THE BARN-OWL. 
labourers, employed to watch a fish-pond in the flower-garden, 
was not believed. This pond contained several gold and silver 
fish, which were observed to diminish in number, and it was 
suspected that the pond had been poached, and other persons 
were therefore appointed to watch ; when, lo ! the poachers 
proved to be owls, which alighted on the edge of the water, 
and there awaited the approach of the fish ; as soon as these 
came within reach, they were captured and devoured. This 
testimony has since been corroborated by another witness, 
who, at twilight in July, happened to be standing on the 
middle of a bridge, watching an owl carrying mice to its nest, 
when suddenly he observed it to drop perpendicularly into the 
water. At first he thought it had met with an accident, or 
had been seized with some sort of fit; but before he could 
reach the end of the bridge in search of a boat, he saw it rise 
out of the water with a fish in its claws, and convey it to its 
nest.” 
The great snowy owl is eaten by the native Indians and the 
European residents in the fur countries. The flesh is said to 
be white and well-flavoured. 
THE BARN-OWL. 
This bird is common in England and Ireland, but less 
common in Scotland. It is found in Denmark, but is said 
not to inhabit Sweden or Norway ; it is generally spread over 
temperate Europe, and extends in Africa from the north to the 
Cape of Good Hope ; it is likewise found in India, Japan, and 
Australia. 
In England it is known as the barn-owl, the white owl, the 
church-owl, the gillihowlet, the howlet, the madge-howlet, the 
madge-owl, the hissing-owl, and the screech-owl. The upper 
parts are bright yellowish, varied with grey and brown zig-zag 
lines, and sprinkled with a multitude of small whitish dots ; face 
and throat white ; lower parts in some individuals rusty -white, 
sprinkled with small brown dots ; in others bright white, 
marked with small brownish points ; in others again without 
the slightest appearance of spots ; feet and toes covered with a 
very short down, more scanty on the toes ; iris yellow. Length 
about thirteen inches. In the female all the tints are brighter, 
and more developed. 
Montagu says that this species is never known to hoot; 
Yarrell, that it screeches, but does not generally hoot. Jardine 
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