. A manual of the ornithology of the United States and of Canada [microform]. Birds; Oiseaux. [male]. Philad. id barred with ided, reaching vith long feath- ecies of Owl ,ic regions of SNOWY OWL. 117 both continent: ; being common in Iceland, the Shcthand islands, Kamtschutka, Lapland, and Hudson's Bay. In these dreary wilds, surrounded by an almost perpetual winter, he dwells, breeds, and obtains his subsi^.tence. His white robe renders him scarcely discernible from the overwhelming snows, where he reigns, like the boreal spirit of the storm. His loud, hollow, barking growl, 'whnwh, 'whowh, '
. A manual of the ornithology of the United States and of Canada [microform]. Birds; Oiseaux. [male]. Philad. id barred with ided, reaching vith long feath- ecies of Owl ,ic regions of SNOWY OWL. 117 both continent: ; being common in Iceland, the Shcthand islands, Kamtschutka, Lapland, and Hudson's Bay. In these dreary wilds, surrounded by an almost perpetual winter, he dwells, breeds, and obtains his subsi^.tence. His white robe renders him scarcely discernible from the overwhelming snows, where he reigns, like the boreal spirit of the storm. His loud, hollow, barking growl, 'whnwh, 'whowh, 'wJiowh, hah, hah, huh, hah,* and other more dismal cries, sound like the unearthly ban of the infernal Cerberus; and heard amidst a region of cheer- less solitude, his lonely and terrific voice augments rather than relieves the horrors of the scene. Clothed with a dense coating of feathers, which hide even the nostrils, and leave only the talons exposed, he ventures abroad boldly at all seasons, and like the Hawks seeks his prey by day-light as well as dark, skim- ming aloft, and reconnoitring his prey, which is com- monly the White Grous or some other birds of the same genus, as well as hares. On these he darts from above, and rapidly seizes them in his resistless talons. At times he watches for fish, and condescends also to prey upon rats, mice, and even carrion. It is very rare that this species leaves its dreary do- main to penetrate even into the north of Europe. They appear to have a natural aversion to settled countries; for which reason, perhaps, and the still greater severity of the climate of arctic America, they are frequently known to wander in the winter south through the western thinly settled interior of the United States, as far even as the the confines of Florida. They migrate probably by pairs; and, according to Wilson, two of these birds were so stupid, or dazzled, as to alight on the roof of the court- ? Theso Ittttet tyllablod with th6 tuual quivering iound
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, booksubjectbirds, booksubjectoisea, bookyear1832
