94 



THE OOLOGIST. 



The Pine Grosbeak. 



On December 3cl, 1880, I saw the 

 first flock of Grosbeaks since the large 

 flights of the winter of 1874-5. 



There were eight in the flock, all old 

 birds. They frequented a clump of 

 White Ash trees near a well-used road, 

 feeding on the uncast seeds. Desiring 

 to obtain a few specimens I took my 

 gun and repaired to the spot a few 

 days after first seeing them, and suc- 

 ceeded in obtaining three, two males 

 and one female. I saw no more Gros- 

 beaks until December 17, when I dis- 

 covered a large flock a mile from the 

 locality frequented by flock No. 1. they 

 were feeding on seeds of the White 

 Ash. Desiring more specimens I fired 

 into the tree and got my birds. When 

 the flock arose I counted them, made 

 out seventeen. I afterward shot four 

 more out of the flock, all young birds 

 but one. This flock ai)])eared to be all 

 young birds, except three old males who 

 led the rest. These facts would seem 

 to prove that the Pine Grosbeak, in its 

 , winter migrations Southward, the old 

 birds come as an advance guard, while 

 the young bring up the rear, piloted by 

 one or more old voyageurs. 



Crows. — We have three Crows, who 

 have made their winter quarters here ; 

 they live on field mice almost exclusive- 

 ly. T have seen them a number of times 

 swoop down on their furry victims. — 

 Chas. p. Pond, Camden, N. Y. 



PiNB Grosbeaks. — We learn from 

 near Bangor, Maine, that from a scarcity 

 of other food, the Pine Grosbeaks are 

 feeding on the inside of Rock maple 



buds, dropping the husks on the snow. 



♦ 



Science-Gossip — commences its sev- 

 enteenth volume with the January num- 

 ber for 1881. This old and interesting 

 periodical, conducted in the interests of 

 " students and lovers of nature," is pub- 

 lished by David Bogue, Trafalgar 

 Square, London, at $1 25 a year to 



American subscribers. Its table of con- 

 tents represent subject matter of much 

 value to working naturalists, as it cov- 

 ers almost the entire field of Natural 

 Science. 



General Items. 



— An Owl's Revenge. A remark- 

 able instance of intelligence shown by 

 an owl in conceiving and carrying out 

 a project of vengeance on a farm labor- 

 er, who had destroyed a whole family 

 of young ones before they had gained 

 the requisite strength to take wing, as 

 related by a French provincial journal. 

 A pair of owls had built their nest in 

 an old oak tree, which grew on a farm 

 in the commune of Beauvry. The fe- 

 male had laid during the month of July 

 several eggs, which in due time devel- 

 oped into a promising progeny of young 

 bii'ds. A farm laborer, moved by a sen- 

 timent of aversion for owls, which is 

 common in the country, determined to 

 cut short the lives of the young ones, 

 and choosing a favorable opportunity, 

 he put his project into execution. The 

 j^oung owls were taken away from the 

 nest and killed, but by what followed, 

 it will be seen the parent birds did not 

 allow their tragical fate to remain una- 

 venged. On several evenings succeeding 

 that during which the nest had been 

 plundered, the villagers returning from 

 the fields noticed the male owl flying in 

 an agitated manner round the farm. 

 During a whole week it hovered about, 

 biding its time, and at length the right 

 moment arrived. The young man who 

 had so ruthlessly killed the brood of 

 owls was crossing the farm at dusk 

 when the bereaved bird swooped down 

 on hira from the tree where it was keep- 

 ing watch, and with surprising swift- 

 ness tore out his left eye with its claws. 

 The intolerable pain caused by this sud- 

 den attack, made the victim of it swoon 

 away. When he recovered conscious- 

 ness, and his wound dressed, he related 



