278 BULLETIN 17 0, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



He says of his first nest, found in southeastern Oregon on April 

 16, 1877. 



This nest was found in a hollow willow stump, in a small grove of these and 

 cottonwood trees among which I camped while on a hunt after waterfowl on 

 Lower Silvies River, near Malheur Lake, 20 miles southwest of Camp Harney, 

 Oregon. The hole was about 5 feet from the ground, 18 inches deep, and con- 

 tained six partly incubated eggs. There was no nest, the eggs lying on some 

 rubbish which had accumulated in the hole; the female was caught on the nest, 

 and beyond snapping her mandibles made no resistance; the male was not seen. 



* * * In 1881 a pair of MacFarlane's Screech Owls nested in a natural cavity 

 of a good sized cottonwood tree, about 25 feet from the ground, and within 100 

 yards of my quarters, giving me ample opportunity to watch them. Whenever 

 I rapped on the tree the occupant would stick its head out and look about, but 

 did not fly away. 



All the nests found near Walla Walla, Washington, were placed in natural 

 cavities in cottonwood trees, from 15 to 30 feet from the ground, and invariably 

 near water. 



Eggs. — Bendire says that the eggs "vary from three to six in num- 

 ber, usually four or five, and are deposited at intervals of one or two 

 days. * * * The eggs like those of all owls are pure white in color, 

 rather glossy, and mostly oval in shape; some are nearly spherical; 

 the shell is smooth and closely granulated." 



The measurements of 39 eggs averaged 37.6 by 31.9 millimeters; 

 the eggs showing the four extremes measure 39.3 by 32.2, 39 by 33.5, 

 35 by 31.5, and 37 by 30 millimeters. 



Food. — The feeding habits of MacFarlane's screech owl are appar- 

 ently similar to those of other screech owls; it has been known to kill 

 domestic pigeons. 



Bendire (1892) writes: "In two of the holes occupied by them I 

 found trout from 6 to 8 inches long and a small whitefish (Coregonus 

 williamsonii) about 10 inches long. It still puzzles me to know just 

 how they manage to catch such active fish, but believe that, where 

 obtainable, these as well as frogs form no inconsiderable portion of 

 their daily fare, while the smaller rodents and grasshoppers supply 

 the remainder. I do not believe it catches birds to any extent, and 

 must be considered an eminently useful species." 



OTUS ASIO HASBROUCKI Ridgway 

 HASBROUCK'S SCREECH OWL 



HABITS 



The screech owls of central Texas have been separated from mccalli 

 under the above name. The 1931 Check-List says: "Central Texas, 

 from Travis County to Palo Pinto and Dallas counties, and probably 

 other adjoining counties." Kidgway (1914) adds, with some doubt, 

 Cooke, McLennan, Eastland, and Lampasas Counties, as probably 

 within its range. He describes this race as "similar in pattern of 



