BURROWING OWL, 



195 



The eggs are usually five to eight iu number, though sets of eleven have 

 been taken. When a nest exists, for the eggs are sometimes placed on 

 the bare earth, it is usually composed of a small quantity of grass or finely 

 broken cow or horse dung, and is situated at the end of the burrow in 

 a somewhat enlarged chamber. The distance from the entrance of 

 course depends on the individual barrows, which vary from 4 to 10 feet 

 in length. A nest which Mr, Ridgway dug out, was situated 8 feet from 

 the entrance and 4 feet below the surface. (U. S. Geol. Explor. of the 

 Fortieth Paral., King, vol. iv, 1877, p. 574.) 



DESCRIPTION. 



Lower leg more than twice as long as middle toe and about half as 

 long as tail. Above, earthy brown, with buffy spotting and barring. 

 Below, ground color, distinctly buffy, feathers covering base of lower 

 surface of tail unspotted. 



Length: 9 toll inches (228 to 280'°'"); extent, 22.50 to 23.50 inches 

 (572 to 597°^™); ^^^S, 5-80 to 7.20 inches (147 to 183'°'"); tail, 3.15 to 

 3.50 inches (80 to 89°^'°). 



Table showing the results of examinations of S2 stomachs of the Burrowing Owl 

 {Speotyto cumcularia hypogwa). 



