NORTHERN OCEAN 371 



they generally take flight, and provide for themselves. When 

 at Cumberland House 1 had one of them, of which my people 

 were remarkably fond ; and as it never wanted for food, would 

 in all probability have remained with us all the Winter, had 

 it not been killed by an Indian who did not know it to be 

 tame. 



The beautiful species of White or Snowy Owl^ is common White or 

 in all parts of Hudson's Bay, as far North as the Copper-mine ^^"^ ^ ' 

 River. These birds, when flying or sitting, appear very large, 

 but when killed, seldom weigh more than three and a half, or 

 four pounds, and sometimes scarcely half that weight. They 

 generally feed on mice and partridges, and are at times known 

 to kill rabbits. They are, like the hawk, very troublesome to 

 the sportsmen ; and, contrary to any other bird that I know, 

 have a great propensity to follow the report of a gun, and 

 frequently follow the hunters (as they are usually called in 

 Hudson's Bay) the whole day. On those occasions they usually 

 perch on high trees, and watch till a bird is killed, when they 

 skim down and carry it off before the hunter can get near it ; 

 but in return, the hunters, when they see them on the watch, 

 frequently decoy them within gun-shot, by throwing up a 

 dead bird, which [402] the Owl seldom refuses to accept ; 

 but the sportsman being fully provided for this visit, and 

 on his guard, generally shoots them before they can carry 

 off the partridge. They are, however, so great a hind- 

 rance to those employed on the hunting service, that the 

 same premium is given for one of their heads as for that 

 of a hawk. 



In Winter they are frequently very fat, their flesh delicately 

 white, and generally esteemed good eating, both by English 

 and Indians. Those Owls always make their nests on the 



[^ Nyctea nyctea (Linn.). This beautiful owl is common throughout the 



region, breeding on the Barren Grounds, and in winter moving southward into 



the wooded country. Occasionally a pair will nest far south of the normal 

 range.] 



