18 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 17-No. 2 



south with the rest of his kin. Shot it, but 

 the reeds were so thick tliat it coukl not be 

 found. Nothing seen on the river but floating 

 ice and a large Herring Gull. Crossed the 

 marshes to the woods, and on the way saw a 

 flock of Tree Sparrows, out of which we sliot 

 several, and a Prairie Horned Lark. 



Feb. 12. Day stormy. Went out to Highland 

 Park. Only saw two White-breasted Nut- 

 hatches. This bird is common here through- 

 out the year. The only nest I ever found was 

 in a decayed tree stump in the most uninviting 

 and gloomy part of a large woods. The eggs, 

 seven in number, were of a handsome white 

 color, covered thickly with fine si^ots of liglit 

 brown. It is called Sapsucker here, as it is 

 said to bore holes in trees and suck the sap as 

 it oozes out. Now if it does bore into trees 

 while feeding (a thing I have never seen it do), 

 it is probably to secure insects concealed in 

 the wood. It is a very restless and active 

 little bird and for boldness and sauciness is 

 rivalled only by the Chickadee, often allowing 

 the observer to approach within a few feet 

 of it. 



Feb. 15. Saw a Brown Creeper on a maple 

 tree in the city to-day. I have often seen it 

 climbing in a spiral course up the trunk of a 

 tree, stopping now and then to peep into a 

 crevice in the bark for insects, until it reaches 

 the top, then tlit to the base of another, up 

 which it goes in a similar manner; but ap- 

 proach it while it is thus engaged and it will 

 slip quietly around the trunk, but if you 

 remain perfectly still a little head and breast 

 is soon seen peering anxiously around the 

 bark, and soon the bird will resume its prog- 

 ress. In this respect it reminds one of the 

 Ked-headed Woodpecker. 



March 17. Saw a Marsh Hawk flying north- 

 waril. Shot a Chipping Sparrow and two 

 Bluebirds. Large numbers of Crows have 

 arrived during the week and are to be found in 

 nearly every woods or field. Heard the scream 

 of a Red-shouldered Hawk. 



March 27. A small bird wave arrived during 

 the week, consisting mostly of Robins, xMeadow 

 Larks and Juncos. The Meadow Larks are 

 numerous in the open fields, while the Robins 

 prefer the swamps and damp woods. Saw a 

 pair of Sparrow Hawks. Noticed some Crows 

 chasing a large Hawk (probably a lied-tail). 

 One would poise itself on its wings for a few 

 seconds then dart suddenly downward, almost 

 touching the back of the bird of prey. Found 

 a Bluebird's nest in a fence-post that had 

 escaped my notice last year. 



April 7. Saw a White-rumped Shrike to-day. 

 This bird can often be seen dying about trees 

 and hedges in search of nestlings or insects, or 

 perched on the top of a thorn-apple tree, its 

 head turning restlessly from side to side and 

 its eyes glancing in every direction, watching 

 every blade of grass and dropping with unen-- 

 ing aim upon any field mouse that has been so 

 unwise as to show himself. All the nests 

 found of this shrike were placed in oak trees, 

 generally not over twelve feet from the ground. 

 They were large, rather bulky and clumsy and 

 easily seen by any person standing under the 

 tree. He has well been termed the Butclrer 

 bird. Not only does he kill enough meat to 

 supply his wants, but seems to delight in 

 slaughtering and impaling upon thorns all he 

 can catcli, eating only their brains and leaving 

 their bodies to decay. 



April !). Saw seven Purple Martins. 



April 14. Found a nest of the Red-slioul- 

 dered Hawk containing one egg and a nest of 

 the Crow containing two eggs. 



April 16. Saw a Broad-winged Hawk sit- 

 ting in a tree near the edge of a thick piece of 

 timber. My presence ilid not disturb him in 

 the least, and after watching him a few min- 

 utes I passed on, leaving him sitting in the 

 same place and cleaning his feathers in the 

 most contented manner imaginable. 



Ajiril 21. At !).;3U found the first nest of the 

 day (a Red-.shouldered Hawk) in a large beech 

 tree. Took two eggs of this species out of it 

 last year, an 1 a pair of Hawks have taken 

 possession of it this season; but up to the 

 present date no eggs have been deposited. 

 About a quarter of a mile west of this, in a 

 woods known as Highland Park, secured one 

 Red-shouldered Hawk's egg from a nest placed 

 in the main fork of a large elm. My brother 

 found the nest on April 14th. It then con- 

 tained two eggs; these he took and substituted 

 hen's eggs. Had not proceeded far from here 

 when my attention was attracted to a hole in 

 an old rotten stumiJ by seeing two Bluebirds 

 Muttering around it. Looked in and saw a 

 nest composed of fine grass. I put my hand 

 in and drew it out, but it was immediately 

 followed by a flying squirrel that made for the 

 nearest tree, up which she scrambled, closely 

 pursued by tlie Bluebirds. The nest contained 

 three young squirrels about one week old. 

 Before leaving the timber, visited a nest of 

 the American Crow and Red-shouldered Hawk. 

 From the Crow's nest took five eggs and the 

 Hawk's two. My brother secured five Crow's 

 eusis and three of the American Robin. 



