The nest of this Owl is made in the crevices of rocks, or in ruins, and is a very large one, composed of sticks and twigs, lined with a tolerably large heap of dried herbage, the parent Owls returning to the same spot year after year. Should it not be able to find either a rock or a ruin, it contents itself with a hollow in the ground, and there lays its eggs, which are generally two in number, though occasionally a third egg is found. The Egyptian Eagle Owl does much the same thing, burrowing in sand-banks, and retreating, if it fears danger, into the hollow where its nest has been made. [Illustration: RAVEN. BARN OWL. EAGLE OWL. ] [Illustration: A FAMILY COUNCIL.] In the large illustration the two last-mentioned species are given. The Egyptian Eagle Owl is seen with its back towards the spectator, grasping in its talons a dead hare, and with ear-tufts erect is looking towards the Barn Owl, which is contemplating in mingled anger and fear the proceedings of the larger bird. Near them is perched a raven, in order to carry out more fully the prophetic words, "the owl also and the raven shall dwell in it." [Illustration: owl] [Illustration: night-hawk] THE NIGHT-HAWK. Different interpretations of the word Tachmâs--Probability that it signifies the Nightjar--Various names of the bird--Its remarkable jarring cry, and wheeling flight--Mode of feeding--Boldness of the bird--Deceptive appearance of its size. We next come to the vexed question of the word Tachmâs which is rendered in the Authorized Version as NIGHT-HAWK. This word only occurs among the list of prohibited birds (see Lev. xi. 16, and Deut. xiv. 15), and has caused great controversies among commentators. The balance of probability seems to lie between two interpretations,--namely, that which considers the word _tachmâs_ to signify the Night-hawk, and that which translates it as Owl. For both of these interpretations much is to be said, and it cannot be denied that of the two the latter is perhaps the preferable. If so, the White or Barn Owl is probably the particular species to which reference is made. Still, many commentators think that the Night-hawk or Nightjar is the bird which is signified by the word _tachmâs_; and, as we have already treated of the owls, we will accept the rendering of the Authorized Version. Moreover, the Jewish Bible follows the same translation, and renders _tachmâs_ as Night-hawk, but affixes the mark of doubt. [Illustration: THE NIGHT-HAWK.]