184 



rilE OOLOGIST. 



large oak tree, where a Pacific Horn- 

 ed Owl had its nest, and my friend 

 climbed the tree and found two large 

 young owls. 



Then we started on, and came to 

 two large oak trees. A Western Red- 

 tail flew off a nest and I went up to 

 the nest, which was placed 80- feet 

 up, and found two eggs, hadly incu- 

 bated. 



Then we soon came to an old barn 

 from which a Raven flew out, and I 

 looked at the corner of the harn and 

 saw a good looking nest. My friend 

 went up to it and found five fresh 

 eggs. I saw a Barn Owl come out of 

 a box, and went to- the hox and found 

 eight eggs, five fresh and three with 

 incubation just started. 



We then went over the hills to 

 some large cliffs, and got a set of six 

 Raven. 



I also found a nest of Am. Raven 

 in a barn with young. Is that not a 

 queer place for Ravens to nest? 



I also found a set of Desert Spar- 

 row Hawks in a pigeon box, and a set 

 of Eagle's eggs in an old hawk's nest. 



I have been interested in Oology 

 for several years and these are new 

 records for me. 



I have a set of 6 Ark. Kingbird, and 

 took a set of 8 Calif. Shrike, but they 

 were itaadly incubated. 



Please let me know if this is a new 

 place for ravens to nest, or is it com- 

 mon? 



FRED TRUESDALE, 



Shandon, Calif. 



The Am. Raven could hardly be call- 

 ed a common ibreeding bird anywhere 

 in the United iStates. 



Their utilizing barns was undoubt- 

 edly a matter of convenience, as with 

 the Chimney Swift, Phoehe, and Cliff 

 Swallow.— EDITOR. 



Here and There. 



On board S. S. Rappahannock, Liv- 

 erpool, off the coast of Ireland, July 

 11, IBO'6. I was awakened this morn- 

 ing about three o'clock by the scream 

 of a gull, and it was not long till I 

 was on deck, eager for my first 

 glimpse of land. To the northeast, 

 like a cloud, was the coast of Ireland, 

 dim in the morning twilight, but grow- 

 ing larger and plainer as we drew 

 nearer. As yet there were few gulls, 

 but when within a mile of the shore — 

 along which we coasted most of the 

 day — they circled around the ship by 

 the thousands, and hovered in count- 

 less numbers over the rocks. It was a 

 fine sight for the hird-man; and any- 

 one else would find interest in the lit- 

 tle white villages nestled away in the 

 valleys; or in the grim castles and 

 watch towers clinging to the rocks. 

 The gulls were very hold and I suc- 

 ceeded in "snapping" one, but the 

 weather was too cloudy for good re- 

 sults. The gulls almost entirely disap- 

 pearded with the Irish coast, a few 

 ducks heing about all that was seen 

 in passing Wales. 



* * * * =1: 



Thursday, Aug. 2. About 50O miles 

 from land. About 10' a. m., Wilson's 

 (or Stormy) Petrels made their ap- 

 pearance hy the dozens, fore and aft. 

 Sailors call them "Mother Gary's 

 chickens." They are graceful hirds, 

 long-winged and medium legs; they 

 appear to stand on the water some- 

 times and never fly high over it, gen- 

 erally keeping to the lee side of the 

 ship, though they seem to have no dif- 

 ficulty in. fiying against the wind. 

 Flight is quick and easy, usually soar- 

 ing, with quick wing-beats of short du- 

 ration every few seconds. 



Are Phoehes common in other lo- 

 calities? They have almost entire- 

 ly disappeared here. A few years ago'' 



