THE OOLOGIST 



nests. Passing one day by a cluster 

 of huge sycamore trees that stood be- 

 side a small creek, I saw a Sparrow 

 Hawk fly from the higher branches of 

 one of these trees. It circled about for 

 a short time, returning to the largest 

 tree, and soon entered a knot hole 

 high up in the main trunk. I made 

 note of this occurrence and departed. 

 When late April approached I secured 

 a hatchet and a wood chisel and went 

 to the tree. As I neared the cavity, in 

 my ascent, the hawk flew screaming 

 from the knot hole, and darted away. 

 I found the cavity to be entirely sur- 

 rounded by green wood, which made it 

 extremely difficult to cut through to 

 the nest. However, after some dili- 

 gent work I managed to produce an 

 opening large enough to admit my 

 hand, and procured the eggs. The 

 bird had made a slight depression in 

 decayed chips and wood dust, in which 

 she had deposited her five beautiful 

 eggs. 



A few days after finding the second 

 set, feeling especially eager to secure 

 more eggs, I set out for a high ridge, 

 eight miles from home. It was not 

 long until a Sparrow Hawk came sail- 

 ing high in the air, and lit on a dead 

 chestnut snag that stood alone on the 

 bare ridge. After watching the bird 

 for a short time it was seen to disap- 

 pear. I hurried to the dead tree and 

 discovered a large natural cavity, 

 about fifteen feet above the ground. 

 I climbed toward it and soon looked 

 in upon the sitting female bird. Upon 

 punching her with a short stick, she 

 flitted away, screaming very fiercely. 

 The dead wood about this cavity was 

 very tough, so I had some difficulty in 

 procuring the four eggs which rested 

 on decayed chips. 



On May 7th, I saw a Sparrow Hawk 

 fly from the dead top of a small 

 straight sycamore tree which stood on 

 the bank of a creek. When I came 



near to this tree I saw several large- 

 flickers' excavations in the decayed, 

 top. Upon investigating I found a. 

 beautiful set of five eggs which rested 

 on some decayed chips. At this nest 

 the birds were very pugnacious, flying 

 at me frequently, and screaming wild- 

 ly. 



During the spring of 1909 several 

 fine sets were collected, and much was 

 learned of the nesting habits of this.- 

 little hawk. These birds are interest- 

 ing creatures, as they select such a 

 variety of places in which to nest. 

 This affords one frequent surprises, 

 during his excursions in search of 

 rare specimens. 



S. S. Dickey. 

 Waynesburg, Pa. 



Henry Ford of Detroit Imports Nearly 

 500 Songsters. 



Nearly 500 song birds, imported 

 from England by Henry Ford, a local 

 manufacturer, have arrived in Detroit 

 and will be given their liberty on Mr_ 

 Ford's farm near the city. 



The shipment was met in New York 

 by Game Warden Charles Daniel of 

 Detroit and brought west in a special 

 express car. Nearly 100 birds died on- 

 shipboard. Included among the birds- 

 were largs, linnets, brilliant yellow- 

 hammers, thrushes, green finches, bull- 

 finches, jays, chaffinches, and redpolls. 

 It is expected these birds will increase- 

 rapidly in numbers and eventually- 

 spread over the state. 



Another Set Illinois Barn Owls. 



In February OOLOGIST was record-- 

 ed Mr. Guy Day's set of Barn Owls, 

 taken in 1909 near Sidney, 111., Cham- 

 paign County. 



This as far as I can determine, is» 

 the first recorded set of Barn Owl' 

 eggs taken in Illinois or Indiana or- 

 Wisconsin for that matter. 



Those who read the note will proTr- 



