THE FERRUGINOUS PYGMY OWL. 411 



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. The eggs are oval in shape and measure, 

 respectively, 28 by 23.5, 28 by 23.5, 27,5 by 24, and 27 by 23 millimetres. 



Compared with the eggs of Glacidium gnoma californicum, the shells are 

 apparently much thicker, and are rather coarsely gramilated, considering their 

 small size, considerably more so than the egg of Micropallas whitneyi, and 

 they are not as glossy as the latter. The texture of the shells is decidedly 

 different from that of the eggs said to be those of the California Pygmy 

 Owl. In none of the specimens before me are the peculiar punctures or pit- 

 tings noticeable and purporting to be characteristic of the eggs of the pre- 

 ceding species. In fact, the reverse is rather the case, most of the specimens 

 showing a few slight protuberances on their surface. 



The type specimen figured on PI. 12, Fig. 17, is the one taken near 

 Victoria, Mexico, and now in Mr. G. B. Sennett's collection. 



146. Micropallas whitneyi (COOPER). 

 ELF OWL. 



Athene whitneyi COOPER, Proceedings of California Academy Sciences. 1861, 118. 

 Micropallas whitneyi SENNETT, Auk, Vol. vi, 1889, 276. 



(B , C 331, R 411, C 436, U 381.) 



GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE : Lower California and southwestern United States, from 

 southeastern California and southern Arizona to southern Texas ; south, to southern 

 Mexico (Pueblo and Guanajuato). 



The range of the Elf Owl, the smallest of our Owls found within the 

 United States, extends from southeastern California (Mojave) southeastward 

 through southern Arizona, where it is the commonest Owl in that Territory. 

 Mr. George B. Sennett obtained a single specimen from Hidalgo County, 

 Texas, taken on April 5, 1889, extending its range considerably in this direc- 

 tion. Mr. L. Beldiug reports it as not uncommon in the vicinity of Miraflores, 

 Lower California, where he took several specimens in April, 1882, and it is 

 likewise an inhabitant of the greater portion of Mexico. 



Although probably a constant resident, and breeding wherever found, I 

 believe its eggs have as yet only been taken in the vicinity of Tucson, south- 

 ern Arizona. 



Since Dr. J. G. Cooper obtained the type specimen near Mojave, Cali- 

 fornia, April 26, 1861, no others have been taken in this State, and this 

 point probably marks the extreme western and northern limit of its range. 

 The type remained unique for eleven years, until I met with this little Owl 

 again in April, 1872, in the vicinity of Tucson, Arizona. 



The Elf Owls are nocturnal in their habits and are seldom seen moving 

 about in the daytime, which they pass either in abandoned excavations of 



