EXPERIENCES OF SPORT. 



CHAPTER I. 



OWLS A STRANGE WINTER NIGHT'S STORY. 



HESE birds are well known, and there 

 are many species ; but I intend 

 to confine myself merely to two 

 the barn owl, commonly called the 

 screech, or white owl, and the brown owl. Both 

 these species are generally destroyed by game- 

 keepers as vermin. What amount of mischief 

 the white owl does I am not prepared to say ; 

 but the brown owl I have seen take away young 

 rabbits and leverets. The softness and loose- 

 ness of the owls' plumage enables them to fly 

 without noise, and come on their quarry in a 

 most unexpected manner. I watched one brown 

 owl many nights before I could shoot him, and 







