ELF OWL. 



201 



but which must have been struck by a stray shot." (Bull. Nutt. Oruith. 

 Club, vol. vin, 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 mm ) ; extent, 14.25 to 15.25 inches 

 (362 to 387 mm ); wing, 4 to 4.40 inches (101 to 111"' 1 "); tail, 1.90 to 

 2.30 inches (47 to 5S mm ). 



Table showing the results of examinations of three 

 ( Micropallas whitneyi). 



Uomachs of the Elf Owl 



Locality. 



Date. 



Poultry 



or game 



birds. 



Other birds. 



Mammals. 



Miscellaneous. 





Mr.li. 30.1 son 







Small mammal. . 



20 beetles. 



Fort Lowell, Ariz Apr. 20,1890 



Fort Huachuca, Ariz .1 Mav 7.1892 













hoppers. 







1 





