668 
Wild Birds Usefid and Injurious, 
stout stake driven perpendicularly into the ground ; advantage 
being taken of the fact that many birds are fond of alighting 
on such a position. Very few really mischievous birds are 
captured by this device, but on the other hand many of the 
most harmless and interesting species fall victims to it ; one 
pole-trap alone having, to my knowledge, in a short space of 
time, caused the mutilation and death of two owls, two night- 
jars, and a squirrel. Of the intense cruelty of these and all 
steel traps it is perhaps futile to speak, because they appear to 
be a necessary evil until someone is ingenious enough to devise 
an equally simple and efficacious, but less barbarous, means of 
keeping down the numbers of rats and rabbits. 
The Barn-owl, White-owl, or Screech-owl (Aluco Jlammeus), 
may be recognised (fig. 3) by its white breast and buff-coloured 
upper parts, beautifully flecked with grey. Its whole length is 
about fourteen inches. It shows a particular predilection for 
barns and other buildings, in which it frequently rears its 
young, choosing some convenient nook for the pui-pose, though 
it also nests in hollow trees and other situations. In its time of 
nesting and in the production of its eggs it is somewhat erratic, 
for young birds have been found at nearly all seasons, and the 
nestlings of the same brood often vary considerably in size, 
showing that the eggs were laid at irregular intervals. 
Though it is not till dusk that the barn-owl usually comes 
forth to procure food for itself or its young ones, I have 
frequently seen it hunting during daylight, even in brilliant 
sunshine ; a habit well known to those who are familiar with this 
interesting species. It subsists mainly on mice and shrews, 
including the destructive little vole or, as it is more com- 
monly called, the short-tailed field-mouse. It is interesting 
to watch the old birds bringing food to their nestlings ; the 
outline of their prey can be clearly seen against the evening sky, 
and the frequency with which they visit their young is very 
suggestive of the numbers of mice destroyed. The quantity of 
these small devastating animals thus consumed is indeed enor- 
mous ; and, even if the barn-owl were mischievous in other 
ways — which it is not, — its very great services in keeping down 
an enemy, capable of such wholesale destruction, should cause 
it to be rigidly protected throughout the year. 
Its diet is frequently vai'ied with rats, moles, and water- 
rats, whilst bats, large insects, and even fish are also sought 
for, and no doubt give pleasing variety to the bill of fare. Small 
birds are occasionally taken, but not often ; thus, in the exami- 
nation of 706 pellets. Dr. Altum found the remains of nineteen 
sparrows, one greenfinch, and two swifts. I recently found the 
