THE BURROWING OWL. 485 
the alder or willow patches, or are frequently startled from some grass- 
covered bank of a lake. ‘They fly equally well by night or by day. I once 
observed a bird of this species sitting, during a bright day, on a post. It 
squatted, then stood up and seemed ready to fly at any moment. I went within 
six feet of it, and it then settled down as if to take a nap. I retired and threw 
a stick at it to make it fly. [I shouted and made other noises, and only after 
several attempts to dislodge it did it ly. When taking flight from an elevated 
position they invariably drop to within a few feet of the earth and sail away 
rapidly. ‘They are not at all vicious; they hold tightly with their claws, and in 
no instance did a wounded Hawk Owl attempt to use its beak, tho the feathers 
on the head and neck were raised and an attitude of threatened attack with 
beak was always made. After a few minutes captivity they become passive 
and make no attempt to escape.” 
No. 197. 
BURROWING OWL. 
A. O. U. No. 378. Speotyto cunicularia hypogza (Bonap.). 
Synonyms.—Grounp Owt. Bitty Own. Cuckoo OwL. SNAKE OWL. 
Description.—Adults: Above dull grayish brown heavily spotted and com- 
mingled with white or pale ochraceous-buff ; the spots paired on the larger feathers 
and defined by adjacent dusky areas; the paired spots enlarged and dissociated 
toward base of remiges and rectrices; tail thus irregularly six or seven barred; 
extreme forehead, ill-defined superciliary stripe, and throat, broadly, white; 
jugulum crossed by mottled band of brown and white beneath which a pectoral 
semilune of white; remaining underparts white or pale ochraceous-buff, heavily 
barred, save on lower belly and crissum, with brown and brownish dusky ; lining 
of wings chiefly pale ochraceous. ‘The plumage is very variable both in the shade 
of brown and in the amount of white admixed, some specimens appearing nearly 
white on the head and upper back. Young birds are less spotted above, on head 
and back nearly uniform grayish brown, and are unmarked below save on 
jugular band. Length about 9.50 (241.3); wing 6.75 (171.5); tail 3.20 (81.3); 
bill from cere .55 (14); tarsus 1.65.(41.9). 
Recognition Marks.—Robin size but appearing much larger; terrestrial 
habits ; head without plumicorns ; light grayish brown coloration. 
Nesting.—Nest: at end of underground burrow, 4 to 1o feet in length, 
usually a mere cushion of dried horse-dung, occasionally with admixture of 
feathers and other soft substances. Eggs: 5-11, white, subspherical, highly 
glossed. Av. size, 1.25 x 1.00 (31.8 x 25.4). Season: April 20-May 20; one brood. 
General Range.—Western United States and adjoining British Provinces, 
