132 



OWL, 



* * W i t h SMOOTH HEADS. 



j- # Strix nyftea, Lin. Syfi. i. p. 132. N° 6. 



SNOWY. , Scop. Ann. i. p. 20. 



9' Le Chathuantde la Baye de Hudfon, Brif. orn. i. p. 522. N° 8. 



Le Harfang, Buf. oif. i. p. 387. 



PL enl. 458. 



Hibou blanc d'Iflande, And. Hift. d'lJI. fcf Gro. i. p. 85. t. I *. 

 Great White Owl, Ed<w. ii. t. 61. 

 Snowy Owl, Am. Zool. N» 



Br. Muf. Lev. Muf. 



JbfR' EBWARDS's defcription is the one from whence the 

 others are taken ; who fays, that it rather exceeds the Great 

 Eagle Owl in fize, but the head is not fo big in proportion. 

 Discretion. The bill in this fpecies is black, and almoft hid in the feathers : 

 the irides yellow : the whole plumage is white as fnow, but the 

 upper part of the head is marked with fmall brown fpots, and 

 the upper part of the back tranfverfely marked with narrow lines ' 

 of brown, as are the fides under the wings, but lighter : the 

 quills are white, fpotted alfo with brown, as are the tail-feathers, 

 except the outer ones, which are of a pure white : the legs are 

 covered to the toes with white feathers : the claws are black. 



This fpecies is fometimes feen quite white, and is found in the 

 northern parts of both Europe and America; in Sweden, Iceland, and 

 Hudfon' s Bay, and fometimes, though rarely, in Penfylvania. 



In America we are told that it continues the whole year; that 

 it preys by day as well as night. It's chief food is the Ptarmigan, 

 called in North America the White Partridge. 



* The figure incorreft. 



Strix 



