112 THE NATURALIST IN NOEWAY. 



The snowy owl (Strix nyctea) is also common be- 

 yond the Polar Circle. It visits in summer the northern 

 fjelds. During very severe winters it comes south, 

 and has been seen in numbers near Christiania, Chris- 

 tiansand, and other towns. Mr. Lloyd states that he 

 once saw a number of snowy owls on the Hardanger 

 fjelds at noonday. It feeds principally on lemmings ; 

 but when they are scarce, it kills hares, rats, and 

 mice. 



The eagle-owl (Strix bubo) is seen in the western 

 fjelds of Norway, near Christiania, and also in Fin- 

 mark. Its nest has been found close to Lake Mjosen. 

 A pair of owlets that I saw taken out of this nest were 

 the most singular-looking little creatures imaginable ; 

 they were covered with a rufous-brown down, which 

 was as long and as coarse as horsehair ; they were 

 about half the size of the adult bird, and had terribly 

 sharp claws. A pair of adult birds were shot near 

 Christiania some time since under rather singular cir- 

 cumstances. A boy, the son of a peasant, saw the 

 owls, but his gun was only charged with powder, and 

 he had no shot. " Necessity is," however, " the 

 mother of invention," and the lad's wits were, no 

 doubt, sharpened at the anticipated payment, penge- 

 stykke, he would receive from the foged for the heads 

 of the owls, so a handful of gravel did instead of lead, 

 and both the owls were killed. They are now in the 

 Zoological Museum at Christiania. A Norwegian 

 friend of the author kept a pair of young eagle-owls 

 for some time in confinement ; they were placed in a 

 darkened room, and were fed on raw meat, entrails of 

 fish, etc. They hissed and made a snapping noise 

 when any person approached them. 



