MICROPALLAS. 37 
MICROPALLAS. 
Micrathene, Coues, Pr. Ac. Phil. 1866, p. 15 (nec Sundevall) ; Sharpe, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. ii. 
p. 224. 
Micropallas, Coues, Auk, 1889, p. 71. 
Micropalias contains two closely allied species, which are the smallest of the Striges. 
One of these is found in the South-western States of North America, Texas, and Lower 
California, and in Mexico as far as Guanajuato and Puebla. ‘The other has as yet 
only been noticed on the island of Socorro. ‘The genus is closely allied to Glaucidium, 
but has a tarsus longer in proportion to the middle toe, scantily haired instead of 
densely feathered, and a shorter more even tail. 
Dr. Coues’s name Micrathene, first proposed for this genus, being subsequently 
found by its author too much like Micrathena of Sundevall, he substituted Micropallas 
for it, and under that title it has since passed. 
1. Micropallas whitneyi. 
Athene whitneyi, Cooper, Pr. Cal. Ac. Se. i. p. 118 (1861) *. 
Micrathene whitneyi, Coues, Pr. Ac. Phil. 1866, p. 51°; Elliot, Birds N. Am. i. t. 29°; Ridgw. in 
Baird, Brew., & Ridgw. N. Am. Birds, ii. p. 87°; Ferrari-Perez, Pr. U.S. Nat. Mus. ix. 
p- 165°; Herrera, La Nat. (2) i. pp. 178, 321°. 
Micropallas whitneyi, Bendire, Life Hist. N. Am. Birds, i. p. 411, t. 12. f. 137; Fisher, Bull. U.S. 
Dep. Agr. no. 9, p. 200°. 
Supra griseo-brunnea, fulvo maculata; torque cervicali albido, scapularibus in pogonio externo albis; alis fulvo 
et albo maculatis, cauda fasciis maculosis sex notata; superciliis et macula utrinque menti albis, oculorum 
ambitu fulvo: subtus griseo-albida, fusco et fulvo irregulariter variegata et fasciata. Long. tota circa 5:5, 
alee 4°4, caudee 2:0, tarsi 0°75. (Descr. maris ex Tucson, Arizona. Mus. nostr.) 
Hab. Nortu AMERICA, Texas, Arizona, Southern and Lower California.— Mexico, 
Guanajuato (A. Dugés®), Valley of Mexico (ferrera®), San Salvador el Verde 
(Ferrari-Perez °). 
First discovered near Mojave, California, in 1861, by Dr. J. G. Cooper}, the Elf-Owl, 
as this little species is called, has since been found to inhabit an extended area 
stretching from near the mouth of the Rio Grande in Texas to Arizona and Lower 
California. In Texas it is apparently rare, but we have two specimens from that 
State sent us by Mr. F. B. Armstrong from Hidalgo. In Arizona it is said to be 
the commonest Owl of the district, whence most of the specimens that have been 
obtained have been sent. Here, too, it breeds in numbers, Mr. F. Stephens and 
Mr. W. E. D. Scott having found more than a dozen nests in about six hours near 
Tucson. The nest is almost invariably placed in a deserted Woodpecker’s hole in the 
giant cactuses which abound in that country. ‘The birds are nocturnal in habit and 
become active shortly after sundown. Their food is chiefly coleoptera and a few other 
insects, and occasionally small mammals. Capt. Bendire gives a full account of the 
