146 SNOWY OWL— WHITE OWL. 



(New Series, Vol. V, pp. 38 et seq.) some very interesting traits 

 in the character of this bird, as observed in Newfoundland, are 

 recorded, and as these are from actual observation and exemplify 

 its character truthfully, I extract the following : 



" The ' White Owl,' as the settlers term this species, is a bold, rapacious bird, 

 and not easily driven from its slaughtered prey. One of the specimens which I 

 obtained at Cow Head was feeding on an eider duck — probably a wounded bird 

 which it had killed — and was twice knocked over with stones, the last time appar- 

 ently killed, before it would relinquish the duck ; it had, however, sufficient life and 

 strength to force its claws into the arm of the man who picked it up, although 

 protected with all the clothes he usually wore. A large Newfoundland dog, used 

 for retrieving seals, etc., refused to go near the bird after it was knocked down with 

 stones. The men who were present assured me that the bird kept making a 

 ' hissing ' noise, apparently at the sight of the dog. 



During my residence in Newfoundland I heard amusing anecdotes of the 

 Snowy Owl, but, although I can vouch for the truth of them, it is scarcely necessary 

 to reproduce them all in the pages of the ' Zoologist ; ' I will, however, relate one 

 or two which I do not think have before appeared in print. William Youngs, of 

 Codry (Newfoundland), having continually had the bait stolen from one of his fo.x 

 traps, determined to watch the trap and shoot the robber ; for this purpose he 

 selected a fine moonlight night, with snow on the ground, and, with his gun in his 

 hand, a white swan-skin frock on, and a white handkerchief tied round his cap, he 

 secreted himself in a small bush about twenty yards from his trap, fully determined 

 to shoot the first comer ; but his determination proved fruitless, for a large white 

 Owl — probably the thief — seeing something white sticking up through the centre of 

 the bush, and evidently mistaking it for a fine plump Willow-grouse, instantly made 

 a ' stoop,' and at the same time sending its claws almost to the man's brains, sud- 

 denly disappeared with the cap and white handkerchief The man was so startled 

 for the moment that he was unable to shoot at the bird. 



The Snowy Owl is a frequent attendant — although generally unnoticed — of 

 the sportsman, and often succeeds in carrying off a grouse or duck before the 

 retriever gets to it. On one occasion some men were waiting in ice ' gazes ' for the 

 purpose of shooting wild geese (5. Canadensis and B. brenta), when one of them, 

 named James Carter, left his ' gaze ' to go and have a chat with his neighbor, 

 incautiously leaving his new white cuffs and gun behind him. He had scarcely 

 left his ' gaze ' when an unseen enemy, in the shape of a fine Snowy Owl, pounced 

 in and succeeded in getting clear off again \vith both of his white cuffs. . . . 

 A good many Snowy Owls are annually caught in the fox-traps of the settlers ; and 

 when very fat, which they frequently are, are considered good eating by man)', and 

 I see no reason why they shouldnot be so, but I could never sufficiently overcome 

 my repugnance to birds of prey as food to taste one. None of the settlers 



