April, 1889.] 



A^O) OOLOGIST. 



55 



time, but I threw a stick with such good effect 

 as to frighten both away. It is needless to say 

 that the nest contained young birds, two in 

 number, and for supper they had the remains 

 of a rabbit and the leg of a black hen. 



On reaching the ground I had a good look 

 for my hat. The idea of going home bare- 

 headed was not pleasant by any means, but I 

 finally found it some forty or fifty yards off. 



Jos. E. Gould. 



W^anderings. No. 2. 



A PERFECT DAY. 



Through many years of collecting in the 

 woods of the Old Bay State, it has been one of 

 the greatest ambitions of my life to take a 

 nest and eggs of the Great Horned Owl, and 

 many hours have I spent and many miles have 

 I travelled in a vain attempt to gratify this 

 desire. A year ago, I rode forty-five miles and 

 back and spent three days in a vain search, 

 although a set was taken later on from one of 

 tlie very nests which I visited, and this year I 

 determined to undertake the journey again. 

 Accordingly, one afternoon early in March, I, 

 with my usual comrade, started for the same 

 lf)cality, and after a tedious ride of one and a 

 half hours in a slow-going "Huckleberry 

 train," stopping at every cross-road, about 

 dark we alighted from the cars in the old 

 town of Plymouth, and found the team, which 

 we had previously engaged by mail, awaiting 

 us. 



A few moments, occupied in putting our 

 "duflfle" into the carriage, and we were off 

 for the woods. A ride of two hours, and at 

 nine o'clock, we alighted at the door of " mine 

 host" Douglass, of whom you have heard 

 befoi-e; and we were soon discussing the 

 merits of a cranberry pie. 



I never could understand why "the old 

 lady's" cranberry pies always taste good, for 

 I abominate them in the city, but my mouth 

 will water whenever I think of those. 



We arose the next morning to find a cloud- 

 less sky and a warm wind, one of those per- 

 fect days, only to be found when spring is just 

 awaking from her nap. 



Our objective point was the nest from which 

 the eggs were taken last season by my friend, 

 but we thought that before starting for it 

 we would take a stroll over the old island, 

 which occupies the centre of the pond. Ac- 

 cordingly we launched a boat, and rowing over, 

 were soon enjoying the familiar spots, and 

 bringing back reminiscences of past .seasons. 



Here was, last year, the nest of a Parula 

 Warbler, and here a set of Downy Woodpeck- 

 er's eggs. 



And, while looking at an old nest from 

 which two sets of the eggs of Cooper" s Hawk 

 had been taken, an Owl rose before our very 

 eyes, and disappeared. Only a few minutes 

 were needed to take us both up to that nest, 

 and there, on their couch of downy feathers, 

 lay the two long-wished-for eggs. To say 

 that we were delighted would be drawing it 

 mildly, and we immediately began to prepare 

 them for transportation. While writing down 

 a description of the nest, I was attracted by a 

 shadow, and looking up, I saw the female 

 sitting on a branch not more than six feet 

 from my face, gazing very intently at some 

 crows who were worrying her. 



I transferred my pencil to my left hand, and 

 slid my hand toward my hip-pocket for my 

 "Smith & Wesson," but .slight as was the 

 motion, Mrs. B. caught on and turned her 

 eyes in our direction. It was probably the 

 first time she ever met the yenuH liomo face to 

 face, and, judging from her looks, she never 

 will want to again. She did not say anything, 

 and "she waited not upon her departure, but 

 went at once," and we saw her no more. She 

 probably thought "discretion was the better 

 part of valor." 



The eggs were laid upon a lining of feathers 

 from the breast of the bird, are pure white, 

 and measure 2.19x1.88 and 2.20x1.86 inches. 

 They now lie before me, on the same bed, 

 that is the feathers, but ditterent surround 

 ings. 



The other nest, previously mentioned, 

 panned out nothing, and no signs, as did all 

 other places which we visited, but we had a 

 glorious time, and glory enough for one day. 



The next day brought me back to my desk, 

 but as I look upon those eggs, I feel amply 

 repaid for the ninety miles' travel necessary to 

 procure them. F. A. Bates. 



Eight Eggs of the Crow in one Nest. 



On May 18, 1888, while collecting in a swamp, 

 I flushed a crow from a nest in a small cedar, 

 and on climbing the tree was somewhat sur- 

 prised to find eight eggs awaiting me. While 

 preparing them for the cabinet, I found them 

 to be in various stages of incubation, and the 

 shells of some very thin. I look upon this set 

 as rather an exception, never having found 

 more than six eggs in a nest before. B. 



