greater number of these noble birds which have wandered to the British Islands, have been the young in the plumage of the first year. It is thought desirable to add the following notice of the habits of these owls reared from the nest, as compared chiefly with those of Dr. Neill's bird,* procured when full grown. The male and one female specimen now in Mr. Langtry's possession, are wild, and sometimes fast for one or two days, though food is within their reach. They are chiefly fed on the heads of poultry, wild fowl, and rabbits; but mice and rats are preferred, as are also seagulls: from these birds no feathers have to be plucked, as the owls very efficiently render this service for themselves. The heads of plaice (Platessa vulgaris) several times offered them were refused, and being forced down their throats were instantly ejected. Castings of the indigestible portions of their food are regularly thrown up. Although the female is very partial to washing, the male has never been known to wash. Their usual cry is a long-drawn scream, but frequently they keep a low purring noise like a cat, and the male bird, when annoyed, utters a sound like coo-coo-coo; described by Dr. Neill as "cuckoo." The third individual, a female, is very different from the others, in being somewhat playful and quite familiar even with strangers. It was interesting on one occasion, when standing about a pace distant from this bird during bright sunshine, to observe the contraction of the pupil of the eye, which was particularly conspicuous from contrast with the immense golden irides. When attracted by larks which were singing at a great elevation and distance, the pupil, from the ordinary size adapted to near objects, instantly diminished to its minimum, or half the ordinary diameter; and again, when the sight was directed to birds at less distance, varied accordingly. The other two owls are not in the least affected by bright sunshine; and from their observing birds passing at a great height in the air, or, as expressed to me, "almost in the clouds," they are considered to see as far as a golden eagle, their companion in captivity. Live rats turned out to this female owl * See Naturalist's Library: Brit. Birds, Part I. p. 307. have been invariably captured within a very short time. In the few instances in which I have seen dead prey seized, the four claws were used.* The preceding account of Mr. Langtry's birds was published in the Annals of Natural History for June, 1838. Two of them were soon after that period sent to the Zoological Garden, in the Phoenix Park, Dublin. Respecting the one which survived the longest, I made the following notes on the 6th of Sept., 1845:"This bird, now more than eight years old, appears in the highest state of health, and from the exceeding richness of its soft downy plumage, is extremely beautiful. It is much whiter than any of the individuals represented in the works at hand for reference, namely, those of Bewick, Wilson,† Selby, Bennett, Yarrell, and Jardine. At a front view,—the bird looking towards me,—it is purely white without a single spot; viewed dorsally, the upper half of its plumage is also white, but on the coverts about the middle of the wing, two or three blackish-brown spots appear. The only other markings of this colour are a very few spots disposed at random on the lowest portion of the wing-coverts, and a few bands towards the tips of two of the secondaries. The bird is wholly white excepting the wings, to which the dark markings are confined, and these are different on each wing." This bird died in the middle of October, 1846, and a post-mortem examination of its body took place. Outwardly all looked fair, but within "not a muscle, vessel, or portion of viscera but was diseased." (Ball.) Migration of the Snowy Owl. The following notes were published in the Annals of Natural History for April, 1839: I have the pleasure on this occasion of recording a novel and interesting fact in the history of that beautiful bird, the snowy owl. By the ship John and Robert, (Captain M'Kechnie), of 501 tons burthen, belonging to the port of Belfast, that arrived here from Quebec early in the month of December, 1838, three speci* See observation to the contrary in the last-cited work, p. 310. † Amer. Ornith. Gard. and Menag. Zool. Soc. || Hist. Brit. Birds. mens of this bird, which had been caught on board, were brought hither alive. A fourth individual, similarly obtained, died about the time the vessel entered Belfast bay. These birds were secured either at twilight or by night, when perched on the rigging, the sailors observing that they were asleep before attempting their capture. They were kept on flesh-meat, which, for the first ten days, was forced down their throats, but after this time they fed of themselves; in about fifteen days after their capture, the vessel came into port. These three birds, of which two are males and the other a female, are very fine examples of the snowy owl; I have not seen a more splendid specimen than the last-mentioned, which died and is now in my possession. I should consider all of them birds of the year, and from the one that died having been described to me as similar to mine, it probably was so likewise.* Having heard that these were part of a large "flight" of snowy owls which for several days were seen about the vessel, I (never having read of this species being met with on its migration) made the fullest inquiry into the subject. The captain obligingly replied to all my queries, and besides furnished me with the log-book of the ship. It may in the first place be desirable to give an extract from the "log" for a week previous to the owls' occurrence, that we may learn if the state of the wind, &c., will account for the great number of these birds observed in the course of their migration. The vessel, which was bound from Quebec to Belfast, was driven by contrary winds along the coast of Labrador. Notices of the owls were kept separate, but are here added to the log, which otherwise is much condensed. 1838. Nov. 8. Wind W.N.W. at noon; strong gales and tremendous sea running. N.W. at midnight, and more moderate. * See remarks on Mr. Langtry's birds. His snowy owls, which are kept in a spacious garden containing many fruit trees, never perch upon them, but remain constantly on the ground, although in rainy weather a portion of their snow-white plumage is much soiled in consequence, greatly to the disadvantage of their appearance. Nov. 9. Wind W. by N. at 10 A.M.; weather hazy. At 5 P.M. strong gale from E.; bore up for the harbour of Labrador; here we lay for the next 48 hours. On the 10th were strong gales from the E. On the 11th strong gales from the S. 12. Wind N. by E., moderate; left harbour of Labrador this day; light breezes and clear weather. 13. Wind N.; going along shore passed Bellisle. 14. Wind E. by N. at noon; light airs; cloudy weather; sun obscure. 15. Wind S. by E. at noon; sun obscure; strong gales from the S. 16. Wind S.S.W., light airs, clear weather; saw owls to the number of about thirty or forty for the first time. Lat. 54.02; long. 47.40; about 250 miles from the straits of Bellisle. 17. Wind S.S.W., fresh breezes; a few owls alighted on masts; two captured this evening about 7 o'clock. Lat. 54.20; long. 46.20; about 375 miles from Bellisle. 18. Wind S.W.; strong breezes and heavy sea from the E.; great numbers of owls, about fifty or sixty flying about and alighting on the rigging; captured none to-day, nor did any remain on the ship this night. Lat. 54.50; 450 miles from Bellisle. 19. Wind N.W., strong breezes and cloudy weather; squally with snow showers during the day; captured two more owls to-night. Lat. 54.51; long. 37.39; about 635 miles from Bellisle. 20. Wind N. by E., heavy gales with a tremendous sea running; saw several owls, but none were caught. Lat. 54.50; long. 33.10. 21. Wind N.E. at 2 P.M.; E. by S. at 4 P.M.; light breezes and cloudy weather; saw a gannet and curlew. Lat. 54.25; long. 31.40; about 740 miles from Bellisle. 22. Wind S.E. by S., light breezes; no owls seen these two days past, nor were any afterwards met with. 4. Vessel arrived at Belfast. The captain describes the migration of these owls to have been an extremely beautiful sight, and from his never having seen such birds before, he was greatly interested about them. Sometimes they kept flying near the vessel without alighting, and again there would be one or two on every yard arm, with others hovering just above: on alighting, they fell asleep, apparently from exhaustion. Numerous as were these beautiful creatures, it was only when occasional bickerings took place among those which had alighted on the yard-arms, and in the stillness of night, that they were heard during their entire presence. Their flight, described as inaudible, could not but call to mind the finest and most poetical description of this characteristic trait applied to the owls generally : "How serenely beautiful their noiseless flight! A flake of snow is not winnowed through the air more softly silent!"* Occasionally, when but little way was made, they remained for a day about the ship, and again, as reported to me, "went off for a day and returned next morning," greatly to the surprise of the beholders how they could find the ship after a night had intervened. What must have added much additional interest to their appearance, was the idea entertained, that these birds blown from the coast of Labrador, and finding, like the dove of old, "no rest for the sole of her foot," had, after traversing the pathless waters, sought the vessel for this purpose, loitering about her course, disappearing for a day, and again hastening to repose upon her yards and rigging. But however pleasing such imaginings, it is not for the naturalist here to pause, but in search of TRUTH, assuredly not less attractive, to pursue inquiry further. If by reason of storms, or otherwise, he cannot perceive why the same birds should, after having rested on and left the vessel, re-appear another day, he may perhaps conclude, that the owls thus seen, were flocks successively migrating to more southern latitudes, and that different birds appeared on each occasion, or, at all events, that it was not the same individuals which presented themselves during the whole period. That the regions within the arctic circle are the chief abode of the snowy owl is well known, as it likewise is, that numbers migrate thence in winter to Canada and the United States. Reference to the "log" will show, that during the five days on which these birds were successively observed, the vessel kept nearly to the 54th degree of latitude, having sailed during the time about 500 miles in an easterly direction; consequently, if the flight of the owls were to Canada or the States, the vessel, which in such event might possibly "have fallen in with" them a second time, was proceeding somewhat in an opposite course, but whither it does not appear from the direction of the wind that they would have been driven by storms. A greater number of birds, too, * Professor Wilson in Blackwood's Magazine, vol. xx. (1826) p. 671. |