Dk. tHEODOR NEtJMAI^N. 1^9 



crowds its burrows closely together, so that a cliff is 

 often absolutely honey-combed by these persevering lit- 

 tle diggers. It is a most bewitching sight to see them 

 all at work together, to observe their eagerness and ac- 

 tivity, and to watch the progress of the labor. Soon 

 they all seem to have disappeared entirely ; the knowing 

 one only is aware that they are in their holes digging. 

 If one should stamp upon the ground above them, they 

 all rush forth from the tunnels, and the air seems alive 

 with them ; soon, however, they return to their work and 

 proceed more rapidly than ever. 



An interesting tunnel-builder is the burrowing owl 

 (Strix cunicularia), which dwells, at least during the 

 breeding season, in burrows formed in the earth either 

 by its own labor or by that of some digging animal. In 

 the western prairies of the United States the burrowing 

 owl is a constant inhabitant of the villages of the mar- 

 mot or prairie dog, as it is called, living on pretty good 

 terms with the true owners. In fact, the manner in 

 which the marmots sport about near the entrances of 

 the burrows, while the owls move briskly among them, 

 furnishes a most delightful and amusing spectacle. 



Among this trade must be reckoned further the stormy 

 petrel (Procellaria pelagica). It breeds among the stones 

 and debris of rocks on our coasts, burrowing the neces- 

 sary cavity for its nest in the crumbling stone and deepen- 

 ing it sometimes to considerable extent. The female sits 

 so closely upon the eggs that she may be readily taken 

 by hand ; when thus treated, she vomits a quantity of oil, 

 which is collected in many places by persons going from 

 nest to nest teasing the bird and making her eject the 

 oil into a pail brought for that purpose. 



No less remarkable as a burrowing bird is the king 

 fisher (Alcedo ispida), which also digs holes of three or 

 four feet depth in the perpendicular banks of rivers. The 

 fabulous stories related by the ancients concerning its 



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