Sept.. 1909 SOME OWLS ALONG THE GILA RIVER IN ARIZONA 147 Barn owls are rare in this locality, as I have seen only four of them in two years here; and one at Agua Caliente. The Indians call this bird Er-er-tv5-ho-tum, and say it is a blood-sucker or vampire. I helpt capture two of the owls in the bottom of a dry well; another was seen in an old adobe building, while. the fourth was in a cottonwood tree near the river. At Agua Caliente the owl was in a clump of mesquite trees at the base of a Mal Pais hill. The Spotted Screech Owl is rather numerous, living in natural cavities and Gilded Flicker holes in cottonwood and willow trees. The Indians would give me no name for this owl; one man said it had a name but he had forgotten it; another Iookt puzzled and said he thought it had a name but he had never heard it. They all knew the bird however. The Screech Owl I believe is responsible for the disappear- ance of many of the smaller birds, and some of the larger ones. I have frequently found feathers in their nests, and last year saw remains of a Bluebird and an Oriole in one of their nests. Woodpeckers frequently fall victim as I have found remains of the Gilded Flicker, and Gila and Texas Woodpeckers in and near their nests and CASA GRANDE RUINS WHICH A PAIR OF WESTERN HORNED OWLS MADE THEIR HOME VOR S?V?RAL V?ARS retreats. The safety of birds nesting in holes near the home of these owls may depend on the food supply or on the temper of the destroyer. That they do not always molest birds near them is proven by the fact that nests of young birds may be found in holes very close to them. I saw a nest of young Flickers in a hole only three feet from the nest of an owl, and saw others only a few feet away. In holes in a dead cottonwood stump 25 feet high I found the following happy family: a Sparrow Hawk in the top story; a Gilded Flicker next; then a Screech Owl; and last a wood-rat. March 29 was the earliest date of nesting, and the four eggs were about half incubated. April 12 was the latest date, with four fresh eggs; and on that date were also seen nests with young recently hatcht. A hole in a low willow stump con- tained a dead owl on three addled eggs. One nest of young contained two partly eaten mice and some frog legs; but most holes showed signs that small birds figured largely on the bill-of-fare. Four eggs seem to make up the usual set, as the majority of nests contained that number; while sets of three were occasionally
