SCREECH OWL. 



167 



Tlie following- species ofinammals and birds have been positively iden- 

 tified amonsf the stomach contents : 



MAMMALS. 



Sitomys americaiius. 

 Sitomys eremicus. 

 Arvicola austerus. 

 Arvicola piiietonim, 

 Arvicola riparius. 

 Mus muscitlus. 

 Scinropterus rohicella. 

 Tamias siriatus. 

 Fero(j7iathus. 

 Neotoina floridana. 

 Scalops aquaticiis. 

 Condyliira cristata. 



BIRDS. 

 Colinus xrirginianus. 

 Megascops asio. 

 Otocoris a. praticola. 

 Junco hy emails. 

 Ammodramus s. savanna. 

 Spizella monticola. 

 Spizella socialis. 

 Melospiza georgiana. 

 Melospiza fasciaia. 

 Passes- domesUcus. 

 SeiuvKs motacilla. 

 Troglodytes aedon. 



This Owl breeds tlirougliont its range, and does not migrate or even 

 wander far during the winter months. It almost invariably nests in the 

 hollows of trees, usually not over 10 feet from the ground, old apple 

 orchards beingfavorite resorts in thickly inhabited sections. Occasion- 

 ally it has been known to breed in holes in buildings as well as in dove- 

 cotes, but never in nests among the branches of trees, as is the habit 

 of some other Owls. Capt. Bendire once found a pair breeding near 

 Fort Walla Walla in the same tree with a pair of Sparrow Hawks, and 

 there seemed to be perfect harmony between the birds, although their 

 holes were only about 2 feet apart. (Ornithologist and Oologist,vol.vi, 

 1881, p. 21.) 



In the following case, noted by Mr. F. Stephens, the relations of the 

 species were somewhat strained. Mr. Stephens states: '^On April 19 

 I heard a screaming noise proceeding from a woodpecker's hole in a 

 pine. I climbed the tree and pulled out a female McCall's Owl, and im- 

 mediately after a male Sparrow Hawk flew out. The Owl was appar- 

 ently breeding, but the hole contained no eggs." (Bull.Nuttall Ornith. 

 Club, vol. iir, 1878, p. 1)1.) Evidently the Hawk had been looking for 

 ii nesting site and had entered a tenanted one by mistake. 



There never seems to be much of an attempt to form a nest; usually 

 the cavity is incompletely lined with a few feathers from the parent 

 bird, but this is by no means universal. The eggs, from three to six 

 in number, are placed in the bottom of the cavity in the rotten wood 

 and other material accidentally occurring there. In the South 

 they are deposited in the latter part of March, while in the more north- 

 ern States full sets are rarely found before the middle of April. If 

 the cavity is large enough the male usually remains with the female 

 during the day while she is sitting on the eggs; if it is not of sufficient 

 size to accommodate both, he may be found in a neighboring hole or 

 copse. About one month ela]xses from the time the first egg is depos- 

 ited until all the young hatch, and they remain in the nest about the 



