94 
STRIX NYCTEA. 
In the town of Cincinnati, state of Ohio, two of these 
birds alighted on the roof of the court house, and 
alarmed the whole town. A people more disposed to 
superstition, would have deduced some dire or fortunate 
prognostication from their selecting such a place ; but 
the only solicitude was how to get possession of them, 
which, after several volleys, was at length effected. 
One of these, a female, I afterwards examined, when 
on my way through that place to New Orleans. Near 
Bairdstown, in Kentucky, I met with a large and very 
beautiful one, which appeared to be altogether unknown 
to the inhabitants of that quarter, and excited general 
surprise. A person living on the eastern shore of 
Maryland, shot one of these birds a few months ago, 
a female ; and, having stuffed the skin, brought it to 
Philadelphia, to Mr Peale, in expectation, no doubt, of 
a great reward. I have examined eleven of these birds 
within these fifteen months last past, in different and 
very distant parts of the country, all of which were 
shot either during winter, late in the fall, or early in 
spring ; so that it does not appear certain whether any 
remain during summer within the territory of the 
United States ; though I think it highly probable that 
a few do, in some of the more northern inland parts, 
where they are most numerous during winter. 
The colour of this bird is well suited for concealment, 
while roaming over the general waste of snows ; and 
its flight strong and swift, very similar to that of some 
of our large hawks. Its hearing must be exquisite, if 
we judge from the largeness of these organs in it ; and 
its voice is so dismal, that, as Pennant observes, it adds 
horror even to the regions of Greenland, by its hideous 
cries, resembling those of a man in deep distress. 
The male of this species measures twenty-two inches 
and a half in length, and four feet six inches in breadth ; 
head and neck, nearly white, with a few small dots of 
dull brown interspersed ; eyes, deep sunk, under pro- 
jecting eyebrows, the plumage at their internal angles, 
fluted, or prest in, to admit direct vision ; below this it 
bristles up, covering nearly the whole bill ; the irides 
