Y6 CRUISE OF STEAMER CORWIN IN THE ARCTIC OCEAN. 



nyctale teomalmi. 



(57.) Teg malm's Owl. 



This old-world form of tlu^ Nortlieru Sparrow Owl claims admittanco to the North American 

 fauna by the capture of a siujile individual near Saint Michael's, Alaska, by Mr. L. M. Turner, 

 beyond which there is no otlier record of it on our shores. It is found tlironghout Northern 

 Siberia wherever woodland occur-s, and like the Lapland Owl reaches the open coast by merest 

 chance, its jireference being for the sheltering forests of the interior. 



NCYTALE TEGMALMI RICHARDSONI (Bp.) Ridgw. 



(58.) Richardson's Owl. 



This Owl, although a bird of the wooded interior, also ranges along the bushy borders of the 

 various water courses and reaches the shores of Bering Sea and Kotzebue Sound at rare and 

 irregular intervals. It is well known to the natives, who called it "The Blind Owl," because it 

 cannot see well during the day-time and is easily caught alive by the hand. In the interior it 

 becomes quite numerous, and on the lower Yukon nests as low down as the vicinity of Koilik, 

 whence I have a set of its eggs. The bird is found resident here though oidy a few miles to the 

 sea-coast. But this is exceptional, as elsewhere the surroundings are not favorable for its presence. 

 The natives of the interior (Indians) catch this bird, tie a small i)iece of dried fish to its back, and 

 and let it go, claiming they will thus secure good fortune in the hunt and in other matters. 



BUBO VIRGINIAANUS SUBARCTICUS (Hoy) Ridgw. 



(.59.) The Northwestern Horned Owl. 



Among the Owls which pay occasional visits to the coast of Bering Sea in Alaska, as well as 

 to the southern portion of its arctic shores, this bird may be reckoned as the most common. 

 Scarcely an autumn passes but a number of individuals are seen occupying conspicuous places on 

 piles of drift wood or other prominent i^laces along the shore in the vicinity of Saint Michael's and 

 thence north where it is well known to tlie natives. Occasionally it becomes bold enough to 

 frequent the vicinity of the houses, but this rarely occurs. Like the preceding owls, with the 

 exception of the first mentioned, this is unknown on any of the Bering Sea islands. It is also 

 unknown from the Asiatic shore, so far as any records which I have seen go to show. 



NYCTEA SCANDIACA (Linn.) Newt. 



(00.) The Snowy Owl. 



From the Kuskoquini month, north along the entire Alaskan coast, as also on the northern 

 islands in Bering Sea, the Siberian coast of this sea, and on tlie coast of the Arctic, this is a 

 resident bird, perhaps most numerous in winter along the Arctic coast. It is not uncommon in 

 summer to see this owl i)erclied along the brow of the clifls fronting the shore to the north of 

 Kotzebue Sound. It is found to be extremely shy even in these far-oil' regions, and it is almost 

 impossible to approach within rille shot. As we landed upon Wrangel Island and ascended the 

 slope of the liill rising from the beach one of these birds arose over 200 yards in advance and made 

 off as though his experience of mankind had been anything but agreeable ; yet it is certain that his 

 habitation at that time had never before been disturbed by man. During some seasons, when the 

 lemming abounds at any particular point, this bird becomes correspondingly numerous and preys 

 upon this small rodent. At times, however, it attacks and kills the northern hare, and is one of 

 the most dreaded enemies of the ptarmigan. In winter it glides on noiseless wing close along the 

 surface of the snow, its white plumage blending so completely with the white landscape that it is 

 followed with the greatest difficulty by the eye; ever and anon it vanishes and i-eappears like a 

 shadow, as it takes its course along the shore or over the open country. 



