STRIGID.E: OTHER OWLS. 



647 



of one or two species, of diurnal and terrestrial habits, noted for inliahitincr underirround 

 burrows. 



S. cunieula'ria hypogae'a. (Lat. cuniciilaria, a bnrrower; Gr. vnoyfioi, hupogeios, under- 

 ground. Fig. 442.) Burrowing UwL. Adult J* ?: Above, dull grayish-brown, profusely 

 spotted with whitish ; the markings mostly rounded and paired on each feather, but anteriorly 

 lengthened. Quills with 4 to 6 whitish bars, entire or broken into cross-rows of spots ; tail- 

 feathers similarly marked. There is 

 much individual variation in the tone of 

 the ground-coll ir, and size and number of 

 spots, which may also be rather ochrey 

 than whitish. Superciliary line, cliin, 

 and throat white, the two latter separated 

 by a dark brown jugular collar ; auricu- 

 lars brown ; facial bristles black-shafted. 

 Under i)arts white or pale ochrey ; breast, 

 belly, and sides barred with transverse 

 spots ot brown, in a pretty regular man- 

 ner ; legs and under tail-coverts un- 

 marked. Lining of wings tawny-white, 

 dusky-spotted on primary coverts. Sexes 

 indistinguishable in size or color : Length 

 9.50 ; extent 23.00 ; wing 6.50-7.00 ; 

 tail 3.00-3.25; tarsus L50-1.75; mid- 

 dle toe without claw 0.80 ; chord of 

 culmen without cere 0.50-0.00. Young 

 differ in mucli less spotting, or even 

 uniformity, of the body above, and 

 whitish under parts, excepting the jugu- 

 lar collar; wing- anil tail-coverts largely 

 white. A remarkable Owl, abounding 

 in suitable places in Western X. Am., 

 from the Plains to the Pacific, in tree- 

 less regions inhabited by " prairie-dogs " 

 (Cynomys liidovicianus, etc.) and other 

 burrowing rodents, such as SpermopM- 

 lus richanhoni \\\ the north, and S. 

 hcecheyi in California. I have found 

 colonies in Kansas, Nel)raska, Wyo- 

 ming, N. and S. Dakota, Montana N. 

 to 4!l°, Colorado, New Mexico, and 

 California, in all cases occupying the deserted burrows <if tlie (|uadru|ieil.s. in)t living in common 

 with them as usually supposed ; others have fouud these Owls burrowing in the rest of our 

 Western States and Territories, in western Minnesota, and British ('oluml>ia. They no doubt 

 occur also in portions of Alberta, Assiniboia, and Manitoba; stray individuals have been taken 

 in New York city and Massachusetts, and the species extends S. to Guatemala. Besides prairie- 

 dog holes the birds also occupy the holes made l>y badgers, skunks, and foxes. The eggs are 

 laid from 5 or G to 10 feet from the entrance of the burrow in an enlarged chamber at the end 

 of tlie variously curved or cnxdvcd passage-way, upon a mass of miscellaneous materials, often 

 including dried dung and feathers, and infested with Heas ; they vary in number from t<> II. 

 being oltenest 7, 8, or 'J ; are wliite, subspherieal. I.:{(l X I l<» to |.|(l y (».!)S, averaging: 1.2.') 



Hiirrouiiig Owl. 



