THE BROWN OWL. 



71 



when they return witli the prey in their claws ; but, as it is necessary 

 to shift it from these into their bill, for the purpose of feeding their 

 young-ones, they always alight so do that before they enter the nest. 

 As the young Owls continue for a great length of time in the nest, 

 and are fed even long after they are able to fly, the old birds have to 

 supply them with many hundreds of Mice ; on this account they 

 are generally considered useful animals in the destruction of vermin 

 of this description. 



THE BROWN OWL. 



The Brown Owl measures somewhat more than a foot in length ; and 



is spotted with black on the 

 head, wings, and back. Its 

 breast is of a pale ash-color, 

 with dusky, jagged, longitudinal 

 streaks ; and the circle round 

 the eyes is ash-colored, spotted 

 with brown. 



Few of the Owls are more 

 rapacious than these. They re- 

 side in woods during the day ; 

 but at the approach of evening, 

 when many animals, su a as 

 Hares, Rabbits, and Partridges, 

 come out to feed they begin to 

 be clamorous and active; they 

 destroy such multitudes of small 

 animals, as, on calculation, 

 woukl appear astonishing. In 

 the dusk of the evening, the 

 Brown Owls approach the 

 farmers' dwellings; and fre- 

 quently enter the Pigeon-houses, 

 where they sometimes commit 

 dreadful ravages. They also kill great numbers of Mice, and skin 

 then with as much dexterity as a cook-maid does a Rabbit. They seize 

 their prey with great ferocity, and, always beginning at the head, tear 

 it in pieces with much violence. Were they to appear abroad at any 

 time but in the night, when all the poultry are gone to roost, the havoc 

 they would commit in the farm -yard would be prodigious. They do 

 not devour every part of the animals they destroy ; the hinder parts 

 they generally leave untouched. 



On examining a nest of these Owls that had in it two young ones, 

 several pieces of Rabbits, Leverets, and other small animals, were found. 

 The hen and one of the young ones were taken away ; the other was 

 left to entice the cock, which was absent when the nest was discovered. 

 On the following morning there were found in the nest three young 

 Rabbits, that had been brought to this young-one by the cock during 



BROW:« owu 



