THE BURROWING OWL. 485 



the alder or willow patches, or are frequently startled from some grass- 

 covered bank of a lake. They Hy ec|ually well by night or by day. I once 

 observed a bird of this species sitting, during a bright day, on a post. It 

 squatted, then stood up and seemed ready to tly at any moment. I went within 

 si.x feet of it, and it then settled down as if to take a nap. I retired and threw 

 a stick at it to make it fly. I shouted and made other noises, and only after 

 several attempts to dislodge it did it fly. When taking flight from an elc\'ated 

 position they invariably drop to within a few feet of the earth and sail away 

 rapidly. They are not at all vicious; they hold tightly with their claws, and in 

 no instance did a wounded Hawk Owl attempt to use its beak, tho the feathers 

 on the head and neck were raised and an attitude of threatened attack with 

 beak was always made. After a few minutes captivity they become passive 

 and make no attempt to escape." 



No. 197. 



BURROWING OWL. 



A. O. U. No. 378. Speotyto cunicularia hypogjea ( lionap. ). 



Synonyms. — Ground Owl. Billy Owl. Cuckoo Owl. Sn.-xkR Owl. 



Description. — Adults: Above dull grayish'brown heavily spotted and com- 

 mingled with white or pale ochraceous-bufif ; the spots paired on the larger feathers 

 and defined by adjacent dusky areas; the paired spots enlarged and dissociated 

 toward base of remiges and rectrices ; tail thus irregularly six or seven barred ; 

 extreme forehead, ill-defined superciliary stripe, and throat, broadly, white ; 

 juguhim crossed by mottled band of brown and white beneath which a pectoral 

 semilune of white ; remaining underparts white or pale ochraceous-buff, heavily 

 barred, save on lower belly and crissum, with brown and brownish dusky ; lining 

 of wings chiefly pale ochraceous. The plumage is very variable both in the shade 

 of brown and in the amount of white admixed, some specimens appearing nearly 

 white on the head and upper back. ]'oun(/ birds are less spotted above, on head 

 and back nearly uniform grayish brown, and are unmarked below save on 

 jugular band. Length about 9.50 (241.3) ; wing 6.75 ( 171. 5) ; tail 3.20 (81.3) ; 

 bill from cere .55 (14) ; tarsus 1.65 (41.9). 



Recognition Marks. — Robin size but appearing much larger ; terrestrial 

 habits; head without jiluniicorns : light grayish brown coloration. 



Nesting. — Nest: at end of underground burrow. 4 to 10 feet in length, 

 usually a mere cushion of dried horse-dung, occasionally with admixture of 

 feathers and other soft substances. Eggs: 5-11. white, subspherical, highly 

 glossed. Av. size, 1.25 x i.oo (31.8 x 25.4). Season: April 20-May 20 ; one brood. 



General Range. — Western United States and adjoining British Provinces, 



