92 
STRIX NYCTEA. 
curving sti'eak of brown black, with another a ht 
behind it of a triangular form ; back, scapulars, 
and tail coverts, brown olive, thickly speckled . 
broad spots of white; the tail extends three inc^ ’ 
beyond the tips of the wings, is of a biwvn olive cow' ' 
and crossed with six or seven narrow bars of " j 
rounded at the end, and also tipt with white ; the 
and chin is marked with a large spot of brown oh' „ 
upper part of the breast, light ; lower, and all the p? , 
below, elegantly kirred with dark brown and 
legs and feet, covered to and beyond the claws with 
ivhitLsh plumage, slightly yellow, and barred with h 
lines of olive ; claws, horn colour. The weight of W 
bird was twelve ounces. ^ 
The female is much darker above ; the quills ^ j 
nearly black; and the upper part of the breast is blotc** 
with deep blackish brown. Iiy 
It is worthy of remark, that in all owls that h5.|]j 
night, the exterior edges and sides of the wing ; 
are slightly recurved, and end in hue hairs or I'O*"')) 
by means of which the bird is enabled to pass thcC'jy 
the air with the greatest silence, a provision ueecss* ^ 
for enabling it the better to surprise its prey. !'*/(,) 
hawk owl now before us, which Hies by day, »*'“ [( 
whom this contrivance would be of no consequcncC»j^ 
is accordingly omitted, or at least is scarcely obsevV*’j| 
So judicious, so wise, and perfectly applicable, at® ' 
the dispositions of the Creator. 
26. STRIX XyCTHA, WILSOX. — SNOW OWL. 
WILSON, PLATE XXXII. 
fig. I. MALE.. 
JIUSEL'M. 
-EDISBURGH 
coll'" 
This great northern hunter inhabits the coldest ^ . 
most dreary regions of the northern hemisphere i, 
both continents. The forlorn mountains of Greene 
covered with eternal ice and snows, where, for D®' 
