SNOW* OWL. 



to the island (of Sanda.) A day or two after- 

 wards, a large owl was remarked prowling about 

 the rabbit links (or warrens.)' Mr Scarth con- 

 cluded, from the size and appearance, that it must 

 be the Snowy Owl, a rare visitant, not a regular 

 inhabitant, of the Orkneys. He therefore dili- 

 gently followed the bird till he got within shot, 

 when he fortunately hit one wing, so as to disable 

 from flying, but without other injury. The bird 

 fluttered along the downs, and, when brought to 

 bay, made a stout resistance. It was, however, 

 secured; and the wound having healed, the spe- 

 cimen was despatched to me as already men- 

 tioned. 



" It was pretty evidently a young bird, or only 

 in its second year, being much spotted and barred 

 with brown. I therefore entertained little doubt 

 of taming it to a considerable extent. I got a 

 very large cage, or rather small house, expressly 

 constructed for it, in which the bird could either 

 squat on the ground or perch aloft, and with a 

 boarded chamber in which it could seclude itself 

 from the light. The care of it was confided to 

 my very intelligent and respectable gardener, Mr 

 William Lawson, (now nurseryman and florist 

 near Glasgow,) who paid every attention to it. 

 It was at first exceedingly timid and shy, and 

 often fasted for twenty-four hours although meat 

 was placed within its reach. For several weeks, 



