108 HALF-HOURS IN THE GREEN LANES. 



crow's nest. Kestrels seem to be most numerous 

 during the late summer, when the hay is stacked 

 and the corn carried ; and, as this is the season when 

 the field-mice and meadow-mice would then take up 

 their comfortable quarters for the winter in such 

 store-houses, the kestrels do great good to the 

 farmer by keeping them down. In this efficient 

 work they are ably joined by the Barn Owl. If you 

 are out in the dusky part of the evening you may 

 see the latter bird silently sweeping over the 

 meadows and fields, a foot or two above the ground, 

 mouse-hunting. It flits across the lane like a white 

 ghost, and almost startles you by its sudden nearness. 

 If you examine one of these birds you cannot but 

 admire the soft plumage, which renders their flight 

 almost noiseless. It is singularly in contrast with 

 the stiff feathers of those birds of prey that affect 

 the daytime. But it is not difficult to see that if 

 the owls had a similar plumage to the hawks, it 

 would be in vain for them to go out mousing. Our 

 field mice are amongst the most active, as well as 

 the most timid of mammals, and the slightest sound 

 would cause them to hide up. Possibly, such a 

 ramble as that just supposed may make you ac- 

 quainted with the short-eared owl (Strix brachyotus), 

 especially if your walk is towards the end of September. 

 In the south of England this bird then makes its first 

 appearance to stay for the winter; but there is 

 reason to believe that in some parts of this country 

 it abides the whole year round. It is only in the 



