Vo1 'k>19 XVI ] Eifrig, Birds of the Chicago Area. 519 



sleep at night by its calls. He said there were more around, but close 

 search by us failed to reveal them. Stoddard has taken it twice in the 

 Dunes. 



Bubo virginianus virginianus. Great Horned Owl. — In addition 

 to the records given by Mr. Stoddard (Auk, XXX] II, p. 329), I would add 

 these: February 25, 1917, he found a nest at Dune Park, about 30 feet 

 up in a Banksian pine, in an old Crow's nest, containing two eggs; March 

 4 there were three, which are now in my collection. In 1918 another 

 one was found by Dr. A. Lewy at about the same place and time, contain- 

 ing two eggs. This was then photographed in all its phases — eggs, young, 

 the female on the nest and flying off — by Mr. W. D. Richardson. The 

 female would fly off when the pine, which contained the old Crow's nest, was 

 touched, but did not mind the closest kind of approach from the neighbor- 

 ing pines, from which the pictures were taken. 



Nyctea nyctea. Snowy Owl. — Every year I hear of two or three 

 occurrences of this species. March 14, 1915, one was seen at Proviso in 

 this township; November 10 of the same year one was taken at Huntley, 

 which I saw after it had been mounted. 



Melanerpes erythrocephalus. Red-headed Woodpecker. — A num- 

 ber of these occasionally winter in the Dunes, when the acorn crop is 

 large. November 30 last I saw fifteen there, near Millers; December 21, 

 however, only one or two, and on the 27th, two. 



Colaptes auratus luteus. Northern Flicker. — For four years a 

 pair has nested in an electric wire post at the rear of my garden. I 

 think it is the same pair, because the first or second Flicker I see about our 

 house in the spring usually flies directly to the hole in that pole. It is 

 about four feet above ground. June 19, 1917, I witnessed an amusing 

 incident of Flicker family life. While working in the garden within a few 

 yards of the nest, the male flew to the entrance, rather noisily, as if in great 

 glee, whereupon the female, who was inside, darted out at him; her eyes 

 seemed to me to flash anger, and she seemed to scold him fearfully. He 

 hastily withdrew, apparently much abashed and chagrined. December 22, 

 1917, I saw one still lingering at Riverside, four miles south of here, and 

 February 17, 1917, we saw one at Mineral Springs, in the Dunes. 



Antrostomus v. vocif erus. Whip-poor-will. — This species must be 

 called rare here. In nine years I have seen only ten. I believe it is 

 decreasing in numbers over large parts of its range. During visits to 

 western Maryland and other places, where it was formerly common, I have 

 lately not seen or heard one. April 18, 1914, which, by the way, was an 

 unusually early occurrence of it here, I had a unique experience with one 

 in a woods at Whiting, Indiana, near the Illinois state line. There were 

 two there, one of which repeatedly darted at my head. 



Chordeiles v. virginianus. Nighthawk. — I have so far not found a 

 breeding pair here, although there are a few such on record. In spring 

 they arrive about May 15 and pass through till the 31st, although in 1912 

 I saw one May 3, 5, and 9. They seem to me to be extending their 



