are of the most brilliant golden yellow, and the counte nance, from the proportionate smallness of the head, projection of the eyebrow, and concavity of the plumage at the angle of the eye, very different from that of any other of the genus; general colour of the body, whites marked with lunated spots of pale brown above, and with semicircular dashes below; femoral feathers, long, and legs covered, even over the claws, with long shaggy hair-like down, of a dirty white; the claws, when exposed, appear large, much hooked, of a black colour, and extremely sharp pointed; back, white; tail, rounded at the end, white, slightly dotted with pale brown near the tips; wings, when closed, reach near the extremity of the tail; vent feathers, large, strong shafted, and extending also to the point of the tail; upper part of the breast and belly, plain white; body, very broad and flat.

The female, which measures two feet in length, and five feet two inches in extent, is covered more thickly with spots of a much darker colour than those on the male; the chin, throat, face, belly, and vent, are white; femoral feathers white, long, and shaggy, marked with a few heart-shaped spots of brown; legs also covered to the claws with long white hairy down; rest of the plumage white, every feather spotted or barred with dark brown, largest on the wing quills, where they are about two inches apart; fore part of the crown, thickly marked with roundish black spots; tail, crossed with bands of broad brownish spots; shafts of all the plumage, white; bill and claws, as in the male, black; third and fourth wing quill the longest; span of the foot, four inches.

From the various individuals of these birds which I have examined, I have reason to believe that the male alone approaches nearly to white in his plumage, the female rarely or never. The conformation of the eye of this bird forms a curious and interesting subject to the young anatomist. The globe of the eye is immoveably fixed in its socket, by a strong elastic hard cartilaginous case, in form of a truncated cone; this

case being closely covered with a skin, appears at first to be of one continued piece; but, on removing the exterior membrane, it is found to be formed of fifteen pieces, placed like the staves of a cask, overlapping a little at the base, or narrow end, and seem as if capable of being enlarged or contracted, perhaps by the muscular membrane with which they are encased. In five other different species of owls, which I have examined, I found nearly the same conformation of this organ, and exactly the same number of staves. The eye being thus fixed, these birds, as they view different objects, are always obliged to turn the head; and nature has so excellently adapted their neck to this purpose, that they can, with ease, turn it round, without moving the body, in almost a complete circle.

27. STRIX NÆVIA, WILSON. MOTTLED OWL.

WILSON, PLATE XIX. FIG. 1.-ADULT.

ON contemplating the grave and antiquated figure of this night wanderer, so destitute of every thing like gracefulness of shape, I can scarcely refrain from smiling at the conceit, of the ludicrous appearance this bird must have made, had nature bestowed on it the powers of song, and given it the faculty of warbling out sprightly airs, while robed in such a solemn exterior. But the great God of Nature hath, in his wisdom, assigned to this class of birds a more unsocial, and less noble, though, perhaps, not less useful, disposition, by assimilating them, not only in form of countenance, but in voice, manners, and appetite, to some particular beasts of prey; secluding them from the enjoyment of the gay sunshine of day, and giving them little more than the few solitary hours of morning and evening twilight, to procure their food and pursue their amours; while all the tuneful tribes, a few excepted, are wrapt

in silence and repose. That their true character, however, should not be concealed from those weaker animals on whom they feed, (for heaven abhors deceit and hypocrisy,) He has stamped their countenance with strong traits of their murderer the cat; and birds in this respect are, perhaps, better physiognomists than

men.

The owl now before us is chiefly a native of the northern regions, arriving here, with several others, about the commencement of cold weather; frequenting the uplands and mountainous districts, in preference to the lower parts of the country; and feeding on mice, small birds, beetles, and crickets. It is rather a scarce species in Pennsylvania; flies usually in the early part of night and morning; and is sometimes observed sitting on the fences during day, when it is easily caught; its vision at that time being very imperfect.

The bird which I am about to describe, was taken in this situation, and presented to me by a friend. I kept it in the room beside me for some time, during which its usual position was such as I have given it. Its eyelids were either half shut, or slowly and alternately opening and shutting, as if suffering from the glare of day; but no sooner was the sun set, than its whole appearance became lively and animated; its full and globular eyes shone like those of a cat; and it often lowered its head, in the manner of a cock when preparing to fight, moving it from side to side, and also vertically, as if reconnoitring you with great sharpness. In flying through the room, it shifted from place to place with the silence of a spirit, (if I may be allowed the expression,) the plumage of its wings being so extremely fine and soft as to occasion little or no friction with the air,-a wise provision of nature, bestowed on the whole genus, to enable them, without giving alarm, to seize their prey in the night. For an hour or two in the evening, and about break of day, it flew about with great activity. When angry, it snapped its bill repeatedly with violence, and so loud as to be heard in the adjoining room, swelling out its eyes to their full dimen

sions, and lowering its head as before described. It swallowed its food hastily, in large mouthfuls; and never was observed to drink. Of the eggs and nest of this species, I am unable to speak.

The mottled owl is ten inches long, and twenty-two in extent; the upper part of the head, the back, ears, and lesser wing-coverts, are dark brown, streaked and variegated with black, pale brown, and ash; wings, lighter, the greater coverts and primaries spotted with white; tail, short, even, and mottled with black, pale brown, and whitish, on a dark brown ground; its lower side, gray; horns, (as they are usually called,) very prominent, each composed of ten feathers, increasing in length from the front backwards, and lightest on the inside; face, whitish, marked with small touches of dusky, and bounded on each side with a circlet of black; breast and belly, white, beautifully variegated with ragged streaks of black, and small transverse touches of brown; legs, feathered nearly to the claws, with a kind of hairy down, of a pale brown colour; vent and under tail-coverts, white, the latter slightly marked with brown; iris of the eye, a brilliant golden yellow; bill and claws, bluish horn colour.

This was a female. The male is considerably less in size; the general colours darker; and the white on the wing-coverts not so observable.

Hollow trees, either in the woods or orchard, or close evergreens in retired situations, are the usual roosting places of this and most of our other species. These retreats, however, are frequently discovered by the nuthatch, titmouse, or blue jay, who instantly raise the alarm; a promiscuous group of feathered neighbours soon collect round the spot, like crowds in the streets of a large city, when a thief or murderer is detected; and, by their insults and vociferation, oblige the recluse to seek for another lodging elsewhere. This may account for the circumstance of sometimes finding them abroad during the day, on fences and other exposed situations.

28. STRIX ASIO, WILSON. RED OWL.

WILSON, PLATE XLII. FIG. I. *

THIS is another of our nocturnal wanderers, well known by its common name, the Little Screech Owl; and noted for its melancholy quivering kind of wailing in the evenings, particularly towards the latter part of summer and autumu, near the farm house. On clear moonlight nights, they answer each other from various parts of the fields or orchard; roost during the day in thick evergreens, such as cedar, pine, or juniper trees, and are rarely seen abroad in sunshine. In May, they construct their nest in the hollow of a tree, often in the orchard in an old apple tree; the nest is composed of some hay and a few feathers; the eggs are four, pure white, and nearly round. The young are at first covered with a whitish down.

This specimen I kept for several weeks in the room beside me. It was caught in a barn, where it had taken up its lodging, probably for the greater convenience of mousing; and being unhurt, I had an opportunity of remarking its manners. At first, it struck itself so forcibly against the window, as frequently to deprive it, seemingly, of all sensation for several minutes: this was done so repeatedly, that I began to fear that either the glass or the owl's skull must give way. In a few days, however, it either began to comprehend something of the matter, or to take disgust at the glass, for it never repeated its attempts; and soon became quite tame and familiar. Those who have seen this bird only in the day, can form but an imperfect idea of its activity, and even sprightliness, in its proper season of exercise. Throughout the day, it was all stillness and gravity; its eyelids half shut, its neck contracted, and its head shrunk seemingly into its body; but scarcely was the sun set, and twilight began to approach, when its eyes became full and sparkling, like two living globes of fire;

* This appears to be the young of the mottled owl.