COAST PYGMY OWL 431 



were remarkably fearless. Of one case Mr. Carriger (1895) says: 

 "While the nest was being chopped open both birds were very noisy, 

 and often approached within a few feet. The nest contained five 

 eggs in which incubation was highly advanced. While taking the 

 eggs from the cavity the female tried repeatedly to enter." Perhaps 

 this extreme boldness was due to the "highly advanced" stage of incu- 

 bation. A. Calderwood, Jr. (1889) found a nest in a stub, in what 

 looked like an old nesting site of woodpeckers, five feet above the 

 ground. 



Apparently the nesting habits of this subspecies, so far as we know, 

 are similar to those of the California pygmy owl. While the nests 

 cited above were all comparatively low, and in oaks, it is possible 

 that nests may be placed higher where different species of trees are 

 available. 



Eggs. — The average number (five) of eggs, in the six sets known to 

 me, is somewhat larger than with other kinds of pygmy owls. The 

 number in each set varies from three to six. Possibly the examination 

 of a larger and more representative series would reduce the average 

 given above. The date of fresh eggs in northwestern California varies 

 from April 26 to May 10, averaging about May 5. J. C. Braly writes 

 me in a letter dated September 20, 1933, that the eggs of the coast 

 subspecies are larger and less round than those of the California pygmy 

 owl. They average about 30 by 24 millimeters. 



Plumages. — Little is definitely known of the plumage changes. It 

 is presumed that these follow the same general plan as with the Rocky 

 Mountain and California subspecies. There is at least a fall molt. 

 Chester C. Lamb shot a male in Humboldt County, Calif., on Septem- 

 ber 28, 1921, that was partially molted, with but few pinfeathers then 

 on its throat. 



Food. — The food of this subspecies is much like that of the Cali- 

 fornia pygmy owl. James Moffitt writes me that a female killed by 

 him on February 27, 1922, had the remains of four crickets in her 

 stomach. H. W. Carriger (1895) notes that this subspecies "is active 

 in pursuit of its prey in the early morning hours. Lizards and the 

 several varieties of beetles seem to be its favorite food. One of the 

 birds was met one morning bearing a lizard in its claws." Thomas 

 D. Burleigh (1929) says that one "was caught after it had lolled a 

 Rusty Song Sparrow and was trying, without much success, to carry 

 it away." C. H. Townsend, who was in Humboldt County from 

 November 15 to December 17, 1885, writes (1887) that this bird may 

 be seen "engaged in its search for small birds, upon which it seems to 

 subsist largely, flying close to the ground along the borders of tule 

 marshes. It doubtless kills marshwrens and small sparrows, as such 

 birds were often noticed near the hunting grounds of the owl. One 



