J 04 University of California Publications in Geology [Vol.9 



SPEOTYTO CUNICULARIA (Molina) 



Next to Otus and Bubo this little owl is the least common of the 

 group in the beds at Raneho La Brea. It is hard to understand this 

 scarcity of Speotyto, except its most exclusively insectivorous habit be 

 the clue. The species is in large degree diurnal, thus missing the 

 smaller rodents to some extent and being less positively attracted to 

 the asphalt trap. It is at present even more an open country bird 

 than is the short-eared owl, Asio flammeus. The small size of the 

 species may have permitted the destruction of the remains where more 

 rugged forms have persisted. 



The asphalt collections contain representatives of most of the limb 

 bones of 8. cunieularia. 



SUMMARY 



There occur in the asphalt beds six species of owls. All are assign- 

 able to existing species, though at least one of them, Bubo virginianus, 

 displays an unusual degree of variability. 



Transmitted August IS, 1915. 



