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ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol 7-No. 21 



way np the other one left, and by their 

 violent movements we were satisfied it 

 contained eggs, which proved to be 

 the case, for on reaching the nest, which 

 was near the top of a young hemlock thirty 

 feet from the ground, close to the main 

 tiimk, on the east side, we found five pure 

 white eggs, which we jjlaced in a soft felt 

 hat, and the hat carefvilly between our 

 teeth, but we fear we was just a little 

 cruel in prolonging the suspense of the 

 poor birds, for it was interesting to watch 

 their rapid movements, as with ears de- 

 pressed and head feathers raised, and 

 squealing jiitifully Hke young cats in dis- 

 tress, they flew as close to our head as it 

 was prudent for them to do, snapping 

 their bills the while. The nest was ev- 

 idently built on that of a Night Her- 

 on's, and was quite shallow but firmlv 

 built of grass. There were considerable 

 feathers, bat whether they were placed 

 there as a lining to the nest, or came from 

 the quary consumed, we could not tell. 

 Since the eggs were taken we have not been 

 able to find the old birds. They evidently 

 at once left that part of the woods. The 

 following is the measurements of the five 

 eggs taken from this nest: 1.59x1.32, 1.59 

 Xl.32, l.fi2xl.37, 1.65x1.35.1.58x1.31. 

 Within a stone's throw of this nest we 

 took two others, a Cooper's Hawk and a 

 Crow, both with full fresh sets. This her- 

 onry was fully occupied in 1878, but sev- 

 eral sportsmen ? went and shot the birds 

 for "fun" while breeding, one bringing to 

 town and placing in a row for the curious 

 to examine sixteen birds at one time. The 

 action of these so-called sportsmen we 

 severely condemned at the time in our lo- 

 cal paper, and we do not think the act has 

 been repeated. The Herons, however, left 

 for safer quarters, and not many beside the 

 writer know of their whereabouts. 



April 10, 1881. We visited the same 

 locality in hopes that the Long-eared 

 Owls had returned, but instead we found 

 a pair of Barred Owls. 



Savannah Spakkow. — I think that part of 

 the article on this species, in the Septem- 

 ber number of this magazine, is rather 

 misleading, at least my observations in 

 New Bnmswick would suggest a different 

 report, for while it is true that these birds 

 seem to have a strong liking for the sea 

 shore, the inference that they are not found 

 elsewhere is not coiTect. In the vicinity of 

 the Bay of Fundy they certainly build their 

 nests nowhere else than in a marsh or field 

 close by the salt water, and they are found 

 in field or marsh along the river bank, 

 where the water is brackish, but they are 

 also found all along the banks of the St. 

 John river, from Fredericton to Fort Kent, 

 the latter place being some 250 miles or 

 more away from salt water. They are also 

 quite common in the fields bordering Grand 

 Lake and Washademoak Lake into which 

 no salt water enters. — M. Chamberlain. 



Wilson's Black Cap. ( Wilsonia pzisilla.) 

 — In " New England Bird Life " it is writ- 

 ten of this species : " In female and young 

 birds the black cap is obscure or wanting." 

 My friend, Fred. Daniel, shot one at 

 JIadawaska, on June 13th of this year, 

 with a crown of as deep black as is usually 

 found on the male, but which, upon exam- 

 ination, proved to be a female. One egg 

 was about ready to be laid, and upon open- 

 ing it with my knife there was disclosed 

 the yolk and white in perfect condition. — 

 M. Chamberlain, St. John, N. B. 



Bank Swallows Drowned. — Query. — 

 Haywards. Cal, June 21, '82. — Dear Sir : 

 In your July No. you have a note on p. 141 

 as to the drowning of swallows in their 

 liurrows in May. How does this bear on 

 the numerous accounts of theu- being found 

 in the mud in winter and reviving ? If 

 they were so found was it from sliding 

 down of the banks, and temporary suffoca- 

 tion ? How long will they live buried in 

 loose sand "? I suggest these subjects for 

 experimenters.. — ./. G. Cooper. 



