Bendire.] 162 [October 6, 



49. Nyctea nivea Gray. "January 25th. One of this spe- 

 cies was seen to-tlay on one of the cliffs back of the garrison. Sergt. 

 Smith was attracted to it by some ravens which were after the owl. 

 He could not get near enough to shoot it. The ravens chased it out 

 of sight." 



50. Glaucidium californicum. " December 14th. This is 

 the first of this species that I have ever seen. It is a female, and 

 very dark colored, the lower part of the breast and abdomen streaked 

 with pure black. In fact, the black predominates, and, judging from 

 the description in the History of North American Birds, I would call 

 this one considerably darker than any of the specimens Mr. Ridgway 

 described. On examination of the ovaries with a lens magnifying 

 about six times, I counted two hundred and thirty undeveloped eggs, 

 which would justify the conclusion that tiaese birds live to a good old 

 age. It was exceedingly fat. Sergt. Smith shot it to-day, while he 

 was out hunting on the mountains north of the camp. He caught it 

 in the act of trying to get away Avith a large sized wood-mouse, or 

 gopher. The mouse was on the end of a pine log, when the little 

 owl suddenly dropped down on it, out of a pine tree standing close 

 to the log, in which it had been sitting, about twenty feet from the 

 ground, and fastened its claws in its back. The mouse ran nearly 

 the length of the log, about twenty-five feet, carrying the owl on its 

 back, the latter appearing perfectly unconscious about where the 

 mouse was going with her, keeping her head turned in the opposite 

 direction. The time occupied in getting to the other end of the log 

 took nearly two minutes, when he shot them both. When killed, 

 the owl had but a few hairs and small bones in its stomach. During 

 the winter it must live on mice and small birds, and get plenty of 

 both, as the condition of this specimen fully attested. The uncon- 

 cerned, business-like manner in which the owl allowed itself to be 

 carried by the mouse till the latter should be pretty well exhausted, 

 before killing it outright, shows that this was by no means the first 

 it had caught. That it is not strictly nocturnal, is shown by the fact 

 that it was shot about noon." 



51. Athene cunicularia Bon. "I saAv one of this species 

 •on the 13th of March, but did not secure it." 



52. Falco anatum Bon. "I saw a specimen on the 11th of 

 March, but could not procure it." 



53. Tinuneulus sparverius Vieill. "May 26th. Yester- 

 day I commenced war on the sparrow-hawks, and took no less than 



