262 REMINISCEXCES OF A SPORTSMAX. 



pounce on his prey, encircle them with his wings, and 

 grasp them in his sharp and powerful claws, when their 

 death instantly follows. The enormous rate at which 

 mice increase when their active enemies — owls, storks, 

 weasels — are unable to get at them will be seen from 

 the following story : — ■ 



" On a recent occasion the tenant of Hurland, in the 

 island of Stronsa, had occasion to take down ten stacks 

 of here to be thrashed. On the first being demolished, 

 it was found to contain an enormous number of mice, so 

 much so that the parties engaged had quite a field da}'' 

 in slaughtering the animals, many of which succeeded in 

 escaping. Additional dogs and men, the" latter armed 

 with sticks and other instruments of murder and torture, 

 were then obtained to assist in despatching the squatters 

 in the remaining nine stacks ; and at the close of the 

 work of destruction, which occupied several days, it was 

 found that the slain amounted to no less than the in- 

 credible number of 3410, besides an immense quantity 

 the dogs devoured and those that escaped during the 

 assault." 



In consequence of the great ravages made by the 

 rats and mice on his tenant's stacks, the landlord 

 gave orders to his gamekeeper to cease for a time waging 

 war against the owls and the ground vermin. 



Although owls, like rooks, destroy some game, still the 

 benefit derived by the farmer affords a balance in their 

 favour. Eooks certainly make attacks on the corn in 

 harvest time, and when the wheat is sown ; but watch 

 them following the plough, how they devour the wire- 

 worm, slugs, grubs, and other mischievous insects. 



