VERMIN 231 



of air, through the darkened lobby, has something 

 ghostly about it. 



The short-eared owl goes farther from the 

 houses, and is the messenger to the field, and the 

 moor. The mice on Inch Connachan were kept 

 down by this species; Ji but when the place was 

 planted over, so as \Lj to liam P er tne 



flight ~ \*M IK ^* of the 



bird, the pest increased to such an extent, that a 

 boat-load of cats had to be introduced, which 

 probably turned wild, and did more evil than 

 good. The value of the short-eared owl in this 

 case was equal to a boat-load of cats; each owl 

 being as good as a cat. 



In the recent vole plague, when men were at 

 their wits' end, and suggestions of wholesale 

 poisoning were in the air, the short-eared owl 



