60 RAPTORIAL BIRDS 
Columbia, mentions having found, in one hole which 
he examined, a female Woshee, a burrowing Owl, with 
her two eggs, and a “green-racer” Snake, a reptile 
which, as well as the Rattle Snake, is, like the burrow- 
ing Owl, an unbidden guest in the dwellings of the 
North American Spermophilze. Mr. Lord adds— 
‘*The burrowing Owl is strictly of diurnal habits, and feeds 
principally on crickets, grasshoppers, large beetles, and larvz.” 
These Owls are not, however, wholly dependent for 
a home on the labours of their four-footed hosts, as 
one which lived in confinement in the gardens of the 
Zoological Society, excavated a burrow for itself in the 
earthen floor of its cage, of sufficient dimensions to 
shelter it effectually from view, whenever it desired to 
retreat from the inspection of visitors, or for the pur- 
pose of repose. 
Three other genera of small Owls here follow, com- 
posed of species widely spread over the countries of 
the Old World, and severally bearing the names of 
Tenioglaux, Microglaux, and Athene, of which last 
genus, one species (A¢hene meridionalis) is celebrated 
as having been anciently dedicated in Attica (where it 
still abounds) to the tuletary goddess of ancient 
Athens. 
The genus Sfzlogdaux, which is next in order, con- 
tains some of the smaller Owls, which are natives of 
Tasmania, Australia, New Guinea, and Timor, to- 
gether with one species which is a common bird in 
