64 WILD SPURTS OF THK HIGHLANDS. [cuaP. VII. 
CHAPTER VII. 
Short-eared Owl: Habits of—Long-eared Owl— Tame Owl— White Owl— 
Utility of Owls—Mice—Rats: Destructiveness of—Water Rats: Food of 
—Killing Rats—Ratcatchers. 
Amoncest the migratory birds that pass the winter in this coun- 
try is the short-eared owl, Séryx brachyotus: it arrives in 
October, sometimes in flights of some number. I have heard 
from perfectly good authority of sixteen or seventeen of these 
birds having been found in one turnip-field on the east coast, 
evidently having just arrived. It is a long-winged bird, and 
more active in its manner of flight than most of the other owls, 
nor is it so completely nocturnal. I saw one of this kind hunt- 
ing a rushy field and regularly beating it for prey at midday. 
The owl] was so intent on his pursuit that he flew straight in 
my direction and nearly close to me before he observed me. 
When he did so, he darted off with great quickness and with a 
most hawk-like flight, but too late to escape. I killed him 
(though it is against my usual rule to shoot at an owl) because 
he appeared to me to be of a different species from any with 
which I was acquainted. Before I shot him he had put up and 
made a dash at a snipe, but did not follow up his pursuit, pro- 
bably perceiving that it would be useless. I have very frequently 
flushed this kind of owl in rushes, furze, and other low cover. 
When put up, instead of being distressed and confused by the 
light of the sun, he flies boldly and steadily away. Sometimes 
I have seen one, when put up, rise high in the air and fly 
straight away until I could no longer distinguish him. 
The owls that breed here are the long-eared owl, the tawney 
owl, and the barn-owl: the latter, though so common in Eng- 
land, is by far the rarest in this country. 
The long-eared owl is a fine bold bird, and his bright yellow 
eye gives him a peculiarly handsome appearance: altogether he 
is of a lighter make and more active than the other owls; they 
