116 
BIRDS OF PREY. 
in Siberia and around Hudson’s Bay. A few stragglers, 
now and then, at distant intervals, and in the depths of 
winter, penetrate on the one side into the northern parts 
of the United States ; and, on the other, they occasion- 
ally appear in Germany, and more rarely in France. At 
Hudson’s Bay they are observed flying high, and preying 
on the White Grous and other birds, sometimes even at- 
tending the hunter like a Falcon, and boldly taking up 
the wounded game as it flutters on the ground. They are 
also said to feed on mice and insects, and (according to 
Meyer) they nest upon trees, laying 2 white eggs. 
The length of the male of this species is about 15 inches. The 
bill yellow, varied with black spots, according to the age, and almost 
hid among the feathers. The iris also bright yellow. Cheeks 
white ; crown and hind-head scattered with round spots of dusky 
brown ; a black band commences behind the eye, extends to the ori- 
fice of the ears, and terminates angularly on the sides of the neck. 
The upper parts variously spotted with dark brown and white. 
Throat whiti^kbelow, white, transversely barred with greyishbrown. 
Tail roundea^ear 7 inches long, extending 3 inches beyond the 
points of the wings, the feathers greyish-brown, crossed by 6 or 
7 narrow ban§ of whitish, and tipped with the same. Feet 
thickly feathered to the toes ; the nails horn-color. 
SNOWY OWL. 
(Strix nyctea , Linn. Wilson, iv. p. 53. pi. 32. fig. 1. [male]. Philad. 
Museum, No. 458.) 
Spec. Charact. — White, more or less spotted and barred with 
dusky-brown according to sex and age ; tail rounded, reaching 
but little beyond the wings ; feet thickly clothed with long feath- 
ers j the bill black. 
This very large, and often snow-white, species of Owl 
is almost an exclusive inhabitant of the arctic regions of 
