Aiken's Screech Owl 205 



but Gale, Burnett and Rockwell have all written on 

 thit subject. The most usual situation is an old Flicker- 

 hole in a cotton-wood tree, but natural cavities in willows 

 or box-elders are also made use of, while W. G. Smith 

 informed Bendire that he once found a deserted Magpie's 

 nest adopted. Often the Owl has a " scrap " with the 

 Flicker for the possession of the hole, and if the Flicker 

 is once able to effect an entrance it is generally able to 

 hold possession with the menace of its sharp bill. 



No nest is made, but the bottom of the nest-hole is 

 often found littered with wood-dust, feathers and the 

 other remnants of former feasts. The site selected is 

 generally near a stagnant pool or a stream, possibly 

 for the convenience of procuring crawfish and small 

 fishes, which form no small part of their diet. 



Incubation is carried on entirely by the female, and 

 begins after the first egg is laid ; and as there is an interval 

 of from twenty-four to seventy-two hours between the 

 laying of each egg, the young birds, when hatched, are 

 of various ages. The male is generally found near the 

 nest-site in another cavity, which often forms a larder. 

 Gale found remains of Blue Birds, Juncos, mice, frogs 

 and crawfish in these caches. 



Gale found fresh eggs chiefly from April 15th to 30th ; 

 those of later date, taken in May, he believed to be a 

 second laying, due to loss or destruction of the first. 



The usual number of eggs is four ; these are rounded 

 ovals and moderately glossy, and measure 1*44 x 1'18. 



Aiken's Screech Owl. Otus asio aikeni. 



A.O.U. Checklist no 373g — Colorado Records — ? Morrison 88, p. 115 

 (Scops asio maccalli) ; Brewster 91, p. 139; Bendire 92, p. 370; 

 Hasbrouck 93, p; 258 ; Lowe 94, p. 2C8 (Megascops asio maxwelUae) ; 

 Cooke 97, p. 78. 



