Further Notes on the Snowy Owl in Ontario. — Since my letter of 
March 3, 1902, was published by Mr. Ruthven Deane, in his paper on the 
Snowy Owl, in the July ‘ Auk,’ further information has made it evident 
that the migration in Ontario was a much more extensive one than I had 
at first imagined. During March the females disappeared and were 
replaced in April by the returning flight of light colored birds (males, as 
far as I was able to examine). A few remained about Toronto Marsh all 
through May, and a small light colored male was taken on June 7. It 
was in excellent condition and showed no trace of being a wounded bird. 
Estimate of the number killed . — It soon became apparent that this 
migration was no ordinary flight as regards numbers, and as answers to 
my enquiries came in I saw that some other means of counting heads was 
necessary. I then had recourse to the number of artificial owl eyes used 
in Ontario during the migration. I was greatly helped by two facts; first, 
the almost total absence of Horned Owls from Ontario, or at least the 
territory affected by the migration, and was thus able to eliminate the 
possibility of many of the eyes being used for Horned Owls; secondly, 
nine-tenths of the eyes used by taxidermists, amateur or professional, in 
Ontario are bought from three firms in Toronto. In one case I went over 
all the orders and checked off the owl eyes; in another I got a careful 
estimate, and in the third I estimated the number from information as to 
the extra eyes imported to meet the demand. I found that not less than 
five hundred pairs of large owl eyes were sold in Ontario during this 
migration ; and I believe the figure to be a low one, for not only were the 
regular sizes exhausted, but any yellow eye that could be made to do duty 
was used. From what I heard and saw I believe that less than half of the 
owls killed were mounted; and in going over the matter with Dr. Wm. 
Brodie I found that he too had concluded that one thousand was within 
the mark, though on different grounds. — J. H. Fleming, Toronto, Ontario. 
Auk, XIX, Oct., 1902, p.vco 
V S’- 
The Snowy Owl ( Nyctea nyctea) seems again to have given Ottawa a. 
wide berth, whereas further south many are reported. I have seen only 
one thus far, which was shot about November 5 up the Gatineau valley, 
about 30 miles north. Mr. E. G. White reports another one having been 
seen near Pembroke. iC i°7 • A 4 ft1 ' 
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1 Canadian Journal, VII, 1862, 53. 
2 Auk, XIX, 1902, 281, 400. 
148. Nyctea nyctea. Snowy Owl. — Regular migrant, October to 
January, sometimes abundant. The years of unusual abundance, as far 
as known, are 1833, ’37, ’39, ’53, and '62; 1 in more recent times the years 
are 1884, ’88, ’89, ’96, and 1901. The flight of 1901-02 extended from 
December to April; a few specimens were taken in May, and one on June 
7. 2 
