﻿Beneficial to Agriculture. 17 



also rats, bats, birds, reptiles, fish and insects. During the four 

 years 1888-91 in the lowlands of Scotland the common Field 

 Vole (Microtus agrestis) multiplied to such an extent as to become 

 a plague. These, being the favourite food of the Short-eared Owl, 

 attracted great numbers of these birds, which completely cleared 

 them off. Other similar instances in different parts of the country 

 have been observed. Such plagues are attributed to the scarcity 

 of owls brought about by their destruction by gamekeepers. 



The upper part of the plumage of this useful bird is deep buff, 

 blotched and streaked with dark brown ; the wings and tail 

 broadly barred with brown, the latter tipped with white; the 

 erectile ear-tufts are short, being only about f inch long ; the 

 facial disk buff, with a brown rim and feathers surrounding the eyes 

 black ; under-parts ochreous-buff, streaked longitudinally with 

 dusky-brown ; biU and claws black ; irides golden-yellow ; legs 

 and toes covered with feathers. The female is slightly larger than 

 the male. 



TAWNY OWL. 

 Syrnium aluco. 



The Tawny Owl, also known as the Wood-Owl or Hooter, is 

 greatly persecuted by keepers, in the belief that it is destructive to 

 game chicks, a belief not founded on fact, as may be proved by the 

 examination of the pellets cast up of the indigestible portions of 

 the food. This consists chiefly of rats, mice, voles, moles and 

 insects. The result of an examination of 210 pellets — as stated in 

 Yarrell's British Birds, Fourth Edition— revealed the remains of 

 6 rats, 42 mice, 296 voles, 33 shrews, 48 moles, 18 small birds, a 

 countless number of cockchafers, and 48 other beetles, a sufficient 

 proof of the good rendered by this owl to agriculture. The harm 

 done to game is trifling. Undoubtedly a young partridge or rabbit 

 may be occasionally taken, but even the harm thus caused is 

 nothing in comparison to the good done by this most useful bird 

 in the destruction of innumerable pests noxious to farmers and 

 gardeners alike. The Tawny Owl's diet is also varied by earth- 

 worms and sometimes small fish. 



Although an imaginary enemy to the gamekeeper, this fine bird 

 still holds its own, and is plentiful in the more densely wooded 

 districts, and is generally distributed over England, Wales and 



