The Birds of El Paso County, Colorado Sll 



Speotyto cunicularia hypogaea. Burrowing Owl. "Prairie 

 Dog Owl." 



Common locally about prairie dog towns. Apparently a 

 summer resident only for it is not seen in winter, November 

 2, 1871, being the latest autumn date we have. 



Burrowing Owls are not now as common in El Paso 

 as they were formerly ; too many are killed by hunters as they 

 offer rather a tempting mark, and many are brought to the 

 taxidermist to be mounted. It is a pity to slaughter the queer 

 little fellows so uselessly and wantonly, for they are really of 

 use when alive, feeding on mice and insects. They live in the 

 deserted burrows of prairie dogs, laying their eggs several 

 feet below the surface late in May. 



As a table bird the Burrowing Owl is not to be recom- 

 mended, Aiken says, and he should know, because he has tried 

 it. Some years ago one was brought to be mounted on Sat- 

 urday evening. The weather was warm and to keep the bird 

 from spoiling until Monday Aiken carried it home and placed 

 it in the family ice chest. Invited guests were present at Sun- 

 day dinner and when all were seated at the table Aiken's sis- 

 ter, who it may be stated is not as good an ornithologist as her 

 brother, remarked that she had prepared a special dish for him 

 — "the bird you put in the ice chest." At that moment the 

 the waitress brought in a dainty looking browned and buttered 

 fowl which from appearance might have been a woodcock, 

 but it wasn't. A mild outburst of indignation passed and the 

 laugh having subsided he generously offered to share his tit- 

 bit with each one present, but each as graciously declined. 

 Aiken, however, declared he would not allow the opportunity 

 of testing the quality of owl meat to pass, so he cut a choice 

 bit from the breast and ate it, after which he decided to save 

 the balance of the bird for his dog. This dog was very greedy 

 for meat. Anything in the way of meat offered he seized 

 voraciously and gulped down. When this bird was held 



