279 
off from a sportman, who had just killedit. Large flights of these 
birds were observed on the coast of Labrador, in November, 1838, 
on their migration, They accompanied the ship for fourteen 
days, and frequently alighted on the yards. The bird weighs 
from three pounds to three pounds anda half. The male measures 
from one foot ten inches to two feet; the female from two feet 
one inch to two feet three inches. The spread of the wings is 
about four feet nine inches in the male, and five feet two inches 
in the female. Bristly white feathers, pointing forwards, nearly 
hide the bill. The nest is made on the ground, or upon rocks, 
though sometimes, it is said, in trees, and is composed of branches. 
The eggs are white, and two, three, or four in number. The 
food consists of hares, rabbits, rats, lemmings, squirrels, and other 
animals; also capercailzie, ptarmigans, ducks, partridges, sand- 
pipers, and other small birds. They also feed on fish, which 
they dexterously skim from the surface of the water, or sometimes, 
like other fishers, watch for them from the brink ofa stream. Their 
mode, however, of angling, is in this case, as described by 
Anderton, a very peculiar one: “they approach the brink of 
a rock, lie flat down upon it close to the water, and when a fish 
comes within reach, strike at it with their talons, and secure it 
with this natural kind of gaff.” In proportion to its size the 
Snowy Owl is a mighty hunter, having been detected in chasing the 
hare. According to Yarrell, the Swedish name Harfung, which 
has been given to this bird, is derived from its habit of feeding 
on hares. These birds hunt their prey by day as well as by night. 
They will sometimes approach a sportsman in anticipation of his 
furnishing them with food, and are not deterred even by the 
sound of the gun, but rather seem to consider it as a dinner-bell 
whose summons calls them to a meal. They have been known 
to carry off wounded grouse before the sportsman could secure 
his prey. Mr. Yarrell remarks that one, wounded on the Isle of 
Balla, disgorged a young rabbit whole. It is very fond of sand- 
pipers, on which it pounces with precision and agility as it 
