THE BARN OWL. 289 



above my head, startling me by its nearness ; and anon, 

 in the distance, faint, Hke the far-off scream of a person 

 in distress. He continues feeding and flying over the 

 fields, and coursing round the ruined and dismantled 

 towers, occasionally alighting, until the first streak of 

 light heralds the coming day, when he leaves the fields 

 to the Windhover Hawk, and retires to his favourite hole, 

 there to digest his food in dark and moody silence, until 

 the sun has performed his allotted journey through the 

 heavens. The Barn Owl is, however, sometimes seen 

 abroad in the daytime, having been disturbed in his 

 haunt, for probably it is very rare indeed that he quits 

 it voluntarily in the light of day. From some unex- 

 plained cause this bird seems to be disliked and mobbed 

 by every bird of day. His appearance is the signal for 

 a general uproar : the Rook will chase him through the 

 heavens ; the Sparrows, and even the little Titmice, 

 who would shrink and cower low in mortal fear if he 

 carne surrounded by darkness, now peck him and harass 

 him unceasingly. The poor Owl seems fully aware of 

 the mistake he has made, and seldom retaliates : his 

 only aim is to seek a place of seclusion, for he seems 

 well aware his only safety is in the darkness. 



The Barn Owl remains in pairs the year throughout, 

 although they seldom commence nesting before May. 

 Nature has not intended this bird to figure as a nest 

 builder ; she provides it with a bed in another way. The 

 hole which the birds frequent throughout the year for 

 nesting and roosting becomes filled with pellets, formed 

 of the refuse of the birds' food, and upon these pellets 

 the eggs are laid — ^just as is the case with the Windhover 

 Hawk. Three or four in number, sometimes only two, 

 they are about the size of a Pigeon's egg, white and 

 spotless, but the shell is rough and without gloss. 



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