78 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



must depend on the Ptarmigan, and, indeed, is found a constant attendant 

 upon the flocks of these birds in their spring inigralions. Wlieu the hunters 

 are slnjoting (Irouse, it is said to he occasionally attracted by the report 

 of the gun, and is often bold enough, when a bird has been killed, to 

 pounce down upon it, although it is unable, from its inferior size, to carry it 

 off. It is also said to occasionally hover round the fires made by the Indians 

 at night. 



To this account of its habits liichardson adds that it builds its nest on a 

 tree, of sticks, grass, and feathers, and lays two white eggs. In regard to 

 the number of eggs, he is now known to be inaccurate. Mr. ]\racFarlane 

 met with this bird in considerable numbers in the region of Anderson liiver, 

 where he found several nests, and all of which he made any record were 

 built in ])ine-trees at considerable height from the ground. One nest is 

 said to have been on the top of a iiine about twenty feet in height, and 

 was composed of small sticks and twigs, lined with moss. Both parents 

 were obtained. This nest contained two young birds — one of which was 

 about ten days old, the other aljout three weeks — and an addled egg. This 

 nest was found on the 2Uth of June, showing that the bird began to incubate 

 early in ilay. 



Another nest, taken on the 28th of April, was found to contain six eggs. 

 It was built in the top crotch of a tall pine, w^as composed of dry sticks, and 

 lined with hay and a few feathers. A third nest also contained six eggs, 

 and was lined with green mosses and deer's hair. One nest contained as 

 many as seven eggs, and all but one had as many as six. Mr. ^MacFarlane 

 speaks of it as a winter resident. 



Mr. B. E, Ross states that he found this bird throughout the Great Slave 

 Lake district, but not plentiful. It winters in even the northernmost parts 

 of the wooded country. It is said to liuild its nest not only on trees, but 

 also on cliffs, and to lay as early as the last of March or the first of Ajjril. 

 He states that the eggs are usually four in nunil)er, and describes them as 

 of a dead white, of an oblong-oval shape, and as measuring l.o9 inches by 

 1.21. He received three eggs with the parent bird, taken at Lapierre's 

 House, and another parent, with nest and four eggs, from Salt River. 



]\Ir. Dall found this the most common species of Owl aliout Xulato. 

 Many of both sexes were obtained, and on the 16th of April he took from 

 the ovary of a female an egg ready for laying. On the oth of May Mr. Dall 

 obtained six eggs which were laid on the top of an old birch stump, and 

 fifteen feet from the groiuid. There was no nest otlier than that the rotten 

 wood was somewhat hoUowetl out, and the eggs laid directly upon it. As 

 he was clindiing to the nest, the male bird which had been sitting on the 

 nest attacked Mr. Dall, and knocked off his cap. The female did not appear. 



j\Ir. Donald (iunn states that these Owls liunt in the daytime, and leed 

 chiefly u])on mice ; and Mr. Dall seldom found anything but mice in their 

 crops, and adds that it is very fond of flying, towards dusk, from the top 



