1 88 Bird -Lore 



475 more have been collected — 125, September 14, 1892, and 350, Janu- 

 ary 8, 1896, making in all a total of 675 'pellets.' Thus abundant material 

 has been carefully examined and found to contain the remains of 1,821 

 mammals, birds and batrachians, as shown in the following table: 



1,119 Meadow Voles 33 Short-tailed Shrews i Vesper Sparrow 



4 Pine Voles 21 Small Short-tailed Shrews lo Song Sparrows 



452 House Mice i Star-nosed Mole 4 Swamp Sparrows 



134 Common Rats 1 Brown Bat i Swallow 



I White-footed Mouse 2 Sora Rails i Warbler 



20 Jumping Mice 4 Bobolinks 6 Marsh Wrens 



I Rabbit 3 Red-winged Blackbirds 2 Spring Frogs 



A glance at this list will demonstrate to any thoughtful person the 

 immense value of this useful bird in keeping noxious rodents in check. 

 Moreover, judging from the species in the list, it may be seen that the 

 Barn Owl hunts almost exclusively in open country, such as cultivated 

 fields, meadows and marsh lands, where such pests do most damage. In 

 Germany, according to Dr. Bernard Altum (Journal f. Ornithologie, 1863, 

 pp. 43 and 217), the Barn Owl feeds extensively on shrews. In 703 'pel- 

 lets' a number only slightly greater than that which I examined, he found 

 remains of 1,579 shrews, an average of over two to each 'pellet,' while our 

 675 'pellets' contained only 54 shrews, an average of one skull to every 

 12/^ pellets. On the other hand, our material contained the remains of 

 2/^ mice to each 'pellet,' or 93 per cent of the whole mass. The birds, 

 which constitute about 4^ per cent of the Owl's food, are in the main 

 species of little economic importance." 



In the West the food of the Barn Owl consists very largely of pouched 

 gophers, a specially destructive mannual, also ground squirrels, rabbits and 

 insects. In the southern states large numbers of cotton rats are destroyed, 

 a fact which should be appreciated by every planter. 



This little tract is presented with the hope that every farmer or fruit- 

 grower who reads it will hereafter extend to the Barn Owl the protection 

 it so richly deserves. 



For additional valuable information regarding the Barn Owl, read the following: 'Life 

 Histories of North American Birds,' Bendire, Vol. I, pp. 325-328; 'Hawks and Owls 

 of the United States,' Illustrated, Fisher, pp. 132-139, and 'Leaflet No. 19, Royal Society 

 for the Protection of Birds, London, England.' 



