The PRAIRIE OWL (_Pholeoptynx hypogæa_), a species so closely resembling
it both in appearance and habits, that one description will suffice for
them both. The Burrowing Owls are found in great numbers throughout the
extensive plains of the American continent, perching upon hillocks, or
scrambling in and out of the holes in which they live; they constantly
frequent such excavations as have been made by anteaters, armadilloes,
or prairie dogs, and instances have occurred in which they have been
seen quietly creeping in and out of a hole tenanted, not only by the
last-mentioned quadruped, but by a rattlesnake. Like the Stone Owl,
they are capable of enduring the full light of the sun, and display
considerable agility in evading pursuit; the colour of their plumage aids
them considerably, as it closely resembles that of the ground on which
they sit. They walk with ease and rapidity, and fly in an undulating
course, but only remain for a short time upon the wing; they never
frequent trees, but pass their lives almost entirely upon the earth.
Whilst seated they indulge in all the strange attitudes, bowings, and
tossings of the head with which their congeners amuse themselves, and
greet the approach of a stranger with a fixed stare, their eyes shining
like stars. Whoever attempts to capture one of them generally finds that
his labour has been spent in vain, as they easily elude pursuit, and if
hard pressed take refuge in one of the many holes that abound in their
favourite haunts. They are remarkably social, even during the breeding
season, and several pairs frequently lay their eggs in such burrows as
are near together. The Brazilian species deposits its three white eggs
upon the bare ground of the cavity selected, whilst the North American
Prairie Owl on the contrary, according to Townshend, lays four whitish
eggs, and lines its hole with fine grass; both subsist principally upon
mice, snakes, lizards, and grasshoppers, and will occasionally eat crabs
or such other inhabitants of the water as find their way to dry land. The
North American Indians declare that these Owls retire into their holes
about the end of August, in company with the prairie dogs, and there
sleep away the winter months, but we should be inclined to imagine that
their undeniable disappearance during the cold season is occasioned by
their having gone for a time further south.
[Illustration: _Plate 12. Cassell's Book of Birds_