Page:Natural History, Birds.djvu/39

26 British islands, and is spread over Europe, with the exception of the extreme northern regions. Though viewed with some prejudice, it is a very useful bird, preying nearly, if not quite, exclusively, on the small quadrupeds, rats, mice, and voles, that are so annoying and injurious by their depredations. Its habit of retiring into holes and crevices by day occasionally leads it to resort to the pigeon-house, the little caverns of which must present an inviting appearance to this darkness-loving bird; hence it is often accused of preying upon the young pigeons, and crimes are laid to its charge which have been really committed by other birds, or by rats. Mr. Waterton observes, that "if this useful bird caught its food by day, instead of hunting for it by night, mankind would have ocular demonstration of its utility in thinning the country of mice, and it would be protected and encouraged everywhere. When it has young it will bring a mouse to the nest every twelve or fifteen minutes; . . . formerly I could get very few young pigeons till the rats were excluded from the dove-cot; since that took place it has produced a great abundance every year, though the Barn Owls frequent it, and are encouraged all round it;" and he adds, that the pigeons do not regard it "as a bad or suspicious character."

Mr. Thompson, in a pleasing account of a Barn Owl that had built in a dove-cot, confirms this view of its innocence and usefulness. "The White Owl," he observes, "is a well-known visitor to the dove-cot, . . . . and in such a place, or rather a loft appropriated to pigeons, in the town of Belfast, . . . . a pair once had their