50 BIRDS OF PREY 



upon the tops of the low buttes, in reality upon the ground, 

 from which they could survey a wide circle of sagebrush 

 plains. Whenever there is an annual "flight" of Snowy Owls, 

 they are always particularly numerous in Minnesota. 



But for its perfectly round and rather comical-looking 

 head, this bird would be the most beautiful of all American 

 owls. Its plumage varies from almost spotless snow-white, 

 in some individuals, to white barred all over with narrow 

 horizontal bands of black — which is really the standard color 

 plan. The number and width of the black bands vary ex- 

 ceedingly in different individuals, some birds being rendered 

 much darker than others. 



The food of this species consists of every kind of wild 

 bird or small mammal it can catch; but there is no evidence 

 that it ever destroys poultry. In summer, when its far- 

 northern home is full of migratory birds, nesting and rearing 

 their young, its bill of fare is quite varied, but in winter it is 

 confined to such winter residents as the ptarmigan, hare, 

 rabbit, sage grouse and such small rodents as dare to venture 

 forth from their burrows. 



With the Burrowing Owl^ of the western plains, the Owl 

 Family may justly be regarded as "run to earth." This odd 

 little owl does take shelter in the mouths of prairie-" dog " 

 holes, but so far as I am aware there is no proof that it ever 

 descends to the bottom of a burrow, or that it is chummy with 

 the rattlesnake. It is reasonably certain that no owl in 

 its right mind ever would fraternize with a rattlesnake, and 

 neither would a prairie-" dog." 



^ Spe-ot'i-to cu-nic-u-la'ri-a hy-po'gae-a. Average length, about 10 inches. 



