36 WITHIN AN HOUR OF LONDON TOWN. 



strong enough to move the clouds, still heavy and 

 dark with moisture, across the face of the moon, 

 which at one moment shines brightly, and the next 

 is obscured. The mice come out of the stack by 

 ways and means known only to themselves, to drink 

 of the raindrops hanging on the thatch. The long- 

 eared owl knows of this. It is not drink that he 

 requires, but food, and this is how he gets it. 

 Dashing with hawk-like flight from the woods into 

 the rickyard, like a snipe, he twists and turns in 

 all directions, upwards, downwards, and sideways. 

 The quantity of mice he destroys must be very 

 great ; with a gulp one is gone. Perhaps the tip 

 of its tail may be seen wriggling out of his mouth, 

 nothing more. 



It is my firm opinion that mice are at times a 

 vital necessity to owls. Those that I have had 

 have receive4 every possible attention ; they have 

 not been caged, but have been allowed to have 

 their liberty inside the house. This has been their 

 bill of fare : perfectly fresh raw beef, not too much 

 of it ; half-cooked liver and lights, rats, mice, and 

 birds, principally sparrows, young and old. To 

 them, any of the finch family have been accept- 



