42 
STRIGID.^.. 
enougli to human eyes. Under such circumstances the bird, 
doubtless, experiences no small amount of benefit from the 
exceedingly perfect nictitating membrane with which the eye 
is provided. Much discussion has from time to time arisen 
concerning the feeding habits of this species, some observers 
maintaining that it seeks its prey by daylight only, while 
others as warmly contend that it is exclusively a night feeder ; 
but into this, as into most other arguments of a similar nature, 
the celebrated story of the chameleon might be aptly intro- 
duced. My own observations lead me to suppose that it feeds 
both by night and by day, although comparatively 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 killed 
early in the morning or late in the evening have food in 
the stomach, while those procured in the daytime have the 
stomach either empty, or containing food in which the process 
of digestion is far advanced. 
Although during the day the bird is generally enough upon 
the alert to avoid its enemies, yet upon some occasions 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 just snapped his gun 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 nearly a week afterwards, and in its stomach I found 
a young rabbit with the skin quite whole, but with the bones 
broken. Among other notes I find the following, relating to 
one of the few instances in which I have observed it on the 
feed in the daytime : — 
''Nov. 2, 1860. — In Balta, as I suddenly looked over the 
wall wliich 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 
