2S() Dbane, Unusual Abundance of Snowy Owls, [iniv 



Mr. P. A. Taverner of Detroit, Mich., writes thai he saw one of 



these owls on Oct. 27, L905, on Point Pele*e, the most southern 

 point of the Province, projecting into Lake Erie. 



Province of Manitoba. 



Mr. George E. Atkinson, taxidermist, Portage la Prairie, Man., 



writes the following interesting communication under date of Dec. 



12, L905: "Snowy Owls are very abundant all over Manitoba and 

 the new Province of Saskatchewan this season. 1 have already 

 received upwards of thirty specimens for mounting, and they are 

 Still coming in from every direction. They made their appearance 

 about the lirst frec/.e-np, early in November and have since been 

 generally reported. The number 1 have received can only be con- 

 sidered a small percentage of those about, as we have fortunately 

 educated our people to protect rather than destroy these birds, 

 and they are seldom killed save for preservation. 1 have had sev- 

 eral opportunities to see these owls, while driving through the 

 country. 1 have had a great many offered for sale and inquiries 

 from many people stating that if wanted they were available. I 

 have, however, purchased none, as 1 have no demand. The males 

 seem to predominate, about 7 to I, over the females, in number, 

 while the number of matnrer males is about 3 to 5 of immature or 

 young plumaged birds. All the 1 females, so far, are very dark 

 colored. My specimens were received from Oxbow, Forget, 

 Wolesby, Alameda in Saskatchewan, and Necpawa, Alexander, 



Brandon, Pipestone, Plumas, Westboume, and generally over the 



Portage plains in Manitoba. 1 did not make any particular notes 

 or dates of their receipt because it is to US only a periodical event, 

 since every two or three years these birds become exceedingly abun- 

 dant. As an evidence of what we could (\o 1 can only note that 

 in one of these seasons (1886) I sought and bought all that were 

 available and handled over one hundred birds from Portage dis- 

 trict alone within three months, having seventy-two on hand at one 

 time, all my own, and credited one man with securing nineteen 

 from his own farm in two mouths. This proceeding has, however, 

 been terminated and though they are equally numerous at some 

 seasons, they are never slaughtered to am- extent." 



