188 



INSESSORES. 



particularly attentive to the object of his affections, 

 strutting about her in grotesque attitudes, and occa- 

 sionally saluting her 

 with a nod or a bow, 

 awkward enough to 

 make one laugh. 

 In the vicinity of 



the Rocky Mountains 

 a curious species of 

 Owl is found, called 

 the Burrowing Owl ; 

 it inhabits the de- 

 seried holes of the 

 Marmots or Prairie 

 Dogs, which are so 

 abundant as some- 

 times to cover many 

 acres of ground with 

 their villages. In lo- 

 calities where these holes do not exist, the Owl is said 

 to make a burrow for itself, at the bottom of which it 

 lays its eggs. They appear to live on friendly terms 

 with the Marmots, but never, as has been supposed, 

 is the same burrow inhabited by both ; the Owl al- 

 ways selecting for itself one where it may retain un- 

 disputed possession. Their habits are strictly diurnal, 

 and they feed upon grasshoppers, crickets, and perhaps 

 on field-mice. The nest is composed of fine grass, 

 and placed at the extremity of the hole, where the 

 bird deposits four pale white eggs, about the size of 

 those of % pigeon. 



Screech Owl. 



