SNOW OWL. 
93 
the year, the silence of death and desolation might 
he expected to reign, furnish food and shelter to 
o's hardy adyenturcr; whence he is only driven hy 
jj® extreme severity of weather towards the sea shore, 
jj® is found in Lapland, Norway, and the country near 
Jeon’s Bay, during the whole year; is said to he 
h^mon in Siberia, and numerous in Kamtschatka. 
ofR** *cen in Canada and the northern districts 
to!.?® United States ; and sometimes extends his visits 
So borders of Florida. Nature, ever provident, has 
a ®"ectually secured this bird from the. attacks of cold, 
“ot even a point is left e.xposed. The 1)111 is almost 
fa,, hid among a mass of feathers that cover the 
of f * the lee's are clothed with such an exuberance 
la thiclt hair-like plumage, .as to apitcar ne.arly as 
kS®. as those of a middle-sized dog, nothing being 
Cl® hut the claws, which are large, black, much 
L| and extremely shai-p. The whole plumage 
taa "■ the surface is of the most exquisitely soft, warm, 
Cl®la.stic kind, and so closely matted together as to 
sJ,® it a difficult matter to penetrate to the skin. 
gC**e usual food of this species is said to be hares, 
‘'‘'bbits, ducks, mice, and even carrion. Unlike 
Ca his tribe, he hunts by day as well as by twilight, 
I " T i__ X* .1 ♦lirt onil 
4 
ijj.'s particularly fond of frequenting the shores and 
shallow rivers, over the surface ot which he 
w' y sails, or sits on a rock a little raised above the 
tilth®’ hatching for fish. These he seizes with a 
W. .®‘t and instantaneous stroke of the loot, seldom 
his aim. In the more southern and thickly 
Ilk ®!^ parts he is seldom seen ; and when lie appears, 
colour, and singular aspect, attract general 
oA the month of October, I met with this bird 
p‘,PtWego Biver New York state, a little below the 
C’ ''■gilantly watching for fish At Pittsburg^ in 
sliL*'?““lh of February, I saiv another, which had been 
Oh the wing some time before. At a place on the 
\Va7> called Lon-' Beach, I examined another, which 
the first ever” recollected to have been seen there. 
