Obs. This curious Owl is very abundant in some localities in Western America, where it lives in communities in burrows in the ground. It is nearly related to several South American species, especially to _Athene cunicularia_, which is a native of the western countries of that portion of this continent.
We have doubts that fig. 1 of Mr. Audubon’s plate 432 represents this bird, but think it probable that it represents one of the South American species, which fig. 2 of the same plate clearly does. Dr. Townsend’s collection, specimens from which were figured by Mr. Audubon, contained birds of Chili and Peru, as well as of North America, from which circumstance the error may have occurred.
II. GENUS GLAUCIDIUM. Boie, Isis, 1826, p. 970.
Size small; head moderate, without ear-tufts; wings moderate, fourth quill usually longest; tail rather long; tarsi fully feathered; facial disc obsolete; bill short, strong, rather wide at base; claws long, curved, very sharp. This genus contains a few species, amongst which are the smallest birds of this family.
1. Glaucidium infuscatum. (Temm.) The pigmy Owl. Strix infuscata. Temm., Man. d’Orn., I. p. 97. (1820.) Glaucidium gnoma. Wagler, Isis, XXV. p. 275. (1832.) “Strix passerinoides. Temm.” Aud., Orn. Biog., V. p. 271; Oct. ed., I. p. 117.
Aud., B. of Am., pl. 432, fig. 4, 5; Oct. ed., I. pl. 30.
Very small, the smallest Owl yet discovered in North America; head moderate; outer three quills sinuated on their inner edges, fourth quill longest; tail rather long; tarsi densely feathered; toes partially covered with long hairs. Adult. Entire upper parts brownish-olive, on the head with numerous circular spots of dull white; a partially concealed white band around the neck behind, succeeded by another of black; scapulars and superior coverts of the wings with white spots; throat white; a narrow band of mottled brownish-olive across the neck before; other under parts white, with longitudinal stripes of dark olive-brown on the flanks and abdomen; quills dark brown, with small spots of white on their outer edges, and large circular spots of the same on their inner webs; tail dark brown, with five or six pairs of circular or oval spots of white on every feather, larger on the inner webs; bill light yellowish; irides yellow.