WHITE, OR BARN OWL. 127 



which, though large, they are scarcely noticeable; the nose is 

 blunt; the colour of the back is dark brown, that of the belly 

 hoary; the fur is long and extremely fine; the hind feet are 

 placed very far back, and are also short; the eyes exceeding 

 small. This mischievous creature is a great pest to the meadows, 

 burrowing in them in every direction; but is particularly inju- 

 rious to the imbankments raised along the river, perforating 

 them in numerous directions, and admitting the water, which 

 afterwards increases to dangerous breaches, inundating large ex- 

 tents of these low grounds, and thus becoming the instruments 

 of their own destruction. In their general figure they bear great 

 resemblance to the common musk-rat, and, like them, swim 

 and dive well. They feed on the bulbous roots of plants, and 

 also on garlic, of which they are remarkably fond.* 



Another favourite prey of most of our Owls is the bat, one 

 species of which is represented at fig. 4, as it hung during the 

 day in the woods where I found it. This also appears to be a 

 nondescript. The length of this bat, from the nose to the tip of 

 the tail, is four inches; the tail itself is as long as the body, but 

 generally curls up inwards; the general colour is a bright iron 



* As Wilson conj ectured, this animal was a nondescript. It being a Campagnol, 

 it may be classed under the name of rfrvicola Pennsylvanicus; as it is the same ani- 

 mal which was introduced into my catalogue of Mammalia, under that trivial de- 

 nomination. As far as our information extends, the female brings forth only two 

 young- at a litter. Her two teats are inguinal; and the young, by holding on to 

 them, are transported by the mother whithersoever she goes that is, when 

 they are inclined to accompany her; when dragged along, their position is be- 

 tween her hind legs; and she can run with them hanging to her, as stated, 

 with considerable swiftness. 



Dr. Leach, in the Zoological Miscellany, vol. i, p. 60, figured and described 

 a Campagnol, which had been received from Hudson's Bay. This animal, 

 which was named Jl. xanthognatha, has been mistaken, by some naturalists, for 

 the present species, which is not half its size: the Fulvous-cheeked Campag- 

 nol measures, from the tip of its nose to the base of its tail, at least nine inches, 

 whilst the admeasurement of ours is not more than four inches. Dr. Leach's 

 description is too imperfect: it lacks those details which are essential in dis- 

 criminating species. The size of his animal we infer from his figure, which he 

 says is " rather less than half of the natural size." G. Ord. 



