164 OWLS. 



ing off the young ones; but this seems to be an unfair 

 charge; their real reason for entering pigeon-houses; 

 being rather for the purpose of picking up the vermin 

 that are constantly harbouring there, than injuring the- 

 inmates. 



Mr. Waterton observes, that when farmers complain 

 that the Barn-Owl destroys the eggs of their Pigeons, 

 " they put the saddle on the wrong horse." It ought, 

 he says, to be put upon the rat; stating from his own 

 experience, that his increase of Pigeons was inconsi- 

 derable till the rats were effectually excluded from the 

 dove-cote, since which time they have increased abun- 

 dantly, though the Barn-Owls frequent it, and are en- 

 couraged all about it. And he reasons very correctly, 

 by saying, that if they were really enemies, the Pigeons- 

 would be in commotion as soon as the Owl began its 

 evening flight, and entered their premises; but that 

 they heed him not. Whereas, if a Hawk should make 

 its appearance, the whole community of Pigeons would 

 be in confusion and alarm. We have another testimony 

 in favour of the Owls with regard to Pigeons. A 

 person who kept Pigeons, and had often a great num- 

 ber of his young ones destroyed, laid it on a pair of 

 Owls which visited the premises, and accordingly, one 

 moonlight night, he stationed himself, gun-in-hand, close 

 to the dove-house, for the purpose of shooting the Owls. 

 He had not taken his station long before he saw one of 

 them flying out with a prize in his claws; he pulled his 

 trigger, and down came the poor bird, but instead of 

 finding the carcass of a young Pigeon, he found an old 

 rat nearly dead. Mr. Waterton met with a similar 

 proof. He was one evening sitting under a shed, 

 watching for rats, when he killed a very large one, as it 

 was coming out of its hole, about ten yards distant. 

 He did not immediately go to take it up, hoping to get 

 another shot; when in a short time a Barn-Owl pounced 

 down, and flew away with it. 



But there is another food of which Owls partakey 



