180 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 16-No. 12 



Late Nesting of the Bob-white. 



In the October O. & O., Mr. James B. Purely 

 of Plymouth, Mich., records a nest of the 

 Bob-white found at that place on August 30, 

 1891. The nest contained thirteen eggs, and 

 the next day, August 31st, they were about 

 half hatched. 



Mr. Purdy wishes to know who can beat it 

 for a late Quail's nest. I have an egg of the 

 Bob-white in my cabinet which was collected 

 on Sejjtember 12, 1889, at Blue Rapids, Kansas, 

 by my cousin, W. F. Hoag. The nest con- 

 tained ten eggs, perfectly fresh, but he drove 

 over the nest before it was discovered and 

 brolce them all but one, which he kindly sent 

 to me. 1 presume there are many who have 

 later records of this bird's breeding than eitlier 

 Mr Purdy's or the one mentioned above. Let 

 us hear from those who live where the Bob- 

 white is an abundant breeder. 



Bfnjnmin Uoa;!. 



Ste]'hentf»\vn. X. Y. 



An Afternoon Ramble. 



Early Sund.ay morning, Noveml)er 1st, I 

 started for Ames, la., arriving there about 

 tliree o'clock, from tliere north to Gilbert Sta- 

 tion, a little village on the railroad. For- 

 tunately for me my young friend, Amim 

 .Shearer, was at the depot. 



The night air was raw and chilly, the ciild 

 wind, blowing across the prairie, made us 

 hustle into the buggy and start for my friend's 

 home three miles distant. 



We arrived at our destination in due time: 

 it yet lacked two hours before daybreak. 



.Y cozy arm-chair by a warm fire is a very 

 good place to be at this time in the morning; 

 with several copies of your valuable magazine, 

 the O. ife O., the time passed quickly. After 

 dinner my young friend, who, I trust, is a 

 future ornithologist, asked me if I was ready 

 to go to the woods. 



Always anxious to study birds in their na- 

 tive haunts, I informed my friend that nothing 

 would please me more than to st;irt at once. 



In half an hour we arrived at tlie woods. 

 Juncos and .Sparrows greeted us everywhere, 

 the undergrowth of the creek bottom was full 

 of them, in troops sometimes numlicring 

 hundreds. 



We had not been in the woods long before 



my friend shot a fine Fox Sparrow. The report 

 of the gun, ringing through the quiet woods, 

 startled a Blue Jay at our left. After carefully 

 putting the Sparrow in the collecting bag we 

 started after the Jay. The harsh notes in the 

 distance betrayed the handsome fellow's 

 whereabouts; we soon had him in our collect- 

 ing bag to keep company with the Sparrow, 

 This familiar species is abundant in t'entral 

 Iowa. 



Our ne.xt specimen w,as the beautiful Downy 

 Woodpecker — called Sapsuoker in our locality; 

 we approach him pretty close without em- 

 barrassing him in the least; lie was liaid at 

 work getting his dinner. 



The Hairy Wooilpecker and Black-capped 

 Chickadee were abundant, but I have several 

 of each in my collection, so passed t'lem by. 



We now started for Squaw Creek, one quarter 

 mile west. The first that we saw was two 

 ducks, but they were too quick fur us aiul 

 caught us napping. After that we kept our 

 eyes open and were soon rewarded by seeing 

 a Red Screech Owl in an old tree near the 

 water's edge. Amon shot at the Owl but un- 

 fortunately did not kill the jioor fellow. He 

 Hew a little ways but soon gave out and fell 

 into the creek, but managed to cross in a 

 remarkably short time and make his escape in 

 a hole in the bank. My friend tru'd to get the 

 Owl out of his retreat, but only succeeded in 

 getting Ills feet wet. 



Disappointed because we did not get the 

 Owl, we started south along Squaw Creek, in 

 liiipes of having better luck. Hundreils of 

 liedwings and Rusty Blackbirds passed us. 

 .XuKui shot two young males and one female 

 out of the tlock. but 1 could not use them for 

 mounting. 



It was now getting near supper time. We 

 were just thinking of starting for home when 

 we noticed a rabbit in the hollow of a stump. 

 This time I had to take the gun; a few kicks 

 and a handful of leaves, flying in the air, 

 proved that my shot had taken etlect; when I 

 got to the stump " Bonny" was dead. 



The hedges along the road vvere literally 

 alive with .luncos. Fox, Tree, Harris and Field 

 Sparrows. 



When we arrived at home supper was ready. 

 It is needless to say that we did .justice to the 

 meal for a few hours' ramble through the 

 woods gives anyone a good appetite. 



I shall long remember this day and hope that 

 1 may soon have an oppcu'tnnity of again visit- 

 ing my friend. Curt Fritz Ilennunj. 



lioone. Inwa. 



