STRIX N YCTEA 
SNOWY OWL. 
Generic Character. See Strix Bubo, 
Strix N^ctea ; corpore nivea nigro maeulata, rostro 
nigro, iridibus flavis. 
Snowy Owl. Body pure white spotted with black ; 
bill black ; irides yellow. 
Strix Nyctea. Lin. Sj/st. vA. p. 132. Gmel, Si/st, 
, v.l. p. 201. Fauna Suec. 76. Lath. Ind, 
Orn. vA, p. 57. Lin. Trans, v. 11. p. 175. 
Le Harfang. Buff. Hist. d'Ois. v. i. p. 173. lb. PL 
Enl. 458. 
Ciiouette Harfang. Temm.Man. d'Orn. ed. 2. p, 82, 
Great White Owl. Edwards, v. 2. i. 61 . 
Snowy Owl. Lath. Si/n. v. 1. p. 132. Arct. Zool. v. 2. 
p. 121. Gen. ZqoI. v. 7. p. 240. pi. 31. 
Mont. Orn. Diet. Sup. 
This elegant species was first recorded as a native of 
Great Britain, in the eleventh volume of the Linnean Trans- 
actions, it was heretofore considered as a native of the colder 
parts of Europe and North America. 
Bill strong, hooked, black ; irides yellow ; claws blatk, 
large and much hooked. This beautiful bird varies in its 
plumage from pure white to white dashed with brown; 
and in the greater or lesser number of the bars and spots. 
The male is said to be of immaculate white when it has at- 
tained its full plumage ; and the female to have less of the 
