160 OBSEUVATIONS ON THE SNOWY OWt. 
from its constantly, during the summer, frequenting the 
same situations, in perfect plumage and well developed sex, 
it is reasonable perhaps to conclude that it breeds in Zet- 
land. Indeed I remember an intelligent peasant of Unst, 
whose veracity and accurate acquaintance with his native 
birds I had occasion to be satisfied with, assuring me of his 
once having met, in the month of August, with a pair of 
this species, having along with them two others, which he 
termed their young. One of these latter he shot ; but un- 
fortunately I was not aware of the circumstance till the 
specimen was destroyed. He described it as of the same 
size as the Snowy Owl ; indeed, in every respect the same, 
but of much darker plumage ; and this is all precisely what 
we should expect, on the supposition of this species breed- 
ing in Zetland. 
A new and elegant species is thus added to the list of 
British birds ; and a future opportunity may enable me to' 
communicate some details, of which the peculiar facilities 
for ornithological pursuit of the Zetland Islands have put 
me in possession, illustrating the habits, and defining more 
accurately other genera and species of a class of animals so 
interesting to the naturalist, so generally diffused, yet stilf 
too often so obscurely known. 
Edinburgh^ 
^th February 1822. 
