SNOWY OWT, 



ACaiPITRES. 



187 

 STRIGID.'E. 



Nyctea scandiaca (Linnaeus*). 

 THE SNOWY OWL. 



Siirnin )ijictca\. 



NvcTEA, Stephens +. — Beak decurved from the base ; nostrils large, oval; cere 

 short ; upper mandible smooth, lower mandible notched. Facial disk incomplete. 

 Orifice of the ear.s moderate, without opercixlum. Wings of moderate size ; the 

 third qiiill-feather the longest, second and fourth nearly equal. Tail rounded 

 and of moderate length. Legs and toes thickly covereil with feathers. Head 

 large, round, not furnished with tufts of feathers. 



This beautiful species was first ascertained to occur in 



* Strix scandiaca, Linneeus, Syst. Nat. Ed. 12, i. p. 132 (1766). 



f Strix nyctea, Linnaeus (loc. cil.) 



+ General Zoology, xiii. part ii. p. 62 (1826). 



