184 



THE OOLOGIST 



The second thought is in the nature 

 of an excerpt from my notebook; for 

 what ornithologist is ever able to 

 write a letter to another bird-lover, 

 without quoting from his note-book, 

 or relating some experience with the 

 birds? Turning back tonight to 

 some of my note-books of the '90's to 

 see what was doing in those days, I 

 ran across an item which interested 

 me much at the time of the occur- 

 rence. The scene is laid on the shore 

 of Lake Ontario, at the mouth of 

 Johnson's Creek in Orleans County 

 New York, and thus reads the note: 



"Aug. 18, 1899. While at Lakeside 

 Park today, I observed an interesting 

 thing while wandering along the 

 beach of the lake at the very point, 

 studying the Sandpipers. 



"A Least or Semipalmated Sandpip- 

 er (I could not definitely determine 

 which) was actively feeding along the 

 beach, hopping along on one foot, the 

 other leg hanging withered and use- 

 less. I was considerably moved by 

 watching the active little wader. Just 

 as lively and energetic and busy as all 

 the others which had two feet to run 

 with, but he, hopping, hopping, al- 

 ways — apparently contented and 

 cheerful — his motions graceful even 

 yet — and yet so handicapped — 'Com- 

 pletely won my sympathy and admira- 

 tion. 



"How tired that one bare foot and 

 leg must get." 



Cornelius F. Posson, 



Vincennes, Ind. 



Mr. Posson spent a large part of 

 the past summer amongst the birds of 

 the Canadian Rockies, in British Co- 

 lumbia — wish he would send us an 

 article descriptive of the birds of that 

 territory. 



Editor. 



The Largest Hen Egg on Record. 



S. E. Marshall of this town has a 

 hen that laid an egg on the 26th day 

 of August that measures 8 inches in 

 circumference and weighs 4l^ ounces. 

 Beat it if you can. The hen is the 

 Buff Cochin breed. Mr. Marshall 

 raised her from a small chicken. 



A Young Acadian. 



On .June 19th, this past season, I 

 visited some large rocks where I had 

 a few days previous found the Hermit 

 Thrush, Junco and Canadian Warblers 

 breeding. In a thick clump of small 

 hemlock I noticed an object that on 

 closer inspection proved to be an Aca- 

 dian Owl, in the young plumage. It 

 was altogether different from the 

 adults, and is the first I have met 

 with in the young plumage. 



I cut a long stick and by approach- 

 ing slowly I got up within six feet and 

 swiped him off the limb. He makes 

 a pretty and interesting specimen. 



I have always suspected that the 

 Acadian nested here, and this capture 

 makes me certain of it, as my experi- 

 ence with all the hawks and owls is 

 that the young stay with the old ones 

 in the vicinity of the nesting site until 

 well through the summer. 



A thorough search of that vicinity 

 this coming season is now in order. 

 R. B. Simpson, Warren, Pa. 



A Golden Eagle that had been the 

 victim of a peculiar accident, was 

 found by a party of Surveyors near 

 the town of Armour, S. D., on Nov. 

 4, 1911. Its neck was caught on the 

 top wire of the fence along the rail- 

 road, having evidently struck the wire 

 with great force, turning it over to the 

 other side of the fence. Its feet were 

 fastened to the woven wire below. 

 It was a fine large specimen, but was 

 mutilated by the ignorant trainmen. 

 Alex Walker. 



