94 WHITE— On some Pellets or Oasts of a Screech Owl 



crust, but through which many bones project, the most com- 

 mon of these being heads, breast and leg bones of sparrows 

 (Passer domesticus), and lower jaws and leg bones of mice. On 

 exposure to Weather the pellets partially break up, and the 

 bones become more noticeable; still later the pellets fall to 

 pieces, but loose skulls, jaws, and other bones, are to be seen 

 in large numbers under the trees the owls frequent. The pel- 

 lets are also sometimes pecked to pieces by birds, in particular 

 by family groups of the "Happy Family" or "Twelve Apostles" 

 (Morganornis super ciliosus). The softer parts are often eaten 

 by larvae of clothes moths, by Museum beetles (Anthrenus and 

 Dermestes), Psocus, etc. Small spiders and ground mites are 

 also to be seen in -large numbers in them. On many pellets 

 sparrow skulls form the most conspicuous feature, but on 

 closer examination numerous lower jaws of mice become 

 visible. On some of the larger pellets rabbit bones and jaws 

 may be easily made out. Only one jaw of a bat was noticed, 

 but doubtless had all the pellets been disintegrated others 

 would have been seen. Many pellets contained remains of 

 both sparrows and mice; some, remains of rabbits and mice; 

 others, at least two kinds of birds; and scattered generally 

 through them were the harder parts of insects. Occasionally 

 two sparrow skulls were distinctly visible in one pellet, and 

 rarely three. In one three mouse skulls were distinct. Very 

 many of the sparrow and starling (Sturnis vulgaris) skulls were 

 smashed in at the base, this evidently having been done before 

 the birds were eaten. 



The outer crust is frequently largely comiposed of the fur 

 of mice and rats, and the whisker hairs of rats and "abbits are 

 always visible on the pellets containing bones of fame. On 

 many pellets curious leathery objects were visibl \ and one 

 pellet was broken up to examine one of these closely, when it 

 was found to be portion of the stomach wall of a sparrow. 

 Pellets composed largely of the remains of mice break up less 

 readily than others, whilst those largely composed of remains 

 of frogs and insects break up very easily. No doubt with mice 

 and birds the fur or feathers act as a kind of cement to bind 

 the whole. 



Mr. J. W. Mellor recently presented to the Museum many 

 pellets of the sarnie species of owl. These were found under 

 a pine tree at Lockleys, near Adelaide. The trunk of the tree 

 is only about six yards from the back door of a newly-built 

 house, and the owl did not appear to be disturbed by the build- 



