140 STRIGTDE. 



account of the capture of this bird given by Captain Stacey 

 of the collier leaves no doubt of its accuracy. Such was the 

 account given to the Zoological Society in June 1835, by 

 Mr. Thompson of Belfast, of the capture of this Owl, as 

 recorded in the Proceedings of that Society, on the evening 

 when the specimen was exhibited, and I am not aware that 

 any other record exists of an Owl of this species having oc- 

 curred in this country. Yet, when we consider that this bird 

 is an inhabitant of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, and other 

 parts of the North of Europe, that it is not unfrequently seen 

 in Germany, and even in France, it is matter of surprise that 

 it should not have been taken in this country before. This 

 Owl is an inhabitant also of great part of North America. 

 Edwards long ago described and figured this species under 

 the name of Hawk Owl, from examples received from Hud- 

 son's Bay ; and I have followed Mr. Gould in retaining for 

 this species the English name of Hawk Owl, as originally 

 bestowed upon it by our countryman Edwards at that time. 



The most recent account of the habits of this species has 

 been supplied in the Fauna Boreali- Americana, by Dr. 

 Richardson and Mr. Swainson, and I hope I am not exceed- 

 ing privilege in availing myself of part of it. 



"This Owl remains all the year in high northern latitudes 

 in America, and is rarely seen so far south as Pennsylvania, 

 and then only in severe winters. Wilson saw only two spe- 

 cimens in the United States. It is a common species 

 throughout the fur-countries, from Hudson's Bay to the 

 Pacific, and is more frequently killed than any other by the 

 hunters, — which may be partly attributed to its boldness, and 

 its habit of flying about by day. In the summer season it 

 feeds principally on mice and insects ; but in the snow-clad 

 regions, which it frequents in the winter, neither of these are 

 to be procured, and it then preys mostly on Ptarmigan. It 

 is a constant attendant on the flocks of Ptarmigan in their 



