466 



AVES— OWL. 



Pergisylvania, or more rarely even to the borders of Florida. It is very 

 seldom, however, met with in Europe to the south of Sweden ; while in 

 America it appears to be most frequent in the latitude of Hudson's Bay. 

 Bechstein mentions one or two instances of its appearance in the neighbor- 

 hood of Leipsic and of Dresden ; and it has obtained a place in the British 

 Fauna, as an inhabitant of the islands of Orkney apd Shetland, where it 

 was first detected by Mr Edmonstone, about eighteen or twenty years ago. 

 It seems probable, from that gentleman's observations, that it is stationary in 

 the last mentioned locality throughout the year ; but AVilson believes it to be 

 only an occasional visitant in the United States, except perhaps in some of 



the more northern and inland parts, when it may remain during the summer 

 to breed. In the early part of the present year, (1832,) one of them was shot 

 on an island in Boston harbor, where he had been noticed lurking for several 

 days previous, feeding on clams, muscles, and other shellfish along the 

 shore. 



The comparative length of wing and strength of the quill feathers, in this 

 beautiful owl, enable him to fly with much more swiftness, and to remain 

 suspended in the air for a much greater length of time, than any other bird 

 of the family. It flies abroad also in the daytime, as well as in the twilight, 

 and in all these particulars, as well as in the nature of its food, evinces a 

 striking approach to some of the more strictly diurnal birds of prey. It feeds 

 almost indiscriminately on birds, quadrupeds, fishes, and even carrion ; and 

 is stated by Hearne to be extremely troublesome to the hunter, whom it will 

 follow for a whole day, perching itself on the highest tree, and skimming 

 down, when a bird has been shot, with such rapidity as to carry off the prize, 



