STRIGID^E. 31 



plumage renders the movement of the wings as noiseless as 

 possible. The food of Owls consists of mice, frogs, and 

 other small terrestrial vertebrata, small birds, fish in some 

 instances, and insects. The number of small mammalia 

 which Owls destroy, and which, unchecked in their increase, 

 would prove a serious injury to the cultivators of the soil, 

 renders these birds valuable to man. 



THE WHITE, OR, BARN OWL. Strix flammed,. The pre- 

 sent is the most common species in the British Islands, and 

 the only one which frequents ruined and deserted buildings, 

 the spires of churches, the pigeon cot, or the watch tower; 

 in these, with barns, chimneys, and other suitable situations, 

 it constructs its nest of slender sticks, lined with grasses or 

 straws, wool or hair being seldom used. The eggs are 

 rather of a rounded form, pure white, and usually two or 

 three in number, although in some instances the female is 

 known to lay a second time before the young are able to 

 leave the nest. The Barn, or Screech Owl usually breeds 

 early, but Mr. Waterton mentions having met with two 

 broods of young, the one in September, arid the other as 

 late as December. 



The number of mice which this Owl destroys is very great. 

 When it has young, it will bring a mouse to the nest about 



