14 BIRDS OF THE HUMBER DISTRICT. 



mouse or bird was captured it was taken to the 

 projecting stone sill of one of the " picking-holes " 

 at the north end of the barn, overlooking the 

 Humber, and there quietly eaten. From the large 

 collection of mice-remnants found near this place, 

 these destructive vermin must have had a bad time 

 of it. My man, who lives at this farm, said he con- 

 sidered the Owl " far before any cat." 



When kept in confinement, or at large in a gra- 

 nary, which I have done on two or three occasions, 

 I have observed that they invariably perch with two 

 toes only to the front, the outer toe being turned to 

 the rear. 



I have no positive evidence of the Short-eared 

 Owl remaining to nest with us, but have little doubt 

 that this is occasionally the case. In 1870 a pair 

 remained all through the summer, in one of the reedy 

 plantations near the Aylesby " beck," where I also 

 saw several early in the autumn, and have often been 

 surprised at finding those Owls near this place some 

 time before the usual period of the autumnal migra- 

 tion. Mr. More says, on the authority of Mr. A. S. 

 Bell, that the nest has been once or twice taken 

 near Scarborough. 



23. STRIX FLAMMEA, Linnseus. Barn-Owl. 

 Provincial. White Owl, Church-Owl, Meg-Owl, Screech-Owl. 

 Generally distributed, but not as commonly met 

 with as formerly. 



