THE MUSEUM 



53 



some years we have been passing 

 through a decade, that is certainly re- 

 markable and any true naturalist may 

 honestly stop aghast, and say, where 

 will it end. It has been well known 

 for a score of years, that time would 

 not bring forth any really remarkable 

 new forms in this country. But what 

 has been the result. Simply this, that 

 we still continue to print and distribute 

 to the world, a constantly growing list 

 of "species" ranked side by side, with 

 the good and established forms of our 

 older naturalists. Not only this, but 

 there are many cases on record and 

 some very recently, where the older 

 forms that were well established, have 

 been shoved aside, and in their place 

 has two or more "new species" been 

 described with the new and up-to-date 

 author's name attached. Is this 

 right? 



We are well aware of the great 

 amount of work now being put forth 

 on the natural history of the United 

 States, but is it being used to the end 

 of ascertaining the true state of affairs, 

 or to make as many "species" as pos- 

 sible, species which sooner or later, 

 with more work in the right direction, 

 such as outlined above, will some of 

 these days be set aside, whole bunches 

 at a time. 



Is it not time that some of our lead- 

 ing naturalists who have the power to 

 do so, set the example of only admitt • 

 ing as "species" those forms that are 

 absolutely constant, and let all others 

 be ranked as varieties. 



We hope that some who read these 

 notes will be incited to put forth efforts 

 to trace the relationships of the Mol- 

 lusca in their vicinity. If there are 

 any specimens in your section that you 

 feel are "merely hybrids" and not 

 "species," start a line of investigation, 

 that will determine some actual results. 

 Let us not continue to proclaim to the 

 world, endless numbers of "species" on 

 mere external or morphological char- 

 acters alone. 



The Prairie Burrowing Owl. 



The Burrowing Owl, also sometimes 

 called the sociable owl, is nine or ten 

 inches long, and has a moderate-sized 

 head, says R. L. Glass, in February 

 Popular Science. 



The entire upper parts are a light 

 yellowish brown, every feather more or 

 less spotted with white. The under parts 

 are white with transverse bands of red- 

 dish brown. It inhabits the treeless re- 

 gions of western North America, from 

 the plains to the Pacific, and is found 

 in all suitable places in Kansas, Colo- 

 rado, Utah, Nevada, Nebraska, Indian 

 Territory, Oklahoma Territory, Wyom- 

 ing, Dakota, Montana. New Mexico, 

 Arizona, Washington, Oregon and Cal- 

 ifornia. 



They are usually abundant and con- 

 gregate in large communities, breeding 

 in deserted burrows of quadrupeds, such 

 as the prairie dog, badger, or gopher. 

 It is sometimes called the sociable owl, 

 from the once popular belief that it 

 lives in burrows with the rattlesnake 

 and prairie dog, a belief that is fast 

 passing away, as investigation has 

 proven that they have nothing in com- 

 mon, but that the dog and snake are 

 intruders whenever they enter a bur- 

 row that is occupied by the owls. Of 

 course, it is well-known by all who 

 have in the least observed their habits, 

 that in the spring, and again in the fall, 

 they mingle freely with the dogs, flying 

 about all over the colony or dog town, 

 as it is qalled, not living in any partic- 

 ular burrow, but in any of them, as the 

 occasion may require. 



At these times the owls and dogs are 

 on the most friendly terms. But for 

 four months, or from the time they 

 pair for the breeding season, until their 

 young ones are full grown in the fall, 

 they choose some burrow that has 

 been deserted, or perhaps they will 

 forcibly take possession of any that 

 suits them; but as a rule they take 

 those that are at some distance from 

 any that are occupied by the dogs. In 

 these at a suitable place, not over 18 

 inches below the surface, and all the 



