strong, moderately long, sharp, and very much curved: the posterior one is rounded beneath;
the outer versatile one is slightly flattened beneath, and the other two are grooved, the middle
one having a sharp inner edge. The inner toe is the longest, and the next to it in length is
the middle one; the other two are considerably smaller.
Dimensions.
"Length from the tip of the bill to the end ofInches. Li.es, Length of the tail . , . . Inch8e s. Li6ne
the tail . . . . . 23 6 „ of the longest quill feather . .1 2 0
„ of the bill on its ridge . . . 1 9 „ of the tarsus - . . . 2 3
„ of the cere . . . . 0 9 ,, of the middle toe . 1 6
,, of the hill, from the angle of the
,, of its claw 1 3
mouth . . . . . . 1 9
[24.] 7. Strix nyctea. (Linn.) Great Snowy Owl.
Ge n u s . Strix. L in n . Sub-genus. Sarnia. D u m e r il .
The Great White Owl. (Aluco cilbus diumus.') E dwards, pi. 61.
Strix nyctea. F o r s t e r . Phil. Trans., lxii., p. 385. A totally white specimen.
Snowy Owl. Lath. Syn., i., p. 132, sp. 17. Suppl., i., p, 45, sp. 17. P e n n . Arct. Zool., ii., p. 233, No. 121.
Strix nyctea. Lath. Ind., i., p. 57, sp. 20.
Ermine Owl. Idem. Syn., Second Suppl., p. 60, sp. 7«
Strix Candida. L a t h . Ind., Suppl., p. xiv., sp. 3.
Snow Owl. (Strix nyctea.) W il s o n , iv., p. 53, pi. 32, f. 1. Male.
Strix nyctea. Temm., i., p. 82. Sabine. Parry's First Voy., Suppl., p. cxciii., No. 1. Richards., Append.
Parry's Second Voy., p. 342. B o na p., Syn., p. 36, No. 24. Se l b y . Brit. Om., 8vo., p. 58.
Wapow-keethoo or Wapohoo. Cr e e I n d ia n s . Ookpeeguak. E sq u im a u x .
This highly beautiful and powerful bird is common in the more northern parts of
both hemispheres, frequenting in summer the most remote arctic lands that have
been visited, but retiring, with the Ptarmigan, on which it preys, to more sheltered
districts in the winter. Even in the latter season, however, it is frequently seen
within the confines of the Arctic Circle; though it is not very uncommon at the
same period in Canada and the northern parts of the United States; and now and
then it has been known to wander as far south as Florida. In Europe it frequents
the Feroe and Shetland Islands, and is occasionally killed, even in summer, on
the moors of the Orkneys. According to Temminck, it sometimes visits the north
of Germany, and is casually seen in Holland. It hunts in the day; and, indeed,
unless it could do so, it would be unfit to pass the summer within the Arctic Circle.;
When I have seen it on the barren grounds it was generally squatting on
the earth, and, if put up, it alighted again after a short flight; but was
always so wary as to be approached with great difficulty. In the woody districts
it shows less caution, and, according to Hearne, has been known to watch the
Grouse-shooters a whole day, for the purpose of sharing in the spoil. On such
occasions it perches on a high tree, and, when a bird is shot, skims down and
carries it off before the sportsman can get near it. It preys on lemmings,
hares, and birds, particularly the Willow-grouse and Ptarmigan. Mr. Hutchins
says that it eats carrion; and Wilson informs us that it is a dexterous fisher,
grasping its finny prey with an instantaneous stroke of the foot, as it sails along
near the surface of the water, or sits on a stone in a shallow stream. I have seen
it pursue the American hare on the wing, making repeated strokes at the animal
with its foot; but on that occasion, through the intervention of an Indian, it was
driven from its quarry. It makes its nest on the ground, and lays three or four
white eggs, of which two only are in general hatched. In winter, when this Owl
is fat, the Indians and white residents in the fur-countries esteem it to be good
eating. Its flesh is delicately white. There is a live specimen, from Hudson’s
Bay, at present in the gardens of the Zoological Society.
DESCRIPTION
Of an individual killed at Bear Lake, lat. 65°, May, 1826.
Colour white ; marked on the dorsal aspect with umber-brown spots. There are no spots
on. the face or forehead ; those on the crown of the head are small, irregular in shape, and
situated near the tips of the feathers. The nape of the neck is unspotted ; but farther back,
near the shoulders, the plumage is brownish at the base, and one'or two .narrow bars of dull-
brown cross each feather near its tip. There are similar bars on the fore part of the back,
the scapularies, and the lesser wing coverts. The rump and the tail coverts are almost totally
white. The tail is marked near its end by three very imperfect bars, consisting of transverse
oblong spots, which do not reach either the margins or shafts of the feathers : the outer tail
feather on each side is unspotted. The brown spots on the primaries and their coverts are
brighter and rather larger than elsewhere, and have mostly a roundish shape. They constitute,
on the former, six or seven interrupted bars. The spots on the secondaries are small,
and confined to the exterior webs. The plumage on the ventral aspect and insides of the
wings is white, with the exception of about four broccoli-brown bars near the ends of the
primaries, and two or three very imperfect bars of the same colour on the under surface of
the tail. The bill and claws are bluish-black ; the irides Dutch-orange.
F orm, & c.—Head small. Bill curved from the base, compressed towards the point, sides
moderately convex, and the ridge rounded ; cutting margin nearly even ; gape wide. Cere
rather short. Nostrils large, oval, approaching to round, situated obliquely at the anterior
N