SNOW OWL. 



5* 



or contracted, perhaps by the muscular membrane with which 

 they are encased. In five other different species of owls, 

 which I have since examined, I found nearly the same con- 

 formation of this organ, and exactly the same number of 

 staves. The eye being thus fixed, these birds, as they view 

 different objects, are always obliged to turn the head ; and 

 Nature has so excellently adapted their neck to this purpose, 

 that they can, with ease, turn it round, without moving the 

 body, in almost a complete circle.* 



* In prefixing the generic appellations to this curious family, I must 

 at once confess my inability to do it in a manner satisfactory to myself. 

 They have been yet comparatively unstudied ; and the organs of greatest 

 importance have been seemingly most neglected. Neither my own 

 collection, nor those accessible in Britain, contain sufficient materials 

 to decide upon : I will, therefore, consider any attempt now to divide 

 them in the words of Mr Swainson, " as somewhat speculative, and 

 certainly not warranted by any evidence that has yet been brought for- 

 ward on the subject." The names are applied, then, on the authority 

 of ornithologists of high standing. 



This owl, and some others, will form the genus Noctua of Savigny 

 and Cuvier, and are closely allied to the Surnia of Dumeril. In fact, the 

 characters of the latter appear to me to agree better than those of Noctua ; 

 and Lesson says, " Les cheveches ne se font pas reconnaitre tres nette- 

 nient des chouettes." The snowy owl feeds by day as well as by night, 

 and is much more active than the night feeding birds ; it approaches 

 nearer to the hawk owls. The head is less ; the tail and wings, 

 elongated, and the plumage is more compact and rigid. It appears to 

 extend as far north in America as any inhabited country, and is found 

 in the coldest districts of Europe. It is also mentioned by Pennant to 

 reach beyond the Asiatic frontier to the hot latitude of Astracan (a 

 contrast, if it should turn out the same species), and was discovered to 

 breed in Orkney and Shetland by Mr Bullock, who procured several 

 specimens. Its visits to the mainland of Britain are, again, more rare ; 

 indeed, I believe one of the only instances on record is that of a male 

 and female killed near Rothbury in Northumberland, in January 1823, 

 — a winter remarkable for a severe snow storm. They were killed on 

 an open moor, in a wild and rocky part of the country, and were gene- 

 rally seen perched upon the snow, or upon some large stone projecting 

 from it. Both now form beautiful specimens in the collection of Mr Selby. 



They become very familiar in winter, approaching close to the dwell- 

 ings of the Indians. In Lapland they are shot with ball when hunting 

 after moles and lemmings, and in that country, like many other owls, 



