312 
SNOWY OWL. 
banks of shallow rivers, over the surface of which 
he slowly sails, or sits on a rock a little raised 
above the water, watching for fish. These he 
seizes with a sudden and instantaneous stroke of 
the foot, seldom missing his aim.”* By some, 
the nest is described as built on the ledges of pre- 
cipitous rocks. Dr Richardson says, “ it makes 
its nest on the ground, and lays three or four white 
eggs.” The nest may be differently placed in 
different localities ; thus the same author records 
the Long-eared Owl as sometimes breeding on the 
ground in North America. 
The plumage of this Owl will be shortly de- 
scribed, the adult birds in the full breeding 
plumage having a much greater proportion of 
white. In almost all states, however, except that 
of the nestling plumage, the face, throat, under 
sides of the wings, and legs, are pure white ; the 
plumes clothing the face, and covering the base of 
the bill, have the webs much disunited, and are 
long and rather rigid; the nostrils, and almost 
all except the tip of the bill, is concealed, and 
under the chin, the feathers close to the under 
mandible fold up, and in a manner half to conceal 
it also; those covering and behind the ears, are 
remarkably close, somewhat downy, and form a 
soft and close protection. The whole plumage 
Wilson’s North American Ornithology. 
