34 BIRDS OF TIERRA DEL EUEGO 



t^te, et son attitude, alors, est grotesque ; clle tourne la tete de 

 tous cot^s." 



" Quelques auteurs, comrae le p^re Feuillee et Molina, 

 pretendent qu'elle se creuse des terriers profonds dans la 

 campagne. II nous est, au contraire, d^montre qu'elle s'appro- 

 prie un terrier de tatou, de renard, de mara, et, surtout, 

 de biscacha, plus commode a cause de ses diverses issues et 

 de ses divers compartimens souterrains ; aussi est-on certain 

 de rencontrer TUrucurea dans les endroits oil la campagne 

 est infestee de cette derni^re espece de mammifere. Lorsqu'un 

 couple prend possession d'un de ces terriers, les veritables 

 proprietaires sont obliges de I'abandonner, a cause de la tenacite 

 de rUrucurea, et, sans doute, aussi, pour raison de proprete ; 

 car la biscacha, si soigneuse, ne pent, a ce qu'il parait, supporter 

 I'odeur d^sagr^able que porte avec elle I'Urucurea ; odeur 

 commune, au reste, a tous les oiseaux de proie nocturnes." 



Darwin met with the Burrowiug Owl no further south than 

 Rio Negro, Patagonia, in lat. 4]." S. 



" In Banda Oriental," he says, " it is its own workman, 

 and excavates its burrow on any level spot of sandy soil ; but 

 in the Pampas, or wherever the Bizcacha is found, it uses those 

 made by that animal. During the open day, but more especially 

 in the evening, these Owls may be seen in every direction, 

 standing frequently by pairs on the hillock near their habitation. 

 If disturbed, they either enter the hole, or, uttering a shrill, 

 harsh cry, move with a remarkably undulatory flight to a short 

 distance, and then turning round, steadily gaze at their pursuer. 

 Occasionally in the evening they may be heard hooting. I found 

 in the stomachs of two which I opened the remains of mice ; 

 and I saw a small snake killed and carried away by one. It is 

 said that reptiles are the common object of their prey during the 

 day-time. Before I was aware, from the numbers of mice caught 

 in my traps, how vastly numerous the small rodents are in these 

 open countries, I felt much surprise how such infinite numbers 

 of Owls could find sufiS.cient means of support." 



