STIMU I D.K — THE OWLS. 



71 



dnnt in some years than in dtlicrs. Inilividual spociinons liavo hi'cn oira- 

 sionally nolicoil as far s(aitli as S(mUIi Caiolina, lait vi'iy rarely. It lias 

 also bcun ohservuil in Kcntiuky, Oliin, the licriniida islamls, ami in nearly 

 every jiart of the I'niteil States. 



In th(! Arctic rei^iniis of Noith America and in Oreenlaml it is (itiilo 

 alanulant, and has lieeii nliserv nl as jar in the imrth as .\rclic voya^ncrs have 

 .yet reached. Trofcssdr llciidianU sti\tes thai it is nuich nmr'' nnmeriais in the 

 nnrthern than in the soiiilieni jiartnl' (Ireeiiland. Sir .lolni Kicliardsdii, wlio, 

 dnrin;^' seven years" residiaice in tiie Arctic re.uions, enjoyed ninisnal ()i)pur- 



-sif^fe 



Xt/rtrn srnntliaca 



tnnities iV)r stndyin^' the hahits oi" this Owl, says that it hnnts its prey in tlic 

 daytime. It is jj;enerally fonnd on the i'lU'ren (Irnunds, hut is always sn wary 

 as to 1)0 approached with dilliciilly. Tn the wooded districts it is less oantious. 



^Ir. Downes states tliat tliis Owl is very almndant in Xova Scotia in win- 

 ter, and that it is known to breed in the neinhlioi'inu; jirovince of Xewfonnd- 

 land. In some years it appears to traverse 1 lie conntry in larue flocks. Tn 

 the winter of 1801-02,110 adds, tlie.se birds made their appearance in Canada 

 in larjje nnnibers. 



]\[r. I'oardnian states tliat tliev are present in winter in the vicinitv of 

 Calais, Imt that they are not common. A ]iair was noticed in the sjn'inf; of 



