THE BURROWING OWL. 



THE BURROWING OWL. 



nel owl," the " how- 

 do-you-do owl," and 

 whatever else you 

 have a mind to call 

 him. Not that he 

 answers to either of 

 his names : he will 

 not so much as turn 

 his head if you shout 

 at the top of your voice. You may think him 

 sound asleep, or as deaf as a door-nail, until you 

 are sure you have him, when lo! off he goes on 

 his wings, or down the hole he runs on his yellow 

 legs. 



Because its name is "owl" you may think it a 

 night-bird, but you are mistaken there. Burrow- 

 ing owls seem to love the warm, bright sunshine, 

 and are able to see by daylight nearly as well as 

 any other bird. But they are most active just at 

 dusk. 



Like the young of the kingfisher, and the wood- 

 pecker, and the bank-swallow, young burrowing 

 owls have no use for eyes so long as they are in 

 the dark nurseries. 



When they are quite well developed, and you 

 would think them old enough to go out into the 

 world on their own account, they may be seen 



