SNOW OWL. 



55 



either during winter, late in the fall, or early in spring; so that it 

 does not appear certain whether any remain during summer within 

 the territory of the United States ; tho I think it highly probable 

 that a few do, in some of the more northern inland parts, where 

 they are most numerous during winter. 



The colour of this bird is well suited for concealment^ while 

 roaming over the general waste of snows ] and its flight strong and 

 swift, very similar to that of some of our large Hawks. Its hear- 

 ing must be exquisite, if we judge from the largeness of these or- 

 gans in it; and its voice is so dismal that, as Pennant observes, it 

 adds horror even to the regions of Greenland by its hideous cries, 

 resembling those of a man in deep distress* 



The male of this species measures twenty-two inches and a 

 half in length, and four feet six inches in breadth; head and neck 

 nearly white, with a few small dots of dull brown interspersed ; eyes 

 deep sunk under projecting eyebrows, the plumage at their internal 

 angles fluted or prest in, to admit direct vision, below this it bris- 

 tles up, covering nearly the whole bill; the i rides are of the most 

 brilliant golden yellow, and the countenance, from the proportion- 

 ate smallness of the head, projection of the eyebrow, and concavity 

 of the plumage at the angle of the eye, very different from that of 

 any other of the genus ; general color of the body white, marked 

 with lunated spots of pale brown above, and with semicircular 

 dashes below; femoral feathers long, and legs covered even over 

 the claws with long shaggy hair-like down of a dirty white; the 

 claws, when exposed, appear large, much hooked, of a black color, 

 and extremely sharp pointed; back white, tail rounded at the end, 

 white, slightly dotted with pale brown near the tips ; wings when 

 closed reach near the extremity of the tail; vent feathers large, 

 strong shafted, and extending also to the point of the tail ; upper 

 part of the breast and belly plain white; body very broad and flat. 



The female, which measures two feet in length, and five feet 

 two inches in extent, is covered more thickly with spots of a much 



