washerwoman, meets one in the way; as also when one meets a man with an empty panel, or when one sees an oil mill, or if a man meets us with his head uncovered, or when one hears a weeping voice, or sees a Fox crossing the way, or a Dog running on his right hand, or when a poor man meets us in our way, or when a Cat crosses our way: moreover, when any

earthen-pot maker or widow meets us, we interpret it in the worst sense; when one sprains his foot, falls on his head, or is called back; presently the professors of prognostication are consulted, and they turn to the proper chapter for such a sign, and give the interpretation of it."

"IF an Owl," says Bourne, p. 71, "which is reckoned a most abominable and unlucky bird, send forth its hoarse and dismal voice, it is an omen of the approach of some terrible thing that some dire calamity and some great misfortune is near at hand." This omen occurs in Chaucer:

"The jelous Swan, ayenst hys deth that singeth,

The Oule eke, that of deth the bode bringeth."

Assembly of Foules, fol. 235.

It is thus mentioned by Spenser: "The rueful Strich still wayting on the beere, The whistler shril, that whoso heares doth die."

Pennant, in his "Zoology," vol. i. p. 202, informs us that the appearance of the Eagle Owl in cities was deemed an unlucky omen. Rome itself once underwent a lustration, because one of them strayed into the Capitol.(1) The ancients held them in the utmost abhorrence,() and thought them, like the Screech Owl, the messengers of death. Pliny styles it, "Bubo funebris et Noctis monstrum."(3) Thus also Virgil, in the lines already quoted from Armstrong's "History of Minorca," in a former page.

Speaking of the tawny Owl, p. 208,

Pennant observes: "This is what we call the Screech Owl, to which the folly of superstition had given the power of presaging death by its cries."()

The Spectator" says that a Screech Owl at midnight has alarmed a family more than a band of robbers.(5) And as Grose tells us, a Screech Owl flapping its wings against the windows of a sick person's chamber, or screeching at them, portends that some one of the family shall shortly die.

Moresin, in his "Papatus," p. 21, mentions among omens the hooting of Owls in passing: "Bubonum bubulatum in transitu."

Shakspeare, in his "Julius Cæsar,” acti. sc. 6, has the following passage:

"The Bird of Night did sit

Ev'n at noon-day upon the market-place
Houting and shrieking."(6)

The noise of the Owl, as a foretokening of ill, is also mentioned in "Six Pastorals, &c., by George Smith, Landscape Painter, at Chichester, in Sussex," 4to. Lond. 1770, p. 33:

"Within my cot, where quiet gave me rest, Let the dread Screech Owl build her hated

nest,

And from my window o'er the country send Her midnight screams to bode my latter end."

(1) Thus Butler, in his " Hudibras," p. ii. canto iii. 1. 707:

"The Roman Senate, when within
The city walls an Owl was seen,
Did cause their clergy with lustrations
(Our Synod calls humiliations)
The round-fac'd prodigy t' avert
From doing town and country hurt.”

"According to the author of the 'Eneid,' the solitary Owl foretold the tragical end of the unhappy Dido." See Macaulay's "St. Kilda," p. 176. "Suetonius," he tells us, "who took it into his head to relate all the imaginary prodigies that preceded the deaths of his twelve Cæsars, never misses an opportunity so favourable of doing justice to the prophetical character of some one bird or other. It is surprising that Tacitus should have given into the same folly."

(2) Thus "Alex. ab Alexandro," lib. v. c. 13, p. 680: "Maxime vero abominatus est Bubo, tristis et dira Avis, voce funesta et gemitu, qui formidolosa, dirasque necessitates et magnos moles instare portendit."

Macaulay, above quoted, p. 171, observes: "On the unmeaning actions or idleness of such silly birds; on their silence, singing, chirping, chattering, and croaking; on their feeding or abstinence; on their flying to the right hand or left-was founded an art: which from a low and simple beginning grew to an immense height, and gained a surprising degree of credit in a deluded world.'

(3) The Owl is called also, by Pliny, "inauspicata et funebris Avis:" by Ovid, "dirum Mortalibus omen :" by Lucan, "sinister Bubo:" and by Claudian, "infestus Bubo."

In Petri Molinæi " Vates," p. 154, we read: "Si Noctua sub noctem audiatur, ominosum

est."

In Bartholomæus, "De Proprietatibus Rerum," by Berthelet, fol. 166, b, is the following: "Of the Oule. Divynours telle that they betokyn evyll; for if the Owle be seen in a citie, it signifyeth distruccion and waste,

Alexander Ross informs us, in his Appendix to the "Arcana Microcosmi," p. 218, that "Lampridius and Marcellinus, among other prodigies which presaged the death of Valentinian, the Emperor, mention an Owle which sate upon the top of the house where he used to bathe, and could not thence be driven away with stones. Julius Obsequens (in his Book of Prodigies,' c. 85) shewes that a little before the death of Commodus Antoninus, the Emperor, an Owle was observed to sit upon the top of his chamber, both at Rome and at Lanuvium. Xiphilinus, speaking of the prodigies that went before the death of Augustus, says, that the Owl sung upon the top of the Curia. He shews, also, that the Actian War was presignified by the flying of Owls into the Temple of Concord. In the year 1542, at Herbipolis, or Wirtzburg, in Franconia, this unlucky bird, by his scrieching songs, affrighted the citizens a long time together, and immediately followed a great plague, war, and other calamities. About twenty years ago did observe that in the house where I lodged, an Owl, groaning in the window, presaged the death of two eminent persons, who died there shortly after."

(5) In "More Knaves yet. The Knaves of Spades and Diamonds, with new Additions," 4to. Lond. (date cut off), I find the following account of "The Country Cunning Man:"

"Wise Gosling did but hear the Scrich Owle crie,

And told his wife, and straight a pigge did die.

Another time (after that scurvie Owle) When Ball, his dog, at twelve o'clocke did howle,

He jogg'd his wife, and ill lucke, Madge did say,

And Fox by morning stole a Goose away. Besides, he knowes foule weather, raine, or haile,

Ev'n by the wagging of his dun Cowe's taile. When any theeves his Hens and Duckes pursew,

He knowes it by the candles burning blew.
Or if a Raven cry just o're his head,
Some in the towne have lost their maiden-
head.

For losse of cattell and for fugitives,
He'll find out with a sive and rustie knives.
His good daies are when's chaffer is well sold,
And bad daies when his wife doth braule
and scold."

Willsford, in his "Nature's Secrets," p. 134, says: "Owls whooping after sun-set, and in the night, foreshews a fair day to ensue ; but if she names herself in French (Huette) expect then fickle and unconstant weather, but most usually rain."

Mason, in the "Anatomie of Sorcerie," 4to. Lond. 1612, p. 85, ridicules the superstition of those persons of his age, that are "the markers of the flying or noise of foules: as they which prognosticate death by the croaking of Ravens, or the hideous crying of Owles in the night."

Marston, in "Antonio and Mellida;" Works, 8vo. Lond. 1633, signat. F, says: "Tis yet dead night, yet all the earth is cloucht

In the dull leaden hand of snoring sleepe:

No breath disturbs the quiet of the aire,
No spirit moves upon the breast of earth,
Save howling Dogs, Night Crowes, and
screeching OWLES,

Save meager Ghosts, Piero, and blacke
Thoughts."

(6) Upon which Grey, in his Notes on Shakspeare, vol. ii. p. 175, observes: "Romani L. Crasso & C. Marcio Coss. bubone viso lustrabant." See a remarkable account of an Owle that disturbed Pope John XXIV. at a council held at Rome. Fascic. Rer. expetendar. & fugiendar. p. 402. Brown's edit.

The following is an answer to a query in the "Athenian Oracle," vol. i. p. 45: "Why Rats, Toads, Ravens, Screech Owls, &c., are ominous; and how they come to foreknow fatal events?"-"Had the Querist said unlucky instead of ominous he might easily have met with satisfaction: a Rat is so, because he destroys many a good Cheshire cheese, &c. A Toad is unlucky, because it poisons (later discoveries in natural history deny this). As for Ravens and Screech Owls, they are just as unlucky as Cats, when about their courtship, because they make an ugly noise, which disturbs their neighbourhood. The instinct of Rats leaving an old ship, is, because they cannot be dry in it, and an old house, because, perhaps, they want victuals. A Raven is much such a prophet as our conjurors or almanack makers, foretelling things after they are come to pass: they follow great armies, as Vultures, not as foreboding battle, but for the dead men, dogs, horses, &c., which (espe cially in a march) must daily be left behind them. But the foolish observations made on their croaking before death, &c., are for the most part pure humour, and have no grounds besides foolish tradition, or a sickly imagination."

PENNANT, in his "Zoology," vol. i. p. 219, says that "a vulgar respect is paid to the Raven, as being the bird appointed by heaven

to feed the prophet Elijah, when he fled from the rage of Ahab."

Moresin includes the croaking of Ravens among Omens.(1)

Bishop Hall, in his "Characters of Vertues and Vices," p. 87, speaking of the superstitious man, tells us, "that if he heare but a Raven croke from the next roofe he makes his will." He mentions also a Crow crying even or odd. "He listens in the morning whether the Crow crieth even or odd, and by that token presageth the weather."

The following lines are found in Spenser: "The ill-fac'd Owle, death's dreadful messenger;

The hoarse night Raven, trompe of doleful dreere."(2)

Pennant, in his "Zoology," ut supra, p. 220, speaking of the Carrion Crow, tells us, "Virgil says that its croaking foreboded rain. It was also thought a bird of bad omen, especially if it happened to be seen on the left hand :

Sæpe sinistra cava prædixit ab ilice Cornix.""

Thus also Butler, in his "Hudibras:" "Is it not om'nous in all countries When Crows and Ravens croak upon trees?" Part ii. canto iii. 1.707.

If a Crow cry, says Bourne, p. 70, it portends some evil.

In Willsford's" Nature's Secrets," p. 133, we read: "Ravens and Crows, when they do make a hoarse, hollow, and sorrowful noise, as if they sobbed, it presages foul weather approaching. Crows flocking together in great companies, or calling early in the morning with a full and clear voice, or at any time of the day gaping against the sun, foreshews hot and dry weather: but if at the brink of ponds they do wet their heads, or stalk into the water, or cry much towards the evening, are signs of rain. (3)

"The WOOD-PECKER'S cry denotes wet.

"BUZARDS, or KITES, when they do soar very high and much to lessening themselves, making many plains to and again, foreshews hot weather, and that the lower region of the air is inflamed, which for coolnesse makes them ascend.(*)

"CRANES Soaring aloft, and quietly in the air, foreshews fair weather; but if they do make much noise, as consulting which way to go, it foreshews a storm that's neer at hand. HERONS, in the evening, flying up and down, as if doubtful where to rest, presages some evill approaching weather."(5)

66

The om'nous Raven with a dismal chear Through his hoarse beak of following horror tells,

Begetting strange imaginary fear,

With heavy echos like to Passing Bells."

Alexander Ross informs us that "by Ravens, both publick and private calamities and death have been portended. Jovianus Pontanus relates two terrible skirmishes between the Ravens and the KITES in the fields lying between Beneventum and Apicium, which prognosticated a great battle that was to be fought in those fields. Nicetas speaks of a skirmish between the Crowes and Ravens, presignifying the irruption of the Scythians into Thracia." Appendix to "Arcana Microcosmi," p. 219.

He adds, p. 220, "Private men have been forewarned of their death by Ravens. I have not only heard and read, but have likewise observed divers times. A late example I have of a young gentleman, Mr. Draper, my intimate friend, who, about five or six years ago, being then in the flower of his age, had, on a sudden, one or two Ravens in his chamber, which had been quarrelling upon the top of the chimney; these he apprehended as messengers of his death, and so they were; for he died shortly after. Cicero was forewarned, by the noise and fluttering of Ravens about him, that his end was near. He that employed a Raven to be the feeder of Elias, may employ the same bird as a messenger of death to others. We read in histories of a Crow in Trajan's time that in the Capitoll spoke (in Greek) all things shall be well."

Macaulay, in his "History of St. Kilda," p. 165, tells us: "The truly philosophical manner in which the great Latin poet has accounted for the joyful croakings of the Raven species, upon a favourable chaunge of weather, will in my apprehension (see Georgics,' b. i. v. 410, &c.) point out at the same time the true natural causes of that spirit of divination, with regard to storms of wind, rain, or snow, by which the Sea-gull, Tulmer, Cormorant, Heron, Crow, Plover, and other birds, are actuated some time before the change comes on.' He observes, p. 174: "Of inspired birds, Ravens were accounted the most prophetical. Accordingly, in the language of that district, to have the foresight of a Raven, is to this day a

In

proverbial expression, denoting a preternatural sagacity in predicting fortuitous events. Greece and Italy, Ravens were sacred to Apollo, the great patron of augurs, and were called companions and attendants of that god." Ibid. p. 176: he says that, "according to some writers, a great number of Crows fluttered about Cicero's head on the very day he was murdered by the ungrateful Popilius Lænas, as if to warn him of his approaching fate; and that one of them, after having made its way into his chamber, pulled away his very bed-clothes, from a solicitude for his safety."

Bartholomæus, "De Proprietatibus," by Berthelet, 27th Hen. VIII. fol. 168 b, says: "And as divinours mene the Raven hath a maner virtue of meanyng and tokenynge of divination. And therefore among nations, the Raven among foules was halowed to Apollo, as Mercius saythe."

(3) Gaule, in his "Mag-astromancers posed and puzzel'd," p. 181, inserts among vain Observations and superstitious Ominations thereupon, "A Crow lighting on the right hand or the left."

In the Earl of Northampton's "Defensative against the Poyson of supposed Prophesies," 4to. Lond. 1583, signat. T2 b, we read: "The flight of many Crowes uppon the left side of the campe made the Romans very much afrayde of some badde lucke: as if the greate God Jupiter had nothing else to doo (sayd Carneades) but to dryve Jacke Dawes in a flocke together."

Bartholomæus says, fol. 168, of the Crowe"Divynours tell, that she taketh hede of spienges and awaytynges, and teacheth and sheweth wayes, and warneth what shal fal. But it is ful unleful to beleve, that God sheweth his prevy counsayle to Crowes as Isidore sayth. Among many divynacions divynours meane that Crowes token reyne with gredynge and cryenge, as this verse meaneth,

'Nunc plena Cornix pluviam vocat improba voce :'

that is to understonde,

'Nowe the Crowe calleth reyne with an eleynge voyce.'”

In the Supplement to the "Athenian Oracle," p. 476, we are informed that " people