THE OOLOGIST. 



131 



iu a fi.^ld where it h;iil becu eating thistle- 

 down seeds and was so far removed from 

 water that its bill was covered with rust. On 

 placing it in a cage, it (inite adapted itself 

 U) its new mode of living and the next 

 morning it was eating as if it were in the 

 fields. I placed the cage out of door-i and in 

 half an hour there were two other b'rds of 

 the same kind on it. These new comers 

 would allow you to approach within two or 

 three feet before tiying. On account of the 

 changing of its coat twice a year, we named 

 him "Mugwump". 



Mugwump was ill-fated, hovv^ever, as most 

 other birds are and had his eye picked out 

 by Gyp, the canary. lie lost the other last 

 summer. On account of the extreme tame- 

 iiess of the wild birds I captured another by 

 simply setting the ca^e iu the house and 

 opening the window. In half an hour or so 

 another bird came into the room; I then 

 closed the window and picked the bird m\ 

 I kept him for a week and let it go. 



Pool' old Mugwump is now deaf, dumli 

 and blind and will soon die. 



In regard to Albino eggs, talked of iu 

 your paper, I will add my experience. 1 

 took, about 3 years ago, a set of four white 

 eggs, of the Blue Bird, from an old natural 

 cavity in a tree. At a different date 1 

 took a set of spotted Thcebe eggs. Last 

 spring I found a set of six Yellow-shaft- 

 ed Flicker's eggs and about two weeks after 

 a set of five eggs of the Bluebird, out of 



the same hole. 



I). B. M. 



Lockport, N. Y. 



The Burrowing owl. 



8psotytvc.uniGalariahypor](iea (Bokap) Ridgw 



The Burrowing Owl is not a bird attendant 

 on civilization. Long before the trains of 

 prairie schooners started westward to Cal- 

 ifornia he reared his brood upon the plains 

 unmolested, Avhere he loves to stay. They 

 remain near thene t during the day, feeding 

 princiijally at night, though they are seen 

 oftener during the day time ttian any of the 

 other Strigidae. 



The food of the Burrowing Owl is composed 

 principally of insects. He eats a large num- 

 ber of grasshoppers and locusts thus pre- 

 venting their too rapid increase. As many 

 as 59 locusts have been foirnd in his stomach 

 at one time. Besides this he often catches 

 mice and occasionally a ground squirrel or a 

 lizard. 



The Burrowing Owls remain in i)airs 

 throughout the year. They are quite com- 

 mon iu this locality. The nest is irsually 

 madeiu the deserted burrow of the ground- 

 squirrel, though they are capable of ex- 

 cavating one for themselves. The hole is 

 from three to six feet in length and one to 

 two feet below the surface of the ground. 

 They commence laying early iu April. The 

 eggs are pure white, six to eleven iu number, 

 elliptical iu shape, and measure about ?>i 

 min. by 25min. 



In this locality the Burrowing Owls invar - 

 Uibly place in their nests a quantity of liorsa 

 manure as soon as they commence to lay. 

 This is apparently removed and more sup- 

 plied so that by the time the set is completed 

 quite a jjile accumulates. This is a sure 

 indication that the nest contains eggs. I 

 would like to hear from other collectors in 

 other localities regarding this habit. 



"When you approach tJie nest the birds 

 commence thi eking their heads and calling 

 out cuckoo. From this cry the boys in this 

 locality call them the cuckoo-owl. If you go 

 near they fly to some slight eminence near 

 and watch you. If incubation is advanced 

 or the nest contains young, the fenuile re- 

 mains in the burrow. If you dig down to the 

 nest she is even then loth to leave and 

 may be easily caught and examined more 

 carefully. Many pleasant hours may be 

 spent in watching them. 



A. L. S., Anahinn, Gal. 



April 29, 1889, while out after eggs I came 

 across a Kobin's nest in an old shed, upon 

 climbing to the nest I found 4 eggs of the 

 common size, with reddish brown spots, 

 over the entire surface. I have one iu my 

 collection now. H, F. M. Quchee, Vt. 



