380 



THE OOLOGIST 



Ward's Herons, two nests with young, 

 and about twenty Snakebird nests in 

 all stages of development from young 

 ready to leave nest to young few 

 hours old, some with fresh eggs, 

 others incubated, while still there 

 were to be found nests yet in con- 

 struction. 



When first hatched the little Snake- 

 birds are covered with a dull yellow 

 down, and this is fostered until the 

 young have grown to be several 

 months old, when about this period 

 they enter into the pin-feather stage. 



The Wood Ibis is slowly but gradual- 

 ly decreasing in numbers in Florida, 

 that is very evident in every rookery 

 visited nowadays. Formerly in places 

 where thousands of these could be 

 found breeding together there are now 

 to be but several hundred at most. 

 This is due to the rapid settling up 

 of the state in the past few years. In 

 Orange County there is only one more 

 breeding place to which Ibis some- 

 times go, and this lake is called Mud 

 Lake, being entirely surrounded by 

 a dense cypress swamp which is im- 

 penetrable with the exception of a 

 small opening on the Eastern side. 

 It is an ideal spot, and if not molested 

 they return every year, but if one sea- 

 son they are disturbed the following 

 season finds the lake tenantless as far 

 as Ibises are concerned, but it seems 

 to take only a season to get over their 

 fright and they are back again. 



I did not go to this lake this year 

 and have not heard any report from 

 there, therefore am unprepared to 

 make any statement. 



Donald J. Nicholson. 

 Orlando, Florida. 



Owl; but imagine my surprise on see- 

 ing a hawk leave. 



I wasn't long shinning up that tree 

 (26 feet) and found one fine egg, while 

 old Butes borealis viewed me from a 

 distant tree, giving vent to his feel- 

 ings. 



On returning in a few days, the sin- 

 gle egg was in the nest so I took it. 

 On returning on March 16th, another 

 set was laid, three eggs this time, 

 marked chiefly at the smaller end. 



At the time of finding the first egg, 

 cold weather prevailed and the ground 

 was covered with sleet. 



March 4th I found a nest of Barn 

 Owls containing five eggs. This 1 

 think very early for this bird. They 

 were in a cavity in a maple tree on 

 creek bank. Several dead mice were 

 in the nest. 



A Broad-winged Hawk's nest was 

 found March 6th with two eggs; a 

 crust of ice was formed around the 

 top of the nest. 



Albert J. Kirn. 

 Vinta, Okla. 



Early Nesting of Oklahoma Hawks. 



While hunting for Owl eggs March 

 3d, I went to an old nest of a Hawk, 

 thinking it might be occupied by an 



Statement of the Ownership, IVIanage- 

 ment, Circulation, Etc. 



Of The Oologist, published monthly 

 at Albion, N. Y., required by the Act 

 of August 24, 1912. 



Note. — This statement is to be made 

 in duplicate, both copies to be deliv- 

 ered by the publisher to the postmast- 

 er, who will send one copy to the Third 

 Assistant Postmaster General (Divi- 

 sion of Classification), Washington, u. 

 C, and retain the other in the files 

 of the post office. 



Editor, R. M. Barnes, Lacon, 111. 



Managing Editor, R. M. Barnes, La- 

 con, 111. 



Business Manager, R. M. Barnes, 

 Lacon, 111. 



Publisher, R. M. Barnes, Lacon, 111. 



Printed at Albion, New York, and 

 mailed from there. 



Owners: (If a corporation, give 

 names and addresses of stockholders 



