THE SNOWY OWE 
77 
The Showy Owl is one of the handsomest of this group, not so much on account of its 
dimensions, which are not very considerable, but by reason of the beautif ul white mantle with 
which it is clothed, and the large orange eyeballs that shine with a lustre as of a living 
topaz set among the snowy plumage. 
This bird is properly a native of North America and Europe. Like the Hawk Owl, it is a 
day-flying bird, and is a terrible foe to the smaller mammalia, and to various birds. Mr. 
Yarrell remarks that “one wounded on the Isle of Balta disgorged a young rabbit whole ; and 
that one in my possession had in its stomach a young sandpiper with its plumage entire.” It 
is rather remarkable that the bird should have thus been swallowed whole, as I have always 
SNOWY OWL . -Nyctea nivea. BEARDED OW r L . — Symium lapponicum. 
remarked that when an Owl devours a little bird, he tears it to pieces before eating it, though 
he always swallows a mouse entire. 
In proportion to its size the Snowy Owl is a mighty hunter, having been detected in 
chasing our American hare, and carrying off wounded grouse before the sportsman could secure 
his prey. According to Yarrell, the Swedish name of Harfang, which has been given to this 
bird, is derived from its habit of feeding on hares. It is also a good fisherman, posting itself 
on some convenient spot overhanging the water, and securing its finny prey with a lightning- 
like grasp of the claw as it passes beneath the white-clad fisher. Sometimes it will sail over 
the surface of the stream, and snatch the fish as they rise for food, but its general mode 
of angling is that which has just been mentioned. It is also a great eater of lemmings ; and in 
the destruction of these quadrupedal pests, does infinite service to the agriculturist and the 
population in general. 
