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The Barred Owl is so rare with us that its influence on agriculture, for either 

 good or ill, is practically nothing. The few I have found in this Province have 

 always contained mice, but tu the south of us, where the poultry are allowed to 

 roost in trees, it is charged witli occasionally killing half-grown chickens. 



The noisy little Screech Owl, which may in some winters be found in half the 

 barns in the country, is well known to every one, and should be protected by every 

 farmer.- It watches tlie granary, the barnyard and the garden, and is the most 

 indefatigable mouser we have. It seems not only to kill mice for its immediate 

 wants, but also for the pleasure of hunting them. If the roosting place of one of 

 these birds is examined after the bird has used it for a short time, numbers of dend 

 mice will be found, most of them untouched after being killed and deposited there ; 

 probably they lay up this store in order to provide against nights of scarcity, but 

 ill nearly all cases it will be found that they are well ahead of any danger of 

 famine. Not only does this little owl rid the country of numberless mice, but in 

 towns and cities it does useful work in keeping the common House Sparrow within 

 proper limits. During tlie winter particularly, it may often be seen hunting about 

 verandahs, under eaves, and among the Virginia creeper growing around dwelling 

 houses, for the sparrows that roost there, and it will go regularly over the same beat 

 night after night, until the accessible sparrows are thinned down, so that it finds 

 it more profitable to change its hunting ground. Besides its great value as a 

 destroyer of mice and House Sparrows, the Screech Owl eats a great many large 

 beetles, particularly tlie wood-borers and May beetles, both of which classes of 

 insects are capable of doing much injury if suffered to become too numerous. 

 Grasshoppers also form a considerable article of this bird's diet. The good 

 qualities of this little owl cannoi be over-estimated. Its food consists entirely of 

 such creatures as are most injurious to the crops, and it has not a single evil habit. 

 It should, therefore, be carefully protected, and encouraged to take up its abode in 

 and about the farm buildings. This I believe it would readily do if it was left 

 unmolested. All it asks in return for its valuable services is peace and quiet, and 

 a dark corner to roost in during the day. 



The Great Gray Owl, the Snowy Ov/1, the Hawk Owl, Eichardson's Owl and 

 the Saw-whet Owl are only irregular visitors, usunlly occuring in the winter. The 

 two first named are large birds whose food consists chiefly of game birds when in 

 fheir northern home ; here they feed upon the small rodents. 



The island and sandbar to the south of Toronto is usually visited by a few 

 Snowy Owls every winter. Here the birds feed upon the common house rats, Avhich 

 are altogether too abundant at this spot. As every owl of any kind that visits the 

 place is at once shot, the rats, having it all their own way, are increasing rapidly. 



The Hawk Owl hunts by day, on the prairies of the jSTorth-West, and where it 

 occurs in sufficient numbers it must do much good by the destruction of meadow 

 mice. Its visits to us are so rare, however, that it need not be considered here. 



Eichardson's Owl and the Saw-whet Owl are two little Owls that destroy many 

 mice and noxious insects, but are too rare to need further mention. 



Of the ten species of owls before mentioned, nine of them are among the best 

 of the farmer's friends, watching and working when he is sleeping. In following 

 out the natural law which govern,-; their lives they greatly help to keep in check that 

 vast army of little animals which, if allowed to increase unrestrained hy their 

 natural enemies, would in a few seasons destroy all vegetation on the face of the 

 earth. The chief and most effective check upon the undue increase of this army 

 of rats, mice, etc., are the birds of prey. These birds are endowed with natural 

 faculties specially adapted for the work they do. and they do it well ; the only 



