Nyctea (niktea)

[NL., night: see night.] A genus of Strigide of great size and extensively white color, with rudimentary plum i corns, very shaggy paws, and the bill nearly buried in feathers; the snow-owls. There is but one species, N. nivea or N. scandioca, the great white, snowy, or northern owl, inhabiting arctic and subarctic latitudes of America, Asia, and Europe, usually migrating southward in winter. It is about 2 feet long, and from 4 to 5 feet in extent of wings. See cut at snow owl.