Locality. 
Food. 
58 RAPACES. STRIX. Smooru-HeaDED OwLs. 
on each side ; and do not consist of a single feather, as 
Linnezus and the early writers have asserted. 
SECTION II.—SMOOTH-HEADED OWLS. 
The species in this section are all destitute of the elonga- 
ted frontal Feathers, and many of them are capable of pur- 
suing their prey by day-light. 
Snowy Owl.—Strix Nyctea, Linn. 
PLATE 2. 
Strix Nyctea, Gmel. Syst. 1. p. 201.—LZath. Ind. Ornith. 1. 57. sp. 20.— 
Meyer, Tasschenb. Deut. v. 1. p- 75.—Wils. Amer. Ornith. v. 4. p. 53. 
pl. 32. £1. © 
Strix alba Freti Hudsonis, Briss. 1. 522. 
La Chouette Harfang, Buff: Ois. v. 1. p. 387.—Jd. Pl. Enl. 458.—Temm. 
Man. d’Ornith. v. 1. p. 82.—Veil. Ois. Pp Amer Sept. v. 1. pl. 18. 
Chouette blanche, Vaill. Ois. d’Afr. v. 1. pl. 45. old bird. 
Schnee-Kauz, Bechst. Naturg. Deut. v. 2. p. 925. 
Schnewuil, Meyer, Vig. Liv. und Esthl. p: 29. 
Snowy Owl, Ayct. Zool. 2. No. 121.—Lath. Syn. 1. p. 132. 17.—Jd. Supp. 
p: 45. — Mont. Supp. to Ornith. Dict. — Bewick’s Supp. Br. Birds.—Wer- 
nerian Trans. v. 4. 
It is only within these few years past, that this noble and 
beautiful Owl has been established as indigenous in Great 
Britain. In a tour made to the Orkney and Shetland Isles, 
in the year 1812, Mr Bullock, the late proprietor of the Lon- 
don Museum, met with it in both groups of islands; and it 
is now ascertained that the species is resident, and breeds 
there. I have seen specimens that were killed in Shetland, 
since the above mentioned period, and some of which are 
now in the magnificent Collection at the Edinburgh Mu- 
seum. From the observations that have been made on its 
habits, it appears to be by no means confined to twilight for 
its supplies of food, rather perhaps the reverse, as it has 
been seen pursuing its prey in the day-time.—Alpine hares, 
rabbits, rats, and the different species of grouse, fall under 
