clxviii 
SiBiGiDiE. BIRDS. FALCONiDa:. 
even to tlie regions of Greenland by its liideous 
cries, resembling those of a man in deep distress.” 
'J'lie male measures twenty-two inches in length, and 
four feet six inches in extent of wing. 'I'lie female 
is considerably larger, as is the case with all birds 
of this order. The Snowy Owl is a remarkably hand- 
some bird, its plumage being in some instances near- 
ly pure white. 'J'he large, round, orange-colored 
eyeballs give great brilliancy, and shine like the 
richest gems in their imre white setting. Some in- 
dividwals are handsomely mottled with black, and 
have transverse bars of black across the breast. 
The American Snowy Owls are somewhat darker 
than those of Europe. The dusky bars of the plu- 
mage are darker and broader. 
HAWK OWL [Surnia ulula). — 'I’his bird is oc- 
casionally met with in some parts of New England. 
It is found in the northern regions of both conti- 
nents, being rarely seen as far south as Pennsylva- 
nia. It partakes of the general appearance and 
habits of both an Owl and a Falcon. Unlike the 
Owls, it is almost wholly diurnal in its habits; and, 
for this reason, it has obtained the trivial name of 
Day Owl. The Hawk Owl occasionally breeds in 
New England. Mr. Boardman has found its nest, 
with eggs, in the neighborhood of Milltown, in 
Maine. So complete is the resemblance to both 
Hawk and Owl, one would naturally suppose that 
this bird is the result of a cross ; yet it is as distinct, 
independent, and original a species as any other. It 
is regarded as very bold and active; frecpiently it 
has been seen to follow the game as it drops to the 
ground from the sportsman’s shot, and to seize and 
bear it away. 'I'he male of this species is fifteen 
ihches long. 'I’hough so small, it boldly attacks the 
ITarmigan. and succeeds in carrying it off. 
CALIFORNIA PIGMY OWL [Glaucidium passer- 
imim ). — This bird is found in the Pacific Province 
of North America, from Vancouver’s Island south- 
ward, and from the llocky Mountains to the Pacific. 
It is quite closely related to the G. passerinmn of 
Europe. It is one of the smallest of our North 
American Owls. In habit it is somewhat diurnal, 
and its notes, quite unlike those of other species, are 
said to be “ subdued, clear, and like the soft, low 
notes of a flute.” 
RED-TAILED OWL [Glaucidmm ferrugineum ). — 
'I'he habitat of this Owl is the whole of Eastern 
Bouth America and Middle America (both coasts), 
and north into the southern border of the United 
States, as far as Arizona. “'I'his little Owl claims a 
place in our Fauna on the strength of several speci- 
mens taken in Southern Arizona by Captain Bendire. 
ft is a southern bird, found throughout the whole of 
Mexico, and ranges thence through the whole of 
South America, except the Pacific Coast, as far 
south as Southern Brazil. In Mexico it is as abun- 
dant on the I’aciflc as on the eastern coast, and is 
by far the most common Owl of its genus found in 
that country. Mr. E. C. 'I'aylor states that he found 
this pretty bird common in 'I’rinidad, where it is said 
to fly about in the daytime, apparently indifferent to 
the blazing sun, and is much smaller than any other 
species of Owl he met with.”- — North American 
Birds. 
WHITNEY’S OWL [Micranthe whitneyii).—''’\'\\\a 
well-marked genus is represented l)y a single species, 
found in the Colorado region of the United States, 
and in Western Mexico. It is the smallest of all 
known Owls, and has the general aspect of the Glau- 
cidium. Its length is six inches and a quarter, and 
extent of wing fifteen and a quarter.” — N. A. Birds. 
BURROWING OWL {Spheotyto cunicularia ). — 
'I'his Owl is of a genus peculiar to America, where it 
is distributed over the whole of the southern and 
western half of the northern continent, as well as in 
some of the IVest India Islands. 'I'here is certainly 
but one species, or even race, of Burrowing Owl in 
North America. 'I'he South American bird is not 
considered specifically distinct. Burrowing Owls are 
very abundant, congregating together in large commu- 
nities, and diflering from most members of their family 
by living and breeding in burrows in the ground. 
'I'liomas Say was the first American naturalist who 
met with this bird. While with Col. Long’s exj)e- 
dition he encountered it, and desci'ibes it as residing 
exclusively in the villages of the Prairie-dog, whose 
excavations are so commodious as to make it un- 
necessary for the bird to dig for itself, which it is 
able to do when occasion requires. 'I'hese villages 
are very numerous and variable in their extent, some- 
times covering only a few acres, and at others spread- 
ing over the surface of the country for miles together. 
'I'liey are comimsed of slightly elevated mounds, hav- 
ing the form of a truncated cone, about two feet in 
width at base, and seldom rising as high as eighteen 
inches above the surface. 'I'he entrance is at the top 
or on the side. From the entrance the passage de- 
scends vertically one or two feet, and thence it con- 
tinues obliquely downward until it terminates in the 
snug apartment where these animals enjoy their 
winter’s sleep, and where they and the Owls are 
common, but unfriendly occupants. 'I’his Owl is 
strictly of diurnal habits, and feeds principally on in- 
sects — the large beetles, grasshoppers and larvae. 
Dr. Kennedy says : “ When molested they commence 
bowing and chattering in a somewhat ludicrous man- 
ner at the intruder, or fly swiftly away, keeping near 
the earth, and alighting suddenly in the vicinity of 
a burrow to renew these amusing motions.” IMr. 
Darwin speaks of the South American variety as 
preying on mice and reptiles, and adds that they 
usually dig their own burrows. 
Family— FALCONIDJE. 
'I’he Falcons. 
“'I’he characters of this family are: Eyes directed 
laterally, and eyelids provided with lashes ; toes in- 
variably naked, and tarsus usually naked and sentel- 
late (feathered only in Aquilla and Archibutes) ; 
outer toe not reversible (except in Pandion) ; head 
never with ear-tufts, and never wholly naked (exce|)t 
in the Vultarinm of the Old World). 'I’he above cha- 
racters are about the only readily observable points 
in the external anatomy in which the Falconidm 
