142 



THE OSPREY. 



seem to be greatly increasing in numbers ; while the 

 Bluebird, formerly very common, has been quite rare 

 since 1894. 



The Bald Eagle was a very common bird along 

 the shore of Lake Erie ten years ago, but now is not 

 often seen. A pair of these noble birds for many 

 years nested in a small grove on the lake front im- 

 mediately north of the Garfield Farm. The restless 

 waves washed away the bank and undermined the 

 tree upon which their nest was situated, but the year 

 before the tree toppled into the water, the knowing 

 birds moved their domicil to another tree standing a 

 few rods farther away from danger. But the en- 

 croachments of the lake continued until this tree also 

 was threatened when they removed again farther 

 from the shore. 



The Golden Eagle was formerly supposed not to 

 nest in this vicinity, but in the spring of i8g6 a young 

 bird of this species was taken on the grounds of the 

 Storrs and Harrison Nurseries near Painesville. It 

 was captured alive while sitting in the tall grass ap- 

 parently watching for mice. A teamster with a 

 skilled stroke of his whip lapped the lash about it 

 and prevented it from taking to wing until secured. 

 Several Snowy Owls were shot along the lake early 

 in October in 1896, which is somewhat remarkable 

 owing to the fact that they usually do not appear 

 south of the lake before January. 



But the rarest find of all is yet to be mentioned. 

 November 18, 1896, a Murre was shot on Lake Erie 

 several miles out from Mentor. Two were seen, but 

 only one was taken. We, of the local talent, pro- 



nounced it a Uria troile : but later the specimen 

 found its way to Oberlin College where it was listed 

 as an immature Brunnich's Murre, L'ria Unuvia. 

 Neither of the Murres are mentioned by Dr. J. M. 

 Wheaton in his "Birds of Ohio." Dr. Morris Gibbs, 

 in his "Birds of Michigan," says troih- is "occasion- 

 ally taken on Lake Superior ;" but neither Dr. Gibbs 

 nor Prof. Cook, in their lists of Michigan birds, men- 

 tion lonn'ia. In December, 1896, a troile was shot 

 at Gibralter, Michigan ; and several specimens of the 

 lonn'ia were taken, during the same month, near 

 Sandusky, Ohio. The thickness and compactness of 

 the plumage of these birds shows a wonderful adapta- 

 tion to arctic, aquatic life. 



Such interesting birds as the White Swan, the 

 White Crane and the Snow Goose are now very 

 rarely, if ever, seen ; although some of our veteran 

 sportsmen were once familiar with their appearance. 

 The Canada Goose has greatly diminished in num- 

 bers within a few years. 



The Pileated Woodpecker, the Wild Pigeon, the 

 Wild Turkey, and the Raven have entirely disap- 

 peared from this part of the state. The two latter 

 are still found in the Northwestern counties of Ohio. 

 The relentless gun of the indiscriminate hunter has 

 almost exterminated a number of other birds once 

 plentiful. Fortunately, our Legislature last year re- 

 vised the list of birds which have legal protection and 

 included almost all of our song and insectiverous 

 species. It is to be hoped that the new law will have 

 some appreciable effect in staying the causes of the 

 destruction of our feathered friends. 



CHIMNEY SWIFT.— HOW DOES IT BREAK OFF THE TWIGS.? 



EDMONDE S. CURRIER, KEOKUK, IOWA. 



SEVERAL articles have appeared in our magazines around one of the dead limbs. I think that some 



lately, on this subject, and it seems that there child had been flying a small kite and it had blown 



is a difference of opinion among observers. into the tree top. 



Like many others, I have curiously watched the It seems the bird had became entangled, and in its 



bird while in the act of breaking the twig, but it is struggles had broken off quite a branch, and the 



done so quickly, scarcely a perceptable stop being weight of this and the bird together had broken the 



made, and the flight after the attempt, (as the bird string which was not very strong, and as the limb 



is not always successful,) is so swift and erratic that was too heavy for the bird to fly with, had fallen 



I have never felt sure about it. On June 22, of the nearly to the ground, catching in the top of a bush 



present year, while nesting, I made a find which and leaving the bird still suspended, 

 bears upon the subject, and although it proves noth- Now as the Swift never lights on the twigs, it could 



ing, yet may add some interest to it. have been in the tree top but for one purpose ; and 



While passing under a willow, I found hanging in the question arises, how did its foot get fast ? 

 a low bush, a Swift, a ghastly looking object, dried The string is wound loosely around the twig and 



and mumified swaying in the breeze. One of its the bird's foot is caught a few inches from the tip — 



feet — the left — was tangled in a small string, the leg the string running both ways of the twig from the foot, 

 out of place at the knee ; head and right wing point- Has anyone ever been able to see a stick in this 



ing downward ; mouth open and right foot drawn bird's mouth, while it was flying ? It can be noticed 



tightly to the body. with other birds, but none of them fly like this one. 



The string was attached to a dead branch which Now it is evident that if the bird carried the stick in 



had fallen from the top of the tree, and was wrapped its claws, the body would hide it and then we cer- 



around it for several feet, and to the extremity of one tainly would see nothing of it. 



of the smallest twigs. Looking up in the top of the I think that the question is still open, and that we 



tree I saw several yards more of the string tangled might devote a little time to it next season, with profit. 



