8636 



Birds, 



of a similar nature, the celebrated story of the chameleon might be 

 aptly introduced. If it be permitted to one of my comparatively 

 slight experience in the matter to venture an opinion, I may state my 

 impression that in Shetland at least the snowy owl feeds both by night 

 and by day, although very seldom during the latter period. My 

 reasons for this supposition are based upon two very simple facts ; 

 first, that when the bird is seen during the daytime it is nearly always 

 in a state of repose ; and, secondly, that those examples which are 

 lulled early in tn"e morning or late in the evening always have food in 

 the stomach, while those procured in the daytime have the stomach % 

 either perfectly empty or containing food in which the process of 

 digestion is far advanced. 



Although during the daytime the bird is usually sufficiently upon 

 the alert to avoid its enemies, yet this is not always the case; some- 

 times its inactivity amounts almost to stupidity. Two years ago I 

 met some men coming out of the island of Balta who assured me that 

 one of their number had a short time previously snapped a cap five 

 times at a snowy owl, which only then became sufficiently alarmed to 

 make its escape from the island. It was shot early one morning soon 

 afterwards, and in its stomach I found a young rabbit. The only 

 record which I can find of this species having been seen "on the feed" 

 in the daytime occurred to my own observation in 1860, and was noted 

 at the time as follows. "Nov. 2. In Balta, as I suddenly looked over 

 the wall which divides the island, I saw a snowy owl make a rapid 

 stoop towards some rabbits, and rise again without touching them, at 

 the same time uttering a strange, rapid, chirping noise, which must 

 have been pretty loud, for I heard it distinctly, although at the distance 

 of more than a hundred yards; the bird then flew straight off towards 

 Unst. It was not so white as an adult. This occurred about noon." 

 In favour of its claim to be ranked among the day owls I have noticed 

 that it is able to see for a long distance, even at times when the sun 

 is shining brightly ; a flight of golden plovers, passing very high above 

 one which was sitting upon my arm, immediately attracted its attention. 

 Too much value has evidently been attached to the fact that this 

 species is very frequently met with between sunrise and sunset, for 

 this is doubtless owing chiefly to the exposed nature of the ground 

 which it frequents at such times. When the snowy owl appears in 

 the daytime gulls, hooded crows, and even starlings at once join in 

 pursuit, but until the annoyance becomes absolutely unendurable he 

 usually regards them with contempt, being perhaps conscious of his 

 own power of wing and claw. The flight of this species is strong and 



