W H I T E OWL, 2J5 



■Bies high, like a Hawk, and preys by day on the White Grous. Like 

 the Short-eared Owl, will hover over the nocturnal fires. Is a bold 

 bird ; will attend the fowler, and often fteal the game he has fliot, 

 before he can pick it up. Was feen by the navigators near Sandwich 

 found, in lat. 6i north. 



This bird is very frequent in all SiMria, and on the weft fide of the 

 Uralian chain, as far as Cajan and the P'olga : not in Rttffia. 



„ .. ,. 124, Whste. 



Tuidara, Margrave, 205. ' 



Barn Owl, Clayton's Virghia. — PhiLTranf. iii. 589. , 



White Owl, Br. Zool.'u N" 67, — Latham, i. 138. 



Strix Flammea, Faun. Suec. N° 73. 



L'Effraie, ou L'EfFrafaie, De Bufett, i. 366. pi. xxvi. — ■?/. Enl. 440.— Lev. 



Mus.— Bi,. Mus. 



^r\ With a white bill : duflcy irides : head, back, and coverts of 

 wings, of a pale beautiful yellow, with two grey and two white 

 fpots placed alternately on each fide of the fliafts : breaft and belly 

 wholly white; interior fides of the feathers of the tail white; ex- 

 terior marked with obfcure dufl<;y bars : legs feathered : feet covered 

 with fhort hairs. Length fourteen inches. Weight eleven ounces. 



This bird is common to North and South America, and to Europe. Placs. 



Was found by the navigators near Sandwich iownd, lat. 61 north. Is 

 rare in Sweden, and, I believe, not found farther north. Inhabits 

 'Tartary, The Mongol and Kahnuc Tartars almoft pay it divine ho- 

 nors ; becaufe they attribute to this fpecies the prefervation of the 

 founder of their empire, Cingis Khan. That prince with his fmall 

 army happened to be furprized and put to flight by his enemies, 

 and forced to conceal himfelf in a little coppice : an Owl fettled on 

 the bufh under which he was hid, and induced his purfuers not to 

 fearch there, as they thought it impoffible any man covlld be concealed 

 in a place where that bird would perch. From thenceforth they 

 held it to be facred, and every one wore a plume of the feathers of 



H h 2 this 



