SNOWY OWL. 153 



mer months on the different islands of the Polar sea by the 

 Arctic voyagers from this country ; but the birds being 

 very wary, and the country affording little shelter to the 

 sportsman, only a single individual or two were killed. A 

 specimen was obtained by Mr. King during Captain Back's 

 last journey, and others were seen. Sir John Richardson, 

 who passed seven summers and five winters in the fur- 

 countries of North America, east of the Rocky Mountains, 

 thus describes its habits in that country : " It hunts in 

 the day ; and, indeed, unless it could do so, it would be 

 unfit to pass the summer within the Arctic Circle. When 

 seen on the barren grounds, it was generally squatting on 

 the earth, and, if put up, it alighted again after a short 

 flight ; but was always so wary as to be approached with 

 great difficulty. In the wooded districts it shows less 

 caution ; and, according to Hearne, has been known to 

 watch the Grouse-shooters a whole day, for the purpose 

 of sharing in the spoil. On such occasions, it perches on 

 a high tree, and when a bird is shot, skims down and carries 

 it off before the sportsman can get near it. It preys on 

 lemmings, hares, and birds, particularly the Willow Grouse 

 and Ptarmigan. Mr. Hutchins says that it eats carrion ; 

 and Wilson informs us that it is a dexterous fisher, 

 grasping its finny prey with an instantaneous stroke of 

 the foot as it sails along near the surface of the water, or 

 sits on a stone in a shallow stream. I have seen it pursue 

 the American hare on the wing, making repeated strokes 

 at the animal with its foot. It makes its nest on the 

 ground, and lays three or four white eggs, of which only 

 two are in general hatched." 



To return to the localities visited by this bird in Europe : 

 I may add that, in addition to those already named, this 

 bird has sometimes been seen in Germany, but not in 

 France, and, according to M. Temminck, only once in 



