These peculiar birds are wholly different in plumage, form and habits from any other American Owls. They can readily be recognized by their long, slender and scantily feathered legs. Their plumage is brownish, spotted with white above, and white, barred with brown below; length 10 inches. They nest, generally in large communities in burrows in the ground, usually deserted Prairie Dog holes. While generally but a single pair occupy one burrow, as many as twenty have been found nesting together. Sometimes the burrows are unlined, and again may have a carpet of grasses and feathers. Their white eggs generally number from six to ten; size 1.25 × 1.00. Data.--Sterling, Kans., May 7, 1899. Nest of bits of dry dung at the end of a deserted Prairie Dog burrow. [Illustration 240: American Hawk Owl.] [Illustration: White.] [Illustration: White.] [Illustration: deco.] [Illustration: left hand margin.] Page 239 378a. FLORIDA BURROWING OWL. _Speotyto cunicularia floridana._ Range.--Local in the interior of Florida. Like the last, but slightly smaller and paler, and with the tarsus less feathered. Their habits or eggs do not differ from the preceding. 379. PYGMY OWL. _Glaucidium gnoma gnoma._ Range.--Rocky Mountain region and westward; from British Columbia southward. These interesting little Owls, which are but seven inches in length, feed in the day time upon insects, mice and, occasionally, small birds. They frequent extensively wooded districts, chiefly in the mountain ranges. They nest in tall trees, generally in deserted Woodpeckers' holes, laying three or four white eggs during May; size about 1.00 × .90. 379a. California Pygmy Owl. _Glaucidium gnoma californicum._ Range.--Pacific coast from British Columbia, south through California. This sub-species is darker and more brownish than the last. It is not an uncommon bird in California. They nest in the tallest trees along the ranges, often being found 75 or more feet from the ground. The eggs do not differ from those of the Pygmy Owl, ranging in size from 1.00 × .85 to 1.20 × .95. 379.1. HOSKIN'S PYGMY OWL. _Glaucidium hoskinsi._ Range.--Southern Lower California. This species is smaller and more gray than the preceding. It is not probable that its manners of nesting or eggs differ in any respect from those of the others of this genus. [Illustration 241: Burrowing Owl.] [Illustration: deco.] [Illustration: right hand margin.] Page 240 380. FERRUGINOUS PYGMY OWL. _Glaucidium phalœnoides._ Range.--Mexico and Central America; north to the Mexican border of the United States. This species is of the same size as the last, but is much tinged with rufous on the upper parts, and the tail is of a bright chestnut brown color, crossed by about eight bars of black. They nest in hollow cavities in trees, from ten to forty feet from the ground, laying three or four glossy white eggs; size 1.10 × .90. 381. ELF OWL. _Micropallas whitneyi._ Range.--Mexico, north to the bordering states.