90 



ORmTHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 13-No. 6 



WMS Still iiiihiid as Tim plainly denu)nstrat<Hi. 

 So runs an ancient household talc, whicli is 

 every word of it true. 



A lien is a hini, and what one bird fan do 

 with its i'gjT, anothei- ran do just as well. Here 

 was an ejig due fiimi Tim's niotliei's lien on 

 Sunday, which, through the interposition of 

 adverse eireuinstanees, was not laid until the 

 followino; Sunday . 



Three other eggs were also due on 'I'uesday, 

 Thursday, and Saturday respectively, for this 

 was an old hen of very regular habits. 



I think that the explanation of this phenom- 

 enon of the retention of eggs by birds, may be 

 a comparatively easy one. The distension of 

 the <n-gans, by the egg with a hard shell, sus- 

 pends, for the time being, the development of 

 the others behind it. This explanation is of- 

 fered until a better one is found. 



The case of a bird that proceeds to sit upon 

 one or two of its own and a Cowbird"s egg, 

 may be somewhat similar. The large C'owbird"s 

 egg pressing upwards against the abdomen of 

 the small bird, compresses the lower part of 

 the oviduct nuich in the same maimer as her 

 own hard studied one would do. I think that 

 cases may occur too where one egg of the foster 

 parent is laid after the Covvbird"s egg has been 

 deposited, although ! cannot reuiemlier noting 

 such an occurrence. 



Nesting of the Green-Tailed Tow- 

 hee. 



BY G. F. HUKNINGKK, FOliT COLLINS, COL. 



The Green-tailed Towdiee (Pipilo vmcuJatus), 

 is one of the most rare and beautifid of the 

 IMjiilo family. It probably extends as far 

 south as the southern boundary of Colorado, 

 and possibly north to Forth T.aramie. The late 

 Snowden Howland records the taking of a set 

 of their eggs at that place. 



Late in Jnna last, while strolling among the 

 lower range of hills, boi'dering the more lofty 

 mountains, at an elevation of about 7,000 feet, 

 far up from the canon below, my elevated po- 

 sition gave me a good opportunity to see the 

 surrounding sceneiy. Far to the east, the 

 rugged walls of rock stood out in bold relief. 

 These are known as chalk blutl's, aud some thirty 

 miles or more to the south could be seen the 

 City of Fort Collins. I had been reconnoitering 

 the mountain side from gulch to gulch, collect- 

 ing a fine set of eggs at intervals, flushing a 

 Poor Will {rhiiltenoptilus nuttalU), now and 



then, when suddenlv, right before, me, some- 

 thing like a small ground rodent beat a hasty 

 retreat. I lost no time in following it, as I 

 thought it to be a Pine Squirrel, around a clump 

 of juniiiers among some grease wood shrubs, 

 and then [ caught a glimpse of it, and saw- 

 that it was not a squirrel, but a bird that I had 

 flushed from her nest, so I returned to the place 

 where J had previously flushed the bird. 



Ueneath the friendly protection of a dense 

 clump of junipers I found the nest, which was 

 sunken a little below the surrounding surface, 

 and was sparingly lined with roots and dead 

 pieces of grass. Within its walls, were five 

 eggs of the usual type of the I'ipilo family. I 

 lingered near by for a short time to obtain tlie 

 bird, entered the situation in my note-book and 

 passed on. During the day, I found the shat- 

 tered remains of several last year's nests of this 

 species. 



The female is about tile size of a Catbird, is 

 bright olive-green above. The primaries and 

 tail are still brighter, almost yellow. Crown, 

 chestnut-red; throat white. During the fall 

 migration. I noticed them quite common among 

 the willows that border our mountain streams, 

 but it is by no means as common as its relative, 

 the Northern T'owhee (Pipilo macnlatns nrtira), 

 and seems to bear little resemblance to it, both 

 in habits and song. It is far more reserved, and 

 is selilom seen during the breeding season, 

 while the notes of the latter are continually 

 liearil from sunrise till sunset, and even into 

 twilight. Every thicket has its full i|uota of 

 them. 



Nest of the Golden Eagle. 



[ Aiiuila ohrysootus caiKniensis.] 



Hy SAMUKL C. KVANS. 



In Santa Clara County, in the region of Mt. 

 Hamilton, stands a high and bulky mountain, 

 called Mt. Day. On March 19, 1887, I sought 

 the vicinity of Mt. Day in order to procure the 

 eggs of the Golden Eagle. 



In these mountains the Golden Eagle is not 

 scarce, neither is it plentiful. I found on the 

 above-mentioned day three iCagle's nests, all of 

 which were inhabited by the birds. Of these 

 nests, two were tirst found on March 12, but I 

 will speak of them hereafter. This region of 

 country is wild and rugged, clothed with live 

 o.aks, white oaks, pines and other trees, 'i'he 

 mountains are very steep, and in some places 

 can only be ascended by holding on to poison 



