258 



THE OOLOGIST 



This spring while I was on my way 

 to what I thought was a Red Shoulder- 

 ed Hawk's nest I saw a large nest in 

 an oak which was in an open place by 

 a big pecan grove. The nest was 

 about sixty-five feet up and out of a 

 large limb but was an easy climb to 

 me. It was a fresh nest not quite fin- 

 ished, and of decided Hawk architec 

 ture. But as I had accidentally put my 

 hand in it I was not expecting any- 

 thing from it. I went on down the 

 branch to the swamp where my other 

 nest was located. This was about 

 ninety feet up in a tall sweetgum and 

 was the hardest climb that I have ever 

 had. It had five young Crows in it 

 and I was disappointed, but going back 

 I found another nest, apparently fresh, 

 in a small piece of woodland not far 

 from the first nest. This had nothing 

 in it and so I went back two weeks 

 later but only a little work had been 

 done on both nests. A week later I 

 heard that the hawks were still hang- 

 ing around and so I went back. The 

 first nest held two beauties and the 

 second nothing. I left the eggs three 

 days to see if I could not get a third 

 but no more were laid. This nest 

 was found on March 21st but did not 

 contain eggs until April 14th, which is 

 rather late for these birds in this state. 

 I am almost certain that the 

 same pair of Hawks worked on both 

 nests, but have wondered why. I am 

 rather looking for a set of eggs from 

 the second nest next spring as the 

 Hawks are still in that neighborhood. 

 J. B. Lackey. 

 Clinton, Miss. 



A July Tramp in Allegheny Co., Pa. 



.July is the month when everything 

 in bird life is at a stand still. The 

 month before the birds were still nest- 

 ing; the next month the Autumn mi- 

 gration will have begun; but in July, 

 there is little of mterest for the bird 



student. Birds are usually scarce and 

 far between and those seen are usual- 

 ly the ones that, at any other time can 

 be seen without looking for them. So, 

 when 1 started out on the 19th of 

 July, 191.3, for a long tramp through 

 the country, 1 had little expectations 

 of seeing many birds, but I was inter- 

 ested in seeing what birds were still 

 in evidence. From the minute I start- 

 ed out however, when I came across 

 a Sparrow Hawk trying to do away 

 with a Robin, until I arrived home, I 

 found the birds plentiful and things 

 were almost as interesting as they 

 were in June. The following are the 

 species seen with notes as to their 

 abundance, etc.: 



Spotted Sandpiper — Seen occasion- 

 ally at small creeks. 



Bob-white — Heard several times ; 

 gradually increasing within the last 

 few years. 



Morning Dove — Rather scarce. 



Sparrow Hawk — Seen but once. 



Black-billed Cuckoo — Scarce. 



Belted Kingfisher — Common at large 

 creeks. 



Downy Woodpecker — Fairly com- 

 mon. 



Red-headed Woodpecker — Seen but 

 once. 



Flicker — Very common. 



Nighthawk — Seen toward end of 

 walk. 



Chimney Swift — Common, seen in 

 small fiocks. 



Ruby-throated Hummingbird — Seen 

 twice; both males. 



Kingbird — Rather plentiful. 



Phoebe — Scarce. 



Wood Pewee — Scarce. 



Least Flycatcher — Seen but once. 



Crow — Rather scarce. 



Meadowlark — Not very plentiful. 



Baltimore Oriole — One bird, an 

 adult male, seen. 



Bronzed Crrackle — Scarce. 



American Goldfinch — \ery plentiful. 



