56 FIELD-NOTES FOR THE YEAR. CH. XXIV. 



CHAPTEE XXIV. 



DECEMBER. 



Owls; destruction of Mice by them Frogs Snakes Roe- 

 bucks Fondness of Birds for Sunshine Loch of Spynie 

 Habits of Wild-fowl ; rapidity of their flight Retrievers 

 The Otter ; shooting of, by night Eley's Cartridges Wild- 

 swans Accidents in Shooting Variety of Country in 

 Moray Forres ; public Walks of Rabbits Foxes Immi- 

 gration of Birds Conclusion. 



DURING the clear frosty nights of this month we 

 hear the owls hooting for hours together in the old 

 ash- trees around the house. Occasionally they used 

 to be caught in the pole-traps set for hawks, but the 

 poor fellows looked so pitiable as they sat upright, 

 held by the legs, that I took down all these traps, 

 which were set near the house. And the owl is far 

 more a friend than an enemy to man : the mischief 

 he does to game is very trifling ; but the service he 

 is of to the gardener, the farmer, and even to the 

 planter of forest trees, by destroying rats and mice, 

 is incalculable. I have a great liking, too, for the 

 quaint, old-fashioned looking bird, and by no means 

 believe him to be the 



" Ignavus bubo, dirum mortalibus omen." 



