THE SPARROW-HAWK THE OWL. 313 



the two windows as they passed through," and that on 

 another occasion he found "a sparrow hawk deliberately 

 standing on a very large pouter pigeon on the drawing-room 

 floor, and plucking it, having entered in pursuit of the 

 unfortunate bird through an open window, and killed him 

 in the room." White says, in his "Natural History of 

 Selborne," "About the tenth of July, a pair of sparrow-hawks 

 bred in an old crow's nest on a low beech in Selborne- 

 hanger; and as their brood, which was numerous, began to 

 grow up, they became so daring and ravenous, that they 

 were a terror to all the dames in the village that had chickens 

 or ducklings under their care. A boy climbed the tree, and 

 found the young so fledged that they all escaped from him ; 

 but discovered that a good house had been kept; the larder 

 was well stored with provisions; for he brought down a 

 young blackbird, jay, and house martin, all clean picked, and 

 some half devoured. The old birds had been observed to 

 make sad havoc for some days among the new flown swallows 

 and martins, which, being but lately out of their nests, had 

 not acquired those powers and command of wing that enable 

 them when more mature to set enemies at defiance." 



The OwL Great interest attaches to the owl from the sin- 

 gularity of its appearance and habits. There are many 

 varieties, the Common Barn Owl; the Long-eared Owl; the 

 Great Eagle Owl; and the American Horned Owl being some 

 of these. The Barn Owl measures about twelve inches in 

 length. This bird does great service in the destruction of 

 mice, rats, and other vermin, and it is the nemesis of fate 

 that it is destroyed by those it serves. Its movements are 

 noiseless, the peculiar form of the feathers of its wings enabling 

 it to fly without making any sound, and so surprise its prey. 

 "Its method of devouring a mouse," says Mr. Wood, "is quite 

 different from the mode in which it eats a bird. If a mouse 

 is given to an owl, the bird seizes it across the back, and 

 gives it one or two smart bites, much as a terrier handles a 



