File:The royal natural history (1893) (14784818875).jpg

Identifier: royalnaturalhist47lyde (find matches)
Title: The royal natural history
Year: 1893 (1890s)
Authors: Lydekker, Richard, 1849-1915 Sclater, Philip Lutley, 1829-1913 Frostick, W. B., former owner. DSI Brooks, W. T., former owner. DSI
Subjects: Zoology Natural history
Publisher: London and New York : Frederick Warne & Co.
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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as. The open and desolate moss-covered tundras ofNorthern Siberia and Lapland, as well as the corresponding regions of NorthAmerica, are the favourite haunts of the snowy owl. A shy bird, hunting botliby day and night, and endowed with noiseless though powerful flight, it fallssuddenly on its prey, which is always immediately devoured on the spot. In theOld World its food consists of lemmings, young sea-birds, ptarmigan, grouse, ducks,and, it is said, the Arctic fox and hare; while in the Trans-Baikal districts SJVOIPV OWL. 163 susliks are largely consumed. Wherever lemmings are on the move, numbersof snowy owls are sure to collect. In America these birds will often take themusquash from the trap, and in both hemispheres they have been known to fish.The nest is usually placed on the bare ground, in a spot raised somewhat abovethe general level of the plain, but it may be situated on a ledge of rock. It is apoor affair in the way of structure, the eggs resting merely on a few feathers.
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sxowY OWL AND LAii OWL (J nat. size). The usual number of eggs is from four to seven, but in seasons wlien lennning arenumerous as many as ten may be laid at considerable intervals of time. Incubationcommences with the first Qg^, so that eggs and young are frequently found in thenest together. While the female is sitting, the cock-bird remains on the watchnear by, and gives the alarm in case of danger. According to Mr. Turnersobservations, the old birds, and more especially the female, exhibit great boldnessin defence of their nests, flying close to the head of an intruder with outstretchedtalons and snapping beaks. In such cases the natives are reported to seize hold of 164 OJVLS. one of tlie young, whereupon one of the parents charges the clespoiler, who holds up his gun-stock, against which the bird dashes headlong. With the screech-owls, or scops-owls, we come to a genus of mostlyScreecli-Owls ... . . small species, distinguished from the preceding representatives of the group wit

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