BIRDS OF PREY 175 



outside during the day, bringing food by sunshine or 

 moonlight as it happened. 



In Santa Cruz County the food of this species consists, 

 I am sorry to say, oftener of poultry and song birds than 

 of mammals, though squirrels, chipmunks, and lizards 

 are among its victims. In other parts of the State, under 

 different conditions, it is said to prefer rodents and to be 

 of value to the farmers. 



378. BURROWING OWL. — Speotyto cunicularia hypogcea. 



Family : The Horned Owls and Hoot Owls. 



Length: 9.00-11.00. 



Adults : Upper parts brownish, mottled with white and tawny ; under 



parts tawny to buff, barred with brown. 

 Young : Upper parts uniform brown, except darker bars on wing and 



tail ; under parts plain tawny. 

 Geographical Distribution : From the Pacific, east to Dakota and Texas. 

 Breeding Mange : Same as Geographical Distribution, 

 Breeding Season : In California, April to June. 

 Nest : In a burrow of prairie dog, or rabbit, or badger, or gopher. 

 Eggs: 6 to 11 ; glossy white. Size 1.24 X 1.03. 



One of the commonest sights throughout California 

 is a pair of these little Owls sitting side by side at the 

 entrance to their burrow, sunning themselves, or perched 

 on a fence post or low stump, blinking wisely at the 

 passer-by. They are numerous on the drive from San 

 Diego to Tia Juana, and are scarcely less interesting to 

 the Easterner than is the far-famed road-runner. In 

 vicinities where the prairie dog abounds, many fairy 

 stories are told of how he shares his home with the owls 

 and with the rattlesnakes, but I believe there is no grain 



