OWLS. 193 



the above-mentioned prairie dogs, of very singular 

 appearance, nearly as large as badgers, but their 

 heads not unlike a rabbit's, except that they have 

 large bushy whiskers. In the evening, they sit out- 

 side these holes, looking very serious, as if moral- 

 izing, thoughtful, and grave. These holes were 

 guarded in the day-time, by two of the above-men- 

 tioned little Owls, who were never an instant away 

 from their post. As strangers gallop by, there the 

 Owls continue to sit, looking at them, first full in 

 the face, and then at each other, moving their old- 

 fashioned heads in a manner which was quite 

 ridiculous, when, as the riders pass close to them, 

 fear gets the better of their dignified looks, and they 

 both run into the Biscachos' holes *. 



The next order which offers itself to our notice in 

 the tables of classification, is the Passerine, subdi- 

 vided into seven tribes, the first of which is the 

 Crenirostral, from two Latin words signifying notch- 

 billed, as they are all more or less indented or 

 notched towards the extremity, as in the annexed 

 figure. 



In the preceding order, the same peculiarity in- 

 deed exists, but in the crenirostral tribe, the beak is, 



* Head's Rough Notes. 

 VOL. I. O 



