96 HISTORY OF 



nocturnal depredation, there is a quality in the retina that takes 

 in the rays of light so copiously as to permit their seeing in places 

 almost quite dark ; so in these birds there is the same confor- 

 mation of that organ, and though, like us, they caimot see in a 



England, betwopn the months of October and April, as tJiey raigrrate on the 

 npproach of spring, to the northern islands of Scotland, where they breed. 

 Mr Low, in his Fauna Orcadensis, mentions this owl as being very frequent 

 [n the hills of Hoy, where it builds its nest amongst the heath. It is there of 

 great boldness, and has been seen to chase pigeons in the open day. In a 

 nest, which contained two full-fledged young ones, he found the remains of 

 a moor fowl, and two plovers, besides the feet of several others. In this 

 country they generally remmn concealed in long grass, or in rushy places, 

 upon waste grounds, or moors. In autumn, they are often met with in 

 turnip fields, but are seldom seen in plantations ; nor do they ever attempt 

 to perch upon a tree. Five or six of these birds are frequently found roost- 

 ing together ; from which circumstance it is probable that they migrate in 

 families. Montagu thinks tliat tins may arise from the abimdance of food 

 they meet with in the places where they are thus collected, but the truth 

 of tliis supposition may be doubted, from the fact of their being seldom mot 

 with during two days together in the same place. 



The head of this owl being smaller than the generality of its fellow 

 species, has procured it, in some parts, the name of Hawk Owl, or Mouse 

 Hawk. Many ornithologists have been in doubt respecting it, and the 

 Bynonymes are consequently in some confusion and obscurity. 



This owl is of wide locality, being met with in Siberia, and in many parts 

 of North America ; and specimens are also mentioned as having been 

 brought from the Sandwich Islands. 



The Scops-eared Otvl.— It is very common in the warmer parts of Europe 

 diu-ing the summer mouths, but regularly leaves them on the approach of 

 autumn, for regions near to the equator. In France, it arrives and departs 

 with the swallow. Its favourite residence in Italy, according to Spallan- 

 ZANi, is in the lower wooded regions.— Field and shrew mice, insects, and 

 earth-worms, are its food, in quest of which it sallies forth at night-fall, ut- 

 tering at the same time its cry, which resembles the word chivi, and whence, 

 in some districts, it has acquired the name of Chevini. It constructs no nest 

 but deposits five or six eggs in the hollow of a tree. 



Snowy Owl.— It is only within these few years past, that tliis noble and 

 beautiful owl has been established as indigenous in Great Britain. In a 

 tour made to the Orkney and Shetland Isles, in the year 1812, Mr Bullock, 

 the late proprietor of the Londou Museum, met with it in both groups of 

 islands ; and it is now ascertained that the species is resident, and breeds 

 there. 



It is common in the regions of the arctic circle even inhabiting the frozen 

 coasts of Greenland. Is very numerous on the shores of Hudson's Bay, in 

 Norway, Sweden, and Lapland ; but of very rare occurrence in Uie tem- 

 perate piarts of Europe and America. 



Sam or White Ovil.—This is the most common of the British species, and 

 is found in every-part of the kingdom. It is an inhabitant of ruins, church, 

 towers, barns and other buildings, where it is not liable to continual inter- 



