42 YEARBOOK, PUBLIC MUSEUM, MILWAUKEE. [Vol. I. 



Taxidermist Shrosbree and Mr. Ochsner, well equipped with ropes and 

 other paraphernalia. 



Having already taken a fine male at the other nest, our first move 

 here called for the collection of the female. This pair, whose very ex- 

 istence had depended on eternal vigilance, were extremely wary and 

 difficult to outwit. Fortunately, however, the birds were in the habit of 

 alighting momentarily on a commanding point of rock, on their trips to 

 and from the nesting ledge. Covering this favored spot with the shot- 

 gun, I remained concealed for four hours under a pile of juniper boughs 

 on a nearby ledge before the magnificent female finally returned and 

 was secured. 



As night was fast approaching the descent was quickly made and 

 the young and necessary accessories secured. The descent was com- 

 paratively easy in this case, Messrs. Shrosbree and Ochsner tying me up 

 with a long rawhide lariet so securely that an accident was impossible. 



The ledge itself smelled to high heaven, from the partly decomposed 

 remains of the Duck Hawk's victims, but this was more than oflfset by 

 the beautiful panorama spread below, and by the flowering columbine 

 and other plants that grew out of crevices nearby, and on little used 

 parts of the ledge. 



The young themselves were fierce little rascals, biting and clawing 

 savagely at the least provocation. They screamed lustily whenever we 

 approached, and most of the way home as well. 



Though the Duck Hawk is probaljly the handsomest as well as the 

 most spectacular of our birds of prey, it is one of the very few that 

 are destructive to bird life, and an enemy of the farmer, so its rarity is 

 fortunate. The female collected, had the beaks of three young chickens 

 in her stomach and there was over a pint of corn and ground feed on the 

 nesting ledge, from the crops of poultry consumed. 



Long hours and strenuous work are the rule on collecting trips and 

 the present one was no exception. Most of my time before joining Mr. 

 Shrosbree at Fox Lake, May 17th, had been occupied gathering and 

 preserving material already mentioned and keeping in touch with the 

 various nests and nesting colonies, often many miles apart. Time 

 was found, however, to collect considerable material for the small school 

 groups, and many small birds. One of the most interesting of these was 

 a Tufted Titmouse, the third specimen taken in the state, which was 

 collected in Mr. Ochsner's yard. My headquarters were at Mr. Ochs- 

 ner's place in Prairie du Sac, from which trips were made in all direc- 

 tions by boat, Ford or on foot. 



