172 WOODLAND, MOOR, AND STREAM 



case now. At the first glance the snow owl and the 

 jerfalcon might easily be mistaken the one for the 

 other, so far as size and plumage are concerned, if 

 both were seen together, and they both inhabit the 

 cold regions ; where one is found the other will be. 

 The snow owl is a bird of lighter make than the 

 eagle owl, and his flight is more hawklike. Daylight 

 does not affect him, for in his native wilds he hunts 

 by day. He preys on hares, grouse, &c., like the 

 eagle owl. The ruff or facial disk is hardly to be 

 seen. There is far more of the falcon than the owl 

 in his appearance. He is prized, living and dead ; 

 and although he is a very determined and dashing 

 hunter when in a wild state, yet when captured, if 

 properly treated, he will be as docile as a white pigeon. 

 This is all I can say of him, speaking from personal 

 experience. 



The beautiful white owl is probably to be seen 

 wherever an old grey church tower stands, and is, as 

 some one else has said, the high churchman of his 

 tribe. 



When white owls were many and boys were few, 

 I have known them to be quite at home in our own 

 grand old church, close by the sea, and a long way 

 from the town a very long mile in fact. Service was 

 held there only once a week at that time. The 



