142 
ORNITHOLOGIST 
[Vol. 11-No. 9 



creamy white color, but soon changed to pure 
white. The markings vary but little on the 
different eggs, there being but few fine points of 
very dark brown scattered about the egg. The 
first nest found was outwardly composed of strips 
of the inner bark of some tree, dried grass, 
rootlets and some threads. The lining of fine 
dried grass, was neatly arranged. The nest was 
avery thin loose structure and was fastened to the 
fork of the branch with cobwebs. The second 
nest differed from the first by being more com- 
pact and by having a large amount of wool en- 
tering into its composition; it measured as follows: 
Diameter, three and one half inches ; height, three 
inches; depth of cavity, one and one-half inches; 
diameter, two and one-quarter inches. Both 
nests were placed on a horizontal limb, and both 
were about ten feet from the ground. The birds 
were very bold. Flying within a few feet of one’s 
head they uttered a sharp, shrill note, and then 
alight on a neighboring branch. They left for 
the south in September. 

Nesting of the Mississippi Kite. 
BY SEs Ni 
It affords the present writer great pleasure to be 
able to describe an authentic instance of the find- 
ing of the nest of the Mississippi Kite, (Zetinda 
subcerulea). 
On May 8, 1867, the late G. H. Carpenter, (who 
was an enthusiastic and learned naturalist, and 
who possessed one of the finest private ornitholo- 
gical and odlogical cabinets in the United States, 
almost entirely the result of his own labors) found 
a nest of this species in Carroll County, Louisiana, 
near the River Boeuf. It was in a large oak tree, 
about fifteen rods from the edge of a dense swamp 
of large growth. The nest was composed of 
coarse sticks and shreds of bark, lined entirely 
with the hanging moss which grew luxuriantly 
from the trees in that locality. 
The nest contained one egg, which was fresh. 
The ground color is of a dirty white, marked at 
one end with three faded brown blotches. The 
remainder of the surface is covered with smaller 
and lighter spots, about the size of an old-fash- 
ioned silver three cent piece. It measures 1.67x 
1.35 inches. 
One of the parent birds was shot, and on dissec- 
tion it proved to be the female. Its ovary con- 
tained one egg. The egg and parent bird are now 
in the cabinet of Mr. F. II. Carpenter, who is the 
fortunate possessor of the magnificent collection 
made by his lamented uncle, the late G. TH. Car- 
penter. 
Nesting of the Spotted Owl. 

BY tds) EN 
Little is known concerning the nesting of the 
Spotted Owl, (Strix occidentalis,) and it is there- 
fore a source of pleasure to the writer to be able 
to record the taking of a set of the eggs of this 
species. 
On May 19th, 1885, E. M. Haight found the 
nest of this species near Riverside, California. 
The eggs were laid on the bare ground, at the 
base of a large rock, and the only attempt at nest- 
building was the presence of a few feathers which 
were lying around. There were two eggs, of 
which the incubation was slight. They are of 
the usual dull whitish color for eggs of the owl 
family, and their appearance can be best described 
by likening them to those of the common Barred 
Owl, (Strix nebulosa,) but they are a little longer. 
One of them measures 2.11x1.67, and the other 
2,.12x1.68 inches. 
Mr. Haight saw the parent bird very closely, 
and is positive there can be no mistake as to the 
identity of the eggs. In addition to being a care- 
ful collector of many years’ experience, he is well 
acquainted with all the other species of owls 
found in the neighborhood of Riverside; and he 
is sure it was none of them. That town is about 
one hundred and twenty-five miles north of the 
Mexican border. 
The eggs are in the cabinet of a gentleman in 
Philadelphia, whose address will be furnished to 
any one applying for it to the editor of this maga- 
zine. 

An Albino Tree Swallow. 

On Sunday, August Ist, I was passing along the 
road between Lacon and “Undereliff,’ and about a 
mile south of the cliff I saw an albino Tree Swal- 
low. It was with a large flock of the kind and 
they were along a telegraph wire. As to the iden- 
tity of the bird there can be no doubt, because I 
had a splendid opportunity to examine it, the bird 
being very tame, and I having a pair of opera 
glasses with me. The bird was a pure white one 
and presented a lovely sight balanced on its out- 
stretched wings in the full sunlight. The entire 
party of picnicers watched it for ten or fifteen 
minutes. Not being a skin collector myself I 
made no attempt to shoot it, but being fully aware 
of what a prize is extant, take this method of 
warning southern collectors to be on the lookout, 
for should they be fortunate enough to capture it, 
they would have one of the most beautiful birds I 
have ever seen. Should any one secure it I should 
be pleased to have him inform all bird lovers 
through these columns.—R. M. Barnes, Lacon, Ill. 
