Folio 49v - the stork, continued. De [merula]; Of the blackbird.
Folio 50r - the blackbird, continued. De bubone; Of the Owl.
COMMENTARY
Text
The blackbird is black and has a sweet voice.
Illustration
Portrait of the blackbird in a roundel.
Comment
It is painted brown either in ignorance of the text or because it is a female bird.
COMMENTARY
Text
Rolling in nettles saves St Benedict from lust. The Owl.
Illustration
Portrait of the owl.
Comment
This owl 'bubo' is tawny brown and beige with a flat face and prominent ears like horns. Bubo, as described by Aristotle (buas or bruas in Greek) was as large as an eagle which must indicate the relatively rare eagle owl. It has prominent ear tufts as shown but it is tawny all over and does not have a flat face. The long eared owl has a flat face and ears but is also tawny all over. The barn owl is closest in colouring to the illustration and also has a flat face, but it does not have ears. As projecting ears or horns are not mentioned in the Bestiary text they may derive from a much earlier source which was still aware of the connection between bubo and the eagle owl. Initial, type 2. It is squeezed into its space and is over lapped by the illustration.