16 BRITISH BIRDS’ EGGS. 
Famity STRIGIDEA. 
BARN OWL. 
Srrix FLAMMEA Linn. 
Pl. V., figs. 1, 2. 
Geogr. distr.—Widely throughout Europe, India to Burmah, 8. 
Africa ; southward to Australia and N. and 8. America; common and 
resident in England, Ireland, and Wales; less common towards the 
north of Scotland. 
Food.—Insects, mice, shrews, rats, bats, and small birds. 
Nest.—A mere hole. 
Position of nest.—In holes in trees, deserted dove-cotes, upon 
walls under eaves, in barns, old ruins, towers, and steeples of 
churches. 
Number of eggs.—5-6. 
Time of nidification —IV-XI; end of April and May. 
This bird rears several broods in the year; it has been 
known to nest and rear its young in confinement ; it feeds 
chiefly on mice, and therefore is one of the farmer’s best 
friends. 
Speaking of the long intervals which occur in the laying 
of a clutch of eggs of this and the other species of Owls, 
Hewitson says, “ The Owls do not deposit their eggs as 
other birds for the most part do, in regular daily suc- 
cession.” I am satisfied, however, that this statement 
requires considerable modification, and that the regularity 
of the deposit varies with the weather; thus in cold, wet 
weather I have found, in not a few instances, in the case of 
buntings, finches, and other usually regular birds, that 
only two eggs have been deposited in a week.* 
The eggs of Owls are, as a rule, more orbicular than 
those of other birds, but I have seen several of those of 
the Barn Owl similar in shape to that of my second 
figure; the latter was drawn from one of a clutch, all 
of the same elongated form, and was given to me by a 
friend who took it from the nest. 
As the Barn Owl is not given to hooting, but only to 
screaming, it has earned the name of the Screech Owl; 
when in confinement it cannot bear the eye of man, but 
becomes restive when stared at, turns away, and if per- 
sistently watched hops about and screams irritably. 
* Hewitson himself quotes an instance of the nest of the Barn Owl 
being found with six eggs (the full clutch). 
