THE BARN OWL. 557 
seldom it takes possession of the nests of other birds, although 
stories are told of its driving away the Martins from their retreats, 
and installing itself therein, having first considerately devoured the 
young. 
Children, women, and even men who are silly enough to believe 
in ghosts and sorcerers, look upon the barn owl as a bird of ill omen, 
and as a messenger of death. All 
these prejudices are really very 
foolish, for few birds are of more 
service. They destroy a vast quantity 
of vermin which are injurious to agri- 
culture, and therefore have a good 
claim to protection. When the owl 
has young ones to feed, rats and 
mice are exterminated without either 
truce or mercy. As rapidly as they 
can be caught they are carried to 
the nest ; and each of the pellets of 
bone and hair which are thrown up 
from its stomach is composed of at 
least six or seven skeletons. Dr. 
Franklin collected, in the space of 
sixteen months, a whole bushel 
measure of these pellets, all pro- 
ceeding from a couple of Barn Owls. 
Farmers are in error when they 
accuse the Barn Owl of destroying Fig. 257.—Barn Owl. 
their pigeons’ eggs. The real cul- 
prits are the rats. When an Owl makes its appearance in the vicinity 
of a dovecot, the proper course of conduct is to give it a kind re- 
ception and to protect it, for its only object in coming is to obtain 
shelter for a time, and, during its stay, to destroy rats or mice, the 
real scourges of the pigeon-house. 
When the Barn Owl finds a deficiency of food it has recourse to 
fishing. It may then be seen hovering over water to capture fish 
which are floating upon the surface. 
The Chinese and Tartars pay special reverence to this owl, in 
memory of a fact which well deserves to be recorded. Gengis Khan, 
the founder of their empire, having been put to flight by his enemies, 
was one day compelled to take refuge in a wood, when an owl came 
and perched in the thicket in which he had hidden himself ; this was 
the sole cause of his escaping the pursuit of his foes; for those who 
