BIRDS OF PREY 175 
outside during the day, bringing food by sunshine or 
moonlight as it happened. 
In Santa Cruz County the food of this species consists, 
I am sorry to say, oftener of poultry and song birds than 
of mammals, though squirrels, chipmunks, and _ lizards 
are among its victims. In other parts of the State, under 
different conditions, it is said to prefer rodents and to be 
of value to the farmers. 
378. BURROWING OWL. — Speotyto cunicularia hypogaea. 
Famity: The Horned Owls and Hoot Owls. 
Length : 9.00-11.00. 
Adults: Upper parts brownish, mottled with white and tawny ; under 
parts tawny to buff, barred with brown. 
Young: Upper parts uniform brown, except darker bars on wing and 
tail; under parts plain tawny. 
Geographical Distribution: From the Pacific, east to Dakota and Texas. 
Breeding Range: Same as Geographical Distribution. 
Breeding Season: In California, April to June. 
Nest: In a burrow of prairie dog, or rabbit, or badger, or gopher. 
Eggs: 6 to 11; glossy white. Bin 1.24 X 1.03. 
One of the commonest sights throughout California 
is a pair of these little Owls sitting side by side at the 
entrance to their burrow, sunning themselves, or perched 
on a fence post or low stump, blinking wisely at the 
passer-by. They are numerous on the drive from San 
Diego to Tia Juana, and are scarcely less interesting to 
the Easterner than is the far-famed road-runner. In 
vicinities where the prairie dog abounds, many fairy 
stories are told of how he shares his home with the owls 
and with the rattlesnakes, but I believe there is no grain 
