STRIGID.E — THE OWLS. 73 



Mr. Donald Gimn writes that the Snowy Owl is merely a visitor in the 

 districts to the west of Lake Winnepeg, but is a constant inhabitant of the 

 country surrounding Hudson Bay. There they hatch tlieir young, from 

 three to five in number, making their nests in the forks of some tall poplar- 

 tree. They lay their eggs very early in the spring, and have hatched 

 their young before other birds begin to nest. This account of their 

 breeding differs from all other statements I have seen, and, if correct, is 

 probably exceptional. 



Although a bird of great vigilance, seldom permitting the hunter to get 

 within range of shot, and equally careful in keeping at a distance from its 

 foe in its flight, it is, Mr. Gunn states, readily deceived and decoyed with- 

 in easy range by tying a bundle of dark rags to a piece of stout twine, 

 and letting this drag from the end of the hunter's snow-shoe. The hungry 

 Owl pounces upon the bait, and the hunter turns and shoots it. These 

 birds are sometimes quite fat, and are much prized for food by the Indians. 

 At times they migrate from the more northern regions to the more inland 

 districts. An instance of this took place in the winter of 1855-56. These 

 birds made their appearance about the Eed Eiver Settlement in October, 

 and before the latter end of December became very numerous, especially on 

 the plains, where they were to be seen flying at any time of the day. In 

 March all left that vicinity and disappeared. A few pass the summer near 

 Lake Winnepeg, as occasional birds are seen tliere in the spring and fall. 

 These migrations are supposed to be caused by unusual snow-falls' and the 

 scarcity of the animals on which tliey feed. 



Mr. Dall found them rather rare in the valley of the Lower Yukon, and 

 he has noticed them occasionally flying over the ice in tlie winter season. 



Mr. Hutchins, in his manuscript observations on the Ijirds of Hudson Bay 

 Territory, speaking of this Owl as the JVajiacuthu, states that it makes its 

 nest in the moss on the dry ground, and lays from five to ten eggs in Mdy. 

 Professor Alfred Newton (Proc. Zool. Soc. 1861, p. 395) thinks there can be 

 no doubt he refers to this Owl. liichardson states, as the result of his own 

 inquiries, that it breeds on tlie ground, which the observations of Mr. 

 Heame confirm. Professor Lilljeborg (Naumannia, 1854, p. 78) found, June 

 3, 1843, on the Dovretjeld, a nest of this species which contained seven 

 eggs. It was placed on a little shelf, on the top of a bare mountain, far 

 from the forest, and easy of access. Professor Nilsson was informed, on good 

 authority, tliat in East Fiarmark the Snowy Owl is said by the Lapps to lay 

 from eight to ten eggs in a little depression of the bare ground on the high 

 mountains. Mr. John Wolley received similar information, and was told 

 that the old birds sometimes attack persons that approach their nests. The 

 16th to the 24th of May is said to be the time when they usually breed. I 

 received in 1860 an egg of this Owl from Herr Moschler. It had been 

 taken near Okkak, a missionary station of the Moravians, in Labrador, and 

 collected by the Esquimaux. The accounts given by these collectors confirm 



VOL. III. 10 



