THE OOLOGIST. 



15 



Notes on Some Birds of Gage Co., Neb. 



THE PKAIRIE HORNED LARK 



Is an abundant resident, breeding liere 

 in the spring and summer, and collect- 

 ed in flocks of from 6 to 40 or 50 in the 

 winter when it is often found in wheat 

 fields. On April 23. 1893, I took four 

 fresh eggs from a nest composed of 

 dried grass by a stone in a pasture. I 

 took no eggs in '94, but on April 3d 

 found two nests each containing three 

 birds about a week old. Both nests 

 were of grass and the inside measure- 

 ments were 1.5 in. deep by 3.5 in. wide. 

 On May 31st I found another nest with 

 birds about one and one-half weeks old; 

 <"omposed of grass, situated in a past- 

 lu-e as were the preceding. 



They wei'e paired on Feo. 24, 1895. * 

 I watched one pair who had been feed- 

 ing quietly, then suddenly would fly 

 up and flutter about each other in the 

 air for about a minute and then alight 

 and go on feeding. I also observed a 

 pair doing this on Feb. 10th. On March 

 17th I found a nest containing one egg, 

 which was deserted a few days after- 

 ward. Jan. 6, 1896, I examined a stom- 

 ach which contained small seeds and 

 sand. 



THE FLICKER 



Is a common resident, a few remaining 

 with us all winter. Colaptes cafer is 

 commoner in the fall and winter than 

 0. auraius. 



Setl. On May 21, 1893, I took 6 

 fresh eggs from a willow stub 15 feet 

 from the ground. 



Set 3. May 4, 1894, I took a set of 10 

 from willow stub 10 feet frem the 

 ground. The eggs lay in and upon two 

 inches of chips at the bottom of the cav- 

 ity 17 inches Irom the opening; incuba- 

 tion varied from fresh to eggs that 

 would have hatched in four or five days. 



* I am pretty sure that they remain paired 

 throughout the year, hut I have not enough 

 data to he positive, 



May 7, 1895, a friend took a set of 7 

 from a 22-inch cavity, 12 feet up in a 

 box-elder; bird had to be removed from 

 the eggs with the hand. 



Sept. 8, 1895, examined a stomach 

 that contained wild grapes. 



THE LARK BUNTING 



Is common during the breeding season 

 in the pastai'es. 



Set 1. June 2, 1891, took a set of five, 

 incubation fresh to begun. Nest in a 

 tuft of weeds in a pasture; composed of 

 weed stems and linedowith fine grass; 

 bird set close and then fluttered along 

 the ground as if wounded. There was 

 also a Cowbird's egg in the nest. 



Set 2. June 6, 1894 took a set of 

 five, iccubation begun. Nest in a past- 

 ure by a weed, composed of grass and 

 weed stems loosely put together. Both 

 of '^he above nests had a platform of 

 weed stems at the side of the nest on 

 the surface of the ground. 



In 1895 I first observed them on May 

 11th, when they were abundant in the 

 pastures, the males singing, their beau- 

 tiful soaring song. They were last 

 seen July 13th. 



THE BURROWING OWL. 



I did not meet this species until 1895. 

 I found two colonies both of about 20 

 birds (judging from the number of 

 holes in use). The burrows were in 

 pastures, which had a sandy soil under 

 the turf. They were usually about 6 

 feet long while some were as long as 10. 



Around the mouth and covering the 

 bottom I always found cow and ho-rse 

 dung in the ones occupied. May 11th 

 I dug out two burrows both 6 feet long. 

 One contained two fresh eggs, five field 

 mice and a small garter snake beside 

 the usual manure. The other burrow 

 was strewn with horse and cow duno- 

 ready for eggs. There were also about 

 a dozen mice and a small garter snake 

 in the burrow. Partly dug out another 

 hole which contained the remains of 

 two small Sandpipers and a Chickadee. 



