SNOWY OWL. 179 



The history of animal and vegetable life on the tundra is a very curious 

 one. For eight months out of the twelve every trace of vegetable life is 

 completely hidden under a blanket of snow six feet thick, which effectually 

 covers every plant and bush ; trees there are none to hide. During at 

 least six months of this time animal life is only traceable by the footprints 

 of a reindeer or a fox on the snow, or by the occasional appearance of a 

 Raven or a Snowy Owl wandering beyond the limit of forest-growth, 

 whence for the most part they have retired for the winter. For two 

 months in midwinter the sun never rises above the horizon, and the white 

 snow reflects only the fitful light of the moon, the stars, or the aurora. 

 Early in February the sun just peeps upon the scene for a few minutes at 

 noon and then retires. Day by day he prolongs his visit more and more, 

 until February, March, April, and May have passed, and continuous night 

 has become continuous day. Early in June the sun only just touches the 

 horizon at midnight, but does not set any more for some time. At midday 

 the sun's rays are hot enough to blister the skin ; but they glance harmless 

 from the snow, and for a week or two you have the anomaly of continuous 

 day in midwinter. 



Then comes the south wind, and often rain, and the great event of the 

 year takes place ; the ice on the rivers breaks up, and the blanket of snow 

 melts away. The black earth absorbs the heat of the never-setting sun ; 

 quietly but swiftly vegetable life awakes from its long sleep ; and for three 

 months a hot summer produces a brilliant alpine flora, like an English 

 flower-garden run wild, and a profusion of Alpine fruit. Birds arrive in 

 countless thousands to breed in this Eldorado. Long before the snow is 

 melted its surface is reticulated with the tracks of small quadrupeds, whose 

 period of hibernation has come to an end, and who climb up the stems of 

 the stunted bushes and venture out into the sunshine. The Snowy Owls 

 repair to their nests, if nests they may be called, and bring up a numerous 

 family in peace and plenty in a perpetual summer's day, diversified only 

 by storms from the north, which sometimes bring a two or three day's 

 spell of cold and rain down from the arctic ice. 



But early in August the sun begins to dip for a few moments below the 

 horizon, and every succeeding midnight sees him hide longer and longer. 

 One by one the various species of birds flock together and leave for 

 southern climes : a large proportion of the Snowy Owls follow their food 

 for some distance ; for in September the nights are cold, the frosts begin 

 to kill vegetation, and early in October winter has set in, snow has fallen 

 not to melt again for eight months ; the nights get longer and longer, 

 until towards the end of November the sun has ceased to take his midday 

 peep at the Endless fields of snow, and the two months' night and silence 

 reign supreme. 



In summer the Snowy Owl is a very conspicuous bird on the tundra ; 



N2 



