BARN OWL. 



77 



When out abroad by day, like most of the other species, 

 they are numerously attended by the little gossiping and insult- 

 ing birds of the neighborhood ; and to add to their distraction, 

 it is not an uncommon practice, in the North of England, for 

 boys to set up a shout and follow the Owl, who becomes so 

 deafened and stunned as at times nearly to fall down, and 

 thus become an easy prey to his persecutors. And the prob- 

 abihty of such an effect will not be surprising when we con- 

 sider the delicacy and magnitude of the auditory apparatus of 

 this bird, the use of which is probably necessary to discover 

 the otherwise silent retreats of their tiny prey. When taken 

 captive, according to Buffon, they do not long survive the loss 

 of liberty, and pertinaciously refuse to eat, — a habit very differ- 

 ent from that of the young Red Owl, who allowed himself to 

 feed from my hand, and tugged greedily and tamely at the 

 morsel held out to him until he got it in his possession ; small 

 birds also he would instantly grasp in his talons, and hiss and 

 shaie, shaie, when any attempt was made to deprive him of his 

 booty. 



The young of this species, when they have just attained their 

 growth, are, in France, considered good food, as they are then 

 fat and plump. When first hatched they are so white and 

 downy as almost entirely to resemble a powder puff. At 

 Hudson's Bay a large Owl, resembling the cinereous, is like- 

 wise eaten, and esteemed a delicacy, according to Pennant. 



The Barn Owl occurs regularly from the Middle States south- 

 ward, though it is not abundant north of South CaroUna. A few 

 examples have been taken in Connecticut and Massachusetts, and 

 Mr. Mcllwraith reports that four have been taken in Ontario. 



