142 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 7-No. 18 



of a pine, containing several young birds. 

 Every morning one of the parents occn- 

 pied itself quite faithfully in capturing in- 

 sects (in nearly even' case large and easily 

 discernable ones), in the intervals of its 

 more dignified labor of searching the bark 

 of the trees. These insects were always 

 fed to the young. Perhaps it is not gen- 

 erally known that fly-catching is quite a 

 common part of the Woodpecker's every 

 day life -. but the instances are so many, 

 and come from such varied sources (includ- 

 ing nearly all the species that are more or 

 less well known), that it can no longer be 

 considered an individual peculiarity. — >'•!■ L. 

 Willard, Chicago, III. 



Eagles in Ohio. 



In Central Ohio Eagles appear to be 

 more numerous in mild Winters. This is 

 probably due (as is usually the case in other 

 localities), to the severity of the weather 

 farther north, where the ponds and rivers 

 are closed with ice and the woodlands are 

 covered with snow, placing food beyond 

 their reach. The following is taken from 

 my memorandum and given in rotation 

 just as the dead birds were received from 

 various counties of the State : 1878 — '79 

 —Mild. Dec. 2, Bald Eagle from Dela- 

 ware County: Dec. 4, Bald Eagle from 

 Marion Co. : Dec. 18, Bald Eagle from 

 Union Co. ; .Jan. 4. Bald Eagle from Lick- 

 ing Co. ; Jan. 12. Bald Eagle from Union 

 Co. ; Feb. 9, Golden Eagle from Franklin 

 Co. : Feb. 20, Bald Eagle from Union 

 Co. 1879 — '80 — Severe in January and 

 February. Dec. 10, Bald Eagle from 

 Franklin County : Dec. 13, Bald Eagle 

 from Union Co. : Jan. 2, Bald Eagle from 

 Franklin Co. 1880— '81— Severe. Oct. 

 4. Bald Eagle from Hocking County; Dec. 

 12. Bald Eagle from Delaware Co. : Jan. 

 23, Bald Eagle from Madison Co. 1881— 

 '82— Mild. Dec. 12, Bald Eagle from 

 Fairfield County ; Dee. 13, Golden Eagle 

 from Franklin Co. : Dec. Ifi. Bald Eagle 



from Montgomery Co. ; Dec. 20, Bald 

 Eagle from Morrow Co. ; Jan. 9, Bald 

 Eagle from FrankUn Co. ; Jan. 12, Bald 

 Eagle from Union Co. : Jan. 22, Bald 

 Eagle from Morrow Co. ; Jan. 24, Bald 

 Eagle from Franklin Co. : Feb. 23, Bald 

 Eagle from Franklin Co. The last speci- 

 men of Golden Eagle {Aqtiila chrysactKs) 

 was killed a few miles west of Columbus. 

 It was said to have killed several young 

 calves in the neighborhood, which the 

 bird was seen feasting upon. A number 

 of the Bald Eagles in the above list were 

 young birds, lacking the white head and 

 tad, and for the most part were Idlled with 

 rifles, a few with shot guns, and two by 

 the use of sti-ychnine upon a dead carcass. 

 — Oliver Davie, Columbus, Ohio. 



[Mr. Davie writes that he hae omitted three from the 

 aljnve list, taken during the Winters of 1878— '79. They 

 will probably be given in a future lipt.— Ed.] 



^ 



The Great-horned Owl in Texas. 



This Owl is very abundant in Maverick 

 county, and the nest easily found. They 

 are built in the open forks of the mes- 

 quite, at a lieight of from eight to twelve 

 feet from the ground, and are constructed 

 of large dead sticks, with generally no 

 lining, except the sticks are somewhat 

 smaller and finer on the inside, though 

 sometimes there is qitite an extensive 

 lining of fur, feathers and litter, made by 

 the birds skinning their prey in the nest. 

 The nests average two feet in diameter by 

 about eighteen inches high, and are very 

 slightly hollowed. They nearly always 

 build a new nest, though sometimes repair 

 the nest of the previous year, and occa- 

 sionally they use the nest of some other 

 species. One set of two was taken March 

 9th, from the nest of a Caracara Buzzard, 

 from which a set of three eggs was taken 

 last year. An entire new nest was found 

 built directly on top of the old nest. 

 The upper one contained a set of two, 

 fresh, and the lower one an addled egg, 

 prol)ably of last year, but in a good state 

 of ])resprvation. Out of about twenty 



