BIRDS OF XOETHEEN CANADA 369 



north, on May 4th, 1861. As there appear to be no mem- 

 oranda showing the exact manner in which these eggs were 

 obtained by him, it is likely that they were either taken from 

 a cavity in, or from an open nest on, a tree. The number 

 of eggs usually laid is from three to seven. They are pure 

 white in colour and oval in shape. The shell 'is smooth, 

 close-grained, and shows but little lustre." There are only 

 two skins in the Museum at Ottawa, and no eggs ! 



o tt 



rSib. Aectic Horned Owl^ — Bubo virginianus arcticus. 



(Swain.). 



I would here again quote from Major Bendire's interest- 

 ing " Life Histories of ISTorth American Birds" : " Mr. E. 

 ]\IacFarlane met with the Arctic homed owl in the country 

 between Fort Good Hope, on the Lower Mackenzie, and the 

 Anderson river region, within the Arctic circle, and in a col- 

 lection of birds and eggs recently received from him is a 

 very light-coloured female of this race, a perfectly typical 

 specimen, from Moose Lake, Cimiberland, shot in May, 1890, 

 which probably marks nearly the southern limit of its breed- 

 ing range. These birds feed on the numerous water-fowl, 

 ptarmigan, and the varying hares inhabiting these regions, 

 and are probably common enough in suitable localities where 

 an abundance of food is easily obtainable. Nothing is as yet 

 known about their nesting or their e^s, which are not likely 

 to differ from those of the preceding races." And yet in 

 face of this authoritative statement I find in the receipted 

 list of specimens at Washington, collected in Cumberland, 

 season 1891, two eggs (one set) entered under Buho virgini- 

 anus suh-arcticus. A skin of B. virginianus arcticus is also 

 acknowledged. Having lost or mislaid some of the field- 

 notes of that year, I cannot now furnish any relative infor- 

 mation. There are no specimens of the bird or its eggs in 

 the Dominion IMuseum at Ottawa! 



