402 LIFE HISTORIES OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



bed of dry cow dung and grass roots. The food of these Owls consists mostly 

 of beetles, grasshoppers, small snakes, and frogs. Many of their nests are 

 yearly destr(iyed by skvmks and opossums, who seem to be very fond of 

 the eggs. During the spring of 1890 I secured several full sets in the fol- 

 lowing manner. By not disturbing the entrance, simply inserting a pliable 

 stick as far as it would go in the hole, withdi-awing it and measuring, 

 then digging a small hole down to the passageway and using the stick again 

 as before until I came to the nest, I could examine it, and, in case the 

 set of eggs was not complete, cut a turf to fit each hole made, taking care 

 to shut out all light, and thus found that the birds would continue laying as 

 if nothing had disturbed them. A few days later I went back to the nests 

 so treated, and lifting the turf carefully, invariably found the bird at home. 

 She always made a rattling sound like that of the rattlesnake, so nmch so, 

 indeed, that the party who was with me jumped back and said, 'Lookout, 

 there is a rattlesnake!' These birds are persistent layers. I robbed a pair 

 three times, first of eight eggs, then of five, and the last time of four. These 

 were all laid in the same burrow, but each set was a little deeper in. One 

 of their burrows found by me described almost a complete circle, the nesting 

 chamber being situated within 2 feet of the entrance hole." 



After the breeding season is over, the Florida Burrowing Owl is said to 

 disappear for a time from its usual haunts, but where it goes is not posi- 

 tively known. On the whole, its habits are verj^ similar to those of the com- 

 mon Burrowing Owl. 



Mr. Menge, from whom I obtained a set of six eggs, sent the nesting 

 material on which they were found. In this instance it consisted entirely of 

 the burnt ends of grass stalks and the charred roots, evidently pulled uji 

 by the birds, and mixed with this material were some few breast feathers 

 of the Ground Dove (CoJumhlgalUna jMsserind). 



The eggs are indistinguishable from those of the preceding subspecies, 

 and their shells are equally smooth and glossy; their shape is also similar. 



The average measurement of twenty-three specimens is 31.5 by 26.5 

 millimetres, the largest egg of the series measuring 33 by 29, the smallest 

 30 by 25.5 millimetres. 



The type specimen. No. 18192 (PI. 12, Fig. 16), was obtained from Dr. 

 J. W. Velie, and taken in southern Florida in the spring of 1880. 



