108 
ORNITIIOLOGTST 
[Vol. 7-No. 21 
Snowy Owl {Xyctea scandiaca .)—Six 
teen years ago I saw my first Snowy Owl 
alive. It was in a wild snow storm out in 
the open prairie. I had no gun with me at 
the time, hut I knew the locality well, and 
thought I shoiild have no trouble in finding 
the bird again. The next moniing I took 
my gun and started after the bird. The 
snow was deep and the weather was very 
cold. I found the owl, but to capture him 
Avas another thing. I had never tried to 
kill a bird that was so shai-ji and Avaiy. I 
spent all day in the pursuit and then did 
not get the bird. I saw other Snowy Owds 
that Winter but did not get one. The next 
Winter found me trying my luck again. I 
saw some owls, but Avas not successful. 
The more I saAV of them the more I Avanted 
to get one. 
The third Winter found me after the oaa’Is 
again. I Avas bound to get one if I had 
to go and live Avith them. I began to 
study their habits and soon found that they 
Avere fond of being around some ohi de¬ 
cayed hay or straw stacks. aAvay from any 
house. The Prairie mice were there, and 
they Avere after them for food. I found 
that they went to those old stacks from 
one to four o’clock ja. m. I made up my 
mind if I could hide myself near one of 
those stacks, when the birds came I AA’ould 
have my bird. I found a stack Avhere I 
thought a bird Avould come, and Avatched it 
closely after the snoAv came. I soon had 
the pleasure of seeing a bird in that neigh¬ 
borhood, and one afternoon saAv him on 
the stack. I did not trouble him then, but 
the next' day I Avas on hand. The day Avas 
all that I could Avish for the business I had 
on hand. We had a strong AA’ind and light 
snoAv the day before the bird came, from 
the nortliAvest. I Avent to the stack, dug a 
hole on the southwest side and got into it. 
The snow storm soon made Tiie Avhite and 
covered up the old hay that I had throAvn 
out of the hole. 
I Availed about Iavo hours before I saAv 
my OAvl, but lie came, little susjx-cting 
what Avas in store for him. I did not shoot 
him Avhen he first came to the stack, as I 
wanted to see how he Avould look alive and 
close to me. I am a sime shot and I had 
no fears of his getting aAvay AA'hen once with¬ 
in range of my gun. He looked very fine 
as he perched on the top of the stack as 
straight as an arrow. After I had a good 
look at him 1 started him and Avhen he Avas 
about forty yards aAvay I brought him 
doAvn. I noAV had my prize. It had cost 
me a great deal of time, lots of hard Avork 
and expense, but I tell you I was Avell sab 
isfied. The bird Avas beautiful to look at. 
Almost pure Avhite. 
I have since learned to shoot Snowy OavIs 
with less trouble, and when I can find one, 
am almost sure to kill it. I go out into the 
prairie, and take Avith me a powerful field 
glass, and when I discover my bird, find 
out which way it is sitting. If its back is 
towards me I creep directly to it. keeping 
very low, but if it sits any other Avay I 
make a very large cii’cle around it so as not 
to attract the bird’s attention, because if it 
found out that I AAas after it, it Avould be 
sure to leave for another locality. 
The Snowy Owl likes to be alone. It is 
seldom that more than one is found in the 
same localitv. I have seen three in the 
same neighborhood, but not often. In re¬ 
gard to the color of the birds, in AAann 
Winters the oavIs are darker in color, and a 
little larger in size. But when Ave get a 
rough, cold, stormy Winter, AA-ith dt*e]) 
snows, than Ave see the smaller and nc'arer 
pure Avhite birds. ^ly idea has ahvays been 
that the very Avhite owls never came east 
as far as this unless they Avere comi>elled 
to get food. I luiA’e seen the darker owls 
here Avhen there Avas not snoAV enough to 
cover the ground.—•./. (i. Smith. lotra. 
Albino Hoi’se Sp.akroav, Avas captured re¬ 
cently in the streets of Philadelphia. It 
AAiis evidently a young bird ami jmre white. 
Avhile its nest mates Avere of the ordinary 
color. It Avas captured aliAC by a street 
car conductor aft<*r a short chase. 
