136 THE HAWKS AND OWLS OF THE UNITED STATES. 



of the bones and hair of the rodent above mentioned, and, as no other 

 bones were noticed, it is probable that the Owl's principal article of 

 diet was rat." (Auk, vol. vm, 1891, p. 75.) 



The following in relation to the food of a family of owls found in a 

 church steeple on Long Island is given by Mr. William Dutcher : 

 "The floor on which they were was in a filthy condition, covered with 

 pellets, and dead rats and mice in all stages of decomposition. There 

 were also one young muskrat and some moles." (Auk, vol. in, 1886, 

 p. 440.) 



During the summer of 1890 a pair of Barn Owls occupied one of the 

 towers of the Smithsonian building in the city of Washington, where 

 they reared seven young. On June 28, the writer ascended to their 

 home and found the young more than half-grown. The floor was 

 strewn with pellets, and the nest, which was in one corner, was com- 

 posed of a mass of broken-down ones. An examination of 200 of these 

 pellets gave a total of 454 skulls. Of these, 225 were meadow mice; 2, 

 pine mice; 179, house mice; 20, rats; 6, jumping mice; 20, shrews; 1, 

 star-nosed mole, and 1, vesper sparrow (Pooccetes gramineus). 



Among other mammals on which it feeds more or less commonly, may 

 be mentioned bats, shrews, and moles. Dr. Bernhard Altum, a number 

 of years ago, examined 703 pellets disgorged by this species, and found 

 a total of 2,551 skulls. Of these, 16 were bats ; 3, rats ; 930, mice ; 1,579, 

 shrews; 1, mole; 19, English sparrows, and 3, other birds. (Journal 

 f. Ornithologie, 1863, pp. 43 and 217.) 



Mr. W. B. Barrows, in a paper on birds of the Lower Uruguay (Auk, 

 vol. i, 1884, p. 29), states that at night the deserted corridors of the col- 

 lege was one of this Owl's favorite hunting grounds for bats. 



A stomach of a specimen from Louisiana, examined by Dr. F. W. 

 Langdon, contained the remains of 4 shrews (Blarina) and 4 mice (Hes- 

 peromys). (Journ. Cincinnati Soc. Nat. Hist., vol. iv, p. 152.) 



It is the exception for this owl to feed on birds, and probably it rarely 

 does so except when other food is scarce. In one stomach only of those 

 examined by the writer have the remains of birds been found. 



The following species of mammals and birds were positively identified 

 among the stomach contents : 



mammals. Thomomys umbrinus. 



„ ,.. Mus decumanus. 



Perodipus or an. ,, 7 



mus musculus. 



Sitomys eremicus. _ , . 



„.. . Condylura eristata. 



oitomys americanus. _ „ 



_ '* , 7 Perognathus. 



Onychomys melanophrys. _ * _ J 



. . , . . Betthrodontomys. 

 Arvicolariparius. 



Arvico la pinetorum . birds. 



Blarina exilipes. Molothrus ater. 



Blarina brevicauda. Pooccetes gramineus. 



Sigmodon hispid us. Passerina amcena^ 



Zapus hudsonius. Pipilo aberti. 



