OWL EXTERMINATORS 149 



The White or Barn-Owl is said by superstitious 

 country folk to give forth its weird cry outside the 

 window of a room in which there lies a dying 

 person. 



On a light summer night this Owl may often be 

 seen quartering the meadows with great regularity ; 

 and at times it will hover in a similar way to the 

 Kestrel. 1 once watched one as he flew over some 

 arable land on such a night as that mentioned. 

 He rose and flew about twenty feet above-ground, 

 and proceeded slowly a short distance ; stopped 

 and hovered for nearly half a minute ; then, with 

 closed wings, dropped to earth ; a sharp squeak 

 was heard, followed by a short scuffle and the Owl 

 flew away with a victim in its talons. 



The Barn-Owl breeds in many places round 

 about our district, and two years ago the Tawny 

 Owl was increasing in numbers until most, if not 

 all, were trapped by a gamekeeper, to whom I 

 referred in a preceding chapter. A neighbouring 

 gamekeeper once proudly told me, that there had 

 not been a Hawk or an Owl in his wood that was 

 not immediately shot for a great many years ; and 

 although he looked after a good-sized tract of 

 woodland I believe he spoke the truth, as I have 

 never seen a sign of either species in that quarter 

 during my rambles. 



