North American Birds Eggs. 



177 



They also often nest in liarns or other old huildintijs which are not frequented too 

 freely. Their food consists chieHy of mice and meadow moles, with occasionally 

 small l)irds. During April or May they lay their white ejigs, the full comple- 

 ment of which is from five to eiu;ht. Size 1.85 x 1.20. The nesting habits of all 

 the sub-species, as far as we can learn, are exactly like those of the eastern 

 Screech Owl: the eggs cannot be distinguished, and in most cases, even the 

 birds cannot lie ilistinguished. 



373a. Florida Screech Owl. Mr(/n.sf(iji.s asio iloridfiniis. 



Range. — South Atlantic and Gulf coasts. 



Slightly smaller and darker than a.s/V*. The eggs average slightly smaller. 

 Size 1.80 "x 1.15. 



3 73b. Texas Screech Owl. Mrgasrops asio mrralli. 



Kange.— Texas, and southward into Mexico. Very similar to fl<iri(hitnii<. 



373c. California Screech Owl. Megascops asio bntdirci. 



Kange. — Coast of California and Oregon. Size of, but darker than asio. 



373d. Kennicott Screech Owl. Moja ■•<(■() jis asio kcmiiroftii. 



Range.— Pacific coast from Oregon to Alaska. This is the darkest of the 

 Screech Owls and averages a trifle larger than the eastern form. 



3 7 3e. Rocky Mountain Screech Owl. Mcgasrops asio maxirellirf. 



Range. — Foothills of the Rockies, from Colorado to Montana. This is the 

 palest form of the Screech Owl. Of the same size as the last. 



3 73f. Mexican Screech Owl. Megascops asio cinerareus. 



Range. — Western Mexico and southwestern border of the United States. A 

 gray form with little or no buff, and more numerously barred below. 



373g. Aiken Screech Owl. Megascops asio aikeni. 



Range. — El Paso County, Colorado. A gray form, with the dark markings 

 coarser and more numerous than in any other. 



373h. MacFarlane Screech Owl. Megascops asio macfaiianei. 



Range. — Northern l)order of the United States from Washington to Montana. 



373 I. Spotted Screech Owl. Megascops trichopsis. 



Range. — Mountains of southern Arizona, south into Mexico. 



A grayish species, similar to asio, but paler and more finely barred beneath, 

 and with whitish spots on the feathers of the foreback. The nesting habits and 

 eggs are probably the same as those of the Screech Owl. 



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