16 Mr. A. G. More on the Distribution of Birds 



but is reported by various correspondents as nesting regularly 

 in the counties of Aberdeen, Banff, Elgin, Nairn, Inverness, Ross, 

 Sutherland, and even in Caithness ; Low describes it as found 

 in the more hilly part of Orkney in summer. It is singular 

 that this Owl should be so scarce in Ireland, Thompson giving 

 only a single instance of its occurrence. 



Obs. — Several supposed instances of the Snowy Owl {Nyctea 

 nivea, Bonap.) breeding in the British Islands are on record. 

 In the 'Zoologist' for 1856 (p. 5201), Mr. T. Edward gives 

 an account of a nest, containing two young birds, which was 

 found in 1845 in a narrow chasm on the promontory of Loggie 

 Head, Banffshire ; but in a letter which I have lately received from 

 Mr. Edward, he tells me that he did not see the birds himself. 



Mr. J. H, Dunn tells me that the Snowy Owl bred on the 

 hills of Orphir, near Stromness, about thirty-five years ago. He 

 knows the person well who took different nests. 



Dr. Saxby writes that the Snowy Owl was first obtained in 

 Shetland in 1808 by Dr. Edmonston, " who neither had nor has 

 any doubt that the bird bred at that time. The spot where the 

 nest used to be found is still pointed out.'' In Macgillivray's 

 ' British Birds ' (vol. iii. p. 412) mention is made of a nest and 

 three young birds found in Shetland, and reported to Dr. Ed- 

 monston, who, however, is there quoted as saying, " I have 

 always doubted whether it bred here." 



Mr. Robert Gray thinks that the Snowy Owl may breed in 

 the Hebrides, where it is by no means rare. It has been re- 

 peatedly seen at Benbecula; and specimens have been recently 

 obtained in Skye, Harris, and Benbecula. 



On the Continent the Snowy Owl is strictly an Arctic species, 

 breeding only at Alpine elevations, and these north of latitude 

 60°, hence its nesting in any part of the British Isles appears 

 highly improbable. 



The Scops Eared Owl [Ephialtes scops, Keys, et Bias.) is 

 recorded by Mr. Hogg (Brewster's ' History of Stockton-on- 

 Tees,' App. p. 14), on the information of Mr. Winch, as having 

 been known to breed once, forty years ago, in Castle-Eden 

 Dene, Durham. 



