THE MUSEUM. 



163 



ago when he attempted to get away 

 with a lot of goods belonging to ye 

 editor, but we brought enough in- 

 fluence to bear on him so they were 

 returned. 



MY BUBOS OF '96. 



Or Notes on the Nidification of 



Bubo Virginianus in Southern 



Texas. 



In this summary, I shall resort only 

 to my notes of 1896, which I suppose, 

 from the lateness of the season, are 

 complete. 



Nest No. I, Feb. 3. — Nest situated 

 in small black-jack tree, on horizontal 

 limb. It was a renovated nest of Car- 

 acara, therefore composed entirely of 

 weed stalks, as that is the sole con- 

 stituent of the nests of that bird in 

 this (Refugis county, Tex.). It was 

 nicely lined however with feathers from 

 the parents' body; placed twelve foot 

 from the ground. This tree stood out 

 about 100 yards from a large belt of 

 oak trees. The bird was on the nest 

 and left only after several sticks had 

 been thrown into the tree, when she 

 arose from the nest and sailed over 

 the oaks. The nest contained three 

 eggs, far advanced in incubation. 



Nest No. 2., Feb. 4, '96. — Situated 

 in a oak tree about thirty-five feet from 

 eround. This was a nest of red-tailed 

 hawk, used, I am told, the previous 

 season. Composed of sticks with a 

 lining of feathers. These feathers 

 were plucked from the old bird, for I 

 shot her and noted that the feathers 

 had been removed from a space about 

 half as large as my hand. Tree was 

 situated near center of a large belt of 

 oaks. Three eggs; fresh. 



Nest No. 3, Feb. 4, '96. — Old hawk 

 nest. Situated on or near end of pro- 



jecting limb of black Jack, near the 

 Arroya Medis (Middle creek). Bird 

 was on the nest, which was composed 

 of sticks and lined with feathers, as 

 usual, and situated about fifteen feet 

 from ground. Nest contained three 

 eggs, which were fresh. 



Nest No. 4, Feb. 7, '96. — Old hawk 

 nest. Situated about eighteen feet 

 from the ground in mossy oak, in 

 edge of belt of timber. Composed of 

 sticks and contained the customary 

 lining of feathers. Bird did not leave 

 the nest until I had almost reached it. 

 This belt of timber borders on the Rio 

 Mission and Arroya Blancafin Spanish) 

 White Creek. Nest contained three 

 eggs which were fresh, or nearly so. 



Nest No. 5, Feb. 28, '96. Nest sit- 

 uated in oak tree, fourteen feet up in 

 Rattlesnake Motte, (so named because 

 of the great numbers of this venomous 

 reptile infesting it) in San Patrico 

 county. This motte covers about 

 one-half acre; all else, for miles, is 

 prairie, with sparse growth of chapa- 

 ral. Nest contained young birds about 

 two weeks or twenty days old. 



Nest No. 6, March 2, '96. — This 

 nest was situated in a prairie motte, 

 though of smaller size than former. 

 San Patrico county, near Arroya Chit- 

 tapin. Presumably an old hawk's 

 nest. Composed of sticks and lined 

 with feathers. The bird was on the 

 nest, which was situated on horizontal 

 limb of oak tree, si.xteen feet up. 3 

 eggs, in which incubation was ad- 

 vanced. 



Nest No. 7, March 3, '96. — This 

 nest I had seen being repaired Feb. 

 7th by a red-tailed hawk, but I suppose 

 the owl "jumped his claim." In 

 crotch of oak tree near top, thirty-four 

 feet from ground. Situated in the 



