182 THE SECOND BOOK OF BIRDS 
it so well that the next spring she made her nest 
there and hatched out three little owls. The lit- 
tle ones were not at all afraid of people, and a son 
of the family made many photographs of them. 
After the owlets were grown, the whole family 
disappeared, and lived out of doors the rest of 
the summer. But when cold weather came, the 
old birds came back and stayed all winter again. 
They have made their home in that attic, and 
reared a brood every spring since. They are al- 
ways very social among themselves. They talk 
and sing, and make many sorts of noises. 
One of the queerest of the owl family is the 
little Burrowine Ow. of the West. The Flor- 
ida Burrowing Owl, found in Florida, differs only 
a little from the Western bird. The burrowing 
owl is a comical-looking fellow, only about as 
large asa robin. He has very long legs for an 
owl, and is dressed in grayish brown. 
This bird is said to have very polite manners. 
In some places he is called the “ how-do-you-do 
owl.” He is always bowing, and turning from 
side to side, and seems to be greeting you as you 
come near him. 
The burrowing owl likes a comfortable home 
underground, out of the way of enemies. In 
the West, where he lives, prairie dogs are plenti- 
