THE OOLOGIST 



397 



When I first arrived, I noted a pine 

 squirrel out on one of the branches, 

 and by his actions I soon learned that 

 he was getting a free drink of maple 

 sap at the bird's expense. Every few 

 minutes he would leave his position 

 on some other part of the tree, and 

 work towards the bird. The latter, 

 with a sharp note or two, would make 

 a few passes toward him and then fly 

 to another part of the tree, leaving 

 the enterprising squirrel to lap the 

 sap from the fresh punctures. 



Part of the time there were two 

 sapsuckers present; the first having 

 been joined by another, evidently its 

 mate. They doubtless had, or were 

 preparing a nest nearby, but I failed 

 to locate it. The Northern Red-breast- 

 ed Sapsucker, in this locality seems 

 to prefer the dead stubs in the top of 

 live maples for nesting sites, although 

 they occasionally nest in large snags. 

 May 3, 1912, I flushed one from a hole 

 very near the top of an enormous dead 

 snag. It was evidently incubating as 

 it took several hard raps on the base 

 with a stick to disturb it. This snag 

 was about two and one-half or three 

 feet in diameter at the bottom, and 

 probably two feet at the top. Its 

 "height was at least one hundred feet, 

 and as there was not a limb or pro- 

 jection on it, it was impossible to in- 

 spect the nest. This was near a small 

 lake, around which this species was 

 ■quite common. 



Alex Walker. 

 Mulino, Ore. 



A Week on Lake Erie. 

 On the 1st day of April, 1912, I left 

 Pittsburgh for Kingsville, Ohio, a 

 small town on the shore of Lake Erie, 

 with great expectations for the fol- 

 lowing week, which certainly were 

 fulfilled. The farm-house at which I 

 •stayed was very finely situated, the 

 lake not more than 500 feet in front 



of the house and a large pine forest 

 a little distance behind it. On my ar- 

 rival, I found the weather much cold- 

 er than when I had left Pittsburgh, 

 and I feared that a cold spell was com- 

 ing on. My fears were justified, for 

 when I got up the next morning a 

 heavy blizzard was in progress and it 

 was extremely cold. This lasted for 

 three days, when it became warmer 

 again, and the last two days were per- 

 fect. 



The following is the list of birds 

 seen during my stay: 



51. Herring Gull — These birds were 

 much scarcer than I expected to find 

 them, seven being the largest number 

 seen in one day. 



148. Scaup Duck — Fairly plentiful in 

 open spaces on the lake. Quite a 

 number of other Ducks were seen but 

 they stayed too far out to be recog- 

 nized. 



172. Canada Goose — Seen occasion- 

 ally going by overhead in large flocks 

 making quite a clamor. 



273. Killdeer — Several pairs of 

 these birds stayed in a large field near 

 the farm house at which I lived, and 

 were continually heard and seen. 



300. Ruffed Grouse — These birds 

 were very scarce, but one individual 

 being seen during my stay. 



316. Mourning Dove — Seen occasion- 

 ally but never in large numbers. 



331. Marsh Hawk — A pair of these 

 birds stayed in a large swampy mea- 

 dow and were seen daily. 



352. Bald Eagle—These birds, al- 

 though quite common the previous 

 summer, were very scarce at this time, 

 but one individual being seen on the 

 2d. 



360. Sparrow Hawk— These little 

 Hawks were fairly plentiful, being oc- 

 casionally seen along the road. 



390. Belted Kingfisher — Very scarce, 

 being seen but twice, on the 5th and 

 6th, fishing in the lake. 



