BARN OWLS. 



587 



Fig. 277. Barn Owl (Sirix /lammea, Yarrell). 



Nocturnals. The eggs, which are elliptical, are generally five in 

 number, sometimes six or seven, and are deposited in holes in 

 walls, or hollow places in rocks 

 and old trees ; but the bird does 

 not take the trouble to line these 

 holes with grass or leaves. It 

 is but seldom it takes posses- 

 sion of the nests of other birds, 

 although stories are told of its 

 driving away the Martins from 

 their retreats, and installing itself 

 therein, having first considerately 

 devoured the young. 



Children, women, and even 

 men who are silly enough to 

 believe in ghosts and sorcerers, 

 look upon the Barn Owl as a bird 

 of ill omen, and as a messenger 

 of death. All these prejudices are 

 really very foolish, for few birds are of more service. They destroy 

 a vast quantity of vermin which are injurious to agriculture, and 

 therefore have a good claim to protection. When the Owl has young 

 ones to feed, rats and mice are exterminated without either truce 

 or mercy. As rapidly as they can be caught they are carried 

 to the nest ; and each of the pellets of bone and hair which are 

 thrown up from its stomach is composed of at least six or seven 

 skeletons. Dr. Franklin collected, in the space of sixteen months, 

 a whole bushel measure of these pellets, all proceeding from a 

 couple of Barn Owls. 



Farmers are in error when they accuse the Barn Owl of destroy- 

 ing their Pigeons' eggs. The real culprits are the rats. When an 

 Owl makes its appearance in the vicinity of a dovecot, the proper 

 course of conduct is to give it a kind reception and to protect it, 

 for its only object in coming is to obtain shelter for a time, and, 

 during its stay, to destroy rats or mice, the real scourges of the 

 pigeon-house. 



When the Barn Owl finds a deficiency of food it has re- 

 course to fishing. It may then be seen diving perpendicularly 



