WHITE, OR BARN OWL. 
127 
which, though large, they are scarcely noticeable; the nose is 
blunt; the colour of the back is dark brown, that of the belly 
hoary; the fur is long and extremely fine; the hind feet are 
placed very far back, and are also short; the eyes exceeding 
small. This mischievous creature is a great pest to the meadows, 
burrowing in them in every direction; but is particularly inju- 
rious to the imbankments raised along the river, perforating 
them in numerous directions, and admitting the water, which 
afterwards increases to dangerous breaches, inundating large ex- 
tents of these low grounds, and thus becoming the instruments 
of their own destruction. In their general figure they bear great 
resemblance to the common musk-rat, and, like them, swim 
and dive well. They feed on the bulbous roots of plants, and 
also on garlic, of which they are remarkably fond. * 
Another favourite prey of most of our Owls is the bat, one 
species of which is represented at fig. 4, as it hung during the 
day in the woods where I found it. This also appears to be a 
nondescript. The length of this bat, from the nose to the tip of 
the tail, is four inches; the tail itself is as long as the body, but 
generally curls up inwards; the general colour is a bright iron 
* As Wilson conjectured, tliis animal was a nondescript. It beinga Campagnol, 
it may be classed under the name of Jlrvicola Pennsylvanicus; as it is the same ani- 
mal which was introduced into my catalogue of Mammalia, under tliat trivial de- 
nomination. As far as our information extends, the female bi-ings forth only two 
young at a litter. Her two teats are inguinal; and the young, by holding on to 
them, ai-e transported by the mother whithersoever she goes — that is, when 
they are inclined to accompany her; when dragged along, their position is be- 
tween her hind legs; and she can run witli them hanging to her, as stated, 
with considerable swiftness. 
Dr. Leach, in the Zoological Miscellany, vol. i, p. 60, figured and described 
a Campagnol, which had been received fi’Om Hudson’s Bay. This animal, 
which was named .5. xanttiognalha, has been mistaken, by some naturalists, for 
the present species, which is not half its size: the Fulvous-cheeked Campag- 
nol measures, fi’om the tip of its nose to the base of its tail, at least nine inches, 
whilst the admeasurement of oui’s is not more than four inches. Dr. Leach’s 
description is too imperfect: it lacks those details which are essential in dis- 
criminating species. The size of his animal we infer from his figm’e, which he 
says is “ rather less than half of the natural size.” — G. Oi-d. 
