^°!'s^^^l Reed, Notes on the American Barn Otvl. 379 



Delaware County, Pa., I discovered a nesting site of this Owl in 

 a pin-oak tree, about twenty feet above tke ground. The tree 

 formed part of and fringed a small clump of maples and other 

 swamp growth, between Long-hook Creek and the railroad, about 

 half a mile above the main woods. The cavity was fifteen inches 

 in diameter and two feet high, extending up to a smaller opening 

 three feet above, which gave the Owls a chance to escape out of 

 either hole if necessary. The entrance to the hole was quite open 

 and the bottom of the cavity only a few inches deep. Among the 

 decayed wood, pellets, droppings, etc., the eggs were laid and 

 often concealed beneath this rubbish, probably to avoid the 

 searching eye of the Crow, Blue Jay, or other intruders, while 

 they were absent from their nest. 



On the 31st of March of that year, while wandering along this 

 clump, my attention was directed to this nest by a fence rail 

 standing against the tree. Thinking it the work of some boys,. 

 who do not always climb trees for fun, I concluded to satisfy 

 myself. Upon investigation I found it contained three eggs and 

 two young birds a few days old, which, judging from the odor, had 

 been dead some time. I cleaned the nest out and carried the 

 eggs home and on blowing them I found they were in different 

 stages of incubation, one almost fresh while the third was about 

 ready to hatch. I watched this nest regularly and found it reoc- 

 cupied on the 20th of April. On the ist of May it contained 

 two eggs; on the 4th, a young bird was hatched; on the 22d, I 

 found the nest robbed again, but, with the birds alive I still kept 

 up hope, and, on the 30th found t-wo eggs. From this time on I 

 began removing the eggs one by one as they were laid, for the 

 nest was continually molested by boys and gunners who shot 

 several male birds from the persistent female, who did not seem 

 to be baffled by her misfortunes. Five of the nine eggs secured 

 were presented to the D. V. O. C collection of the Academy of 

 Natural Sciences. Everything went well until June 8, when on 

 my way to the tree I met two small boys coming from that direc 

 tion with her ladyship tied up in a handkerchief and carefully 

 tucked under one fellow's coat. After halting them and seizing 

 their booty, I expressed my displeasure in a very feeling manner. 

 After composing myself, the question then was, what to do with 



