24 - NB8T8 AND BOOS OF 



3790. CALIFORNIA PYGMY OWL. tiltiunilium t/iminti nilifnrnicum (Scl.) 

 Geog. Dlst. Pacific coast region, from Caliioiuia to British Columbia. 



A darker colored race than the preceding, is a resident of the timbered regions 

 adjacent to the Pacific coast, where it breeds from about latitude 37 N. in middle 

 California, through Western Oregon, Washington and Southern British Columbia. 

 Mr William A. Cooper describes a nest of this subspecies which was found by Mr. 

 George H. Ready, near Santa Cruz, Cal., in a deserted woodpecker's excavation in 

 the trunk of a tree seventy-five feet from the ground. The burrow was about nine 

 inches deep and two inches across the mouth. The nest was found June 8, 1376, and 

 contained three eggs, deposited upon a bed of twigs and a few feathers for a lining, 

 three Inches deep. One egg was accidentally broken. The two remaining eggs are 

 described as dull white, with a scarcely perceptible yellowish tinge. The surface is 

 quite smooth, and has the appearance of having been punctured with a fine point 

 over the entire egg. They are oblong-oval in shape, more pointed at one end; sizes 

 1.17x.87, 1.18x.90; the larger specimen is more pointed. Incubation was far <1- 

 vanced. and the embryos were extracted with difficulty. The eggs are three to five 

 in number. Mr. C. Barlow has a set of four of this bird's eggs, pure white with a 

 gloss; they measure 1.15X.92, 1.17x.93, 1.19x.97, 1.18x.95. An interesting paper on 

 this bird was read before the Cooper Ornithological Club by H. Ward Carriger and 

 published in the "Nidologist" for August, 1895. I quote the article in part: "The 

 flight of this Owl is jerky and at times quite swift. It is not often one sees this bird 

 fly for any distance, as it usually flies, if disturbed, from tree to tree. As the birds 

 are very quick in winter they are not often seen, though you search carefully for 

 them. One rainy day in October two were met sitting side by side in the low limbs 

 of a laurel tree, -nd they retained their position until the limb was forcibly shaken 

 and then flew to another portion of the tree. Along in February they commence to 

 'toot.' This note is hard to describe, but once heard is never forgotten. It is easily 

 Imitated, and probably resembles the word 'toot' or 'who' uttered in a drawn-out, 

 explosive manner. The Owls were observed 'tooting' as early as 6 a. m., and up to 

 11 a. m., but never in the afternoon. The usual time of 'tooting' is from 6 to 8:30 

 a. m., and on cloudy days later, even up to eleven o'clock. The note cannot be 

 called loud, but nevertheless can be heard for a quarter of a mile and upward, and 

 to deceptive. When disturbed during its time of 'tooting' the Owl will glance at the 

 Intruder for a moment, and then resume its note with apparent unconcern. During 

 mating season they are hard to drive from their perch. Years ago Mr. Carrigpr re- 

 members seeing a number of these Owls in the orchard about the house, but cf late 

 years none have been observed within a mile or more of a residence. In 1893 a 

 specimen was captured and kept in a cage for over a month, when it fell a prey to a 

 cat. Mr. Carrlger has had the good fortune to discover four nests of this species 

 during recent years. Nest No. 1 was found April 26, 1891, and contained six fresh 

 eggs. A rap on the tree brought the bird from the cavity, and after following her 

 for some time she returned to the nest, but left as soon as the ascent to the cavity 

 was begun, and remained In the tree while her )mm< was being despoiled. The 

 y was In the main body of a large white oak. fourteen feet from the Around. 

 ntrance was a little over two inches in diameter, and four inches deep. Tin- 

 inside diameter of the cavity was nearly six Inches. The nest contained a freshly 

 killed lizard. 



370. 1. HOSKIN'S PYGMY OWL. ahninilimn hnalfintli (Brewst.) Geog. 

 Dlst. Lower California. 



