The Zoologist— June, 1869. 1691 



handle about four feet long, and used for throwing codfish from the 

 boats. A good many snowy owls are annually caught in the fox-traps 

 of the settlers ; and when very fat, which they frequently are, are 

 considered good eating by many, and I see no reason why they should 

 not be so, but I could never sufficiently overcome my repugnance to 

 birds of prey as food to taste one. None of the settlers appeared to 

 know anything of the breeding of this bird, although Mr. Downs 

 states that it " breeds in Newfoundland." Mr. Cordeaux has kindly 

 examined parasites of Nyctea nivea from Newfoundland, and informs 

 me that they are identical with others from European specimens. 



Hawk Owl, Surnia ulula {Linn.) — Perhaps the commonest owl in 

 Newfoundland, or, from being a day-flying species, is more frequently 

 seen than any other. It is a bold, familiar bird, generally found in 

 the neighbourhood of houses, preying on chicken, tame pigeons, &c., 

 — remaining throughout the year, but not so abundant in the depth of 

 winter as at other seasons. In. the fall of the year, and probably at 

 other times, the hawk owl has a habit of perching on the bare and 

 dead top of high fir trees, from which it commands a good view of the 

 immediate neighbourhood, and suddenly drops upon any unfortunate 

 object in the shape of food that may happen to pass within a con- 

 venient distance. 



PiciD^. The Woodpeckers. 



Hairy Woodpecker, or Sapsticker, Picus villosus, Linn. — Tolerably 

 common, and does not migrate. Newfoundland specimens appear to 

 agree with Professor Baird's variety — medius. 



Downy Woodpecker, or Sapsucker, P. pubescens, Linn.— Very 

 common, and like the preceding species is non-migratory. 



Blackbacked Threetoed Woodpecker, Picoides arcticus (Swains.)— 

 This fine species is tolerably common in Newfoundland throughout 

 the year; and often, when the snow is drifting through these dreary 

 forests, no other sign of animal life is noticeable than the " wood- 

 pecker tapping" in search of the larvae of several fine species of 

 Sirex which abound there. 



Banded Tlireetoed Woodpecker, Picoides hirsutus {Vieill.) — 

 Scarcely so common as the preceding species, but, like that, is a 

 resident throughout the year : I shot several males, but had a diffi- 

 culty in getting a fetnale, though I succeeded at last in killing one 

 specimen ; it is a rather darker bird than the male, and is without 

 the yellow patch on the crown, having that part spotted with 



