Vol. XIV 
ay REED, Votes on the American Barn Owl. 379 
Delaware County, Pa., I discovered a nesting site of this Owl in 
a pin-oak tree, about twenty feet above the ground. ‘The tree 
formed part of and fringed a small clump of maples and other 
swamp growth, between Long-hook Creek and the railrqad, 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 zoth of April. On the 1st 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 two 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 
