APRIL 99 



greatly dilated, so as to catch the slightest ray of light, 

 which causes the bird to be purblind in daylight. 

 Lastly, nearly all owls have a peculiarity in their outer 

 toes, which are reversible, and may be used either 

 backwards or forwards, a notable advantage in dealing 

 with a darting mouse. 



Such being the special machinery with which this 

 bird of ravin is equipped, how does he use it ? Does 

 he prey on the farmer's young poultry or the game- 

 keeper's young pheasants ? I have not the slightest 

 doubt that if, and when, one of these comes in his 

 way, the owl will pounce on it and enjoy it mightily. 

 But young chicks are not, or ought not to be, abroad 

 in the night, which is the only time that most kinds of 

 owl can hunt ; indeed, at such times there is very little 

 moving abroad for him to catch except rats, mice, bats, 

 moles, and large beetles. So it came to pass when, a few 

 years ago, Dr. Altum, a German naturalist, set to work 

 to examine the pelts of owls (the indigestible parts of 

 its food which the bird has the power of disgorging 

 after the rest has been digested), he arrived at a result 

 which exactly coincides with what might have been 

 expected. First he reported on the tawny owl (Strix 

 striduld), known to everybody by his hooting the 

 species which gamekeepers will tell you bears the 

 worst reputation of all for poaching. Of this kind 

 Dr. Altum examined 210 pelts, which yielded the 

 remains of 1 stoat (let gamekeepers set that to Strix's 

 credit !), 6 rats, 371 mice, 48 moles, 18 small birds, and 

 many beetles and cockchafers. Still more remarkable 



