104 Palmer, The Florida Ground Owl. \jl^\\ 



are many circular shallow ponds, usually a hundred or more feet 

 in diameter, while beyond is the slough, extending irregularly 

 parallel with the edge of the prairie. 



Between the ponds and the palmetto ' islands ' is the line of 

 very high water, an almost flat sandy area densely carpeted with 

 very short grass. About the center of this grassy area are the 

 burrows of the owls, and here we found them in different stages 

 of completion and at very irregular distances. At intervals off- 

 shoots of this grassy area extend irregularly into the prairie, and 

 usually contain one or more burrows at or near their centers ; in 

 fact it is usual for the owls to locate at a spot about equidistant 

 from the surrounding taller vegetation. In February these grassy 

 fiats are very wet, and many of them contain water, but as the 

 water rapidly lowers by drainage and evaporation, the owls select 

 a location and excavate in the wet sand. One place visited on 

 March 4 contained water. On March 15, I secured a pair of birds 

 from a new and unfinished burrow placed near the center and 

 lowest part. The birds also undoubtedly re-use old burrows as 

 was shown by the new deposits of sand on the old hills and 

 through which grass was growing. That the owls dig out their 

 own burrows here is very evident. Many examined on March 20 

 were in various stages of construction, some just begun, others 

 fully excavated, while a few were finished, as was evidenced by 

 the presence of pieces of dry cow droppings, grass roots and other 

 rubbish in the tunnels and about the entrances of the burrows. 

 ( )wing to their situation, the high water of the rainy season floods 

 to some extent the sites of these burrows so that the owls are 

 only able to inhabit the locality as the waters are receding. This 

 flood line is shown by the debris of washed up grassy matter, and 

 is indicated on the diagram. Thus at our visits the bottoms of 

 the burrows were in very wet sand ; indeed, owing to the flatness 

 and the heavy dews, even the surface sand is very damp. As the 

 season advances the burrows become drier and exactly suit the 

 conditions necessary for the purposes of the birds. The rubbish 

 carried into the excavation also tends to improve its habitable 

 qualities. That the birds were pairing and seeking suitable 

 breeding grounds during our visits is shown by the fact that 

 several times when we secured one or both of the occupants of 



