Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 11.djvu/162

150 of a saw, so that the traveler hearing it in the woods thinks he hears the man at the saw-mill sharpening the saw. It is also said that its notes resemble those of the little screech-owl of Europe, which would seem to be indicated in the paronomasia., or alliteration of the ancient poet:

Nor is it all screaking with the saw-whet, for Audubon tells of another note, which is musical, and like the tinkling of a bell. Weight for weight, the robin would probably outdo our little Acadian owl. Nor is it only wee and winsome, it seems to be gentle also. Coues



records the interesting fact of one being found occupying peaceably, with a chickaree-squirrel, the same hole in an oak.

Approaching the Western seaboard, we find, under the genus Glaucidium, two diminutive owls, the sparrow-pygmy and the rusty pygmy-owl. These birds are not so large as the thrush.

4. The Atheninœ, or bird-owls. Here is found that oddly-bird-like owl, standing so un-owlishly high on its naked legs, the burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia, Bonap.), or Speotyto cunicularia, var. Hypogœa of Coues (Fig. 8). Very much nonsense has been written of this bird. It is said to dwell in amity with the rattlesnake and