April, 184b\] 47 



Athene aocialis, Nobis. Burrowing Owh 



Sfrix cunicidaria, Bonap., Aud., Nutt. 



This bird, which hitherto has been considered the same throughout the 

 wide range of North and South America,may,I think, be separated on as good 

 grounds as many of the owls which are generally admitted to be distinct. It is 

 unnecessary to repeat here the excellent descriptions which have been given 

 by Bonaparte and Audubon of N. American specimens of the burrowing owl 

 I shall merely state wherein I think ours differs from the S. American species 



1 conceive it to differ in the general colour, being lighter in our species, 

 with the markings and quills usually of a pale yellowish or cinnamon hue 

 while in the other the colour is always much deeper and approaching dusky. 



The most marked difference exists in the feet and legs, which are in ours 

 slender and delicate, while in the other they are longer and much stouter. 



The wing3 are shorter, and have the first and fifth quills equal, if any- 

 thing, the first longest: in the S. American the fifth quill is considerably 

 ionger than the first. 



The bill in ours is smaller in every way, and of a dusky horn colour, ex- 

 cept at the ridge and edges ; in the other it appears to be dusky only at the 

 base. 



But how can either of these agree with the description given of the Co- 

 'juimbo owl, by Brisson, as being so much larger, with the tail of a dirty- 

 white colour and immaculate ? 



I have seen this bird in New and Old Mexico, on the Rocky mountains, 

 and in California ; in each place presenting little difference in its habits. It 

 always lives in burrows in the ground, either solitary, as I have frequently 

 seen it, or in small companies. If it can avail itself of the labours of othe? 

 animals, it will always do so, so that it is a constant interloper in the habi- 

 tations of the prairie dogs, and in California in those of the large ground 

 squirrel, which is there so very common. It however often digs for itself, 

 and lives in scattered companies of four or five. 



Xuttall is, I think, mistaken with regard to its migrating from California 

 in August. I have seen it there at all periods of the year. 



On the prairies its note is said to resemble that of Marmots, with which it 

 is associated. The account which Yieillot gives of its nocturnal habits and 

 note, has been doubted by Bonaparte and my friend Nuttall. During the 

 breeding season, while sleeping near their burrows, I have been awakened 

 by its low, measured and solemn cry, uttered much in the manner of its 

 ^on^eners, but peculiarly solemn. 

 Nyctale Acadica, Gmel. Little Night Owl. 



I procured but one specimen of this species at Monterey in October. 



Strix pratnicola, Bonap. Barn Owl. 



This delicate feathered and familiar fowl, which, hitherto, I believe has not 

 been known to exist west of the Atlantic coast, I found very abundantly in 

 California, and presenting all the habits ascribed to its European relative. Its 

 favorite resort is in the neighborhood of the towns and ruined Missions, al- 

 though it may he found also about farm houses, and occasionallyin the prairie 

 valleys, which furnish it with abundance of mice and other small animals for 



