LIST AND DESCRIPTION 93 
378. BurrowInc Ow (Speotyto cunicularia hypogaea.) 
This little Owl is a common summer resident over the 
State, but most abundant west of the Missouri River. Length 
from nine to ten inches; above dull grayish brown spotted with 
white; white throat patch crossed by dusky band; belly light 
but barred with brown; legs much longer than with other South 
Dakota Owls and feathered in front but bare behind. This bird 
also differs from other Owls in its habits of nesting. Instead of 
building in trees or on the ground, it appropriates the abandoned 
hole of some burrowing animal. East of the Missouri River it 
occupies the holes of skunks, badgers or foxes; west of the river 
it usually takes possession of deserted prairie dog holes. It does 
not, however, live in common with prairie dogs and rattlesnakes, 
as many suppose. In every prairie dog town there are many un- 
occupied holes. These offer convenient nesting places for the 
little Owls. The food of the Burrowing Owl consists mostly 
of small rodents, grasshoppers and bettles. 
PAMIEY GUCULIDA. CUCKOOS 
The Cuckoos or “Rain Crows” are beautiful velvety olive 
brown birds with rather short wings and long tails. They are 
about the size of the Brown Thrasher and much the same in form. 
Their “cow, cow” notes are heard oftener than the birds are 
seen, as they love dense shade and keep well within the foliage 
of trees and bushes. They devour vast numbers of hairy cater- 
pillars, of which they are especially fond, a single stomach some- 
times containing as many as 250. 
387. YELLOW-BILLED Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus americanus.) 
The lower bill is more yellow than in the following species, 
and the white patches on the tail feathers much larger. It pre- 
fers nesting in trees rather than in bushes. A summer resident. 
388. BLACK-BILLED Cuckoo (Coccyzus erythrophthalmus.) 
This species is more plentiful in the State than the pre- 
ceding. It prefers nesting in bushes rather than in trees. There 
are only slight traces of yellow at the base of the black bill, 
and the tail lacks the strong contrasts of white and black. A 
summer resident. 
