236 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



Genus NYCTEA Stephens. 

 NYCTEA NYCTEA (Linn.). 



16(). Snowy Owl. (376) 



Pure white with more or fewer blackish nuirkiiigs. Length, nearly 2 feet : 

 wing. 17 inches ; tail, 10. 



Hab. — Northern portions of the northern lieniisphere. In North America 

 breeding north of the United States, and extending beyond any point yet 

 reached by navigators ; in winter migrating south to the Middle States, 

 straggling to South Carolina, Texas and tlie Bermudas. 



Nest, on the ground, or on rocks, made up of sticks, grass, and lined v\it]i 

 feathers. 



Eggs, five to ten, laid at intei-vals, so that the nest ma^- contain young birtls 

 and fresh eggs at the same time. {Conrs Ki i/.j 



The Snowy Owl is an irregular wintei- visitor to Ontariu, some- 

 times appearing in considerable numbers, and again entirely absent 

 for several years in succession. Near Hamilton its favorite resort is 

 on the beach, or along the shore of the bay, where it may be seen 

 sitting watchful on the top of a muskrat heap, or pile of driftwood, 

 frequently turning its head right round to look out for approaching 

 danger. It hunts by day as well as by night, but is most active in 

 the morning and evening. 1 once saw a large female make several 

 attempts to capture a woundetl duck which was swimming in a patch 

 of open water among the ice on the bay near the canal. The owl 

 skinnned along clo.se to the ice and tried in passing to grasp the 

 duck, which quickly went under water and appeared again cautiousl}' 

 at a different place. The owl passed several times over the pond in 

 this way, resting alternately on the pier of the canal and on the 

 shore, till, getting intt) a favorable position, I shot it on one of the 

 return trips, and, sul)sequ('iitly, I also shi>t the duck, on whit'li 1 had 

 a first claim. 



The number of these birds which occasionally descend from the 

 north in the early part of the winter must be \er\^ great, for their 

 migrations extend over a wide extent of country, and at Hamilton, 

 which is only one of tlie points they pass. I ha\f known as many as 

 thirty to be captured in a single .season. iJiuing the winter they are 

 seen as far south as Texas and the Carolinas. How interesting it 

 would be to know how many of these individuals wliicli travel so far 

 south are permitted to return. 



The Snowy Owl is not migratory in the ordinary sense of the 

 term. It is distributed over a very wide extent of country, and 



