90 WHITE— On some Pellets or Casts of a Screech Owl. 



ring about the larger end, with dark brown, black, and dull 

 purple, the latter being semi-submerged. 



Average measurement of 18 eggs, 2.33 cm. x 1.73 cm. 



Largest egg, 2.50 cm. x 1.80 cm. 



Smallest egg, 2.25 cm. x 1.70 cm. 



On some Pellets or Casts of a 

 Screech Owl (Tyto alba delicatula, Gould). 



By S. A. White, M.B.O.U., R.A.O.U. 



In a pine tree at the Reedbeds, near Adelaide, a screech 

 owl has been in the habit of resting during the daytime, from 

 the last week in December, 1914, or possibly the first week in 

 January, of the present year. 



In June a number of pellets were noticed under the tree, 

 and some of these were exhibited at a meeting of the Royal 

 Society of South Australia. Later more pellets were gathered, 

 and it was thought that a paper dealing with these would be 

 of interest. 



The screech owl (Tyto alba or Flammea flammea, "B.O.U. 

 List, 1915") is widely distributed, being found in all the conti- 

 nents, and is known under many names, such as "Masked," 

 "Delicate," "Barn," "White," and' "Screech" Owl," and in New 

 South Wales sometimes as the "Night-hawk." In England it 

 is commonly known as the "Barn Owl" (Strix flammea, but now 

 as Flammea flammea). Many varieties or sub-species have been 

 named ; our common sub-species as Striw delicatula, Gould ; but 

 Mathews now refers to it as Tyto alba delicatula, and it will be 

 known in the near future as Flammea f. delicatula. 



In common with other owls this species lives largely on 

 mice, rats, young rabbits, small birds, and night-flying insects; 

 bats and frogs are also eaten. The food is not passed through 

 the intestines as with most other birds, but after the nourish- 

 ment has been extracted from it, the waste parts are ejected 

 from the mouth as pellets, and from these the nature of the 

 food of the bird may be easily found out. 



The screech owl lives a solitary life, except during the nest- 

 ing season. On mating a suitable hollow is found, and in this 

 the young are reared; these not coming into the open until 



