284 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 
record as a pure invention of the alleged finder of the nest—one 
calling himself Le Grand T. Meyer—this, no doubt, being a 
fictitious name. The nest is described as being made of hay,grass 
and sticks, warmly lined with feathers and eighteen inches high 
above the level prairie. The alleged finder of this nest evidently 
was never in Canada or he would know that the ground is usually 
covered deep with snow at this time of the year and that it would 
be an impossibility for the snowy owl to prevent itself, being 
buried in the snow drifts ; besides if the bird left its eggs fora 
few minutes they would get frozen and burst. I have a clutch of 
seven eggs and another of four eggs taken by Mr. Young, on 
Herschel Island, west of Mackenzie Bay. The nests were on the 
ground. (W. Raine.) This species is not plentiful in the Ander- 
son country, while every effort made to secure even one specimen 
nest with its eggs proved unsuccessful ; on one occasion we 
noticed a white owl hunting marmots (Spermophilus empetra) in the 
barren grounds ; and there can be no doubt that this and other 
owls sometimes rob  ptarmigan, ducks, etc., of their eggs. 
(Macfarlane.) 
MUSEUM SPECIMENS. 
Five ; one purchased with the Holman collection in 1885 ; one 
taken at Toronto by S. Herring ; one taken at Great Bear Lake, 
Lat. 65° 30’ by Max Bell; one taken at Ottawa, Ont., March, 1891, 
and another pure white one taken north of Ottawa. 
CXXXIX. SURNIA Domérit. 
377. Hawk Owl. 
Surnia ulula (LINN.) BONAP. 1842. 
The introduction of this bird into our fauna rests on the capture 
of a single specimen near St. Michael, Alaska, in October, 1876, 
by Mr. L. M. Turner. ((Vedson.) The natives assert that this 
species is a resident and breeds in the vicinity of St. Michael, 
and also that it is a coast bird, not going far into the interior. 
( Turner.) 
377a. American Hawk Owl. 
Surnia ulula caparoch (MiLu.) STEJN. 1884. 
Rare at Fort Chimo, Ungava ; eggs obtained June 8th, 1884, 
and downy young nearly ready to leave the nest were taken June 
