Sept. 1886.] 
159 

AND OOLOGIST. 

and are irrigated by natural sluices and canals, 
which though not looking deep are really im- 
passable; and one may have to travel a mile to the 
source of such channel in order to reach a coveted 
nest almost within grasp—but just across the 
water. Returning to the ocean side and between 
the sandhills and the ocean are numbers of dead 
cedars—the hollowed trunks alone standing and 
offering the chosen nesting sites of the White- 
bellied Swallow, (Zachycineta bicolor). This island 
is occupied by but two families. Ina house near 
lower end (known as the Government House) isa 
Life-saving Station, in which this modern Selkirk 
and his wife live the year round; and three anda 
half miles further up is an old-fashioned farm 
house, with well appointed out-buildings, in 
which reside the family who has charge of the 
place—for the island is owned by a Philadelphia 
millionaire, who refuses any price for it, and 
whose interests are looked after by the family in 
question. 
To this spot a friend and myself repaired in the 
latter part of May of the present year, hiring a 
man and boat on the mainland. A sail of an hour 
against tide and wind landed us at the southern 
end of the island. From out the dead cedars 
above alluded to we take a few sets of the White- 
bellied Swallow. The birds are very plentiful 
and so are the nests, no doubt, but it requires 
time and a sharp hatchet to reach the eggs. The 
natural weather-beaten holes in the trees afford 
them an entrance to a spot within, on which is 
deposited hay and feathers. The general makeup 
of the nest reminds one much of the home of our 
common Bluebird, (Stalia sialis). A full set is 
five eggs, as this is the number we invariably 
found, and the correct time for fresh sets is May 
25th to 380th. But although these Swallows are 
of much interest, and their antics in playing with 
a feather while their homes are being despoiled, 
are very curious, still larger game is in sight, and 
within a stretch of half a mile up the beach can 
be seen a dozen huge nests of the Fish Hawk, 
(Pundion haliaetus carolinensis). 
These nests are invariably placed upon dead 
cedars and pines, and the surest indication that 
man has not disturbed them is that they build in 
such accessible places that a child could climb to 
nine nests out of ten. In fact I removed a fine 
set of two eggs from a nest without taking my 
feet from the ground. So much has been written 
about these noble birds, and their habits and 
manners are so well known, that it would be 
superfluous here to enlarge upon them. There 
were certainly a hundred nests in this place, and 
the majority of them were tenanted. The birds 
in no case molested_my companion or myself, 
though they flew about quite near, emitting their 
angry cry. We took a sufficient number of sets 
to show all the variation the eggs are subject to, 
both in size and shape, but probably did not visit 
more than one-fifth of the nests which we saw. 
Within a space of thirty yards we took four full 
sets of three eggs, and along a foot path traveled 
by the Life Guards there were sixteen nests 
within a half mile, every one of which contained 
eggs. Some of these hawks have evidently had 
experience elsewhere, for they build very safely. 
For instance, one pair built their enormous nest 
of fagots on top of the stump of a tree about 
twelve feet high, but as the nest projected far out 
on every side it was impossible to see its interior 
without the aid of a ladder, of which there was 
none athand. Another pair had their abode in 
the top of a pine, without branches except at the 
top, where it grew out parasol-shape in living 
green, and in the midst of this was cunningly 
hidden a nest, ifsuch a word can be properly ap- 
plied to such an immense mass. I took pains to 
examine this nest critically. It was four and a 
half feet high, three feet across the top, and had 
evidently been occupied for many seasons. The 
inside, or rather top, (for the nests are not 
hollowed out much) was a deposit of cow and 
sheep dung, dead fish, and one king crab. In 
this rubbish were three eggs well imbedded in the 
wet dung, and consequently much discolored. 
Some of the fagots forming this nest were five feet 
in length and as large as a man’s wrist. Beneath 
the tree was a pile of sticks which had either 
been dropped or discarded. The average height 
from the ground of about forty nests was twenty- 
five feet, in no case more than fifty feet, and in 
many cases not more than twelve. While speak- 
ing of Ospreys it may be interesting to note that 
on the Jersey coast and inland for a mile or two, 
the farmers erect a pole witha platform on top for 
the accommodation of these birds. This is planted 
in the midst of a corn or wheat field, and the theo- 
ry is that where a Fish Hawk has its nest no Crow 
or Grackle is to be found. The fine for robbing a 
nest is $50, and the “Scientific clause” has been 
eliminated from the game laws of the State—I 
venture to say that few nests on the main land are 
ever molested. 
In the living pines which abound on the island 
at almost all parts the Fish Crow, (Corvus ossi- 
fragus,) breeds. ‘These birds are also legion here, 
and their eggs are beautiful—much like the Com- 
mon Crow, (Corvus frugivorus,) except as regards 
size, they being much smaller. The nests of this 
crow are easily reached, as the birds have not 
learned of man’s treachery, and are comparatively 
