Beetles go by with a loud hum, rising from those isolated bunches of grass that may be seen in every field; for the cows will not eat the rank green blades that grow over and hide dried dung.
A large white spot, ill-defined and shapeless in the distance and the dimness, glides along the edge of the wood, then across in front before the fir plantation, next down the hedge to the left, and presently passes within two yards, going towards the wood again along this mound.
It is a white owl: he flies about five feet from the ground and absolutely without a sound.

So when you are walking at night it is quite startling to have one come overhead, approaching from behind and suddenly appearing.

This owl is almost fearless; unless purposely alarmed he will scarcely notice you, and not at all if you are still.
As he reaches the wood he leaves the hedge, having gone all round the field, and crosses to a small detached circular fir plantation in the centre.

There he goes out of sight a minute or two; but presently appears skirting the low shed and rickyard yonder, and is finally lost behind the hedges.

This round he will go every evening, and almost exactly at the same time--that is, in reference to the sun, which is the clock of nature.
Step never so quietly out from the mound, the small birds that unnoticed have come to roost in the bushes will hear it and fly off in alarm.