NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY OF GLASGOW. 269 



State. They nest in hollow trees, both in the forests and 

 orchards. I am informed that they make only a very slight nest, 

 and lay from 3 to 6 eggs; 4 and 5 being the common number. 

 In June, 1867, while I was living at Madison, a female of this 

 species, with three young, came around my house on two successive 

 evenings at dusk. She was very busy collecting beetles for their 

 supper; and when she came with food, they made a noise which 

 sounded like a person strangling." 



These eggs measure — 15 in. by 1'2 in., and 1*03 in. by 1-2 in. 



The Geog. Range — " The whole of temperate America; Green- 

 land " (Baird) ; and it is reported as having occurred in Great 

 Britain. 



59. Athene cunicularia, Bon. — Burrowing Owl. 



N.B. — Mr Jones merely sends me 1 egg of this species, to com- 

 pare with those of the same species from South America. He 

 writes : — " I send you a cracked specimen of No. 59, to give you an 

 idea of the egg. I have only 1 other." {V. Egg Bk. Mus. F. and 

 H.-B., p. 204). 



The Geog. Range — "N. Am., W. of the Eocky Mountains; S. 

 America" (Baird). 



97. Colajjfes auratus, Sw. — Flicker. 



" Nest of 8 eggs sent. Taken 4 / 6 / 70, in Madison, Conn., by 

 myself. The nest-hole was picked out by the bird in the old 

 decayed stock of a tree. They carry in no materials for a nest, 

 but leave a few chips in the bottom. They nest anywhere in the 

 deep woods, in an orchard, or in a tree standing alone in open 

 ground." 



These eggs measure nearly 1^^ in. by J in., or thereby. 



The Geog. Range — "Eastern N. Am., to the eastern slopes of the 

 Rocky Mountains ; Greenland " (Baird). 



76. Picus piibescens — Downy Woodpecker. 



"Nest of 5 eggs, taken by myself, 22/5/71, in Hampton, 

 Conn. I discovered the birds while engaged in building their 

 nest (picking tiie hole) in a willow tree growing on a little island 

 in a mill-pond. This species lays from 3 to 6 eggs, but so far as 

 my observation goes, 5 is the usual number. Nest in the woods, 

 or in open country." 



