132 



THE CANADIAN SPORTSMAN AND NATURALIST. 



is common. It both breeds and winters, 

 usually keeping in the thick forests, seldom 

 corning out in the clear country. I have seen 

 its young in the spring, and the adult at all 

 seasons of the year. A specimen shot at 

 Digby, Feb. 1876, when feeding upon a black 

 duck, was nearly white, washed by pale 

 ferruginous, and barred and spotted ligbt 

 browu. The pure white chin remained un- 

 changed, as it has done in every individual I 

 have examined, how much otherwise the 

 plumage may have been altered. Though not 

 resembling Richardson's figure, I thought it 

 may have been the Arctic variety. Our camp 

 fires attracted them when camping on the 

 shores of a forest lake in Digby county, Sept., 

 1871 . By answering their wild feline cries, we 

 kept them about us the long night, unseen, 

 yet continually shifting from one spruce fir to 

 another, amongst which our camp was pitched. 

 Their prey is nocturnal, and thus less likely 



reposing on sand that heated your touch. A 

 few years after the island had been stocked by 

 domestic rabbits, this bird made his appear- 

 ance, in 1827, and ever after paid it an annual 

 visit. I saw him patiently watching the 

 burrow mouth, instantaneously to seize its 

 emerging owner. He is usually our winter 

 visitor, and like other species'sometimes comes 

 in flocks. In the winter of 1876 Mr. Egan, at 

 Halifax, had fourteen specimens at one time. 

 The settlers told me they sat like pigeons upon 

 their barns, coming out of the forest at dusk. 

 There had been no storms or local reasons for 

 this migration which extended into New 

 England. The hawk owl (S. uliila), is also a 

 winter visitor. He shows himself sometimes 

 in flocks. Some years ago there were more 

 than a dozen brought into Halifax, then not 

 seen for years, and of late returning singly. 

 Of Tengmalm's owl (X. Tengmalmi) I have seen 

 but few specimens, and believe it very rare. 



to be known. Grouse, hare, and even ducks Four are the utmost I have seen in Nova 



may be readily captured by this powerful bird, 

 which uses its beak as well as its claws in 

 destroying life. A poor pet crow, the favorite 

 of the village at Annapolis, visiting every 

 house for its bone, and sleeping now in an old 

 porch, now in an unfinished church, or under 

 the eave of inhabited houses, alarmed the 

 inmates, beneath whose eaves it bad-sought a 

 roosting place, by its shrill cries one calm 

 midnight. On going to its rescue a large 

 nocturnal bird of prey floated away. At sun- 

 rise it was found dead on the grass beneath, 

 no doubt a victim of this powerful nocturnal 

 prowler. Of the short eared owl (_B. palustris) 



Scotia. The Saw-whet (_Z\". acadicd) is common 

 and resident, keeping the deepest forests as his 

 abode, frightening the Indian at his bivouac, 

 who never will answer him or allow any one 

 to do so in his camp, for fear of impending 

 misfortune. Yet he, too, appears sometimes 

 in flocks in the open. During the spring of 

 1879, Mr. Egan had numerous specimens 

 offered him. The little red owl (S. asio), so 

 common in New England and also in New- 

 foundland (Reek's Zoologist, 1869,) I have 

 never seen here, in which Mr. Downs joins 

 me. In its migrations it passes perhaps north 

 of us. In ending mv remark on our owls, I 



and the long eared owl (0. vulgaris), they may may say that about four have been identified as 

 be said, though not rare, still not very I nesting with us, the others are winter visitants, 

 common. I have Mr. Downs' authority that j and that with the exception of the Great grejs 

 the short eared nests in Nova Scotia, near owl, there are excellent specimens of each 

 Halifax. Probably both do, yet the number i species in the Halifax museum, 

 of both that appear during Avinter proves j In passing to the diurnal birds of prey, the 

 migration to be the chief cause of their ; Falcoxice, we find more power and strength 

 presence with us. Of the barred owl OS. developed in each individual, though denuded 

 nebulosum), my notes give May, as the month , of their soft coating; the hind toe (in the owls 

 I identified him in the breeding season. I very small comparatively) greatly increased, a 

 have no doubt he winters with us, but my greater propensity to use the claw than bill, 

 notes have no monthly dates. The hooting of and a greater ardour of temperament, and 

 this owl comes down on the night wind to you power of wing action. This family naturally 

 like the loud broken laughter of many men. separates itself into the harriers, the falcons, 

 A stranger would easily suppose he was near the hawks, the buzza:ds, and the eagles. 1 

 a large logging party. The majestic snow owl mean as regards Nova Scotia, since the kites 

 (A T . nivea) I do not think nests with us. He j and vultures never come to us. Of the harriers, 

 is usually a winter visitor, though I saw him resembling the owls in a facial circle, we have 

 once, August, 1 85-4, on Sable Island, with all j one species (C. cyaneus), a geographical 

 his feathery alpine plumage, sitting upon the \ variety of the old world harriers, 

 hot sand, the snowy, thick muffled claws I (To be Continued.) 



