148 LAND BIRDS 



Nest: Of sticks; lined witli roots or fibre, placed in trees or ledges of 



cliffs from 25 to 50 feet high. 

 Eggs : 2 or 3 ; dull whitish, plain or marked with shades of brown. 



Size 2.36 X 1.80. 



The Western Red-tail is common, though not very 

 abundant, throughout the wooded mountainous districts 

 of the central portion of the State. On the road from 

 Tallac to Lake Valley several were seen, and one nest 

 was found in a coniferous tree thirty feet from the 

 ground. The climber sent up to investigate shouted 

 back that there were four young nearly ready to fly. 

 Being told to bring one down, he picked one out of the 

 nest, but it bit his finger, and angrily he hurled it out 

 into the air. Fluttering, turning over and over, down it 

 came ; but the fall did not hurt it much, and as soon as 

 it could catch its breath it fought like a little fury. It 

 was a handsome bird, nearly feathered, and in a week 

 more would have flown of its own accord. It fluttered 

 about on the grass, and after resting a time managed to 

 scramble into a low bush, where it felt more secure 

 though it was really much more exposed. In the mean- 

 time the adults had circled wildly about with discordant 

 screams, and the mother still remained near. Curious to 

 see how she would manage to get that unlucky young- 

 ster back into his nest, we moved off* fifty yards and 

 watched through the glasses. Both parents swooped 

 down and looked at him, from on the wing, again and 

 again, screaming when away, but silent whenever near 

 him or the nest. At length a more sudden swoop and 

 a momentary flutter, as a butterfly flutters over a flower. 

 Then she rose carefully and slowly, with the young in 



