CATALOGUE OF CANADIAN BIRDS. 3I7 



CLXII. SPEOTYTO Gloger. 1842. 

 378. Burrowing Owl. 



Speotyto cunicularia hypogaea (Bonap.) Coues. 1872. 



First observed at a point on the International Boundary Line, a 

 little east of Frenchman river, not far from the mouth of Milk river, 

 where a few individuals inhabited a small settlement of prairie 

 dogs {Cynqmys Ivdovicianus) . This seems to be about the northern 

 limit of the species, and it is nowhere so abundant in this region 

 as in many places further south. It was met with a second time 

 a little west of Frenchman river, and for the third time, in some- 

 what greater numbers, on a piece of prairie near Sweetgrass hills. 

 There were no prairie dogs here or at the locality last mentioned, 

 so far as I know, but the ground was riddled with the burrows of 

 the tawny marmot (Spermophilus richardsoni) , which seemed to 

 suit the owls just as well. (Coues.) The first Manitoba record of 

 this species was a pair taken six miles north of Portage la Prairie on 

 June 2nd, 1897, and brought to me. One of these is still in my 

 collection. Since that time the birds have seemed to have accommo- 

 dated themselves to conditions and increased in numbers in several 

 parts of Manitoba cocupying deserted fox and badger holes, and 

 they are now regular and increasing summer residents. I did not, 

 however, note them west between Portage and Edmonton along 

 the line of the G. T. P. Ry., I presume because our course lay too 

 far north. They are a very prolific species. One nest dug out for 

 me in 1904 contained eight young birds and these proved in many 

 ways the most interesting pets I ever had. (Atkinson.) Rare at 

 Aweme, Man., breeding in old badger holes. (Criddle.) I found 

 this bird breeding in Saskatchewan at Rush lake, June 12th, 1891. 

 I have only once taken the trouble to dig down to its eggs. It took 

 two of us nearly an hour to get at the nest, which consisted of a 

 hollow lined with cow dung and contained 7 eggs. The burrow 

 went down three feet and then ran along another four feet to the 

 nest. (W. Raine.) 



On June 23rd, 1896, three pairs were found occupying holes on 

 the prairie a little north of Moosejaw, Sask. The nests were not 

 dug, out, but the birds were nesting; in June, 1895, along French- 

 man river, Sask., this species was occasionally seen. In May, 



