341 



This, the largest of our European Owls, inhabits the Northern and Central portion of the 

 Palsearctic region, being but rare in the southern parts. 



In Great Britain it is now extremely rare, and some of the specimens obtained were, in all 

 probability, escaped individuals. It is said formerly to have inhabited the Orkneys. Messrs. 

 Baikie and Heddle record one as having been killed in Sandy by Mr. Strang in 1830, and 

 further state that it is occasionally said to be seen in Ramsay, and was then believed to breed 

 in the Hammers of Birsay. Dr. Saxby says that it is now rarely seen in Shetland ; and Pennant 

 mentions a specimen killed in.Fifeshire in the last century. Mr. Robert Gray gives, on the 

 authority of Mr. Angus, the following notice of its capture in Aberdeenshire : — " Mr. John 

 Wilson, Methlick, has just sent me word that on the 2nd of February, 1866, while out shooting, 

 he saw an Eagle Owl, of which he says, ' it flew very low, keeping close to the ground, rising 

 and falling in beautiful undulations over the uneven surface. I saw it from a considerable 

 distance, and in the grey dawn of the morning thought it was a Heron. I could have easily 

 reached the point to which it was flying ; but as I did not want a specimen (Herons being plentiful 

 in this locality), I let it go. Some doubts, however, having occurred to me at this moment, I 

 made a rush upon the bird, and got near enough to discover my mistake. It did not diverge in 

 the least in its flight at my approach ; and I might after all have killed it, but trusted to a better 

 opportunity. After this it was often seen about Haddo House, and always in company with a 

 smaller Owl. In the last week of February of the same year an adult female Eagle Owl — no 

 doubt the same bird — found its way to Aberdeen, from Mr. Wilson's neighbourhood. It fell 

 into the hands of a wright, who brought it to me for identification. It weighed seven and three 

 quarter pounds. The stomach contained two water-rats nearly whole. The owner would not 

 dispose of the bird, nor would he put it into the hands of a taxidermist to have it properly 

 stuffed. He gave me the body, and I preserved the sternum and made a full description of the 

 plumage. I afterwards saw the Owl in the hands of the lucky fellow, displayed as a curiosity ; 

 and in this he succeeded perfectly, as I was forced to confess I had never seen such a fine bird so 

 thoroughly caricatured.' " 



Professor Newton, in the new edition of Yarrell's British Birds, states that it " has been 

 obtained in Kent, Sussex, and Devonshire. One was caught alive so near London as Hampstead ; 

 and it is said to have occurred in Suffolk, Norfolk, Oxfordshire, Derbyshire, Yorkshire, and 

 Durham, besides near Swansea, in Wales. It is doubtful if it has ever really occurred in 

 Ireland, the only record being one given by Thompson from Mr. Stewart's catalogue of the Birds 

 of Donegal, to the effect that four paid a visit of two days' duration to Donegal after a great 

 snow-storm from the north." 



In Scandinavia it is common. From Norway Mr. Collett records it as " found from the 

 Hvaloame to within the Polar circle, in the interior as well as on the hilly islands; on the 

 fell-sides it is numerous in the subalpine region, and breeds commonly above the birch-belt. 

 Near Christiania it is met with at all seasons of the year, but is not common. It is very destruc- 

 tive to game." As above stated, it is found very far north ; and Pastor Sommerfelt writes that 

 it has once occurred in Ostfinmark, a specimen having been shot at Lebesby in the winter of 

 1852-53. 



In Sweden it is, Nilsson writes, " not uncommon from Skane into the Polar circle, frequenting 



