THE OOLOGIST 



109 



side three and one-half inches deep by 

 nine inches in diameter. Composed of 

 very coarse sticks, weeds, etc. On top 

 of which was a quantity of inner bark 

 of trees and a corn husk. 



The eggs were warm as ;incubation 

 was commenced, although the old birds 

 were not around at the time, but were 

 seen at the nest later on. After lower- 

 ing the line I made my descent as quick 

 as possible and measured the same 

 which proved to be forty-five feet, and 

 the place where it came down eighteen 

 feet from the base or trunk of the tree. 

 So you will understand that the tree 

 was much inclined, having few limbs 

 the climb was very dangerous. The 

 eggs were ordinarily marked and incu- 

 bation commenced but the cause of the 

 birds' absence was not:;^determined. 



On April 29th as I was prospecting 

 for Owls and Hawks nests in the same 

 piece of timber as the above I discover- 

 ed another nest of this species which 

 happened as follows. I had climbed a 

 giant oak to the height of about fifty 

 feet to where there was an old cavity, 

 when I saw towering up in the distance 

 a huge nest which was in the highest 

 tree around and easily seen above all 

 -the others. After walking in that di- 

 rection I finally saw the female rise off 

 the nest and fly away soon to be seen 

 circling around with her mate over- 

 head. 



This nest was placed in the very top- 

 most limbs of a "black-oak" or "pin- 

 oak" and elevated to the height of some 

 fifty odd feet. Slow, but sure I made 

 my way up, now and then a dry and 

 decayed limb would snap off under my 

 feet and send a thrill through my body. 

 Although it was a stiir day every little 

 breeze would make the tree sway ter- 

 ribly I thought. At length I came up 

 to the nest, or rather up under the nest, 

 for I could get no further. 1 now had 

 a fine view of the surrounding forest 

 tree tops. 



Holding on with one hand under the 



nest and with the other I reached out 

 over and onto the nest and found it 

 contained three eggs. Putting one egg 

 in each of my vest pockets and survey- 

 ing the nest carefully, noticing the mat- 

 erials, etc. I started downward. When 

 my feet once more struck the solid 

 earth beneath I rejoiced. Then care- 

 fully taking the three eggs from as 

 many pockets I laid them on the ground 

 all safe, a beautifully marked set. In 

 color they are a greyish-white minutely 

 speckled all over with light brown and 

 lilac, while over the whole are again 

 large blotches of rich brown and lilac. 

 The marking of the two are confined to 

 the smaller end, while the third is uni- 

 formly marked. Incubation in th!s set 

 was quite far advanced. 



This being without a doubt the same 

 pair as the first set of eggs was taken 

 from for it was in the immediate vicin- 

 ity of the first nest, and their second 

 attempt at nidification. 



This nest, however, was newly built 

 and constructed almost entirelv of pop- 

 lar sticks, on top of which was spread 

 a quantity of bark strips, moss, leaves, 

 etc. Having only one hand to work 

 with I could not measure the nest. 



I am satisfied with the statemant 

 made above, that the nest was newly 

 built, for the ground at the base of the 

 tree was thickly covered with sticks, 

 which dropped from the lofty site at 

 the commencement of the nest. 



343 Bkoad-winged Hawk.— From 

 the above described Red-tails nest, I 

 now struck out toward the setting sun, 

 finally I came to a ravine in the woods, 

 crossing this stretch of land covered 

 with brush and second growths, all the 

 large trees having been cut into cord 

 wood a few years previous. I still keep 

 my course westerly. Now and again I 

 would stop and watch the squirrels and 

 emigrating birds. Suddenly I thought 

 of the distance I was from home and 

 that I was getting further away every 



