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XII. An Account of four rare Species of British Birds. By 
Mr. William Bullock, F. L.S. 
Read. November 17, 1812. 
STRIX NYCTEA. 
Strix nyctea. Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 132.6. Faun. Suec: p. 25. n. 76.. 
Lath. Ind. Orn.i. 57. 20. 
Great White Owl. Niwa Ho of Birds, by G. Edwards, 
Pr. 
Snowy Owl. Lath. Syn. i. 132. 17. 
'T uis remarkable species of Owl, the most beautiful and majes- 
tic of the genus, was first described by Linnæus in Faun. Suec.. 
ed. i. p. 15. n. 54., and was afterwards described and figured by 
Mr. Edwards as an inhabitant of Hudson's Bay ; later autho-- 
rities mention its being found in Russia and Germany; but 
it has never till now been added to the catalogue of British Birds.. 
In July last, in the island of North Ronaldsha, one of the Ork- 
neys, I was informed that a bird of this kind had been seen on 
the Links or rabbit warren for several weeks; and shortly after: 
I had an opportunity of examining it for some time at the di- 
stance of about forty yards : it was a male, and its companion had. 
been killed a few months before on the same island. One of them 
had likewise visited the adjacent isle Westra, and remained there 
for. 
