ON THE ORNITHOLOGY OF LAPLAND. 269 



of the smaller owls, and much yet remains to be 

 proved regarding their habits and geographical 

 range. 



The eagle owl (Strive bubo, L. ; " berglef," Sw. ; 

 "lidno," Lap.). Although I neither saw the bird 

 or obtained its nest in Lapland, the eagle owl 

 bred on a high mountain just opposite Quickiock, 

 on the other side of the river ; and the deep- 

 measured " boo, boo," of the old bird, like the dis- 

 tant bark of a gruff old watch-dog, might be heard 

 on any evening when we were out in the neigh- 

 bourhood of its eyrie. I not unfrequently take 

 the nest in Wermland, and it breeds commonly 

 both around Gothenburg and in the south of 

 Sweden ; but I think its proper home is more in 

 the midland than in the northern districts of the 

 country. The egg of the eagle owl is the largest 

 of all the European owls' eggs. Nearly round, 

 measuring often 2f by 2 inches. 



The short-eared owl (Strix brachyotus, Gm. ; 

 " igjalodde," Lap.; "kort ceraduf," Sw.) was a sum- 

 mer visitant to Lapland, arriving towards the end 

 of May, and during the whole season was very 

 common on all our fells. It frequented exactly the 

 same tracts as the merlin; and although, perhaps, 

 strictly speaking, more nocturnal than diurnal in 

 its habits, was very often to be seen hawking over 

 the fells in broad daylight; its flight much re- 



