OWLS AND FIELD MICE. IT 
Tin- Reverend Doctor Jacket, of VVindsheim, Bavaria, collected and 
examined u total of (>,512 pellets of the barn owl, In theni li<- identi 
ged skulls of 5,210 shrews and L4,790 rodents, of which 9,046 were 
Hicrotu*. Doctor Rorig more recently examined 1-1 pellets of barn 
owl ami in them identified 291 voles, 68 nan- mice, 35 shrews, and L3 
■narrows, n result more in harmonj with Doctor Fisher's tables. 
John Watson calculates thai each pair of owls*of this species while 
feeding their young capture at least K) mice per day. Once he found 
m> fewer than 17 recently killed field mice on the side of a barn owl's 
nest which contained 5 young owls.' The late Edward Newman 
stated that everj owl of this species is worth £5 per year to the British 
nat ion. 
The long-eared owl (Asic wUsonianns) is distributed throughout 
temperate North America, except the treeless plains. It is a constant 
resident over most of its range, and it- usefulness in the destruction of 
mice continues throughout the year. Of the L07 stomachs examined 
by Doctor Fisher, 1 contained a < jua i 1 : L5, other birds; 84, mice; 5, 
other mammals ; L, insects; and L5wereempty. Of the 84 containing 
mice, H> contained specimens positively identified as meadow and 
pine mice. About 50 pellet- cast up by long-eared owls contained 
L76 skulls, representing 93 meadow mice. L9 pine mice, 23 other mice, 
26 -lnvw s, and L3 small birds. 
The long-eared owl (Asio otus) of the Old World has a similar 
record. I doctor Rorig made L08 stomach examinations of this species. 
In the stomachs he identified 20 small birds, 1 weasel, 2 bats, I s 
shrews, 29 true mice. 11 bank voles (Evotomys), and 365 field mice 
(Microtus). Nine stomachs contained insect-. Eighty-four per cent 
Of the birds had eaten mice. A single stomach contained L2 field 
mice. 
In 142 pellet- of 1. otus examined by Doctor Altum, he found 3 
small birds, 2 shrews, 14 true mice. 12 hank roles, and 259 voles I 1 M. 
amphibius, 65 M. agrestis, and L93 M. arvalis: Doctor Rorig ex- 
amined 1,053 pellets of long-eared owl and found remain- of 1 1 small 
birds, 1 frog, 2 mole-. 29 shrews, 22 true mice. L5 bank vole-, and 
1.7<">| voles. Selby found 5 mice in a single stomach of this species. 
The short-eared owl (Asio accipitrinus) is probably the greatest 
enemy of field mice. It figures in many historical account- of vole 
plagues in England and on the Continent. Holinshed's Chronicle 
closes the account of voles in Danesey Hundred, of the countj of 
Zoologische Garten, vol. 15, p. 169, 1874. 
Arl». Biol. Abteilung fur Land- and Forstwlrtechaft, IV Band, 1 Heft. 
pp. 102-104, 1903. 
"Ornithology in Relation to Agriculture and Horticulture, p. 12, London, 1893, 
* Hardwicke's Science Gossip, vol. 29, i»i». 89-90, 1893. 
•Journal fur Oruituologie. vol. 12, i>i>. 42U-4:i4. 1864. 
