26 ACCIPITRES. STRIGIDuE. 



British islands, and is spread over Europe, with 

 the exception of the extreme northern regions. 

 Though viewed with some prejudice, it is a very 

 useful bird, preying nearly, if not quite, exclu- 

 sively, on the small quadrupeds, rats, mice, and 

 voles, that are so annoying and injurious by their 

 depredations. Its habit of retiring into holes and 

 crevices by day occasionally leads it to resort to 

 the pigeon-house, the little caverns of which must 

 present an inviting appearance to this darkness- 

 loving bird ; hence it is often accused of preying 

 upon the young pigeons, and crimes are laid to its 

 charge which have been really committed by other 

 birds, or by rats. Mr. Waterton observes, that 

 "if this useful bird caught its food by day, in- 

 stead of hunting for it by night, mankind would 

 have ocular demonstration of its utility in thin- 

 ning the country of mice, and it would be pro- 

 tected and encouraged everywhere. When it has 

 young it will bring a mouse to the nest every 

 twelve or fifteen minutes ; . . . formerly I could 

 get very few young pigeons till the rats were ex- 

 cluded from the dove-cot; since that took place 

 it has produced a great abundance every year, 

 though the Barn Owls frequent it, and are en- 

 couraged all round it;" and he adds, that the 

 pigeons do not regard it "as a bad or suspicious 

 character." 



Mr. Thompson, in a pleasing account of a Barn 

 Owl that had built in a dove-cot, confirms this 

 view of its innocence and usefulness. " The 

 White Owl," he observes, " is a well-known 

 visitor to the dove-cot, .... and in such a place, 

 or rather a loft appropriated to pigeons, in the 

 town of Belfast, .... a pair once had their 



