386 BULLETIN 17 0, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Major Bendire (1892) gives the following comprehensive account 

 of the nesting habits: 



When not disturbed, the same burrow is used from year to 3 7 ear; in such a case 

 it is cleaned out and repaired, if necessary. In different localities their choice in 

 the selection of nesting sites varies somewhat. At Fort Lapwai, Idaho, they gen- 

 erally selected a burrow on a hillside with a southerly exposure, while at Walla 

 Walla their nests were always found in burrows on level ground. At Camp 

 Harney, Oregon, where the Burrowing Owls were not very common, one under a 

 large basaltic bowlder seemed to be a favorite site with them, and here they en- 

 croached upon the timber in the foothills of the Blue Mountains. At Fort 

 Custer, Montana, I found them mostly on level ground, generally bottom lands, 

 and always at the outskirts of a prairie dog village. On the Pacific coast the 

 burrows of the ground squirrel are more often used for nesting sites, and occa- 

 sionally those of badgers, which are quite common in some sections. If one of 

 the former is selected, it has first to be considerably enlarged, and which requires 

 a good deal of patient labor on the part of the Owls to accomplish. While sta- 

 tioned at Fort Lapwai I had an opportunity to see an Owl at work enlarging and 

 cleaning out a burrow. The loosened dirt was thrown out backward with vigor- 

 ous kicks of the feet, the bird backing gradually toward the entrance and moving 

 the dirt outward in this manner as it advanced. These burrows vary greatly in 

 length and depth, and are rarely less than 5 feet in length and frequently 10 feet 

 and over. If on level ground they usually enter diagonally downward for 2 or 3 

 feet, sometimes nearly perpendicularly for that distance, when the burrow turns 

 abruptly, the nesting chamber being always placed above the lowest part of the 

 burrow. If in a hillside it will frequently run straight in for a few feet, and then 

 make a sharp turn direct to the nesting chamber. At other times the burrow 

 follows the curves of a horseshoe, and I have more than once found the eggs in 

 such a burrow lying within 2 feet of the entrance and close to the surface of the 

 hill on a trifle higher level; where, had it been known they could have been reached 

 with little trouble. These burrows are generally about 5 inches in diameter, 

 and the nesting chamber is usually from 1 foot to 18 inches wide. After the 

 burrow is suitably enlarged, especially at the end, dry horse and cow dung is 

 brought to the entrance of it, where it is broken up in small pieces, carried in and 

 spread out in the nesting chamber which is usually lined with this material to a 

 thickness of 1 or 2 inches, and I have never found any other material in the nest. 

 In California, however, they are said to line them occasionally with dry grasses, 

 weed stalks, feathers, and similar materials. On one thing most observers agree, 

 namely, that their burrows invariably swarm with fleas. 



Dr. A. K. Fisher (1893b) says: "Among the mammals whose de- 

 serted burrows are used by this bird may be mentioned prairie dogs, 

 spermophiles, woodchucks, viscachas (South America), wolves, foxes, 

 badgers, skunks, and armadillos. It will be seen from this extensive 

 list that the Owl seldom wants for a home, as one or more of the above 

 species are found in some part of its range. Various authors have 

 stated that the bird sometimes excavates a burrow for itself, but 

 there is no ground for the statement, for in no instance has it been 

 observed in the work of excavation." 



In addition to the usual materials mentioned above, these owls 

 sometimes line their burrows with the remains of their food and a 

 variety of other rubbish. Dr. Coues (1874) says, of a nest reported 

 to him by Dr. C. S. Canfield: "In the passage leading to it there were 



