144 STRIGID^E. 



of North America, east of the Rocky Mountains, thus de- 

 scribes 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 diffi- 

 culty. 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 Ptar- 

 migan. Mr. Hutchins says that it eats carrion ; and Wil- 

 son 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 : but on that occasion, through the inter- 

 vention of an Indian, it was driven from its quarry. It 

 makes its nest on the ground, and lays three qr 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 

 Holland, and that a young bird, which made its appear- 

 ance in the winter of 1802. 



As in the adult Gyr-falcon, already described, the ground 

 colour of the plumage in the adult Snowy Owl is pure 

 white, more or less spotted and barred with dark umber 

 brown, according to the age of the individual ; these dark 



