BURROWING OWL. 191 



food. Nearly all authors who mention its food enumerate mice as more 

 often found in the stomachs examined than any other kind. 



Dr. Agersborg- gives the following relating to its food habits in 

 southeastern Dakota in winter: " In the winter as many as twenty of 

 these birds may be found nestling together iu one hole. They are 

 always at such times abundantly supplied with food. I have found 

 at one time forty-three mice and several shore larks scattered along the 

 run to their common apartment. They forage in fine weather and 

 retreat to their dirty adobes when cold weather threatens." (Auk, vol. 

 II, 1885, p. 284.) 



This is one of the few instances in which it has been found to have 

 killed bnds, though the rigors of a Dakota winter, with the ac- 

 companying difficulty in procuring its favorite food, might be accepted 

 as a partial excuse. Not so the case recorded by William Lloyd from 

 western Texas, where the remains of Bell's vireo, savanna sparrow, 

 and other birds were found in their holes. (Auk, a^oI. iv, 1887, p. 190.) 

 Mr. Ridgway, Capt. Bendire, and others have found frogs in its burrows 

 among other articles of food. In the case cited by Mr. Eidgway it was 

 a love offering from the male to his mate, and must have been her favor- 

 ite tidbit, if we may reason from analogy. Both Dr. Cones and Prof. 

 Aughey report finding the remains of lizards among the stomach con- 

 tents, so that probably, when available, any of the smaller reptiles or 

 batrachians are taken. It is not unlikely that small rattlesnakes are 

 sometimes eaten by this bird. The following, from Mr. C. S. Canfield, 

 shows at any rate that it is fond of snakes : "In the passage leading to 

 the nest there were small scraps of dead animals, such as pieces of the 

 skin of the antelope, half dried and half putrefied, the skin of the 

 coyote, etc.; and near the nest were the remains of a snake that I had 

 killed two days before, a large Coluber ( f) two feet long. The birds had 

 begun at the snake's head, and had picked otf the flesh clean from the 

 vertebra3 and ribs for about one-half of its length j the other half of the 

 snake was' entire." (American Nat., ii, 1869, j). 585.) 



In this connection an incident observed by Mr. H. W. Henshaw 

 will be interesting. While on the Tulare plains, in southern California, 

 he saw one of these Owls attack, with every demonstration of hate, a 

 large bull snake {PituopMs). The snake was making its way slowly 

 from one hole to another when the bird spied it. Immediately it rose 

 into the air and, swooping down, made a feint as if to seize the reptile in 

 its talons, swerving off, however, when within a foot or so. The snake 

 apparently was more annoyed than frightened, but as rapidly as possi- 

 ble made its way out of the uncomfortable neighborhood. In this in- 

 stance, at least, the attack by the Owl seems to have been actuated 

 through fear of a hated enemy rather than by any hope of making it a 

 prey; it may be doubted if the strength and courage of the Burrowing 

 Owl are sufficient to enable it cope witli a snake of any considerable size. 



In the summer and fall, when grasshoppers and crickets are exceed- 



