SMOOTH-HEADED Owits. RAPACES. STRIX. 5G 
that description. It rests exposed upon the ground, where 
it can look around it, and descry the approach of an enemy. 
Those seen by Mr Bullock were upon the open sand- 
banks, on the sea-shore, which, from abounding with rab- 
bits, were doubtless their favourite haunts. 
They breed on the ledges of precipitous rocks, the eggs, Nest, &e. 
being two in number, of a pure white, according to most au- 
thors; but by Vr1LLot, they are said to be spotted with 
black. 
It is common in the regions of the arctic circle, even in- 
habiting the frozen coast of Greenland. Is very numerous 
on the shores of Hudson’s Bay, in Norway, Sweden, and 
Lapland ; but of very rare occurrence in the temperate parts 
of Europe and America. 
The figure on Puare Q8. isnearly in the proportion of three- General 
fourths of the natural size, taken from a specimen killed ees 
in the Shetland Islands, and which, from its numerous 
brown bars and spots, appears to have been either a 
young bird, or of middle age, as the old of this species 
exhibit a pure white plumage. 
Bill black, nearly hidden by the projecting bristly feathers 
at its base. ‘The head, compared with other Owls, is 
small, in proportion to the size of the body. Irides 
gamboge-yellow. Spots and bars on the plumage 
brownish-black. Legs and toes very rough, and clothed 
with long hairy feathers, that almost conceal the claws, 
which are long, black, and very sharp. The outward 
orifice of the ear much smaller, and rounder in shape 
than is found in the other species. 
Since writing the above description, two very fine speci- 
mens (a male and female) of this rare British bird were Two of 
killed near Rothbury, in Northumberland, in the latter ee pe 
part of January 1823, durimg the severe snow-storm Rothbury. 
that was so generally felt throughout the north of Eng- 
land and Scotland. 
