THE OOLOGIST. '^ 'o!) 



137 



on the sa're spot as the former oae, and 

 had four eggs. Near Tarkio, Mo 



June 18, 1900, collectel one set of five 

 eggs of the Red-headed Woodpecker in 

 a hole in a maple tree in a grove beside 

 the house on a ranch some three miles 

 from town. 



June 29, 1900, collected one set of five 

 eggs of the Ked-headed Wooa pecker 

 from the same hole as the set of the 18th 

 inst. 



July 10, 1900. collected one set of four 

 eggs of f^e Red-headed Woodpecker 

 from the same hole as sets of June 18 

 and 29. 



T have found that the Red-headed 

 Woodpecker will do this every time, 

 and the third set generally, if not al- 

 ways, consists of four eggs. Near Tar- 

 kio, N. W., Mo. 



April 19, 1901, collected one set of five 

 eggs of the Ph"eoe from a nest on a 

 beam under a bridge. (This is the same 

 bridge situated on the same place on 

 the same beam ?s w re the sets cf April 

 16 and May 16, 1897.) I replaced this 

 nest, but it was carried away two days 

 la:er by high water. 



June 8, 1901, collected one set of five 

 eggs and nest of the Phoebe in the same 

 bridge and on the same place on the 

 beam as the set of April 19, 1901. Four 

 eggs out cf this set (June 8) were spot- 

 ted, two heavily around the large end. 

 The eggs in the set of April 19 were un- 

 sp.tted. 



May 16, 1901, collected one sat of four 

 eggs of the Red -winged Blackbird Nest 

 situated six and one-half feet high in a 

 small willow in a creek bottom. 



May 30, 1901, while passing the Red- 

 wing's nest, found the 16th inst., with a 

 friend, was more surprised to see an 

 Am. Robin sitting on the nest. On ex- 

 amination we found the nest contained 

 one egg and the R bin had relired it 

 with grasses and built the side uo about 

 one-half inch with mud and grass. 

 Several days later I was passing and I 

 called on Mrs. Merula migratoria and 



found her at home The nest contained 

 four eggs, which I photographed and 

 left. 



May 30, 1901, collected one set of five 

 eggs of the Red-winged Blackbird. My 

 friend who was with me, also collected 

 a set of five Red-wings. I enclose you 

 a photo of same. Thtse are ihe only 

 sets of five eggs of the Red-wing which 

 have come under my notice. The eggs 

 in both sets were rather smaller than 

 the average Red-wing eggs and rather 

 sperical. Both sets are well marked 

 with sploches and streaks of black. 



Before I close I wish to thank Mr. 

 Geo. W. Vosburgh, Columbus, Wis , for 

 the paragraph in July Oologist where 

 he mentions about "The Chicago Re- 

 cord-Herald, " Audubon series of colored 

 photographs. It has beeu the means of 

 selling more than one "Record-Herald" 

 here. 



E. R. Forrest, 

 Washington, Pa. 



How Some Birds Capture Their Prey. 



(Continued from August Number.) 



Among the regularly insectivorous 

 birds the Whip-poor-will swallows the 

 largest insects of all; frequently engulf- 

 ing large moths and beetles the siz9 of 

 the June oug. In one bird that I dis- 

 sected there were over thirty insects, 

 many of which I could identify. They 

 were of several species and embraced 

 beetles, moths and a few dipterous in- 

 sects. While the two Goat-suckers 

 known in the great lake x'egion, the 

 Whip-poor-will and Night Hawk, or 

 Bull Bat, as it is sometimes called, feed 

 upon the larger insects, thq Chimney 

 Swift only captures the smaller species, 

 relying mainly on the small two-winged 

 insects, flies, 'squitoes and gnats. The 

 former birds dash upon their prey in 

 plunges and side-flops, while the Swift 

 engulfs its food as it rapidly revolves. 

 The flight and capture are quite sim lar 



