{"collection":"Native American","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/browse/nam/ca/dow/dow47.htm","path":"nam/ca/dow/dow47.htm","source_url":"https://sacred-texts.com/nam/ca/dow/dow47.htm","text":"The Dawn of the World, by C. Hart Merriam, [1910]\nThe Middle Mewuk of Tuolumne River foothills say:\nWhen Soo-koo'-me the Great Horned Owl hoots, it means that someone is dying. He is himself the Ghosts of dead people. 20\n[I was once asked by a Northern Mewuk if I had ever seen the broad belt of bony plates which surrounds the eyeball of the Great Horned Owl. On replying that I had, I was assured that these closely imbricating plates are the \"finger nails all jammed tight together of the ghosts caught by the owl.\"]\n212:20 For additional matter on this subject see Beliefs concerning Ghosts, pages 217-221. Similar beliefs are held by other California tribes.","title":"The Dawn of the World: Beliefs Concerning Animals: Soo-koo'-me The Great Horned Owl","type":"page"}