124 THE GREAT NORTH-WEST 



may not, survive the winter. I am also certain that odd 

 specimens of many different species often wander very 

 far out of the limits of their usual habitat. It appears 

 to be the same in all countries. Birds are found in 

 England which are only noticed in accidental specimens, 

 perhaps not oftener than once or twice in a century. 

 It is clearly the same in America. I have over and over 

 again found birds which, if museum authorities and 

 books are to be relied on, must have been hundreds of 

 miles away from their usual geographical limits. More- 

 over I am certain that accidental circumstances, such as 

 the meeting with an abundant supply of a favourite food, 

 will often induce migrating birds to stay an entire season 

 short of the usual limits of their migration. I mean, 

 of course, certain flocks, not the entire body, of a species. 

 These instances would be oftener noted if naturalists 

 devoted more of their time to careful outdoor watchings, 

 and are probably one reason why the numbers of a 

 migrating species often fall short of the usual number 

 in their summer haunt. 



The great snowy owl, Nyctea scandiaca, haunted this 

 neighbourhood through the winter. It is not correct, 

 as is asserted by American naturalists, that this owl 

 prefers the open desolate plains to any other descrip- 

 tion of haunt. I have seen it on the outskirts of 

 woods as frequently as in any other description of 

 place. It is fond of perching on the extreme tops of 

 dead trees, branches, &c,, and may often be seen on the 

 tops of poles about the Company's forts. It visited our 

 dust-heap several times, feeding on the scraps which were 

 thrown out, which seems to indicate that it was hard 

 pressed for food. It was usually alone, but sometimes 

 pairs were seen. The usual habits of this bird are 

 solitary. It kills hares and smaller animals, but if it 

 does not actually eat carrion, will consume the carcasses 

 of small animals which it has not itself killed. At first 

 it was shy of approaching the hut, but being unmolested 



