S6 PROCEEDINGS S. I. ASs'n ARTS AND SCIENCES. [Vol. I 



ed for some years in one of the towers of the Smithsonian Institution, 

 Washington, D. C. The barn owl of Europe is the "moping owl" of 

 Gray's Elegy, that lived in the "ivy-mantled tower." In Bird-Lore for 

 May-June, 1905, Mr. Wm. Dutcher has an "Educational Leaflet" on 

 the "American Barn Owl," and the results are given of an examina- 

 tion, by Dr. Fisher, of 675 pellets from the owls in the tower of the 

 Smithsonian Institution. It was found that they had destroyed over 

 1,700 meadow voles, mice, rats, and shrews. At a future date a note 

 may be presented on the pellets of our Staten Island birds. 



Mr. John Irving and Mr. Wm, A. Galloway, the protectors of the 

 barn owls mentioned in this note, fully appreciate the services the birds 

 render, for they catch more rats and mice than do the family cats. It 

 is to be hoped that the birds will not be molested, but that they will 

 continue to inhabit the old-time pigeon loft, where they have dwelt for 

 so many years. 



Specimens Exhibited; 



Mr. William T. Davis exhibited photographs of large bowlders and 

 other natural objects, taken last March on Staten Island by Mr. 

 Herman Stutzer, in which the following subjects were included: 



Two views of the large bowlder known as "Sugar-loaf Rock," stand- 

 ing in the field at the corner of Howard Avenue and Richmond Turnpike, 



Bowlder, almost as large as the latter, in the Cunard estate on 

 Grymes Hill. 



Bowlder lying in Willow Brook. 



Bowlders on the bank of Willow Brook. 



Bowdder on the bank of New Springville Brook, 



View of Willow Brook and one of Willow Brook millpond. 



The clump of river birches, Betula nigra, L., at Watchogue. 



The above photographs are particularly timely, for the reason that 

 within the past few years many of our large bowlders together with the 

 old stone walls have been blasted and broken up for road macadam. 



Mr. James Chapin exhibited skins of the following birds: 



Red-breasted nuthatch, Sitta canadensis Linn., from Sullivan County, 

 N. Y. A few individuals were seen on the Island this autumn. 



Pine finch, Spinus pinus (Wils.), from the vicinity of Oakwood. 

 The species was observed on the Island this year and in the winter of 

 1903-04. 



Sharp-tailed sparrow, Ammodronms caudacutns (Gmel.), for compari- 

 son wath Nelson's sparrow, Animodromus nelsoni (Allen), shot at 

 Oakwood, Oct. 27th. This is the first record of the latter species on 



