42 Bird-Life in Labrador 



the foot of one, obtained the record of the capture of one, 

 and saw an immense fellow probably of this species on two 

 distinct occasions. " They are often seen, and several at a 

 time," was the answer of an intelligent inhabitant to whom 

 the bird was described. It doubtless occurs all along the 

 Labrador peninsula and perhaps breeds. 



SHORT EARED OWL 



^4s/o accipitnnus. (PALI,.) XEWT. 



Ax owl of this species, which one of the men had just shot, 

 was brought to me October 16. It was shot at Old Fort Is- 

 land. My note upon it reads : Though owls are generally 

 regarded as rare in this region, I believe them to be more 

 common than is usually supposed, several species having been 

 observed at different points along the coast. In regard to the 

 one mentioned, it was shot by one of the men who said that 

 about dusk the bird attacked him and he could not drive it 

 away until he had put the whole charge of shot through its 

 body, which so badly blew it to pieces that I was unable to 

 do anything with it but save a few feathers by which to com- 

 pare the species. It probably frightened him, being fright- 

 ened by him, by flying about in a bewildered manner in vain 

 endeavors to escape. It appeared to be an extraordinarily 

 dark variety of our common short-eared owl. 



SNOWY OWL 



ONE of the most magnificent specimens of the bird family 

 is this same snowy owl, and a .splendid fellow he is, being 

 nearly two feet in length and between four and five in extent, 

 or from tip to tip of the wings. The snowy owl is probably 

 a resident throughout the year and breeds along the coast of 

 Labrador ; but I can only speak of its occurrence in Winter, 

 for the onlv record I obtained of it was at that season of the 



