236 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



Genus NYCTEA Stephens. 

 NYCTEA NYCTEA (Linn.). 



166. Snowy Owl. (376) 



Pure wliite with more or fewer hlackisli markings. Length, nearly 2 feet ; 

 wing, 17 inches ; tail, 10. 



Hab. — Northern portions of the northern hemisphere. In North America 

 breeding north of the United States, and extending bej'ond any point yet 

 reached by navigators ; in winter migrating soutJi to the Middle States, 

 straggling to South Carolina, Texas and the Bermudas. 



Nest, on the ground, or on rocks, made up of sticks, grass, and lined with 

 feathers. 



Eggs, five to ten, laid at intervals, so that the nest may contain young birds 

 and fresh eggs at the same time. (Couen Key.) 



The Snowy Owl is an irregular winter visitor to Ontario, some- 

 times appearing in considei'able numbers, and again entirely absent 

 for several years in succession. Near Hamilton its favorite resort is 

 on the beach, or along the shore of the bay, where it may be seen 

 sitting watchful on the top of a muskrat heap, or pile of driftwood, 

 frequently turning its head right round to look out for approaching 

 danger. It hunts by day a.s well as by night, but is most active in 

 the morning and evening. I once saw a large female make several 

 attempts to capture a wounded duck which was swimming in a patch 

 of open water among the ice on the bay near the canal. The owl 

 skimmed along close to the ice and tried in passing to grasp the 

 duck, which quickly went under water and appeared again cautiously 

 at a difterent place. The owl passed several times over the pond in 

 this way, resting altermitely on tlie pier of the canal and on the 

 shore, till, getting into a favorable position, I shot it on one of the 

 return trips, and, suljsequently, I also shot the duck, on which I had 

 a first claim. 



The number of these birds which occasionally descend from the 

 north in the early part of the w^inter must be very great, for their 

 migrations extend over a wide extent of country, and at Hamilton, 

 which is only one of the points they pass, I have known as many as 

 thirty to be captured in a single season. During the winter they are 

 seen as far south as Texas and the Carolinas. How interesting it 

 would be to know how many of these individuals which travel so far 

 south are permitted to return. 



The Snowy Owl is not migratory in the ordinary sense of the 

 term. It is distributed over a ver}^ wide extent of country, and 



