BIRDS OF PREY 173 



presence of the white owls did not put any one out, 

 for the church was large, the population small, and 

 there was room for all. Their positions were quaint 

 enough at times, and yet their fancies seemed to me 

 to be quainter still. Sometimes an owl would be seen 

 sitting on the sill of one of the windows, gravely 

 examining one of the saints pictured in the fine old 

 stained glass. Then again you might see one resting 

 on the helmet of some long defunct old nobleman. 

 The plumes that once adorned it had crumbled to 

 dust, but it was graced once again for a brief space 

 by the pure plumage of the white owl. And more 

 than once have I seen one gravely considering the 

 Ten Commandments. In fact, they flew all over the 

 place and all over the people too. 



The sermons were never of the fire and brimstone 

 description ; the people there were not supposed to 

 do anything wrong save smuggling ; and in that they 

 were all interested to a greater or less degree in those 

 days. The glebe-farm, with its barns and large well- 

 filled stockyards, was close to the church. Wheat 

 and oats, peas and beans were not thrashed by 

 machinery at that time, and the owls found plenty of 

 food in and about the farmyard, and a sanctuary in 

 the church. The fisher lads who used to come home 

 over the downs when the boats had not been able to 



