WHITE, OB BARN OWL. 127 



generally the longest, the first and third equal in length. Legs long and 

 slender, clothed with downy feathers to the junction of the toes, which are only 

 furnished on the upper surface with a few hair-like feathers ; claws long, 

 curved, sharp, and grooved underneath. 



Naturalists appear to be agreed that our well-known Bam 

 Owl may be considered the type of the true Owls, and the 

 old generic term Strtx, is accordingly by most authors con- 

 tinued to it. Unlike the species last described, the Barn 

 Owl is resident in this country throughout the year, and is 

 so peculiar in the colouring of its plumage, and so generally 

 diffused, that it is probably the best known of all the British 

 species of Owls. 



This White Owl inhabits churches, barns, old malting 

 kilns, or deserted ruins of any sort,^ and also holes in decayed 

 trees. If unmolested, the same haunts are frequented, either 

 by parent birds or their offspring for many years in succession. 

 As a constant destroyer of rats and mice, and that to a very 

 considerable extent, the services performed by Barn Owls for 

 the agriculturist have obtained for these birds toleration at 

 least, while by some they are, as they deserve to be, strictly 

 protected in return for benefits received. 



Unless disturbed, these birds seldom leave their retreat 

 during the day, and if the place of concealment be approached 

 with caution, and a view of the bird obtained, it will gene- 

 rally be observed to have its eyes closed, as if asleep. About 

 sunset the pair of Owls, particularly when they have young, 

 issue forth in quest of food, and may be observed flapping 

 gently along, searching lanes, hedge-rows, orchards, and 

 small enclosures near out-buildings. In this irregular coun- 

 try, says White of Selborne, " we can stand on an eminence, 

 and see them beat the fields over like a setting dog, and often 

 drop down in the grass or corn." They feed on young rats, 

 mice, shrews, small birds, insects, &c. parts of all of which 

 have been recognized at different times on examination of the 



