1922.] Local Investigation of Food of Little Owl. 



cent, consisted of animal matter, and 8.43 per cent, of vege- 

 table matter. Of the animal content 57.34 per cent, consisted 

 of insects, 20.28 per cent, of earthworms, 7.71 per cent, of 

 voles and mice, 2.94 per cent, of wild birds (mostly house- 

 sparrows) and 1.78 per cent, of game birds and poultry. 



Wireworms and click beetles constituted 10.10 per cent, 

 and cockchafers and their larvae 5.10 per cent, of the insect 

 content. The neutral insects consisted in the main of Dung 

 Beetles (Geotrupes) and a few small moths. 



Monthly Percentages of the Principal Food Items of the 



Adult Little Oicl. 



Kind.uf Food. 



May. 



June. 



July. 



Average 



Seeds of Weeds 





•14 





•05 



Miscellaneous Vegetable Matter 





1615 



9-00 



8-38 



Slugs or Snails 





•12 





04 



Injurious Insects ... 





10*64 



41-27 



17 30 



Beneficial Insects... 





115 



•54 



•56 



Neutral Insects ... 



52-50 



4230 



2363 



3948 



Voles and Mice ... 







14-18 



7-71 



Wild Birds 





7-82 



1-00 



2-94 



Game Birds 





5-25 



09 



1-78 



Earthworms 



47-50 



7-43 



5-91 



20-28 



Miscellaneous Animal Matter ... 





•04 



4-38 



1-48 



Total 



... 1.00-00 



100-00 



100-00 



ino-oo 



If we add these food percentages to those previously obtained 

 and take the average we find a general corroboration of the 

 nature and quantities of the food even in a local investigation. 



Comparison of the Food Percentages of two Investigations 



and 



.1 ve rages. 









Previous 

 Investigation. 



Present 

 Investigation. 



Average. 



Seeds of Weed s . . . 



-55 



•05 



•30 



Miscellaneous Vegetable Matter 



5-<>G 



838 



7-17 



Slugs or Snails 



•02 



•04 



•03 



Injurious Insects ... 



30*62 



17-30 



2396 



Beneficial Insects 



■99 



•50 



- 1 1 



Neutral 



17-63 



39-48 



28-56 



Voles and Mice... 



31-05 



7-71 



19-38 



Wild Birds 



4 45 



2-94 



3-70 



Game Birds 



•51 



1-78 



114 



Earthworms 



7-83 



20-28 



1405 



Miscellaneous Animal Matter ... 



•39 



1-48 



•94 



Total 



100-00 



100-00 



100-00 



