142 BULLETIN 17 0, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



Ivan K. Tomkins writes to me that "a nest of the barn owl was 

 found in one of the steel range lights on the Savannah River, March 

 30, 1929, with five eggs (pi. 27). The nest was in a steel box about 

 2 feet square, with part of the west side open to the sun, under the light, 

 and was liberally carpeted with pellets. The keeper of the light says 

 the owl has nested there for about four years." 



A. B. Howell (1912), referring to the Todos Santos Islands, writes: 

 "April 16 1 found a nest in a deep cleft in the rocks, twenty feet above 

 the sea, which contained a single nestling two-thirds grown. This site 

 was newly occupied, but on a ledge four feet above the floor of a cave on 

 the higher ground was a nest that must have been used for generations. 

 Beneath it was a pile of refuse and pellets two or three feet high." 



W. E. D. Scott (1892) reports "a pair breeding on the hull of an 

 abandoned dredge that had belonged to the company engaged in 

 draining and reclaiming land in the vicinity of Lake Okeechobee." 



Eggs. — Major Bendire (1892) says: "The average number of eggs 

 laid by this species is from five to seven, seldom less. Larger sets 

 containing from nine to eleven eggs are by no means uncommon ; it is 

 questionable, however, if every egg in such large sets is usually hatched. 



"In shape the eggs are mostly ovate, a few are elliptical ovate, and 

 a single specimen before me is elongate ovate. They are pure dead 

 white in color, the shell is finely granulated, and they are decidedly 

 more pointed than Owls' eggs in general." 



The measurements of 59 eggs average 43.1 by 33 millimeters; the 

 eggs showing the four extremes measure 48.8 by 32.5, 43.5 by 35, 

 39.8 by 33.3, and 40.5 by 27.5 millimeters. 



Young. — The eggs are laid at intervals of two or three days, and 

 incubation begins soon after the first egg is laid; consequently the 

 young hatch at similar intervals and vary greatly in size. The period 

 of incubation is said to be from 21 to 24 days. Bendire (1892) says 

 that "both sexes assist in incubation, and the pair may be sometimes 

 found sitting side by side, each with a portion of the eggs under them." 



E. L. Sumner, Jr. (1929) has made some intensive studies of young 

 barn owls. On March 4, 1928, he found that three of a set of eight 

 eggs had hatched, and says in his notes: "All three whimper contin- 

 ually, in feeble tones. The oldest is able to stand up, although weakly 

 and with nodding head." On March 10, only two eggs remained 

 unhatched. On the 17th, the oldest "hisses harshly when handled, 

 but is still quite docile. It stands up and walks about with ease." 

 March 26: "The youngsters are quite lively, even the smallest. When 

 set down in the long grass they stand up to their fullest height and 

 crane their necks in search of a hiding place. As yet, all the birds 

 can be handled without danger. When disturbed, a and b (the oldest 

 two) hiss harshly and sway from side to side with heads lowered and 

 extended wings inverted, after the manner of owls. If further pro- 



