HORNED OWLS, ETC. 191 



other thick foliage, where it sits upright near the trunk and is prac- 

 tically invisible to the observer. 



' ' The flight is not very much like that of other owls, but resem- 

 bles that of the sparrow hawk to some extent, and is not altogether 

 noiseless. The love-notes, according to Captain Bendire, are some- 

 what musical, although they resemble to some extent those of the 

 mourning dove." (Fisher.) 



379a. G. g. calif orni cum (Sd.). CALIFORNIA PYGMY OWL. 



Similar to G. gnoma but browner, chest heavily washed with reddish 

 brown. Young : much paler, ash gray on head and grayish brown on back, 

 unspotted. 



Distribution. Humid coast region from southern British Columbia 

 south to northern California. 



Nest. In deserted woodpecker holes. Eggs : usually 4, white. 



Food. Largely mammals and small birds. 



380. Glaucidium phal36noid.es (Daud.). FERRUGINOUS PYGMY 



OWL. 



Adults. Similar to the pygmy owl, but sides of breast plain brown or 

 rufous, upper parts varying from grayish brown to bright rufous; head 

 finely streaked with whitish ; tail banded, bars varying from white to ru- 

 fous and interspaces from grayish brown to blackish. Young : top of head 

 plain. Length : 6.50-7.00, wing 3.50-4.60, tail 2.20-3.50. 



Distribution. From Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, south to south- 

 ern Brazil. 



Nest. As far as known, in hollow trees, or woodpecker holes. Eggs : 

 taken by Sennett 4, white. 



The little ferruginous owl is diurnal like the other pygmies, flying 

 about hunting in bright sunlight. His note, as given by Mr. F. 

 Stephens, is a "loud cuck repeated several times, as rapidly as twice 

 each second," given with a jerk of the tail and a toss of the head. 



GENUS MICKOPALLAS. 



381. Micropallas whitneyi (Cooper}. ELF OWL. 



Head without ear tufts ; ear openings small ; nostril small, circular, open- 

 ing near the middle of the inflated cere ; tarsus 

 longer than middle toe, scantily haired ; claws small 

 and weak ; tail even, less than one half as long as 

 wing; smallest United States owl. Adults: face with 

 white eyebrows ; lores and throat band white, encir- Fi - 254> 



cled by brownish ring ; under parts whitish, with vertical blotches of dark 

 brown and rusty, finely mottled with darker ; upper parts grayish or gray- 

 ish brown, finely mottled with darker and rusty, and indistinctly specked 

 with rusty ; tail brownish, crossed by 5 or 6 narrow pale brownish or rusty 

 bands, usually interrupted on middle feathers. Length : 5.50-6.25, wing 

 4.00-4.40, tail 1.90-2.30. 



Distribution. From southern Texas to southern California, and south 

 through Lower California and tablelands of Mexico. 



Nest. In old woodpecker holes in giant cacti or hollow trees. Eggs : 2 

 to 5, white. 



Food. As far as known, small mammals, grasshoppers, and beetles. 



