. The popular natural history . Zoology. 264 THE BROWN OWL. of this curious bird is unlike that of aay other Owl, and bears a very great resemblance to the short, sharp baric of the prairie dog. We now arrive at a large group of Owls which are remarkable for two tufts of feathers which rise irom the head, and occupy nearly the same relative position as the ears of quadrupeds. These " ears," as they are called, have, however nothing to do with the organs 0/ hearing, but are simply tufts of feathers, which can be raised or depressed at the will of the bird, and give a most singular exp
. The popular natural history . Zoology. 264 THE BROWN OWL. of this curious bird is unlike that of aay other Owl, and bears a very great resemblance to the short, sharp baric of the prairie dog. We now arrive at a large group of Owls which are remarkable for two tufts of feathers which rise irom the head, and occupy nearly the same relative position as the ears of quadrupeds. These " ears," as they are called, have, however nothing to do with the organs 0/ hearing, but are simply tufts of feathers, which can be raised or depressed at the will of the bird, and give a most singular expression to the countenance. The Virginian-Eared Owl is found spread over the greater portion 0/ North America, and in former days did great damage among the poultry ot the agriculturists, being a bold as well as a voracious bird. Now, however, the ever-ready rifle of the farmer has thinned its numbers greatly, and has inspired the survivors with such awe that they mostly keep clear of cultivated lands, and confine themselves to ' seeking after their legitimat^^^ prey. •"' . It is a terrible destroyer of ' game, snatching up grouse, partridges, hares, ducks, sparrows, squirrels, and many other furred and feathered , creatures, and not unfre- quently striving after largef quarry. The wild turkey is a favourite article of diet with this Owl ; but on ac- count of the extreme wari- ness of the turkey nature, the depredator finds an un- seen approach to be no easy , matter. The usual mode in which the Owl catches the turkey is, to find out a spot where its intended prey is quietly sleeping at night, and then to swoop down sud- denly upon the slumbering bird before it awakes. Some- times, however, the Owl is baffled in a very curious manner. When the turkey happens to be roused by the rush of the winged foe, it" instinc- tively ducks its head and spreads its tail flatly over its back. The Owl, impinging upon the slippery plane of stiff tail-feathers, finds no hold for its
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, booksubjectzoology, bookyear1884
