210 LIFE-HISTORIES OF BIRDS 



the forks of tall poplar-trees. The eggs vary from tb rec- 

 to five in number, and are hatched anterior to the nesting 

 of other birds. Mr. Hutchins, in his manuscript notes on 

 the avi-fanna of Hudson Bay Territory, affirms that the 

 nest is deposited on the dry ground, in the midst of moss, and 

 that from five to ten eggs are laid in May. Richardson states 

 that it nests on the ground, which assertion is confirmed 

 by the experience of Mr. Hearne. A nest discovered June 

 3rd, 1843, by Prof. Lilljeborg, on the Dovrefield, was placed 

 on a small shelving of rock, on the summit of a bare moun- 

 tain, and contained seven eggs. In his notes on the birds of 

 Nova Zembla, Herr von Heuglin found several nests in a 

 superficial depression in the turf, which were devoid of lin- 

 ing. Captain Hall of Arctic notoriety, in one of his expe- 

 ditions, discovered a nest containing four eggs, which was 

 built upon the bare ground. Various observers attest to the 

 truth of the general statement that these Owls nidificate 

 upon the ground ; the on\y exceptions thereto being the nests 

 above alluded to. 



Mr. H. S. Hawkins in speaking of the nest of this species, 

 basing his statement upon the observations of a correspond- 

 ent resident at a Moravian station on the Labrador' coast, 

 says it is composed simply of a few feathers placed in a 

 slight depression of sufficient capacity to contain the eggs. 

 most generally upon a rocky ledge, and but occasionally 

 upon the ground. The usual complement of ova is eight. 

 They are laid at irregular intervals, the first two hatching 

 when the last is laid, so that young birds, fresh eggs, and 

 others in divers stages of development, are often found in 

 the same nest. 



The time of breeding ranges from the i6th to the 24th of 

 May. The young in their downy stage are a plain brown- 

 ish-grey. They are quite susceptible of domestication, and 

 their extreme vivacity and comical gestures render them 

 most amusing companions. 



The adult birds often become quite fat, and are highly 



