62 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 8-No. 8 



On visiting the nest May 17th, twenty-six 

 days later, I found three little Owls just 

 hatched. I went ag-ain June 2d and took 

 one young, which I have in confinement to 

 this time. It is extremely interesting to 

 watch its movements, which are more diffi- 

 cult on account of its being more affected 

 by light than my others, (I have Screech 

 and Barred in confinement,) but his confi- 

 dence and familiarity won my affections at 

 once. He will eat any kind of meat, but 

 give him a nest of mice and he is in the 

 third heaven of delight. No sooner does 

 he see the basket of chaff, which he knows 

 contains his favorite dish, than he goes 

 through a very strange habit, namely, that 

 of running each of his claws through his 

 bill, (ostensibly for the purpose of keeping 

 them sharp, I suppose.) On depositing 

 the heap in the corner of his room, which 

 is quite dark, he flies to it and begins his 

 search, scratching after the manner of hens. 

 While doing this he keeps a contented, 

 preening noise, but the instant a mouse is 

 found it changes to a quick, sharp, express- 

 ive note, and, grasping it so tightly one 

 may hear its bones crack, he flies to his 

 perch, stretches himself to his full height, 

 erects his ears, gives two or three notes of 

 triumph, all the while looking me in the 

 face ; then carries the mouse to his box 

 and returns for more. Such are a few of 

 his habits, and, although foolish and sen- 

 timental the stern scientist and collector 

 may deem me, yet I say never shall I be 

 guilty of taking another set of Asio Amer- 

 icanus eggs to enrich my cabinet, for if 

 they develop into such beings as my little 

 friend, it is better to let them remain to 

 fulfil their proper sphere ; for, Mr. Editor, 

 it is a ponderous question. How may we 

 best study life?— i^. JT. C, Rehohoth. 



We have heard that measures would soon 

 be taken by the ornithologists in conven- 

 tion to make a check list. In such move- 

 ment the Smithsonian should be represen- 

 ted, otherwise such a check list would not 

 gain a foothold. 



Canada Jay. — On a visit to a logging 

 camp in northwestern Maine in the Winter 

 and Spring of '80-81, I found a nest of 

 the Canada Jay, March 16th, with four 

 nearly fresh eggs. The nest was in an 

 evergreen, ten feet from the ground, and 

 composed of moss and twigs on the out- 

 side ; inside, like the Blue Jay's, of fine 

 roots. Found another March 20th, with 

 foiir eggs ; took one and found it fresh ; 

 the remaining three hatched in fifteen days. 

 They are a nois}^ bird at certain times, 

 rather odd in actions : color of eggs, grey, 

 marked with different shades of brown. — 

 F. II. C, Rehohoth, Mass. 



Notes from Pittsfield, Mass. 



I set out to find the nest of that Rose- 

 TDreasted Grosbeak which I mentioned in a 

 former letter, and finally succeeded, when 

 it contained two young. The nest was 

 built upon a stunted pine, and was about 

 six feet from the ground, in a young thick 

 wood lot. I was going to try and select a 

 male from the nest, and obtain such a pet 

 as you have in Jack, but I left them too 

 long. After visiting them several times I 

 found both yoimg with the parent birds 

 among the branches hopping from limb to 

 limb, far out of my reach, so I said sour 

 grapes and turned from the spot in a new 

 direction I had not explored. I had not 

 proceeded far when I saw a small bird fly 

 from a small stump ^^^^^ direct- 



ly in my path. I ^Hh hast- 



ened forward and HIHH found 



a nest new to mei^^m^^^^mi^ c o n - 

 taining three small blue eggs, about the 

 size of the common Bluebird, excepting 

 the color was a deep blue gieen. I knew 

 I had a prize, and sat down to watch for 

 the Thrush to return — for such it was — to 

 observe her, but she did not appear. I 

 took the nest and eggs and found the lat- 

 ter very much incubated, and had to use 

 my large drill to blow them, and then with 

 much difficulty, making a larger hole than 

 I wished. The nest was sunk into the 



