110 



ORNITHOLOGY. 



Athene patagnnica, Peale, Zool. U. S. Exp. Exp. Birds, p. 78 (1848).* 



This is the largest of the species of burrowing owls recognized by 

 naturalists, and is well represented in the plate of Mr. Audubon's 

 work, cited above, which was prepared from specimens supposed to be 

 North American, but were really from Chili. They belonged to the 

 collection made by the late John K. Townsend, M.D. 



All of the above species very considerably resemble each other, but 

 appear to us to present constant specific characteristics as described by 

 the distinguished authors whom we have cited. 



In relation to the species now before us, Mr. Peale's observations 

 are as follows : 



Should the traveller, who has crossed the prairies of the Arkansas 

 and Missouri Rivers, ever visit Patagonia, he will find in that country 

 many points of striking analogy to the interior of North America. 



The face of the country [pampas being prairies under a different 

 name), bears a strong resemblance, cavies take the place of hares, larks 

 {Sfurmts militaris), like those of the North, are seen, having red instead 

 of yellow breasts [Sturnus ludoviciaiius), but alike in voice and habits. 

 Every now and then, too, he will meet with subterranean villages, or 

 little societies of armadilloes (Dasi/pus minutus, Desm.), whose social 

 haljits and abodes are like those of the prairie dog [Arctomys ludovi- 

 ciamis, Ord.), a species of marmot of the Northern Hemisphere. 



" In these societies of Armadilloes, there may be heard a kind of 

 barking, like that produced by some of the German toy dogs; the 

 same sound which has given to our marmot the name of 'prairie dog,' 



* " Above brown, spotted with tawny ; beneath pale buff, with brown bars crossing 

 the breast and flanks; lesser wing-coverts, umber-brown, with two buff-colored spots on 

 the outer, and one on the inner web ; third quill longest, first and fifth equal; outer webs 

 brown, crossed by five fulvous bands ; inner webs pale buff, except towards the extre- 

 mities, where they arc brown ; a black band crosses at the bases of the quills, otherwise 

 the whole wing beneath is of yellowish-white; tail, excepting the two outer feathers, 

 brown, with a whitish tip and five fulvous bars; outer feathers yellowish-white, with 

 three brown spots on the outer web, and one on the inner web; beneath yellowish-white, 

 the bars obscure ; bill and feet, greenish-yellow ; irides yellow. 



"Total length, ten and seven-tenths inches; wing, from the carpal joint, seven and 

 nine-tenths inches; tail, three and a half inches ; tarsi, one and three-quarters of an inch ; 

 middle toe, including the nail, one and two-tenths of an inch ; nail, half an inch ; hind 

 toe, including the nail, eight-tenths of an inch; nail, four-tenths of an inch ; bill, seven- 

 tenths of an inch." 



