268 BACKBONED ANIMALS. 
Nore.—Over nine species of hawks and falcons were formerly used 
in hunting; as early as 400 B.C. this sport was indulged in, and in 
the reign of Edward ITI to kill a falcon was punished with death. In 
1290 Kublai Khan in Central Asia had no less than ten thousand fal- 
cons, The khan rode upon an elephant, and his army of ten thousand 
formed a great circle to catch the birds. The eight hundred falcons 
of the King of Persia in the seventeenth century were trained to hunt 
wiid boars, asses, antelopes, and foxes, and to blind them. The sport 
is carried on to this day near Abasheher, Persia. The Bedouins of the 
Sahara capture large numbers to sell. 
VaLuE.—Hawk and eagle quills are valued in trade. 
The Owls (.Strigidz) have large heads, the eyes direct- 
ed forward, the plumage soft, rendering the flight noise- 
less, ear-tufts in some conspicuous, claws long and sharp. 
They have a world-wide range, and are generally noctur- 
nal. About forty American species are known. 
The great horned owl (Budo Virgintanus) (Fig. 301), 
and the screech owls, are common American forms. 
The snowy owl (WVyctea nivea) is found in the northern 
portion of both continents, and is generally pure white, 
more or less barred with dark tints. It winters in New 
England and’ as far north as Spitzbergen, living in the 
ptarmigan fells, preying upon these birds and capturing 
them easily. From its remarkable resemblance to them, 
the ptarmigans often mistake it for one of their kind. 
They see readily in the day-time, and in northern Asia 
follow the lemmings and other small animals. 
The burrowing owl* (Spheotyto cunicularia, var. hypo- 
gea) is peculiar to America. They live in the burrows of 
the prairie-dogs, often in company with rattlesnakes. 
Order X. Parrots (Pstttact). General Characteris- 
tics.—The birds of this order are characterized by heavy, 
* In South America the burrowing owl (A thene) lives in the burrow 
of the Lagostomus, the Agouti also making use of the den, That it 
is laziness on the part of the owl is shown by the fact that if the Zagos- 
tomus is not in its neighborhood, it digs its own burrow. 
