258 DAVENPORT ACADEMY OF SCIENCES. 



ber 28, 1905. In autumn, numbers are often seen perched upon 

 telegraph wires along the railroads. 



"Of 320 stomachs examined, i contained a game bird; 53, other 

 birds; 89, mice; 12, other mammals; 12, reptiles or batrachians; 

 215, insects: 29, spiders; and 29 were empt3^ . . . The Sparrow 

 Haw'k is almost exclusively insectivorous, except when insect 

 food is difficult to obtain" (Fisher, Hawks and Owls). Grasshop- 

 pers form a favorite article of diet when obtainable. 



Subfamily PANDIONIN^. Fish Hawks. 

 Genus Pandion Savigny. 



159. (364). Pandion halio'tus carolinensis (Gmelin). American 



Osprey. 

 The American Osprey or Fish Hawk appears to be only a spring 

 and fall migrant in Iowa, rather rare in general, but sometimes 

 tolerably common along the larger water-courses. Keyes and 

 Williams classed it as a rare summer resident (Birds of Iowa. 1889, 

 128). "It formerly bred along the Missouri River near Rock- 

 ford, where Bruner observed birds carry food to the nest" (Rev. 

 Bds. Neb., 1894, 53). There are skins in the University museum 

 collection taken in the vicinity of Iowa City, Clermont, and Sioux 

 City. September 21, 1894, I mounted a female specimen killed 

 at Lake Edwards, Hancock county, by Rev. Jas. P. Taken. The 

 food of the Osprey consists almost entirely of fish, which it gen- 

 erally captures alive. 



Suborder STRIGES. Owls. 



Family STRIGID^. Barn Owls. 



One species of this family is represented in Iowa. It is char- 

 acterized by having the facial disc well developed and sub-trian- 

 gular in shape, and the inner edge of middle claw' u.sually (but 

 not invariably) serrate or pectinate. 



Genus Strix Linnaeus. 



160. (365). Strix prathuola Bonap. American Barn Owl. 

 The American Barn Owl, or "Monkey-faced Owl," is a rather 



rare resident in the southern half of the state, and very rarely 

 appears north of the middle line of the state. Dr. Fisher says: 



