190 STRIGIDJ:. 



less incubated." In Lapland Wolley several times met with 

 people who had found nests of this species, and was told 

 that the birds sometimes attack persons who approach their 

 homes. He never succeeded in obtaining the eggs ; but in 

 1843, Prof. Lilljeborg found a nest on the fells between 

 ffisterdal and Gudbrandsdal in the middle of Norway ; and 

 in 1862 Wheelwright procured six eggs from a nest found 

 by some Laplanders to the north of Quickjock in Sweden, 

 Since then many have been obtained both from northern 

 Lapland and from Labrador, and specimens may be seen in 

 many collections. Richardson, whose long sojourn in the 

 Fur countries of North America renders him an excellent 

 authority, when describing the habits of the Snowy Owl 

 says : — " It hunts in the day ; and, indeed, unless it could 

 do so, it would be unfit to j^a-ss the summer within the 

 Arctic Circle. 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 

 approached with great difficulty. In the wooded districts it 

 shows 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 Ptarmigan. Mr. Hutchins says that it 

 eats carrion ; and Wilson informs us that it is a dexterous 

 fisher, grasping its finny prey with an instantaneous stroke 

 of the foot as it sails along near the surface of the water, 

 or sits on a stone in a shallow stream. I have seen it 

 pursue the American hare on the wing, making repeated 

 strokes at the animal with its foot." 



In illustration of this last habit it may be stated that in 

 Sweden the common name for the Snowy Owl is Harfdng 

 or "Hare-catcher;" and in corroboration of its propensity 

 for carrion, as mentioned by Hutchins, reference may be 

 made to the observation of Admiral von Wrangell, during 

 his perilous expedition to the Polar Sea, that it " follows the 



