Aug. 



1888.] 



AKD OOLOGIST. 



119 



fill plunges ill pursuit of his finny pipj-. At 

 liist lie was successful antl hiought to the sur- 

 face of the water a Mullet that as near as I 

 could judge would weigh about two pounds. 

 With a shako he divested his feathers of all un- 

 necessary weight in the shape of water, and 

 started to fly slowly toward a large dead tree 

 where he could enjoy the fruit ot his labor. lie 

 had nearly leached the tree when all at once lie 

 uttered a cry and with i]uick hurried lliippings 

 started to fly towaid the heavens. For a min- 

 ute I could not understand this change ot 

 tactics and was wondering what had happened 

 to the Hawk, when actor No. 2 appeared in 

 the shape of a liald Eagle, with wings set, com- 

 ing straight towarii his victim with the velocity 

 of the wind. They met and then began a series 

 of aeri.-il evolutions that made me hold my 

 breath as I w.-ilcbed pursued and jMirsuer each 

 struggling to outdo the other. The Hawk had 

 quite a start, but inch by inch the Eagle gained 

 on him until with a last despairing cry the 

 Hawk dropped his fish. For a second I saw 

 the silvery sides of the Mullet Hash in the 

 bright sunlight as it fell toward the earth, and 

 in another second I saw the Eagle falling raiii<l- 

 ly head lirst toward the lisli which it caught 

 before it had fallen one hundred feet. With 

 an upward swoop the Eagle gained liis equilib- 

 rium and sailed rapidly toward a neighboring 

 dark pine forest that undoubtedly contained 

 his nest. 



This was the final act of a drama enacted in 

 nature's own theatre and it left ine with a feel- 

 ing of uncertainty as to whether I bad been uj) 

 in the air chasing the Hawk with the Eagle or 

 whellier I was stainling on tei'ia liriiia during 

 the performance. 



Nesting of the Barred Owl in Mass. 



•till iifs. tai;nt()N, mass. 



April 28, 1888, wliile exploring a large, dense 

 swamp ill South Dighton, Mass., I was so fortu- 

 nate as to tiiid the liarrcd Owl (iStrix nebuliisa) 

 breeding. The nest was placed about thirty 

 feel high, in the fork of a swamp inaiile. The 

 owl had evidently utilized an old lied-should- 

 ered Hawk's nest, sinqdy adding a few pine 

 twigs and lining it with downy feathers and 

 moss. The nest contained two white, translu- 

 cent eggs, measuring 5G x .1 1 iniii. and ."i7 x 

 4fi mm. respectively. 



I sat down and w.-ilebcd tor the nw I's rcitiiii ; 

 she soon made ber appearance, appioarbiiig 



slowly and cautiously from tree to tree. She 

 had got within two rods ot her nest when a 

 crow came diving down on her back; taken by 

 surprise she took to flight and soon disappeared 

 in the dark recesses of the swamp with lyn-vuit 

 in hot pursuit. 



A Trip to San Benito County After 

 Golden Eagle's Eggs. 



HY .1. K. CIIAI.KKU, ni:AI,l).SliL'K(;iI, CAI. 



This year I left San Francisco on March ."ith, 

 1888, and after riding to the San Benito County 

 line, I got oft' at a small station, packed up my 

 outfit of blankets and other inalerials and struck 

 otl'into the hills. 



Having been shut up in the city for three 

 months I felt as though I could storm any eagle 

 in his strong hold and carry away the best 

 works of art in his castle. 1 had not proceeded 

 more than a mile before I saw an eagle sailing 

 with its mate in circles, and very high up. 



It being then about one o'clock I knew the 

 female bird was taking some exercise before 

 going on her nest. (I have observed that eagles 

 usually leave the nest near noon and seek it 

 again before three o'clock. If the weather is 

 pleasant and hot the bird is apt to sijend almost 

 all day in company with her mate flying and 

 sitting around on the fences and trees. On a 

 windy and cloudy day a little exercise of per- 

 haps thirty minutes is all she will take during 

 th:.t day). 



Having sat down in an easy position I looked 

 the country over with my glass, and while do- 

 ing so I noticed the female bird fly away over 

 the hills followed by her mate. I knew then 

 that her nest was at least a mile away and 

 iniglit be two. Over the hills I went and after 

 luinting a while I found the nest in a big live 

 oak tree. This made me happy and I forgot 

 my city legs were beginning to give out with 

 only a three hours' walk. I, however, was 

 soon up to the nest. It was empty, although a 

 new nest. The nest was ready to lay in but the 

 cold weather Jiad made the birds backwanl and 

 they had not laiil y<'t. 



I bad two weeks to walk some sixty miles, to 

 get around to my olil nests and I [ilainly' saw I 

 could not get back to get the eggs that would 

 be in this nest in a couple of weeks, so I con- 

 soled my.self with the thought that I might 

 strike it again next year. 



ricking u)) my traps I decidcil to go and see 

 the Tar Springs, so called. 1 li.id beard abdiit 



