414 SYIINIA NVCTEA, 



remains with us, consists of hares, squiiTels, rats, and fishes, 

 portions of all of which I have found in its stomach. In several 

 fine specimens which I examined immediately after being 

 killed, I found the stomach to be extremely thin, soft, and ca- 

 pable of great extension. In one of them I found the whole of 

 a large house-rat, in pieces of considerable size, the head and 

 the tail almost entire." 



Dr Richardson also informs us that it hunts by day, and 

 remarks that unless it could do so, it would be unfit to pass 

 the summer within the arctic circle, where at that season 

 there is no night. " When seen on the barren grounds, it was 

 generally squatting on the earth, and, if put up, it alighted 

 again after a short flight, but was always so wary as to be ap- 

 proached with great difnculty. In the woody districts it shews 

 less caution ; and, according to Hearne, has been known to 

 watch the grouse -shooters a whole day, for the purpose of 

 sharing in the spoil. On such occasions it perches on a high 

 tree, and, when a bird is shot, skims down and carries it off 

 before the sportsman can get near it. It preys on lemmings, 

 hares, and birds, particularly the willow-grouse and ptarmi- 

 gan. I have seen it pursue the American hare on the wing, 

 making repeated strokes at the animal with its foot ; but on 

 that occasion, through the intervention of an Indian, it was 

 driven from its quarry." 



In a state of captivity this bird is found to be gentle, and at 

 first very timid. One which Dr Neill kept for some months, 

 and vsdiich was procured in Sanda, one of the Orkney Islands, 

 in April 1835, I had opportunities of observing. On a level 

 surface, it stood with the body much inclined, the head raised, 

 the wings hanging loosely along the sides, one generally having 

 the tip placed over that of the other. On a perch it secured 

 itself by directing the outer toe backwards, and inserting the 

 tips of all the claws. It was easily alarmed, or irritated, and 

 then raised its head, opened its mouth wide, hissed exactly 

 in the manner of a cat, and at times clicked its mandibles. 

 Occasionally when displeased, it uttered a sharp low cry, some- 

 what resembling the syllable quee quickly repeated. Ldid not 

 see it until the winter, when its plumage was marked in the 



