FERRUGINOUS PYGMY OWL 435 



and band across throat much paler brown; wing shorter and tail 

 longer." 



About all we know of the habits of this owl is contained in the 

 following account by Mr. Brewster (1902): 



This little Owl was discovered by Mr. Frazar on the Sierra de la Laguna, where 

 it frequents the largest pines and oaks on the top and sides of the mountain. It 

 appears to be rather common, for several were heard calling almost every night 

 in May and early June. 



"Their notes resemble the syllables cow, cow, cow, repeated a number of times." 

 Only three specimens were secured. One of these was followed after dark and 

 shot while in the act of calling; another was started from some thick brush in the 

 daytime; and the third, also shot by daylight, was sitting in a tree surrounded by 

 a noisy and excited mob of little birds, chiefly Baird's Juncos. During Mr. 

 Frazar's autumn visit to the Sierra only one of these Owls was heard, on the night 

 of November 30. Probably they do not call freely at this season. Hoskins's 

 Owl is apparently not confined to the Cape Region, for Mr. Bryant reports that 

 he "shot a male at Comondu, March 22, 1889." 



GLAUCIDIUM BRASILIANUM RIDGWAYI Sharpe 

 FERRUGINOUS PYGMY OWL 



HABITS 



The northern race of this South American owl ranges north into 

 the Lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas and into southern Arizona. 

 It was first added to our fauna by Major Bendire (1892) who "took 

 several in 1872 in the heavy mesquite thickets bordering Rillitto 

 Creek, near the present site of Camp Lowell, in the vicinity of Tucson, 

 Arizona. The first specimen was taken January 24, 1872, showing 

 that it is a resident throughout the year; other specimens were obtained 

 during the following spring and summer." 



Ridgway (1914) describes it as similar to the typical race, 6. b. 

 brasilianum, of Brazil, "but lighter in color and averaging rather 

 smaller." It has two very distinct color phases and an intermediate 

 phase, which is a combination of the two extremes. He gives full 

 descriptions of the three color patterns, which he designates as a 

 grayish-brown phase with white tail bands, a grayish-brown phase 

 with rufous tail bands, and a rufescent phase. 



Nesting.— George B. Sennett (1889) says: "On May 2, 1888, my 

 collector took an adult female and one egg of this Owl at Canon del 

 Caballeros, near Victoria, Tamaulipas, Mexico. The locality is 

 high and at the base of the more precipitous mountains. The nest 

 was in a hollow tree, and contained but a single fresh egg." 



Major Bendire (1892) mentions a set of four eggs received by Mr. 

 Sennett and taken within our boundaries: "The latter were found 

 on May 3, 1890, and were apparently fresh. The nesting site was 

 a Woodpecker's hole in a mesquite tree, about 10 feet from the 

 ground, in thick woods near Brownsville, Texas." 



