mixed. This will go on for a few days, or until the owls leave, and each morning 

 the number of dead birds lying about will have increased. After the owls have gone 

 the destruction ceases, only to begin again when the next lot of owls arrive. The 

 small birds thus destroyed are of the greatest value to an agricultural community, 

 and their loss is much to be deplored ; but on the other hand the owls destroy an 

 immense number of mice, so that the good they do probably balances the evil, and 

 in such a case the best way is to let nature take its course without our intervention. 



The Barred Owl is so rare with us that its influence on agriculture, either 

 for good or ill, is practically nothing. The few I have found in this Province 

 have always contained mice, but to the south of us, where the poultry are allowed 

 to roost in trees, it is charged with occasionally killing half-grown chickens. 



The noisy little Screech Owl, that may in some winters be found in half the 

 barns in the country, is well known to every one, and should be protected by 

 every farmer. It watches the granary, the barnyard and the garden, and is the 

 most indefatigable mouser we have. It seems not only to kill mice for its 

 immediate wants but also for the pleasure of hunting them. If the roosting place 

 of one of these birds is examined after the bird has used it for a short time, 

 numbers of dead mice will be found, most of them untouched after being killed 

 and deposited there ; probably they lay up this store in order to provide against 

 nights of scarcity, but in nearly all cases it will be found that they are well ahead 

 of any danger ot' famine. Not only does this little owl rid the country of num- 

 berless mice but in towns and cities it does useful work in keeping the common 

 House Sparrow within proper limits. During the winter particularly, it may 

 often be seen hunting about verandahs, under eaves and among the Virginia 

 creeper growing around dwelling houses, for the sparrows that roost there, and it 

 will go regularly over the same beat night after night, until the accessible spar- 

 rows are thinned down, so that it tinds it more profitable to change its hunting 

 ground. Besides its great value as a destroyer of mice and House Sparrows, the 

 Screech Owl eats large numbers of large beetles, particularly the wood-borers 

 and May beetles, both of which classes of insects are capable of doing great injury 

 if suffered to become too numerous. Grasshoppers also form a considerable article 

 of this bird's diet. The good qualities of this little owl cannot be overestimated. 

 Its food consists entirely of such creatures as are most injurious to the crops, and 

 it has not a single evil habit. It should, therefore, be carefully pi elected and 

 encouraged to take up its abode in and about the farm buildings. This I believe 

 it would readily do if it was left unmolested. All it asks in return for its valu- 

 able services, is peace and quiet, and a dark corner to roost in during the day. 



The Great Gray Owl, the Snowy Owl, the Hawk Owl, Richardson's Owl and 

 the Saw- whet Owl are only irregular visitors, usually occuring in the winter. The 

 two first named are large birds whose food consists chiefly of game birds when 

 in their northern home ; here they feed upon the small rodents. 



The island and sandbar to the south of Toronto is usually visited by a few 

 Snowy Owls every winter. Here the birds feed upon the common house rats 

 which are altogether too abundant at this spot. As every owl of any kind that 

 visits the place is at once shot the rats, having it all their own way, are increasing 

 rapidly. 



The Hawk Owl hunts by day on the prairies of the Northwest, and where it 

 occurs in sufficient numbers it must do much good by the destruction of meadow 

 mice. Its visits to us are so rare, however, that it need not be considered here. 



Richardson's Owl and the Saw-whet Owl are two little owls that destroy 

 many mice and noxious insects, but are too rare to need further mention. 



