XI 



TAWNY OWL 



SHORT time ago I was speaking to a Welsh 

 farmer about Owls. He told me that they some- 

 times bred on his land, and he had found them 

 nesting in rabbit burrows. Then he added that 

 they were nasty birds to have about a farm, and 

 it was his custom whenever he found a nest to wait until the 

 old birds were at home, and placing nets around the burrow, he 

 would catch and kill the inmates. I am afraid that even at the 

 present day there are farmers quite as ignorant as my Welsh 

 friend ; and when I explained to him that the Brown Owl was 

 positively the most useful bird that he could have on his land, he 

 was exceedingly surprised, and could hardly believe that they 

 captured such large quantities of moles, mice, rats, and sparrows. 



The Tawny Owl is often very plucky if the nest is approached 

 when it contains young, and I have been attacked by the enraged 

 mother, and have known many cases of others being struck. 

 Perhaps one of the most amusing instances of this Owl attacking 

 a person occurred in a certain Welsh lane. A clergyman was 

 going home one dark night, when something suddenly struck him 

 from behind. Being somewhat clever with his fists he instantly 

 threw off his hat, turned round, put up his arms in fighting 

 attitude, and with a few words encouraged his supposed antagonist 

 to ' come on ' ; but he didn't come, and there was no sound to 



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