88 BIRDS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE. 



throughout the British I^sles, or rather was until recently, 

 but of late it has been extirpated from many localities, to 

 the intense satisfaction of the rats and mice. 



The tawny or wood owl, as well as the last, is resident, 

 but incessant persecution is slowly producing its extermina- 

 tion, to the encouragement of all the small rodents. 



The long-eared onvI is migratory, and partial in its 

 occurrence ; and so is the short-eared owl, which is more 

 frequently met with in Scotland and the northern counties 

 of England than elsewhere. It prefers moors and marshes 

 to woodlands. 



All four species prey on bats, small birds, dormice, mice, 

 voles, moles, shrews, rats ; and, in addition, beetles, cock- 

 chafers, and occasionally a young game bird or rabbit. 

 Any misdeeds arc small in comparison with the good 

 practical work done by these birds. 



In common witli otiier birds of prey, owls have the habit 

 of ejecting from the mouth pellets containing the indigest- 

 ible portions of the food they have swallowed. They are 

 nocturnal in their habits, see better In'' night than by day, 

 and possess a gliding, noiseless flight, necessary on account 

 of the keen sense of hearing possessed by their prey — rats, 

 mice, etc. The note is a screech, hoot, or snore. 



The long-eared owl is more frequently seen in the 

 daytime than any of the others. 



Of all birds, from a farmer's stand-point, owls are the 

 most useful, and are placed in the highest class by the 

 economist, yet they are destroyed wholesale by the game 

 preservers and their minions, and the loss of their services 

 to the agricultural interest is great. 



(Condensed from report by Mr. Montagu Sharpe, to 

 Society for the Protection of Birds.) 



Charles Waterton, the well-known naturalist, made a 

 retreat for owls near his house, and it was soon taken 



