ELF OWL. 



201 

 (Bull. Nutt, Oraitb. 



but wliicli must have been struck by a stray shot." 

 Club, vol. VIII, p. 28.) 



Little or nothing is known of the food of this species, though prob- 

 ably it feeds on insects and the smaller rodents. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Smallest Owl inhabiting the United States. Lower leg longer than 

 middle toe, scantily haired; tail less than half as long as wing, straight 

 across the end. No ear tufts. Above, grayish or brownish, finely 

 mottled with darker and indistinctly speckled with pale rusty; tail 

 brownish, covered by five or six narrow, usually interrupted, bands of 

 pale brown or rusty; eyebrows, space in front of eyes and under chin, 

 white. Below white, marked with longitudinal blotches of brown or 

 rusty. 



Length: 5.50 to 6.25 inches (140 to 159'"") ; extent, 14.25 to 15.25 inches 

 (362 to 387™-"); wing, 4 to 4.40 inches (101 to ill"'"'); tail, 1.90 to 

 2.30 inches (47 to 58°"°). 



Taile showing ihe results of examinations of three stomachs of the Elf Owl 

 ( Mioropallas whitneyi). 



