NORTHERN OCEAN. 
killed, feldom weigh more than three and a half, 
or four pounds, and fometimes fcarcely half that 
weight. They generaliy feed on mice and pars 
tridges, and are at times known to kill rabbits. 
They are, like the hawk, very troublefome to the 
fportf{men ; and, contrary to any other bird that 
iknow, have a great propenfity to follow the 
report of a gun, and frequently follow the hun- 
ters (as they are ufually called in Hudfon’s Bay) 
the whole day. On thofe occafions they ufually 
perch on high trees, and watch till a bird is killed, 
when they fkim down and carry it off before the 
hunter can get near it; but inreturn, the hunters, 
when they fee them on the watch, frequently de- 
coy them within gun-fhot, by throwing up a 
dead bird, which the Ow] feldom refufes to accept; 
but the fportfinan being fully provided for this 
vifit, and on his guard, generally thoots them 
before they can carry off the partridge. They 
are, however, fo great a hindrance to thofe em- 
ployed on the hunting fervice, that the fame pre- 
mium is given for one of their heads as for that 
of a hawk. | 
In Winter they are frequently very fat, their 
flefh delicately white, and generally efteemed 
good eating, both by Englifh and Indians. Thofe 
Owls always make their nefts on the ground, ge- 
nerally lay from three to four eggs, but feldom 
hatch more than two; and in the extreme North 
the young ones do not fly till September. They 
never migrate, but brave the coldeft Winters, 
| Ddz even 
403 
