254 VERTEBRATA. AVES. 



upon the various species of field mice and voles, 

 that so largely consume the harvest of the husband- 

 man. White says, " About an hour before sunset, 

 (for then the mice begin to run,) they sally forth in 

 quest of prey, and hunt all round the hedges of 

 meadows and small enclosures for them, which seem 

 to be their only food. In this irregular country, we 

 can stand on an eminence and see them beat the 

 fields over like a setting-dog, and often drop down in 

 the grass or corn. I have minuted these birds, with 

 my watch, for an hour together, and have found that 

 they return to their nest, the one or the other of 

 them, about once in five minutes; reflecting, at the 

 same time, on the adroitness that every animal is pos- 

 sessed of, as far as regards the well-being of itself 

 and offspring."* Mr. Jenyns also confirms the ac- 

 curacy of this statement, from his own observa- 

 tion. Thus, it appears that our commonest species, 

 the Barn or Screech Owl (S. Flammed], the one 

 alluded to above, is a most industrious and valu- 

 able friend of the farmer, and deserving of far 

 more respect and consideration than it receives. 

 Looked upon with contempt, as a stupid insensible 

 creature, or regarded with a superstition still more 

 degrading, as the harbinger of mischief and death, 

 the poor Owl obtains no quarter when it unfor- 

 tunately falls into the merciless hands of the vulgar, 

 who, with a blindness to their own interest by no 

 means unusual, destroy friends as if enemies. Its 

 sad and wailing cry, uttered in the silence of the 

 * Nat. Hist. Selb. Jenyns' Ed. p. 206. 



