Night-Owls shriek, where mounting Larks should sing.”Richard II., Act iii., Sc. 3.

“For Night-Owls shriek, where mounting Larks should sing.”

Richard II., Act iii., Sc. 3.

Should an Owl appear at a birth, it is said to forebode ill-luck to the infant. King Henry VI., addressing Gloster, says:—

“The Owl shrieked at thy birth, an evil sign.”Henry VI., Part iii., Act v., Sc. 6.

“The Owl shrieked at thy birth, an evil sign.”

Henry VI., Part iii., Act v., Sc. 6.

While upon any other occasion, its presence was supposed to predict a death, or at least some dire mishap:—

“The Screech Owl, screeching loud,Puts the wretch that lies in woeIn remembrance of a shroud.”Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act v., Sc. 2.

“The Screech Owl, screeching loud,

Puts the wretch that lies in woe

In remembrance of a shroud.”

Midsummer Night’s Dream, Act v., Sc. 2.

When Richard III. is irritated by the ill-news showered thick upon him, he interrupts the third messenger with

“Out on ye, Owls! Nothing but songs of death?”Richard III., Act iv., Sc. 4.

“Out on ye, Owls! Nothing but songs of death?”

Richard III., Act iv., Sc. 4.

The same author, from whom the above Shaksperian illustrations are quoted, alludes further to the superstitious dread of the Owl, which exists likewise amongst the Dyaks of Borneo, and in Ceylon a Wood-Owl, belonging to the same genusSyrnium, to which the English Wood-Owl belongs, is known as the “Devil-bird,” and is held in great fear. Colonel Irby, writing of the Barn-Owl,[211]tells the following story from the MS. of the late Mr. Favier, of Tangier:—“The inhabitants of Tangier consider this bird the clairvoyant friend of the Devil. The Jews believe that their cry causes the death of young children; so in order to prevent this, they pour a vessel of water out into the courtyard every time that they hear the cry of one of these Owls passing over their house. The Arabs believe even more than the Jews, for they think that they can cause all kinds of evil to old as well as young; but their mode of action is even more simple than that of their antagonists the Jews, as they rest contented with cursing them whenever they hear their cry. Endeavouring to find out from the Mahometans what foundation there is for the evil reputation of this species, I was told this: ‘When these birds cry they are only cursing in their own language; but their malediction is harmless unless they know the name of the individual to whom they wish evil, or unless they have the malignity to point out that person when passing him; as the Devil sleeps but little, when there is evil work to be done he would infallibly execute the command of his favourite if one did not, by cursing the Owl by name, thus guard against the power of that enemy, who is sworn to do evil to all living beings.’ Having learned the belief of the Mahometans relative to this Owl, it was more difficult to find out exactly that of the Jews, who, when questioned by me, knew not how to answer, except that the act of pouring water in the middle of the courtyard is a custom of long standing, in order to avert the evil which the Owl is capable of doing; that is to say, the water is poured out with the view of attracting the evil spirit’s attention to an object which distracts him, and so hides from him the infant which the Owl in its wickedness wishes to show him.”

The late Mr. Waterton, in an entertaining essay on the habits of the Barn-Owl, says:—“Among the numberless verses which might be quoted against the family of the Owl, I think I only know of one little ode which expresses any pity for it:—

‘Once I was a Monarch’s daughter,And sat on a lady’s knee;But am now a nightly rover,Banish’d to the ivy tree.Crying, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo.Hoo, hoo, hoo, my feet are cold;Pity me, for here you see me,Persecuted, poor, and old.’”[212]

‘Once I was a Monarch’s daughter,And sat on a lady’s knee;But am now a nightly rover,Banish’d to the ivy tree.

‘Once I was a Monarch’s daughter,

And sat on a lady’s knee;

But am now a nightly rover,

Banish’d to the ivy tree.

Crying, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo.Hoo, hoo, hoo, my feet are cold;Pity me, for here you see me,Persecuted, poor, and old.’”[212]

Crying, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo, hoo.

Hoo, hoo, hoo, my feet are cold;

Pity me, for here you see me,

Persecuted, poor, and old.’”[212]

The Owls are divided into two families, the first of which is calledBubonidæ, and the secondStrigidæ. In the latter family are represented only two genera,StrixandHeliodilus, which contain six species, all the remaining Owls, about one hundred and ninety in number, belonging to theBubonidæ. The breast-bone in the latter family always shows two or more clefts or indentations, and there are no “serrations” on the middle claw, whereas the Barn-Owls always have the inner edge of the middle claw serrated, that is, with a small, toothed margin, like the teeth of a saw (serra, Lat., a saw;serratus, notched like a saw), and the breast-bone has no clefts in its hinder edge. TheBubonidæembrace two sub-families, theBuboninæ, which have nooperculum, or fold of skin, closing in the ear, and theSyrniinæ, which have a very largeoperculum. It seems natural to commence the classification of the Nocturnal Accipitres with the Bare-legged or Fishing Owls, as the structure of this part very much resembles that of the Osprey, which was the concluding representative of the Diurnal Accipitres. The thigh feathers are thick, and fit close to the leg; the tarsus and toes are bare; the outer toe is reversible; and the soles of the feet are covered with tiny spicules, which serve to hold fast their finny prey in the same manner as do those of the Osprey.

THE FISH OWL.

The following account of the Indian Fish Owl (Ketupa[213]ceylonensis) is taken from the work by Captain Vincent Legge, R.A., on the birds of Ceylon:—“This large Owl loves the vicinity of water, haunting the banks of rivers, tanks, inland salt lagoons, the borders of sea-bogs, and woods surrounding rice-fields. All who have visited the tanks in the north and east of Ceylon must be familiar with the fine bird, which so often is surprised napping in the lofty trees growing on the embankments, or so-called ‘bunds.’ Its powers of vision in the day are not quick, but they are tolerably clear. On hearing the footsteps of man, it raises its large ear-tufts, and bending down its head, stares steadily down from its lofty perch among the green boughs, and as soon as it becomes aware of the nature of the intruder on its retreat, launches itself out of the tree, and is not easily approached a second time. It is much more common in wild forest country, combined with water, than in cultivated districts. It sallies out in the evening with great regularity. As soon as the sun begins to sink behind the surrounding forest, it may be noticed flapping noiselessly round some secluded cheena, or leisurely crossing the lonely tank, resounding at the hour of sunset with the buzzing of innumerable frogs, to the nearest conspicuous tree, and there gives out its sepulchral groan. This gloomy salutation is usually responded to by its mate, who perches close at hand, and answers by a double note, the two lonesome sounds resembling the wordsgloom—oh, gloom. At night I have often heard these notes repeated by a pair without intermission for many minutes. Layard remarks that, when alarmed during the day, they utter a loud hiss, subsiding into a growl. They appear to have an accustomed place of roosting, for Mr. Houldsworth notices that they ‘perched day after day on the same branch!’ This is very often in an exposed situation, and it frequently falls to their lot to be mobbed by a flock of garrulous Bulbuls, King-Crows, and other Owl-hating small birds. Fish is the favourite food, and, in fact, the usual diet of this species; but when this is not procurable, small mammals, reptiles, and even insects are devoured by them. In the stomach of one, for example, I found a Snake (Haplocercus ceylonensis), and some large Beetles. As a proof of their miscellaneous diet, and also of their voracity, I may mention that a pair of Fish Owls, which were kept by Sir Charles Layard in the same aviary with a Brahmin Kite, fell one night upon their luckless companion, and, after slaughtering him, forthwith proceeded to devour him completely. Further, Mr. Hume records, in ‘Nests and Eggs,’ finding the remains of Quails, Doves, and Mynahs in the nest of a pair on the Jumna. It has also been stated that they feed on the carcases of the Gavial and Crocodile.”

EAGLE OWL.⇒LARGER IMAGE

EAGLE OWL.

⇒LARGER IMAGE

PEL’S FISH-OWL (Scotopelia peli).[214]

The African Fish-Owls are exactly like the Indian as regards their bare legs, but they have no tufts on their heads. Three different kinds are known, and they are all rare birds, frequenting the rivers and inland lakes of the African continent. Pel’s Fish-Owl was discovered on the Gold Coast by Mr. Pel, the Dutch commandant at Elmina, nearly forty years ago. The specimen procured by that gentleman flew across the river Boutry, and settled among some shady boughs on the other bank, when it was knocked down with the blow of a gun. The following account of one of these rare birds, from the Barra country, Senegambia, is given by Mr. John Henry Gurney, who had the specimen alive in his possession for a long time: it was presented to him by Colonel O’Connor, C.B., who is the author of the accompanying “Sketch of Nero, the Owl, a Fetish Bird.” The colonel writes[215]:—“During seven years’ exploration of Western Africa, I only met one of the species of the Owl ‘Nero.’ He was brought ‘a chicken,’ full of pen-feathers, or rather down, of a delicate straw-colour, and very thick, from a lagoon in the Barra country. No native would admit ‘Nero’ as a visitor; and when the bird was installed in Government House, the servants and head people came in a body to remonstrate, asserting ‘he was a Gumbi Owl, a Fetish!! and would destroy and kill whatever object he looked on.’ The chief groom (an old soldier, who had charge of the poultry) insisted that ‘every cock and hen would go dead.’ Strangely enough, an epidemic broke out, and carried off from fifty to sixty head of fowls; and each day the groom placed the defunct birds on the steps of Government House, to meet the eye of Mrs. O’Connor, seeming to exult in the mortality amongst the feathered tribe. ‘You see wid your own eye, Missus, dat debil Jumbi bird, he go kill all de fowls. Governor tink he hab long head, but he no sabey Owl. Suppose you put him in de stable, he see Nelly (Mrs. O’Connor’s favourite mare), de horse he go tumble down dead.’ Death at last ceased to reign amongst the poultry population, and Nero became my principal pet; he ranged over the piazza, perching on the branch of a tree; he was fed regularly by the orderly on roasted fish, but he often came to the dinner-table, and flew down for scraps of meat, bread and butter, which he took gently from myself or from Mrs. O’Connor, permitting us to rub his head, crest, neck, and back, seemingly enjoying the caressing. But he would snatch meat or bones from the Cat or Dog; and when the Eagle was introduced into his company, he beat him in a most unmerciful manner away from his peculiar and original position of the piazza, the Eagle being one of the fiercest and most pugnacious of African birds, brought from the upper part of the Gambia river near ‘Wallie,’ and, when in vigour, able to carry away a kid or small lamb. Nero luxuriated in a tub of water, frequently washing himself, and perching on the rim until dry. He was wont to go out to the garden or fields, where instantly an immense commotion arose among all the birds. The larger ones flew round the Owl, keeping a very civil distance, the smaller birds flew away; but Nero treated both alike with sovereign contempt. He would return of his own accord to the roosting-place in the piazza, and when put out and confined for some days, rejected all food, and pined until restored to his perch. With me he was as tame as any Canary, and, after an absence of two months, recognised my voice when I went to his cage at Oatlands (Devon), appearing much pleased by my taking him out for a walk on the grass. Many natives from the interior told me ‘they had never seen such a bird before; but they considered himunlucky.’ I really think Nero is nearlysansany relations, and certainly devoid of all friends in Western Africa.”

Pel’s Owl measures nearly two feet in length, and has the wing sixteen inches and a half. Its colour is a deep rufous bay, with black transverse bars; below it is light bay, with heart-shaped bars of black; the iris is dark-brown, whereas in the Indian Fishing Owls it is always yellow.

THE EAGLE OWL (Bubo ignavus).[216]

This and its relative, the Virginian Eared Owl of America, are the largest of all the family. It is found all over Europe and Siberia, extending even to China and the Himalayas, but the few instances of its capture in Great Britain have been probably those of birds escaped from confinement, as it is by no means an uncommon species in aviaries in England. As it is not, strictly speaking,a British bird, recourse must be had to the writings of Continental naturalists for an account of its habits, and the following extract is made from Dr. Brehm’s “Bird Life” (p. 567):—“The Eagle Owl is somewhat fantastic in appearance, usually sitting with its feathers so much ruffled as to make it seem much larger than it really is. ‘In that large, shapeless mass of feathers,’ says Naumann, ‘one can scarcely distinguish the limbs; the half-closed eyes hide their glorious rays; suddenly it opens them wide, bends the head and upper part of the body forwards, swaying from side to side, and raising first one foot and then the other, begins to tremble, winks slowly with the eyelids, spits like a cat, and snaps its bill. When angry its eyes flash fire, it bends forward with hanging wings, ruffles its plumage as much as possible, and snapping and hissing, dashes furiously at the enemy.’

“This bird seems less courageous than surly and quarrelsome, and yet it is asserted that it will fight to the death with the Golden Eagle, when attacked by the latter. The Eagle Owl is a powerful bird, and as there are no bounds to its fury, it is but rarely that anything escapes from its grasp. Though strictly nocturnal in its habits, it always keeps a good look out for its own safety in the daytime, and is ever shy and cautious. Keen of sight and hearing, it takes wing while the danger is still far off. Like other Owls, this bird is fond of pressing itself against the stem of a tree, with unruffled feathers, so as to closely imitate the stump of a tree, and thus escape detection. Inasmuch as deep clefts in the rocks, or the thickest of trees, are its usual retreats, the Owl is often passed over, which fact is undoubtedly an advantage, for the day birds mob it whenever they see it. They may possibly have made it the savage, spiteful bird it is, inasmuch as their system of constant irritation would be sufficient to try the temper of the mildest individual. Thus nothing remains for the Owl but to evade its disturbers, and hide itself as long as possible; but woe betide it if discovered, for then the friends of daylight treat it to a ‘charivari’ without equal.

“The first to arrive on the scene is the ubiquitous Crow, conducted thither by some inquisitive warbler who has discovered the enemy’s retreat. The Crow thoroughly understands what the little fellow means, and hastens to convince itself of the truth of the information. Having satisfied itself, it retires noiselessly, but only to carry the news to its relatives. Now they flock in from all sides to take part in the fight, with an eagerness worthy of the boldest man; greeting one another with hoarse and scornful croaks, the sooty tribe hasten as fast as they can to the scene of action. The mockers surround the poor old ‘Grand Duke,’ at first at a respectful distance, though they are fully determined effectively to disturb its siesta. There sits the Owl, rolling its eyes, spitting, snapping its beak, and ruffling its feathers, now hopping from one leg to another, now raising and lowering its feathered horns by turns; mad with rage, bemoaning its fate, and at loggerheads with the whole world, it awaits the turn that matters may take; at the same time, be it remembered, every Crow takes good care not to lay hold of the irritated gentleman; nothing less than a Raven dares to rely on its own strength. One of these, however, will run a tilt at the dark knight, using its sharp beak as a lance; but before the latter has time to raise the terrible claw, the Raven makes good its retreat, prepares for another rush, and darts like an arrow, so as to use its weapon effectively. The Owl now loses the last remnant of patience, and seeks safety in flight. Oh, unlucky wight! this is all the black swarm have been waiting for, the Crows being far its superiors on the wing. Giving vent to exulting cries, they dart down from above with such unerring aim and force as to scatter the poor brute’s feathers in clouds to the wind: they rise again with a mighty noise that heeds no secrecy, as though they sought to proclaim to the world at large all the fell deeds committed by this Prince of Darkness, while other knights advance to battle. All Hawks and Falcons, ay, the proud Eagle even, answer to the call, and hasten to take part in the fray. Now the Owl must, perforce, either beat a hasty retreat or remain on the field. In any case, however, the Owl is thoroughly worried, and sometimes really damaged, before it finds refuge in some thick tree or rocky cleft, where it hides itself as closely and as silently as its rage will permit, until quit of the Crows.

“The detestation in which the Eagle Owl is held by all diurnal birds is not ill-founded, for this bird preys on every living creature it can overcome, assassinating them in the most abominable manner while they are asleep. Its quarry is as follows:—Fawns of the Roe Deer, Hares, Rabbits, Hamsters, Rats, Moles, Mice, Capercailzie, Black-game, Hazel-hens, Pheasants, Partridges, Rooks, Jays, Magpies, Snakes, Lizards, and Frogs; Rooks seem to be its favourite morsel. No wonder, then, that they pay their enemy out if they can only see an opportunity. It assassinates them; theyattack it in open day. The Eagle Owl generally breaks the spine of the smaller animals close to the head, and, cracking the remaining bones, devours its prey, skin and all; the heads of the larger birds it pulls in large pieces which it swallows. It, however, always devours a portion of the hair, feathers, or scales as well, and wastes away if fed on flesh alone. The indigestible portions of the meal are thrown up in large round pellets or ‘casts.’ With larger animals, it lays open the skin of the belly, and eats out the flesh from inside. If it finds that there is too much for one meal, it carefully replaces the skin, and hides the remainder in some dark cranny or corner until required again. This Owl drinks rarely, slaking its thirst generally with the blood of its victims. If food is plentiful, it gorges itself; but in times of dearth it can go without food for weeks together.

SNOWY OWL.

“By the last fortnight in March the Eagle Owls commence preparations for breeding. At this season may be heard their hollow, muffled cry of ‘poohoo, poohoo,’ which is distinguishable at a great distance through the woods, and it is not to be wondered that the timid are frightened at it. In the silent, dark recesses of the mountain forest a variety of noises, well calculated to make one’s flesh creep, fall upon the ear: the shrill, mocking laugh, a sound as of snarling hounds; the whoop of the hunter, the snorting of Horses; these are all calculated to impress the uneducated and superstitious with the truth of the legend of the wild huntsman. Even to the ear of the better-informed, these hideous cries, the loud screech of the female, or the ‘poohoo’ of the male, intermingled with the snapping of the beak and curious miaulings, sound somewhat weird; and the boldest of mortals canscarcely repress a cold shudder when a company of these forest spirits favour him with one of their demoniacal nocturnal concerts. Doubtless these sounds represent the battle-cries of the males when fighting for the females, and take the place of the song of the Nightingale when telling its tale of love.

“After the Owls have paired these cries are heard less frequently, both birds being now fully occupied with their nursery operations. The large nest is composed outwardly of branches and sticks, and is lined with dry leaves and small twigs. It is built, and generally placed in either the cleft of a rock or in a hole in some ruined tower; the nest is never built in a tree but from necessity. The two or three eggs are also often found lying on the bare surface of the rock, without any nest whatever. They are round, cross-grained, and white, and somewhat larger than a hen’s egg. The young are hatched in about three weeks. They are usually two in number, rarely three; they look, on their first appearance, like balls of cotton-wool, and keep up a constant hissing or shrill whistle. They remain a long time in the nest, and are so abundantly provided with food by the parent birds, that one is sure to find a large heap of provisions at the nest. The Owlets often betray their presence to their innumerable enemies by their cries, and suffer much persecution in consequence. When about eight weeks old they are able to fly, though they still remain for some time longer under the care of the old birds. These latter rarely wander far from a particular neighbourhood, and usually build in the very same place the following year.”

SHORT-EARED OWL.

Besides the Eagle Owls, the sub-familyBuboninæcontains the Snowy Owl (Nyctea[217]scandiaca[218]), all the Hawk Owls (Surnia[219]Ninox[220]), and the Pigmy Owlets (Glaucidium[221]). Many of the birds belonging to this latter genus are not much bigger than a Sparrow. They are found nearly all over the world, with the exception of Australia and Oceania, and one species, the European Pigmy Owlet(G. passerinum[222]), is by no means uncommon in many parts of the Continent, though it has not yet been met with for certain in the British Islands.

The sub-familySyrniinæcontains only three genera, the Horned Owls (Asio[223]), the Wood Owls (Syrnium[224]), and the Tengmalm’s Owl (Nyctala[225]tengmalmi), the latter having been already noticed (p. 297) as possessing the curious difference in the ear-opening on each side of the skull. Of the Horned Owls two species are found in the British Islands, viz., the Short-eared Owl (Asio accipitrinus[226]), and the Long-eared Owl (A. otus[227]). The former of these birds is often seen in the daytime, and is said to hunt for its prey on dull days, when it will fly at small birds as well as mice; and Mr. Low, writing on the birds of the Orkneys, where the Short-eared Owl breeds, says that he has found in the nest the remains of a Moor-fowl (Red Grouse), two Plovers, besides the feet of several others; and the same writer states that during the breeding season it becomes very impudent, and will even seize and catch up chickens from the doors, and also chase pigeons in open daylight. Although resident in the British Islands, a large migration of the species takes place in autumn, and it is not unfrequently shot by sportsmen in the turnip-fields; while Bewick mentions the recurrence of twenty-eight individuals being flushed in a turnip-field in November, being probably attracted to the locality by an abundance of food. It may also be occasionally found in marshes near the sea-shore, as occurred once to the writer, who started a Short-eared Owl from the sedgy bank on the west side of Pagham Harbour, in the early part of September. When winged, it boldly faced its pursuer, erecting the little tufts on its head and fiercely snapping its bill, as is the manner with all Owls in defending themselves.

FACE OF THE BARN OWL.

Its relation, the Long-eared Owl, is a bird of different habits, and, instead of breeding on the ground as the foregoing species does, it selects a dark wood or clump of firs, appropriating a deserted Squirrel’s “dray,” or adapting the nest of another bird to its own requirements. Macgillivray gives the following account of a young specimen which he had in confinement:—“An individual of this species, which was sent to me in winter by the Rev. Mr. Adam, having been left at night perched on the back of a chair in my drawing-room, tore to tatters six valuable skins of birds from the Rocky Mountains, and an equal number of nearly equally rare specimens from India. A young bird which I kept for some time, on perching, stood at first with the body inclined, afterwards nearly erect, and slept in the latter posture, with its neck rather extended, its feathers drawn close, and its tufts recumbent. When irritated, it raised its plumage, threw its body forward, and uttered a sharp cry. It seized its food with its bill; if large, transferred it to one of its feet, but if otherwise, retained it in its bill. In flying, it carried a small object in its bill, but a larger in its foot. It could close one eye while the other remained open, and when placed in a strong light, frequently drew the membrane over the lighted eye, while the other remained unsheathed, though for the most part it winked with both simultaneously. The irides contracted unequally, according to the degree of light. When perched at night, it sometimes emitted a clicking noise, like that of a spring, with its bill; but when provoked, it neither hissed nor snapped, but uttered a shrill, tremulous, plaintive cry, or succession of short notes, erecting its tufts at the same time.”

THE BARN OWL (Strix[228]flammea[229]).

This is essentially the friend of man, frequenting villages and homesteads where he is protected, and extending his range where civilisation precedes him, being attracted doubtless by the Mice and Rats, which are also the accompaniments of civilisation. The number of small mammals which one of these birds will devour ought to be his passport to the protecting care of the farmer and agriculturist,but it is seldom that an Owl of any kind meets with approval on taking up his residence on an estate. Facts, however, are stubborn things, and in the hope that a more generous reception may be afforded to these useful birds, the following quotation is made from Professor Newton:—“Owls, like other birds of prey, as already mentioned, return by the mouth the indigestible parts of the food swallowed in the form of elongated pellets. These are found in considerable numbers about the usual haunts of the birds, and examination of them reveals the nature of the food, and shows in nearly every case the great services they render to man by the destruction of Rats and Mice.”[230]The infallibility of the evidence thus afforded as to the food of the Owls is as complete as the way of obtaining it, by those who have the opportunity, is simple. Several German naturalists have made some very precise researches on this subject. The following results, with regard to the three commonest species of Owls, are those afforded by the investigations of Dr. Altam, as communicated by him to the German Ornithologists’ Society during its meeting in 1862:—

REMAINSFOUND.

No. ofPelletsexamined.

Bats.

Rats.

Mice.

Voles.

Shrews.

Moles.

Birds.

Beetles.

Tawny Owl

210

—

296

Long-eared Owl

—

Barn Owl

706

237

693

1,590

—

Colonel Irby, in the work which has already been alluded to, says of the Barn Owl:—“Almost exclusively feeding on Rats and Mice, they deserve every encouragement and support that can be afforded them; but from being in all countries regarded with superstitious awe and dislike, they are more or less persecuted on that account; and in England, through the ignorance and stupidity of gamekeepers, who fancy that they kill game (i.e., feathered game), they suffer most severely. This excuse is ridiculous, for old birds they have not the power to kill, and young Pheasants and Partridges, at the time the Owls are on the feed, are safely being brooded by the parent bird.” Those who wish to encourage and increase Owls, and have not hollow trees or buildings where they nest, may always gratify their wishes by fixing an empty barrel (about an 18-gallon size) horizontally in the fork of any large tree, cutting a hole in one end large enough for the birds to enter; but the hoops of the cask should be screwed on, or it will soon fall to pieces. Not only the Barn Owl, but the Tawny Owl (Syrnium aluco) also will use barrels, or “Owl-tubs.” The difficulty, however, is to keep out the Jackdaws, but when once the Owls have established themselves, there is no fear of that intrusion. The late Mr. Waterton was a well-known admirer of the present species, and he devotes one of his “Essays on Natural History” to the Barn Owl, from which a few passages are extracted:—“Up to the year 1813 the Barn Owl had a sad time of it at Walton Hall. Its supposed mournful notes alarmed the aged housekeeper. She knew full well what sorrow it had brought into other houses when she was a young woman, and there was enough of mischief in the midnight wintry blast, without having it increased by the dismal screams of something which people knew very little about, and which everybody said was far too busy in the churchyard at night-time. Nay, it was a well-known fact, that if any person were sick in the neighbourhood it would be for ever looking in at the window, and holding a conversation outside with somebody, they did not know whom. The gamekeeper agreed with her in everything she said on this important subject, and he always stood better in her books when he had managed to shoot a bird of this bad and mischievous family. However, in 1813, on my return from the wilds of Guiana, having suffered myself, and learned mercy, I broke in pieces the code of penal laws which the knavery of the gamekeeper and the lamentable ignorance of the other servants had hitherto put in force, far too successfully, to thin the numbers of this poor, harmless, unsuspecting tribe. On the ruin of the old gateway, against which tradition says the waves of the lake have dashed for the greater part of athousand years, I made a place with stone and mortar, about four feet square, and fixed a thick oaken stick firmly into it. Huge masses of ivy now quite cover it. In about a month or so after it was finished a pair of Barn Owls came and took up their abode in it. I threatened to strangle the keeper if ever, after this, he molested either the old birds or their young ones; and I assured the housekeeper that I would take upon myself the whole responsibility of all the sickness, woe, and sorrow that the new tenants might bring to the Hall. She made a low courtesy, as much as to say, ‘Sir, I fall into your will and pleasure,’ but I saw in her eye that she had made up her mind to have to do with things of fearful and portentous shape, and to hear many a midnight wailing in the neighbouring woods. I do not think that up to the day of this old lady’s death, which took place in her eighty-fourth year, she ever looked with pleasure or contentment on the Barn Owl, as it flew round the large sycamore trees which grow near the ruined gateway.

“When I found that this first settlement on the gateway had succeeded so well, I set about forming other establishments. This year I have had four broods, and I trust that next season I can calculate on having nine. This will be a pretty increase, and it will help to supply the place of those which in this neighbourhood are still unfortunately doomed to death by the hand of cruelty or superstition. We can now always have a peep at the Owls in their habitation on the old ruined gateway whenever we choose. Confident of protection, these pretty birds betray no fear when the stranger mounts up to their place of abode. I would here venture a surmise that the Barn Owl sleeps standing. Whenever we go to look at it we invariably see it upon the perch, bolt upright, and often with its eyes closed, apparently fast asleep. Buffon and Bewick err, no doubt unintentionally, when they say that the Barn Owl snores during its repose. What they took for snoring was the cry of the young birds for food. I had fully satisfied myself on this score some years ago. However, in December, 1823, I was much astonished to hear this same snoring kind of noise, which had been so common in the month of July. On ascending the ruin, I found a brood of young Owls in the apartment.

BREAST-BONE OF THE BARN OWL.

“Upon this ruin is placed a perch, about a foot from the hole at which the Owls enter. Sometimes, at mid-day, when the weather is gloomy, you may see an Owl upon it, apparently enjoying the refreshing diurnal breeze. This year (1831) a pair of Barn Owls hatched their young, on the 7th of September, in a sycamore tree, near the old ruined gateway.

“If this useful bird caught its food by day, instead of hunting for it by night, mankind would have ocular demonstration of its utility in thinning the country of Mice; and it would be protected and encouraged everywhere. It would be with us what the Ibis was to the Egyptians. When it has young, it will bring a Mouse to the nest about every twelve or fifteen minutes. But in order to have a proper idea of the enormous quantity of Mice which this bird destroys, we must examine the pellets which it ejects from its stomach in the place of its retreat. Every pellet contains from four to seven skeletons of Mice. In sixteen months from the time that the apartment of the Owl on the old gateway was cleaned out, there has been a deposit of above a bushel of pellets. The Barn Owl sometimes carries off Rats. One evening I was sitting under a shed, and killed a very large Rat as it was coming out of a hole about ten yards from where I was watching it. I did not go to take it up, hoping to get another shot. As it lay there, a Barn Owl pounced upon it, and flew away with it. This bird has been known to catch fish. Some years ago, on a fine evening in the month of July, long before it was dark, as I was standing on the middle of the bridge, and minuting the Owl by my watch as she brought Mice into her nest, all on a sudden she dropped perpendicularly into the water. Thinking she had fallen down in epilepsy, my first thoughts were to go and fetch the boat; but before I had well got to the end of the bridge, I saw the Owl rise out of the water with a fish in her claws, and take it to the nest. When farmers complain that the Barn Owl destroys the eggs of their Pigeons, they lay the saddle on the wrong horse; they ought to put it on the Rat. Formerly, I could get very few young Pigeons, till the Rats were excluded effectually from the dovecot. Since that took place it has produced a great abundance every year, though the Barn Owls frequent it, and areencouraged all around it. The Barn Owl merely resorts to it for the purpose of concealment. If it were really an enemy to the dovecot, we should see the Pigeons in commotion as soon as it begins its evening flight; but the Pigeons heed it not. Whereas, if the Sparrow-Hawk or Hobby should make its appearance, the whole community would be up at once; proof sufficient that the Barn Owl is not looked upon as a bad, or even a suspicious character, by the inhabitants of the dovecot.”

The colour of the Barn Owl, which is a bright orange buff, mottled with ashy-grey on the upper surface, and white below, distinguishes it from any other Owl. The oval form of the disc is also to a great extent peculiar, as is also the serrated edge to the middle claw, which has been referred to before (p. 300). The breast bone is likewise remarkable, as it has no clefts in the hinder margin.

The range of the present species is very considerable, as it is found all over the New World, from the northern and middle United States down to Patagonia and the Falkland Islands. In the Old World it occurs in equal plenty, but does not extend very high north, being a rare visitant to Denmark and Sweden. Although common in Poland, it is only sparingly distributed throughout Russia, and even appears to be entirely absent in many Central and Southern parts. The same may be said of Turkey. It is not known at present from Siberia or China, but is found throughout Africa, India, Australia, and the majority of the Oceanic Islands. Nearly all Owls have two distinct phases of plumage—a grey one, and a red one. This is especially the case in the little Scops Owls, which have tufts of feathers on the head like the Eagle Owls, of which they may be said to be representations in miniature. The Barn Owls are no exception to this general rule of the family; but owing to the light colouring of the bird, it is not so perceptible as in some of the other species of Owls. Even in England, however, a short study of the species will show the student that some individuals are much redder underneath, instead of being white, and are profusely freckled with grey above; and this dark coloration does not depend upon the age of the bird, nor is it a difference of sex. In some islands, such as the Cape Verde group, San Domingo in the West Indies, the Falkland Islands, and the Galapagos, the Barn Owls are almost always dark-coloured, and light ones are very seldom found. On the other hand, in Australia and Oceania the species becomes peculiarly light in plumage, and dark individuals are the exception.

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