88 BRITISH LAND BIRDS. 



one of the most harmless, and even useful of the 

 feathered race. The immense number of vermin 

 it destroys is incredible ; and it thus preserves 

 the crops from one of their greatest dangers. 



A striking instance of the usefulness of owls in 

 this respect, occurred several years ago, in Somer- 

 setshire, when, in the course of the summer, a 

 countless host of mice having overrun the country 

 so as to threaten the destruction of vegetation, 

 their ravages were checked by the sudden arrival 

 of an assemblage of owls, which resorted from all 

 parts, in order to prey upon them. 



There are nine different species of owls, more 

 or less frequenting this country; four of which 

 have feathers on the sides of their heads, which 

 they raise so as to resemble ears or horns ; whence 

 they are called " horned owls." These appen- 

 dages, however, are neither ears nor horns, and 

 have nothing whatever to do with the real ear. 

 The other five species, being without these 

 feathers, are called "smooth headed." 



Of these nine species four are regular visitors ; 

 they are the barn, the ivy, the long-horned, and 

 the short-horned owl. The remaining five species 

 are accidental ; they are the eagle, tlie snowy, 

 the little, Tengmalm's, and Scop's owl. 



By far the most beautiful of these is the SNOWY 

 OWL, which may be fairly called, for its noble 



