riammulated Screech Owl 207 



moulted all its feathers except those of the wings and 

 tail, between July 15th and September 15th. The note 

 or cry most often heard was a "Wow, wow," resembling 

 the bark of a puppy. 



Morrison found a Screech Owl breeding in La Plata 

 CO., in the hollows of old pinons. He took three young 

 ones and an addled egg in June. It was probably this 

 subspecies. 



Flammulated Screech Owl. Otiis flamrneolus. 



A.O.U. Checklist no 374 — Colorado Records— Ridgw ay 79, p. 232 ; 

 80, p. 185 ; Deane 79, p. 188 ; IngersoU 80, p. 121 ; Brewster 83, p. 123 ; 

 Drew 85, p. 17 ; Morrison 89, p. 66 ; W, G. Smith 91, p, 27 ; Beudire 92, 

 p. 374 ; Hasbrouck 93, p. 260 ; H. G. Smith 93, p. 364 ; Ingraham 

 97, p. 403 ; Cooke 97, pp. 78, 161, 206 ; Jon,es 98, p. 46 ; Henderson 

 03, p. 235 ; 09, p. 230 ; Dille 04, p. 50 ; 09, p. 87 ; Gilman 07, p. 154 ; 

 Cary 09,p. 181 . 



Description.- — Smaller than O. asio aikeni, and easily distinguished 

 by its shorter ear-tufts and bare, unfeathered toes. Above finely 

 mottled dusky and white, with black streaking ; the white scapulars 

 tinged with tawny and often a faint wash of tawny all over the head 

 and facial disk ; below paler with dark streaks, much as in 0. a. aikeni ; 

 iris brown, bill and toes yellowish. Length 6-0 ; wing 54 ; tail 2-1 ; 

 culmien -5 ; tarsus 1-0. 



A red phase is known, but not hitherto noticed in Coloi-ado. Young 

 birds are more or less cross -barred, especially below. 



Distribution. — From southern CaUfornia and Colorado, chiefly in the 

 mountains or foothills, south through Mexico to Guatemala. 



In Colorado as elsewhere this little Owl has always been reckoned 

 a very rare species, and every occiurence seems to have been carefully 

 recorded. It is a resident along the eastern foothills and breeds there, 

 and from about 7,000 to 10,000 feet in the mountains. 



It was first recorded from Colorado by Ridgway, who mentioned an 

 example in Mrs. Maxrw^ell's collection, taken near Boulder, and it must 

 now be considered a not unconynon resident. 



The following are breeding records : Estes Park at 10,000 feet 

 (W. G. Smith & DiUe), Idaho Springs, E. Lewis (Bendire), Fremont 

 CO., Aiken (Deane), near Beulah 7,000 to 8,000 feet (Ingraham & Jones) 

 and La Plata co. (Morrison). There are two examples in the Aiken col- 

 lection taken near Colorado Springs, but it is not known from the 

 western or north-western portions of the State. 



