i8o 



SCIENCE. 



[Vol. XX. No. 503 



rate, without actually examining their burrows during the winter 

 months to ascertain their presence, I never, saw one o( these birds, 

 as far as I can remember, sitting in front of these at such times, 

 and I have lived where they were very common, and would cer- 

 tainly have noticed one occasionally if actually about. . . . 

 These birds are diurnal in their habits, and may be seen sitting 

 in front of their burrovvs at any hour of the day. When not un- 

 duly molested, they are not at all shy, and usually allow one to 

 approach them near enough to observe their curious antics. Their 

 long slender legs give them rather a comical look, a sort of top- 

 heavy appearance, and they are proverbially polite, being sure to 

 bow to you as you pass by. Should you cii'cle around them, they 

 will keep you constantly in view, and, if this is kept up, it some- 

 times seems as if they were in danger of twisting their heads off 

 in attempting to keep you in sight. If you venture too close, they 

 will rise and fly a short distance, and generally settle down near 

 the mouth of another burrow close by, uttering at the same time 

 a chattering sort of note, and repeat the bowing performance. 

 Occasionally, when disturbed, they alight on a small sage bush, 

 probably to get a better view of the surrouudiogs. 



"They hunt their prey mostly in the early evening and through- 

 out the night, more rarely during the day-time. As soon as the 

 sun goes down they become exceedingly active, and especially so 

 during the breeding season. At such times they are' always busy 

 hunting food, and go and come constantly, and they may often 

 be seen hovering suspended, in the air, like the sparrow-hawk, 

 locating their prey, or darting down noiselessly and swiftly, and 

 grasping it with their talons without arresting their flight an in- 

 stant. The actual amount of food a pair of these birds require to 

 bring up their numerous family, generally averaging eight or nine, 

 is something enormous. Each owl will eat fully its own weight 

 in twenty-four hours, if it can get it. . . . As nearly all the food 

 used by them consists of noxious vermin, it readily appears what an 

 immensely beneficial bird the burrowing owl is, considered from 

 an economic point of view, and deserving of the fullest protection. 



" In southern California the burrowing owl commences laying 

 about the beginning of April; in Oregon, Washington, and Idaho, 

 rarely before the fifteenth of the month, and usually about the 

 latter part of it; in Kansas and northern Texas, it begins about 

 the same time; in Utah, fresh eggs have been found as late as 

 June 1,5, and at Fort Collins, Colorado, on July 1. 



" Although incubation does not appear to begin until the clutch 

 is nearly completed, I have always found one of the parents at 

 home, even if there was but a single egg in the nest. The old 

 bird is courageous in the defence of its domicile, and, as a rule, 

 will not leave it, although the way may be left clear for it to do 

 so. Backing up to the extreme end of its burrow, it will strike 

 with beak and claws in defence of its nest. Frequently, when 

 within a foot or two of the nest proper, and before it was yet 

 visible, the occupant made a rattling noise, produced by the rapid 

 movement of its mandibles, which sounded very much like the 

 warning of the rattlesnake when disturbed; this would easily im- 

 pose on the average investigator, and, proceeding out of the bur- 

 row somewhat muffled and subdued, it is very similar indeed to 

 the rattle of the latter." 



There are 146 species described in the volume. Illustrations of 

 the eggs of 94 of these are given on 13 beautifully colored litho- 

 graphic plates. In looking over them, it is noticeable that, while 

 the eggs of game birds and birds of prey are variously speckled 

 and mottled, those of doves, pigeons, and owls are uniformly 

 w^hite. The last generally nest in holes in trees or similar places 

 and are not conspicuous by reason of this color. The eggs of 

 doves and pigeons, while placed in open nests, are screened by the 

 parent birds, which are protectively colored. Grouse and other 

 game birds generally lay their eggs on the ground, where their 

 mottling prevents their being conspicuous; white birds of prey 

 have similarly marked eggs, which may be considered as protec- 

 tively colored also. The book contains a great mass of interesting 

 information which will be welcomed both by ornithologists and 

 the ordinary lover of birds. One cannot but regret that the index 



Publications Received at Editor's Office. 



Canadian Geological Survey. Annual Report for 



1888-89. Ottawa: S. E. Dawson. 8°. Paper. 

 Commissioner of Pish and Fisheries. Report on 



the Establishment of Fish-cultural Stations. 



Washington; Government. 4°. Paper. 88 p. 



III. 

 Hay, O p. On the Brfeding Habits, Egss and 



Young of Certain Snakes. Washington: Govern- 



ment. 8°. Paper. 13 p. 

 On the Ejection of Blood from the Eyes of 



Horned Toads. Washington: Govermnent. 8° 



Paper. 9 p. 

 Howard, L. O. Insects of the Sub family Eneyr- 



tin® with Branched Atennae. Wastiington : 



Government. 8°. Paper. 9 p. 

 Stejneger, Leonhard. Two Additions to the Jap- 

 anese Avifauna. Washington: Government. 8°. 



Paper. 3 p. 

 Torrky, Bradford. The Foot-Path Way. Boston: 



Houghton, MifBin & Co. 13°. 246 p. $1.25. 

 U. S. Naval Observatory. Meteorological Obser- 



servations and Results, 1888. Washington : 



Government. 4°. Paper. 60 p. 

 Maenetic Observations, 1891 Washington : 



Government. 4°. Paper. 100 p. 



Beading Matter Notices. 



Ripans Tabules : best liver tonic. 

 Ripans Tabules cure jaundice. 



FOR SALE. 



The Paleontological Collection of the late 

 U. P. James, of Cincinnati, Ohio. Many 

 type specimens and thousands of duplicates. 

 For further information address 

 JOSEPH F. JAMES, 



U. S. Department of Agriculture, 



Washington, D C. 



RESTORE YOUR EYESIGHT 



■ risk. Diseased eyes < 

 our home treatment. 

 dreds convinced. Our 



'Home Treatment for Eyes " free. Don't miss it! 

 Everybody wants it, " The Eye," Glens Falls. N.Y. 



an be absorbed and 

 ivithiaut the knife 



r lids can be cured by 

 'We prove it." Hun- 

 Illustrated pamphlet. 



Exchanges. 



[Freeof charge to all, if of satisfactory character. 

 Address N. D. C. Hodges, 874 Broadway, New York.] 



EschaDge.— I have the finest shells of Anodonta 

 corpulenta, C'p'r, and Suborbiculata, Say, in the 

 world. Will exchange for fresb water, land, and 

 marine shells, in large or small quantities. Have 

 also for exchange 50 varieties of fresh water and 

 land shells from Spoon River, 111. Dr. W. S. 

 STRODE, Lewistown, 111. 



To exchange for books on birds or insects, or 

 fo" back volumes of American Naturalist : Ecker's 

 "Anatomy of the Frog," Packard's '* Guide, ■" 

 Guyofs "The Earth and Man." RnckhilTs, "The 

 Land of the Lamas," Parker's "Biology," Shoe- 

 maker's "Heredity, Health and Personal Beauty," 

 Dester's "The Kingdoms of Nature," all new. M.J. 

 ELROD, 111. Wes. Univ., Bloomington, lU. 



For Sale.— About 1087 volumes of the private 

 library of Dr. Nicolas Le6n, foimerly director of 

 the Museum at Morelia, embracing publications of 

 special value forMexicologists, like those of Bishop 

 ZumArraga (16th century), of Siguenza y Gongora, 

 of Aleman, etc., the Missal of Spinoza, all very 

 scarce : manuscripts on tLe history of Michoaca.n 

 and other Mexican States, on the Tarasco (the 

 Indian language of Michoacfi,n) and several works, 

 of which the only copy known to exist is in this 

 collection. Parties interested in the sale please 

 address Db. NIC\ LEON, Portal de Matamoras, 

 Morelia, Mexico. 



INDEXES 



Volumes XVII. and XVIII. 



SCIENCE 



are in preparation, and will be 

 issued at an early date. 



Wa7tts. 



METALLQRGICAL CHEMIST will ^iivo instruc- 

 tion in the metallurgy and chemical analysis 

 of iron and steel. Complete or special courses ap- 

 plying to the manufacture of pig irons and steels, as 

 well as to their uses. Address " METALLURGIST, '' 

 care Science. 



A GRADUATE of the University of Pennsylvania 

 and a practical mineralogist of twenty years' 

 experience desires to give his services and a cabi- 

 net of 25,000 specimens, all named, with about the 

 same number of duplicates, in minerals, crystals, 

 rocks, gems, fossils, shells, arcbfeological and ethno- 

 logical specimens and woods to any institution de- 

 siring a fine outfit for study. The owner will in- 

 crease the cabinet to 50,0u0 specimens in two years 

 and will act as curator. Correspondence solicited 

 from any scientific institution. J, W. Hortter, 

 M.D., Ph.D., San Francisco, Cal., General P. O. 

 Delivery. 



WANTED.— A position as zoological artist in con- 

 rection with a scientific expedition, institution 

 or individual investigations. Experienced in micro- 

 scopic and all scientific work. References given if 

 desired. Address J. HENRY BLAKE, 7 Prentiss 

 Place, N. Cambridge, Mass. 



YOUNG MEN destined for a medical career may 

 receive instruction in branches introductory 

 thereto, at the same time, if desired, pursuing the 

 so-called elementary medical studies. Advanced 

 students can have clinical iostruction, use of 

 modern text books, etc. Will take one or two 

 students into my family and office. Such must 

 furnish unexceptionable references. Quizzing by 

 mail. Address Dr. J. H. M., in care of 417 Adams 

 Avenue, Scranton, Pa. 



CHEMIST AND ENGINEER, graduate German 

 Polytechnic, Organic and Analytical, desires a 

 position in laboratory or chemical works. Address 

 213»^ E. 7th Street, New York, care Levy. 



A MAN, 36 years old, of extensive experience, hav- 

 ing the degrees of A.M. and Ph.D., desires a 

 first-class opening as a teacher of Zoology and 

 kindred studies in a college or university. Can 

 furnish numerous testimonials or references as to 

 success and skill in most modern laboratory 

 methods. Address E. W. D., Md. Agr. College, 

 College Park, Md. 



A JOHNS HOPKINS graduate (18i)2) desires a 

 position as instructor in mathematics and 

 physics. Address A. B. TURNER, Johns Hopkins 

 University, Baltimore, Md, 



