THE BARM 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 

 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 deserves to be recorded. Genghis 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 



Fig. 257. Barn Owl. 



