AMERICAN BARN OWL. 223 



in Canada. In May, 1882, a specimen was killed by young Mr. 

 Reid, gardener, York Street, Hamilton, and in the fall of the same 

 year another was found in an empty outhouse near the canal leading 

 to Dundas. On calling the attention of Dr. Gamier, of Lucknow, to 

 these facts, he mentioned having seen one several years before, near 

 where he lives, and from Mr. C. J. Bampton comes a report of his 

 having seen two individuals near Sault Ste. Marie. Compared with 

 the British Barn Owl, the American species is a little larger, but by 

 many they are regarded as identical. The British bird is noted for 

 its partiality to ruinous church towers and other lonely places. 

 Strange to say, Mr. Reid's specimen was killed in the cemetery, 

 while one of those seen by Mr. Bampton was perched on the cross on 

 the spire of the Catholic church. 



The Barn Owl has a sharp, inquisitive visage, and is said to be an 

 expert mouser. In Ontario it can only be regarded as an accidental 

 visitor from the south v 



No recent instance of the occurrence of this species in Ontario has 

 come to my knowledge. We are farther to the north than its usual 

 habitat. In the south, it is quite common across the continent, from 

 the Atlantic to the Pacific coast, its centre of abundance being, appar- 

 ently, in southern California. Its food consists almost entirely of 

 rats, mice, gophers, and other destructive little mammals, which leads 

 one to expect that it would be placed in Class a, as entirely bene- 

 ficial, but for some reason, not apparent, it is included in Class b, 

 among those whose good work is greater than the reverse. This 

 rank entitles our friend to exemption from the persecution which is 

 accorded to all our birds of prey, a practice we hope to see entirely 

 changed in the near future. This is the bird we find so often alluded 

 to in the superstitions of the old land poets and historians, ancient 

 and modern, all associating his name with evil. 



Shakespeare frequently refers to the Owl as a bird of evil repute. 

 For instance, in speaking of the omens which preceded the death of 

 Cresar, Casca says : 



" And yesterday, the bird of night did sit 

 Even at noonday upon the market-place, 

 Hooting and shrieking." 



In Burns' account of that memorable midnight ride, when Thomas 

 Graham, of the farm of Shanter, was privileged to get a glimpse of 

 the proceedings of a social science meeting of the moving spirits of 

 the time, the farmer's progress homeward is thus described : 

 " Kirk Allowa was drawin' nigh, 

 Whaur ghaists and hoolets nichtly cry. " 



