The white owl does indeed snore and hiss in a tremendous
manner; and these menaces well answer the intention of
intimidating: for I have known a whole village up in arms on such
an occasion, imagining the church-yard to be full of goblins and
spectres. White owls also often scream horribly as they fly along;
from this screaming probably arose the common people's
imaginary species of screech-owl, which they superstitiously think
attends the windows of dying persons. The plumage of the remiges
of the wings of every species of owl that I have yet examined is
remarkably soft and pliant. Perhaps it may be necessary that the
wings of these birds should not make much resistance or rushing,
that they may be enabled to steal through the air unheard upon a
nimble and watchful quarry.
While I am talking of owls, it may not be improper to mention
what I was told by a gentleman of the county of Wilts. As they
were grubbing a vast hollow pollard-ash that had been the mansion
of owls for centuries, he discovered at the bottom a mass of matter
that at first he could not account for.
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