The morning call., 1894-11-25

was the first real knowledge of the habits
of the Microthane Whitney, that was ever
obtained.
After finding out that the owl made It's
home in the giant cactus it was still no
easy matter to search for other specimens.
as the forests of this plant are several
miles from civilization, in sandy. bar
rem country, and the plant itself is covered
with formidable growth of sharp thorns.
Herbert Brown of Tucson has perhaps
taken more specimens of the bird than
any other naturalist in the country and his
method is most simple one, although re-
curing considerable nerve to work the
plants that are over thirty feet high. At
different points from five to twenty miles
east Of Tucson are forests of the giant
cactus. scien tifcally known as the Suhu-
ara, that are the most extensive in the
country. In one of them the trees grow
so thick that a horse cannot pass through
and it is with difficulty that man can do
so. lis in these that the smallest owls in
the world make their homes, safe from the
molesta.ion Of any creature save man.
These liIliputan owls are like other
owls in one respect, they do not make
their own homes, but depend upon the
lude6 bird thinks when it has found
nice soft cactus that 1T will have no trouble
in digging hole large enough to raise
brood. And it hasn't. In fact, the hole
can be made large enough in a few hours.
but it has one fault and that is dampness.
The soft pulp of the cactus, as soon as 1t
is crushed, "bleeds" for several days, ami
as a consequence the hole the woOdpecker
hoo IL, F,,l
liquid, so that it is impossible TO build
nest there. The poor bird possibly makes
three or four holes in the effort to find
dry house, all of which are Jumped" by
the owls 10 a short time. After week or
so the inside of the hole seals up and
hard shell forms, making most perfect
nest. large enough for father and mother
and three or four baby owls.
There are always plenty Of holes in the
cacti, nearly every plant having at least
three. but they are close to the top, so that
they are difficult, not to say dangerous. to
get at Mr.. Browns method, which has
| been adopted by other naturalists. is to
make a,srong ladder in sections so that it
can be carried on cart over the sand of
the desert, where there are no roads. To
transport an ordinary ladder, TWEEN y-five
feet long. would be an almost impossible
| task.
After reaching the owl country work Is
commenced on the first tree that has hole
in 1t. There Is no way of telling whether
or not there are any birds in the hole ex-
cept by climbing up and feeling. The
holes all extend inward and downward,
and if there is bird inside Ratchet must
be used to chop away the outer covering so
as TO get at it. II the hole is not too high
above the ground so that the ladder can
be placed at slant it is not difficult. but
where the hole is as high as can be reached
from the top rung it is tcklish business.
There is nothing 10 hold on to but the
thorns, and therefore the work becomes a
sort of balancing act. 1t is necessary to
have the ladder steadied at the bottom by
another person, aud a fall is likely to be
serious. Not only is there danger OF
broken bones. but in scraping against the
tree while descending the thousands OF
thorns will lacerate the flesh.
Should a little owl be found it will
quietly want to be captured without max
ing any attempt to escape. 1t is a most
timld creature and when it sees the walls
of its home being chopped away it looks
up at the intruder in wonder moving its
head from side to SIDE. When captured il
utters no sound. but lies still as if won
dering what is comm next. Most collec-
tors keep the birds alive until they reach
home because in that warm climate they
are liable to spoil in few hours if dead
aud make the work of skinning un.
pleasant.
Many days a collector will go out and
try till after tea without success. Atothel
times be will get half dozen in a few
hours. Most of the museums OF natura
history in the country have skins of the
little owls that have been taken neal