IBO PROTECTION AGAINST ANIMALS. 



affords means of escape when pursued by a rat, or other 

 enemy. 



A limited protection may also be afforded Avhen mice are 

 swarming, to the fox {Canis vidpes, L.), the pine-marten 

 (Mustelainartes, L.), the beech-marten {Mastela f oina, Briss.) 

 and the wild cat {Felis cat us, L.), in spite of the damage they 

 may do to game. A full-grown fox will eat two or three 

 dozen mice daily, and in S. Sweden, where foxes are numerous, 

 there are no plagues of mice. 



Birds.* 



The following birds are extremely useful in destroying 

 mice : — The kestrel {Falco tinnunculus, L.) ; the buzzards, 

 especially the common buzzard (Buteo vnUjaris, Leach) ; 

 owls, especially the long-eared and short-eared owls {Otus 

 vulgaris, Flemm., and 0. hrachyotus, Cuv.) ; also, the tawny 

 owl {Syriiium Ahico, Boie), the little owl {Carine noctua, 

 Scopoli), and the barn-owl {Strix flaiiunea, L.). To these 

 may be added the hen-harrier and the marsh-harrier {Circus 

 cyancus and C. dcruginosus). Mr. Tegetmeier states that a 

 pair of barn-owls brought food to their nest 5 times in three 

 hours. This probably meant 150 mice in 4^ hours. The 

 short-eared owl limits mice in day-time and appeared in 

 Scotland in large numbers during the plague of mice. 



The rook {Corvus frwjUcgus, L.) kills mice, especially in 

 the autumn, so do the black crow (C. corone, Lam.) and the 

 hooded crow {C. comix, L.), which are sometimes said to be 

 varieties of the same species and to interbreed freely. The 

 above three species of Corvus occasionally attack acorn.-sow- 

 ings, and break off the leading shoots of conifers, and the 

 crow does much damage by eating the eggs of partridges and 

 other birds, but on the whole their utility is greater than 

 their destructiveness. 



Herons {Ardea cinerea) and storks (Ciconia idha, L.) occa- 

 sionally feed on mice, and so does the black-headed gull 

 {Larus ridibluidus, L.). 



* The scientific names for binls follow Yanell, " British Birds," 4tli cilition. 

 Kevised by A. Newton, F.U.S., and II. Saunders, 1874— 8.">. 



