528 NATURAL HISTORY. 



Not only do these burrowing-owls occur in our western territories ; 

 they are found in Florida, the West Indies, and in South America ; every- 

 where using subterranean burrows in which to raise their young. Where 

 the prairie-dogs are lacking, the burrows of other animals — foxes, badgers, 

 squirrels, and the like — are used, and in South America the holes of the 

 Patagonian cavy are employed for this purpose. There is a difference to 

 be observed in the habits of the burrowing-owls of North and South America. 

 In the latter country they are, like most owls, nocturnal, but with us they 

 go about by clay. As one approaches one of the villages of the prairie- 

 dogs, these owls present a most curious spectacle. They stand bowing and 

 ogling and turning the head in the most grotesque manner. This doubt- 

 less arises from the nature of the eyes, the head being put in various posi- 

 tions in the effort to see the intruder more distinctly. 



Parrots. 



There is scarcely a group of birds which possesses more interest than 

 do the parrots, and yet the interest is of such a character that no descrip- 

 tion will do justice to it. It is strictly personal, and depends partly upon 

 the bright colors, partly on the affectionate disposition, but far more upon 

 the wonderful conversational powers of these birds. Man, it is often said, 

 is the only talking animal, and hence it is that when we see anything pos- 

 sessing the power of articulation, — be it Faber's mechanical man, a doll 

 which utters ' mamma ' when the stomach is pinched, or a raven or parrot 

 with its innate power of reproducing human speech, — our interest is at 

 once aroused. 



The strangest of the parrots inhabit that strange corner of the earth, 

 Australia and New Zealand. In the latter country lives the owl-parrot, or 

 kakapoo, a beautifully marked green, yellow, and black bird, which in 

 many respects combines the features of the owls and parrots. It has a 

 number of stiff hair-like feathers around the eye, which form facial discs, or 

 goggles, which at once recall the owls ; while its burrowing habits suggest 

 the last owl that was mentioned above. This bird rarely flies, and then 

 but weakly, and one kept in London, when especially pleased, used to 

 "march about with its head twisted round, and its beak in the air, wishing, 

 I suppose, to see how things look wrong way up, or perhaps it wished to 

 fancy itself in New Zealand again." The ground-parrots of Australia are 

 said to be similar in habits. 



In every aviary and zoological garden may be found one or more cocka- 

 toos, welcoming the visitor with their cry of ' cock-a-too,' or in mock or 

 real anger chasing their fellows about with screams, which form the great- 



