BIRDS. 31 



was, for one of its order, very tame. The same author gives a curious account of 

 its habits : in a different manner from other raptorial birds, when it has killed its 

 prey, it does not fly to a neighbouring tree, but devours it on the spot. It roosts on 

 the ground, either on the top of a sand hillock, or by the bank of a stream : it 

 sometimes walks, instead of hopping, and when doing so, it has some resemblance 

 in general habit to the Milvago chimango. It preys on small quadrupeds, mollus- 

 cous animals, and even insects ; and I find in my notes, that I saw one in the 

 Falkland Islands, feeding on the carrion of a dead cow. Although in these 

 respects this Circus manifests some relation in its habits with the Polyborinas, 

 yet it has the elegant and soaring flight, peculiar to its family ; and in form it 

 does not depart from the typical structure. Mr. Gould remarks that " we see in 

 this elegant bird as perfect an analogue of the Circus cyaneus of Europe, as in the 

 preceding species of the Circus ceruginosus." 



Family.— STRIGIDiE. 



Sub-Fam.— SURNINiE. 

 Athene cunicularia. Bonap. 



Strix cunicularia, Mol. Bonap. Am. Orni. I. 68. pi. 7. f. 2. 



This bird, from its numbers and the striking peculiarities of its habits has 

 been mentioned in the works of all travellers, who have crossed the Pampas. In 

 Banda Oriental it is its own workman, and excavates its burrow on any level 

 spot of sandy soil ; but in the Pampas, or wherever the Bizcacha is found, it uses 

 those made by that animal. During the open day, but more especially in the 

 evening, these owls may be seen in every direction standing frequently by pairs 

 on the hillock near their habitation. If disturbed, they either enter the hole, or, 

 uttering a shrill harsh cry, move with a remarkably undulatory flight to a short 

 distance, and then turning round, steadily gaze at their pursuer. Occasionally in 

 the evening they may be heard hooting. I found in the stomachs of two which I 

 opened the remains of mice; and I saw a small snake killed and carried away by 

 one. It is said that reptiles are the common object of their prey during the day 

 time. Before I was aware, from the numbers of mice caught in my traps, how 

 vastly numerous the small rodents are in these open countries, I felt much sur- 

 prise how such infinite numbers of owls could find sufficient means of support. 

 I never saw this bird south of the Rio Negro, (Lat. 41° S.) In North America 

 they frequent only the trans-Mississippian territories in the neighbourhood of the 

 Rocky Mountains. The account given by Say of their habits, agrees with what 



