May igoi.] land birds of santa cruz county. 7 



17. Falco peregrinus anatum (i9t?«rt/).). Duck Hawk. 



Emerson. — A rare falcon. One was seen alf)no^ the high ranges of 

 Loma Prieta. 



18. Falco columbarius Linji. Pigeon Hawk. 



Emerson. — Cooper, in his notes, mentions seeing this species. 



19. Falco sparverius Linn. vSparrow Hawk. 



Emerson. — Noted quite commonl}' all through the mountains. Kaed- 

 ing. — Common, breeding in the white-oak groves. 



20. Pandion haliaetus carolinensis {Gmel.). American Osprey. 

 Emerson. — Noticed on one occasion below Santa Cruz beach. Skirra.^ 



— A pair have nested here several sunnners. 



2[. Strix pratincola {Bojiap.). American Barn Owl. 



Fiske^ found fresh eggs in a hole on the face of a cliff July 5, 1884. 

 McGregor and Fiske. — The Barn Owl is abundant around Santa Cruz. It 

 nests in hollow trees, old houses and barns, and holes in cliffs. A second 

 set will be deposited if the first is taken. Emerson. — Heard all through 

 the forests at night. Kaeding. — Fairly common, breeding. 



22. Asio wilsonianus (/,^.y.y.). Long-eared Owl. 



Emerson. — One was flushed out of an old gray squirrel's nest in a 

 black oak. Kaeding. — Fairly common, breeding. 



23. Asio accipitrinus ( A///.). Short-eared Owl. 



I shot one in March, 1S9S, from a flock of four or five in a field near 

 Hall's Beach. 



24. Nyctala acadica (/^w£'/.). Saw-whet Owl. 



Emerson. — Cooper tells me that he took this species at Santa Cruz 

 some years ago. 



25. Megascops asio bendirei {Brewsf.). California Screech Owl. 



This and the following owls breed at Santa Cruz or very near there. 

 Emerson. — Common all through the forests. Kaeding. — Fairly common, 

 breeding. 



26. Bubo virginianus pacificus Cassin. Pacific Horned Owl. 



Emerson. — Could be heard at early dusk saluting one another as they 

 came out of their hiding places, Too-hoo, too-hoo sounding loud and solemn 

 among the tall redwoods. Kaeding. — A very common breeder. Every 

 night their calls ccmld be heard and often at twilight as many as five or 

 six individuals congregated in a grove to swell the concert. Pending fur- 

 ther investigation and the collection of more material, I feel safe in saying 

 that the coast region, from Sonoma county south to San Benito County, is 

 inhabited by forms intermediate between saturatus and pacificus. The 

 birds from Sonoma county show a decided leaning toward the dark race, 

 with slight increase in size, while these from the southern limit lean 

 toward the other extreme. I hope to have at my disposal before long ma- 

 terial enough to map definitely the distribution of these races in Califor- 

 nia. McGregor and Fiske. — Common resident in the redwoods where it 

 breeds. 



1. fielding, op. cil., p. 40. 



2. Young Oologist. HI, 1883, p. 30. 



