Orkney, a living specimen of the Snowy Owl. This was not
a native specimen, but evidently a bird of last year, in immature
plumage, but whose expanded wings extend four feet in
width. This bird arrived in Orkney during a strong northwest
gale, with hail and sleet, along with flocks of wild Swans,
Golden-eyes, snow-flakes, &c.; indicating an Icelandic or
Greenland origin.”
A notice of one taken still more recently has appeared in
several periodicals devoted to Natural History. On the 18th
of February last (1887), a fine male Snowy Owl was shot
three miles below Selby-on-the-Moor, Yorkshire, where it
had been observed by a miller, at a mill adjoining, for a day
or two previous. The moor is well stocked with rabbits, and
the Owl was most probably preying upon them : it appeared
very shy, and when pinioned by the shot was extremely
fierce.* Several specimens have also been killed in different
parts of Ireland, the particulars of which are recorded by Mr.
Thompson of Belfast, in the second volume of the Magazine
just quoted.
The Snowy Owl inhabits Sweden, Norway, Lapland, and
the North of Europe generally. The Swedish name of Har-
fa n g is bestowed upon it in consequence of its apparent partiality
to feeding upon hares. It inhabits also Iceland and
Greenland. Several pairs were seen during the summer
months on the different islands of the Polar sea by the Arctic
voyagers from this country ; but the birds being very wary,
and the country affording little shelter to the sportsmen, only
a single individual or two were killed. A specimen was obtained
by Mr. King during Captain Back’s last journey, and
others were seen. Dr. Richardson, who passed seven summers
and five winters in the fur-countries of North America,
east of the Rocky Mountains, thus describes its habits in
that country :—“ It hunts in the day; and, indeed, unless it
* Magazine of Zoology and Botany, vol. ii. p. 93.
could do so, it would be unfit to pass the summer within the
Arctic Circle. When seen 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 wooded 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 i t 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. I t makes its
nest on the ground, and lays three or four white eggs, of
which only two 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.”
To return to the localities visited by this bird in Europe,
I may add that, in addition to those already named, this bird
has sometimes been seen in Germany, but not in France,
and, according to M. Temminck, only once in Holland, and
that a young bird, which made its appearance in the winter
of 1802. The African species of large White Owl, which
by some authors has been thought to be identical with the
Harfang of Sweden, is now considered to be a distinct species.
As in the adult Gyrfalcon, already described, the ground
colour of the plumage in the adult Snowy Owl is pure white,