THE SNOWY OWL. 77 



first covert that it meets witli, where it is not difficult to catch it, 

 provided the necessary caution and silence be used. Towards 

 dusk, it becomes full of animation, flies swiftly — gliding, as it 

 were — over the low grounds like a little spectre, and pounces on 

 small quadrupeds and birds with the quickness of thought." 



The Saw-whet Owl nests in hollow trees, in cavities of 

 rocks, and in deserted crows' and woodpeckers' nests. The 

 eggs are from three to five or six in number ; and, according 

 to Dr. Brewer, are of a bright, clear white, and more like a 

 woodpecker's than an owl's in their crystalline clearness. 

 Dimensions, I^q by \^ inch. 



Suh-Family Nycteinin^. — The Day Owls. 



General form compact and robust; head moderate, without ear-tufts; wings and 

 tail rather long; tarsi strong, which, with the toes, are more densely covered than 

 in any other division of this family. 



This division embraces two species only, which inhabit the arctic regions of both 

 continents ; migrating southward in the winter. 



NYCTEA, Stephens. 



Nyctea, Stephens, Cont. of Shaw's Zool., XIII. 62 (1826). 



Large ; head rather large, without ear-tufts ; no facial disc ; legs rather short, and 

 with the toes covered densely with long hair-like feathers, nearly concealing the 

 claws; bill short, nearly concealed by projecting feathers, very strong; wings long; 

 tail moderate, or rather long, wide ; claws strong, fully curved. Contains one spe- 

 cies only. 



NYCTEA NIVEA. — Gray. 



The Snowy Owl. 



Strix nivea, Daudin. Traite d'Orn., 190 (1800). 



Strix nyctea, Linnfeus. Syst. Nat. I. 132 (1766). 



" Strix nyctea, Linnaius." Bonap. Syn., 36. Nutt. I. 116. Aud. II. 135. Wil- 

 son and others. 



Description. 



Bill nearly concealed by projecting plumes; eyes large; entire plumage white, fre- 

 quently with a few spots or imperfect bands, only on the upper parts dark-brown, and 

 on the under parts with a few irregular and imperfect bars of the same; quills and 

 tail with a few spots or traces of bands of the same dark-brown; the prevalence of 



