Aiken’s Sereech Owl 205 
but Gale, Burnett and Rockwell have all written on 
this subject. The most usual situation is an old Flicker- 
hole in a cotton-wood tree, but natural cavities in willows 
or box-elders are also made use of, while W. G. Smith 
informed Bendire that he once found a deserted Magpie’s 
nest adopted. Often the Owl has a “scrap” with the 
Flicker for the possession of the hole, and if the Flicker 
is once able to effect an entrance it is generally able to 
hold possession with the menace of its sharp bill. 
No nest is made, but the bottom of the nest-hole is 
often found littered with wood-dust, feathers and the 
other remnants of former feasts. The site selected is 
generally near a stagnant pool or a stream, possibly 
for the convenience of procuring crawfish and small 
fishes, which form no small part of their diet. 
Incubation is carried on entirely by the female, and 
begins after the first egg is laid ; and as there is an interval 
of from twenty-four to seventy-two hours between the 
laying of each egg, the young birds, when hatched, are 
of various ages. The male is generally found near the 
nest-site in another cavity, which often forms a larder. 
Gale found remains of Blue Birds, Juncos, mice, frogs 
and crawfish in these caches. 
Gale found fresh eggs chiefly from April 15th to 30th ; 
those of later date, taken in May, he believed to be a 
second laying, due to loss or destruction of the first. 
The usual number of eggs is four; these are rounded 
ovals and moderately glossy, and measure 1°44 x 1°18. 
Aiken’s Screech Owl. Otus asio aikeni. 
A.O.U. Checklist no 373g—Colorado Records—? Morrison 88, p. 115 
(Scops asio maccalli); Brewster 91, p. 139; Bendire 92, p. 370; 
Hasbrouck 93, p: 258; Lowe 94, p. 268 (Megascops asio maxwellice) ; 
Cooke 97, p. 78. 
