THE BURROWING OWL. 



487 



their face and roll their eyes about in the most mysterious manner, gesticulat- 

 ing wildly, every now and then bending forward till the breast almost touches 

 the ground, to propound the argument with more telling effect. Then they 

 face about to address the rear, that all alike may feel the force of their logic: 

 they draw themseh'es up t(.i tlieir fullest height, Dutwardly calm antl self- 

 contained, pausing in the discourse to note its effect upon the audience, and 

 collect their wits for the next rhetorical flourish. And no distant likeness 

 between these frothy orators and others is found in the celerity with which 

 they subside and 

 seek their holes on 

 the slightest inti- 

 mation of danger." 

 These curious 

 Owls are a '. c n e 

 among land birds 

 in their choice of 

 subterranean dwell- 

 ings. On the (ireat 

 Plains the\- a\ail 

 themselves largely 

 of deserted prairie 

 dog holes, but in 

 Washington their 

 choice lies between 

 "ground squirrel" 



/T- 



Taken in Walla 

 Walla County. 



Photo bv the Author. 



NO E-ASY T.\SK. 



BL-RROWING OWL EXPOSED AT END OE TL'NNEL NINE EEET IN LENGTH. 



and badger holes, if 

 in the ojien sage: 

 but it is limited to 

 gopher holes if in ^^-^.j 

 the close - cropped 



pasture land, which is an equal favorite. It is proljable that the Burrowing 

 Owl does not originate burrows, altho in the case of the smaller rodents the 

 tunnels require to be enlarged. This the bird does, not with its beak, but with 

 the powerful claws, loosening the dirt and kicking it backward by successi\-e 

 stages until it is ejected at the entrance. A typical burrow ma}' descend 

 sharplv three or four feet, then bend and rise slightly until an ample nesting 

 cliamber. a foot or more in width and si.x inches deep, is reached. 



The nesting cavity is lined heavily with dried horse-dung, torn to feather}' 

 shreds and spread e\'enl}-. The tunnel has niDre or less of the same material 

 scattered thruout its length, and a certain amount distributed over the external 

 mound is a necessary evidence of occupatir]n. One need not kill these Owls 

 to learn what they feed on, for half-eaten mice, dismembered fnigs. and 



