THE EYES OF THE BURROWING OWL 
WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO THE FUNDUS OCULI 
By Casey A. Wood, M.D., Chicago, III. 
O F all the Strigiformes there is none so interesting from the 
standpoint of the visual apparatus as that widely distrib- 
uted New World group — the Burrowing Owls. These birds 
are found (as the typical species, Speotyto cunicularia) throughout 
the pampas regions of Central South America and occasionally far- 
ther south; and are well known, as a subspecies, in Florida ( Speotyto 
c. floridana), the West India Islands, and on the plains and in the 
valleys of North America ( Speotyto c. hypogxa) as far north as 
British Columbia. 
Of the numerous subspecies may be mentioned also the small, 
pale-brown, insectivorous, Short-Winged Burrowing Owl ( Speotyto 
c. brachyptera ) inhabiting the island of Santa Margarita, Venezuela; 
and the Haitian form — Speotyto c. dominicensis. The Florida Owl 
is also seen in the Bahamas. Although smaller than the typical 
species, it has larger feet and bill; the plumage is, on the whole, 
darker, with clear white spots. 
All Burrowing Owls are comparatively small (less than 1 1 inches 
in length), but this peculiarity is not so noticeable on account of 
their unusually long, bare legs. Their habits are said to be mainly 
diurnal, but observations of the North American species by the 
writer incline him to the belief that they are essentially nocturnal 
animals, like most owls. Burrowing habits seem to be common to 
all the species. 
Burrowing owls have a dull-brownish, spotted, and barred 
plumage; the middle of the chest is white and is partly encircled by 
a plainly marked buff-brown collar. The head is rather flat and small, 
the facial disks are not well defined, the bill is short, and the wings 
are relatively undeveloped, so the bird is able to fly only short 
distances. 
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