178 LAND BIRDS 



possible on top of their chosen burrow, they converse 

 in soft love notes not unlike a far-away " kow-kow-kow " 

 of a cuckoo ; at the same time caressing with head rub- 

 bings and billings. 



Although the Burrowing Owl is more or less shy, it 

 is not at all difficult to study its habits, and none of the 

 owls are better worth while. Only one thing is needful, 

 patience, — patience to lie flat on your face in the broil- 

 ing sun with field glass glued to your eyes, hour after 

 hour, and, if you are a w^oman, thoughts of possible 

 lizards or rattlers tormenting your inner consciousness. 

 But the game is worth the candle, as always in nature 

 study. On tlie Tulare plains you may watch them at 

 any hour of the day hunting grasshoppers, crickets, mice, 

 gophers, squirrels, lizards, and shore larks. You may 

 even sec them kill bull snakes that are crawling too near 

 their nest. This war they wage on bull snakes has 

 doubtless given them the reputation of killing rattlers, 

 but I know they are afraid of the latter and scramble 

 away with queer sidewise hops, breaking into flight at 

 the near approach of one. 



379. PYGMY OWL. — Glaucidium gnoma. 



Family : The Owls. 



Length: 6.50-7.50. 



Adults: Upper parts grayish brown or reddish brown or drab; top of 

 head speckled with white ; under parts white, thickly streaked with 

 dark brown ; tail barred with white and blackish ; face encircled by a 

 dusky border. 



Young: Similar, with head not speckled. 



Downy Young : Gray, merging to white. 



