BIRDS. 



177 



Nyctea scandiaca (L.). Snowy Owl. 

 Rare. Very occasional visitant. 



The only authentic occurrence in the north-east that I have 

 note of, is one which was captured off the coast near Montrose, i.e. 

 if that constitute a record. It was taken alive on board a fishing 

 smack, and was brought alive in a seaman's chest to Mr. Small, of 

 Edinburgh, and Avas seen by me in the flesh after Mr. Small had 

 killed it. I would have preferred it in life, but I was too late, and 

 so did the next best thing — bought it there and then. (Full par- 

 ticulars will be found in the Zool. for 1868, p. 1058.) 



One was killed at Mornish Hill, near Loch Tay, by Mr. D. Dewar, 

 but I do not find this mentioned in his lists. 



Obs. — The tales about Snowy Owls nesting in the cliffs about 

 Arbroath and Aberdeenshire are scarcely worthy of repetition ; but 

 as general knowledge does not take us back to the glacial epochs, 

 I think it as well just to mention that such statements have been 

 made on several occasions.^ 



One obtained at Glenbervie is included as belonging to Dee, 

 which is still preserved in Glenbervie House. 



Bubo ignavus, Forst. Eagle-Owl. 



Of doubtful occurrence as a wild bird. 



In 1777 Pennant refers to its occurring in Fife, "probably a 

 migrant from Norway." 



In 1871 my late friend E. R. Alston obtained a young Eagle-Owl 

 in Norway, taken from the nest, and brought it over alive ; and in 

 the division of the spoil of our collecting trip the bird fell to me. I 

 at once had a palace built for him, and he got treatment fit for a king 

 for years. He had been christened "St. Olaf." But much to my 

 astonishment — because I was not aware of the differences of plumage 

 between a king and a queen of Owls — what did she do but go and lay 

 eggs\ Thenceforth she received the name "Olive," but it came to 

 be shortened later to "Ole," — though we were aware that " Ole " is 

 masculine ! Then Mr. Henry Gurney most kindly presented me with 



^ In connection with the visits paid by birds of north European origin which prey 

 upon smaller birds or mammals, I may mention that 1903 was a Lemming year in 

 Scandinavia — or at least in some portions of Norway, as I am assured by my friend the 

 Rev. Francis C. R. Jourdain {in lit., 3rd November 1904) ; and one clutch of eggs w^as 

 taken in Novaya Zemlia of nine eggs. (See under Short-eared Owl, and again under 

 Rough-legged Buzzard, infra. ) 



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