470 AVES— OWL. 



THE BURROWING OWL* 



Differs essentially from all others in his habits and manners. Instead of 

 hiding his head in the daylight, he fearlessly flies abroad in search of prey, 

 in the broadest glare of the sun ; and far from seeking abodes of solitude and 

 silence, he lives in company Avith animals in the recesses of the earth, where 

 they all enjoy the pleasures of fellowship and good harmony. The mounds 

 of the prairie dog or marmot, which are thrown up in such numbers near 

 the Rocky Mountains, are about eighteen inches in height. The entrance 

 is by a passage two feet in length, which terminates in a comfortable cell 

 composed of dry grass, where the marmot takes up his winter abode. 

 Around these villages, the burrowing owls may be seen moving briskly 

 about, singly or in small flocks. They seem to have very little fear of man, 

 either soaring to a distance when alarmed, or descending into the burrows, 

 where it is very difficult to come at them. In countries where the marmot 

 is not found, this owl is said to dig a hole for himself. Their food appears 

 to consist entirely of insects. Its note is similar to the cry of the marmot, 

 which sounds like chch, chch, pronounced in rapid succession. 



The burrowing owl is nine inches and a half long. The general color of 

 the plumage is a light burnt umber, spotted with whitish. The under parts 

 are white, banded with brown. 



All this tribe of animals, however they may differ in their size and 

 plumage, agree in their general characteristics of preying by night ; their 

 bodies are strong and muscular ; their feet and claws made for tearing their 

 prey; and their stomachs for digesting it. It must be remarked, however, 

 that the digestion of all birds that live upon mice, lizards, or such like food, 

 is not very perfect ; for though they swallow them whole, yet they are always 

 seen some time after to disgorge the skin and bones rolled up in a pellet, as 

 being indigestible. 



As they are incapable of supporting the light of the day, or at least of then 

 seeing and readily avoiding their danger, they keep all this time concealed 

 in some obscure retreat, suited to their gloomy appetites, and there continue 

 in solitude and silence. The cavern of a rock, the darkest part of a hollow 

 tree, the battlements of a ruined, unfrequented castle, or some obscure hole 

 in a farmer's outhouse, are the places where they are usually found; if they 

 be seen out of these retreats in the daytime, they may be considered as 

 having lost their way ; as having by some accident been thrown into the 

 midst of their enemies, and surrounded with danger. 



In this distress they are obliged to take shelter in the first tree or hedge 

 that offers, there to continue concealed all day, till the returning darknes 



1 Strix cunicularia, DoNAr. 



