LONG-EARED OWL. II3 



The White Owl seeks the antique ruin'd wall, 

 Fearless of rapine ; or in hollow trees, 

 Which age has cavern'd, safely courts repose. 



BiDLAKE. 



The plumage of the Barn-Owl is soft and deUcately penciled. 



Its face is heart-shaped during hfe, becoming circular when dead. 



It screeches, and does not hoot usually, though at times it certainly 



has a peculiar hoot. Its principal diet consists of field mice, shrews, 



rats, and small birds says M. Prevost, agreeing with Dr. Altum's list. 



The twenty-two birds, found by the last gentleman, consisted of 



nineteen Sparrows, one Greenfinch, and two Swifts. It is, therefore, 



wholly beneficial and should be protected carefully. White, of 



Selborne, says " We can stand on an eminence, and see the Barn 



Owls beat the fields over like a setting-dog, and often drop down in 



the grass or corn." Waterton states, from observation, that "when 



the Barn-Owl has young ones, it will bring a mouse to the nest 



every twelve or fifteen minutes," and he adds, " if their night work 



could be seen by day, all farmers would acknowledge the great 



service they render." The nests, however, are so easily found, and 



the birds themselves are so handsome, that great destruction goes 



on, in spite, it may be, of the farmers' wish to preserve them. It is 



to be feared that they will be gradually exterminated, unless a 



determined effort is made in their favour. 



Let the screeching Owl 

 A sacred, bird be held ; protect her nest 

 Whether in neighbouring crag, within the reach 

 Of venturous boy, it hang, or in the rent 

 Of some old echoing tower, where her sad plaint 

 The livelon'JT night she moans, save when she skims 

 Prowling along the ground, or through your barn 

 Her nightly round performs. 



Grahame — Georgics. 



Family— ASIONID^. 



Genus— ASIO. 



ASIO OTUS— Long-eared Owl. 



Oh ! when the moon shines and the dogs do howl, 

 Then, then, is the reign of the horned Owl. 



Barry Cornwall. 



