136 STRIGID.E. 



Orkney, a living specimen of tlie Snowy Owl. This was not 

 a native siDceimen, but evidently a bird of last year, in imma- 

 ture plumage, but whose expanded wings extend four feet in 

 width. This bird arrived in Orkney during a strong north- 

 west gale, with hail and sleet, along with flocks of wild Swans, 

 Golden-eyes, snow-flakes, &c. ; indicating an Icelandic or 

 Greenland origin." 



A notice of one taken still more recently has appeared in 

 several periodicals devoted to Natural History. On the 18th 

 of February last (1837), a fine male Snowy Owl was shot 

 three miles below Selby-on-the-Moor, Yorkshire, where it 

 had been observed by a miller, at a mill adjoining, for a day 

 or two previous. The moor is well stocked with rabbits, and 

 the Owl was most probably preying upon them : it appeared 

 very shy, and when pinioned by the shot was extremely 

 fierce.* Several specimens have also been killed in different 

 parts of Ireland, the particulars of which are recorded by Mr- 

 Thompson of Belfast, in the second volume of the Magazine 

 just quoted. 



The Snowy Owl inhabits Sweden, Norway, Lapland, and 

 the North of Europe generally. The Swedish name of Har- 

 fang is bestowed upon it in consequence of its apparent par- 

 tiality to feeding upon hares. It inhabits also Iceland and 

 Greenland. Several pairs were seen during the summer 

 months on the different islands of the Polar sea by the Arctic 

 voyagers from this country ; but the birds being very wary, 

 and the country affording little shelter to the sportsmen, only 

 a single individual or two were killed. A specimen was ob- 

 tained by Mr. King during Captain Back's last journey, and 

 others were seen. Dr. Richardson, who passed seven sum- 

 mers and five winters in the fur-countries of North America, 

 cast of the Rocky Mountains, thus describes its habits in 

 that country : — " It hunts in the day ; and, indeed, unless it 



* Magazine of Zoology and Botany, vol. ii. p. 93. 



