The Goal of the Wise

At the top left, an owl is perched on a stylized tree with five circular clusters of purple thistle-like flowers. A small bird is shown in flight approaching the owl from the left.

concerning the owl seen

—to prey. Nor is this known to be performed by night because, just as animals that are accustomed to the day—original: "de die" know to rest by day and are seen to sleep by day and eat by night, so these are seen not to dare to fly by day and fear the animals that are seen, and however—and by night they go out to feed, which they see then. They are famous for doing this and also because, as we see in the case of the owl, it happens to them; for when they go out by day from those things which they would want to eat, and would be sensed by the smell of a hawk similar to them, and by other birds—and they do this because of the subtle dissension of those which are [around them], so that they are not seen by the birds and others able to harm them. For all [birds] rise up against them and turn them away. Whence—great [flocks] of such birds are gathered for the birds they wish to capture. But by night, because the other birds that are hostile to them are resting in their dwellings, they fly more safely to hunt. Many terrestrial owls are not determined by the light to go out from their dwellings to feed in the day, but they go out in the morning or at whatever diurnal hour they can to feed, but they will stand all day—

In the lower middle left, another owl is perched on a branch. It is being mobbed by four dark, crow-like birds which are positioned around it in various stages of flight and perching.

Running vertically down the right margin is a series of seven birds of different species: a black crow, a reddish-billed black bird (possibly a chough), another black crow, a grey pigeon or dove, a speckled partridge or quail, a smaller brown bird, and a medium-sized brownish-grey bird.

—in their dwelling and will provide for pasture so that in the evening they may return to their own dwellings to roost in them—and thus sleeping? they rest just as terrestrial birds sleep in the manner of terrestrial ones and do not move and are silent. With similar vision by day, terrestrial animals will enjoy [the light] so that they do not dare to fly by day, but sit in hiding places; however, by day they are gathered together according to themselves as the weather favors them—and they do not have a certain dwelling for themselves as other birds have, although one could return them all to the places in which they were born and those similar to them. There are also terrestrial birds which feed by day—and more from the third hour tercia to the ninth nona. Indeed, then they find [food] both for themselves and [things] they capture in the air: flying worms and bees, wasps, beetles, and the like, such as those which are called sorene a type of bird. [Here ends] the chapters on the manner of the exit of terrestrial [birds] to feed—and concerning their return—and their state. But the manner which terrestrial birds have in going out from their dwellings to feed is manifold. For some are gathered and go out in many crowds; others truly go out singly.

At the bottom right, two larger birds are depicted standing on the ground: one is dark brown with a thick beak, and the other is a lighter grey with horizontal barring on its chest.