1922.] The Barn-Owl. 927 



The Barn-Owl is common and resident throughout Great 

 Britain and Ireland, though it is less numerous in tlie north of 

 Scotland. It is strictly nocturnal, remaining asleep during the 

 daytime in old ruins, bams, church towers and other buildings, 

 and occasionally in the hollows of trees. At dusk it flies abroad, 

 seeking its sheltered retreat as day breaks. If unmolested it 

 frequents inhabited places, indeed seems to prefer the vicinity 

 of houses, etc., to the open country. 



FI5-. 2. — Diagram showing percentages of food consumed. 



The call " is a loud, harsh, and most weird-sounding shriek 

 which is more frequently uttered during the pairing season than 

 at any other time ; and early in the evening, when the bird com- 

 mences its nocturnal peregrinations, the cry is most often 

 heard." 



Its eggs, 3 to 6 in number in a clutch, are laid at intervals 

 of indefinite duration, and several broods are reared in the year, 

 fi'om the middle of April onwards. The eggs are pure white, 

 somewhat dull, without any gloss, and shghtly elongated. 



Practically every investigator who has inquired into the feeding 

 habits of the Barn-Owl has acclaimed it as one of the birds most 

 beneficial to the farmer and landowner ; it is therefore to be 



