30 



THE OOLOG1ST 



he used it on every occasion when 

 with me, as well as promising me that, 

 he would have one made like it for 

 his climbing elsewhere. 



During the latter part of October, 

 November and December the eagles 

 build new and repair old nests, and 

 are now all ready to commence house 

 keeping again. Every time I think of 

 eagles I think of Billy Crispin, what 

 good trips and hikes we had together. 

 Every time I see an eagle tree now I 

 take off my hat to the memory of Billy 

 Crispin, and am proud to remember 

 him as one of the best workers, good 

 hearted bird men I have ever met. 



H. H. Bailey, 

 Newport News, Va , Jan. 1, 1914. 



Hints on Hawk, Owl and Vulture. 



(Haunts and Locality.) 

 In my experience with these three 

 most interesting birds, I find the old 

 stupid Vulture among the most ignor- 

 ant class of Birds. He is so absent 

 minded that the moon and sun are 

 both the same to him on many occa- 

 sions. I have collected from one pair 

 of Turkey Vultures four different sets 

 in the same Boisdarc Hedge, and 

 would still be collecting them had not 

 the hedge been cut. I find Black Vul- 

 ture the most weary of the Vulture 

 tribe. The female will fly off the eggs 

 long before one gets very close to the 

 nest, at least that is the way for me. 

 When hunting Vulture eggs, I walk 

 very slowly along a rocky hillside in- 

 habited by Vultures and keep close 

 watch ahead of me to see them fly out. 

 But the Turkey Vulture is quite differ- 

 ena in my experience with them. I 

 have honestly pulled them off the nest 

 and have proof for it. The Vulture I 

 pulled from under a large rock to se- 

 cure her eggs had a very rare set, 

 nearly snow white. I do not find white 

 ones often. The Turkey Vulture in- 

 habits mostly, hedges, thickets, bush 



piles, etc. But one usually always 

 finds Mr Black Vulture in the most 

 rocky part of a hill side and many 

 times they lay their eggs at the end of 

 draws, anyone, valleys, etc , or any 

 where there is shelter. I have never 

 found them unsheltered, but have 

 found the Turkey Vulture in the open, 

 with no visible shelter. I have a large 

 collection of both kinds of Vultures 

 and some very rare sets. 



Next, comes the Texas Night-hawk, 

 or Bull Bat as some call them. I see 

 no reason for calling them Bats. They 

 can bat no better than the Crested 

 Flycatcher. I usually find the Night- 

 hawk's nest around places where there 

 is a little gravel or rocks; also on 

 Prairies and I have found them many 

 times in the middle of untraveled 

 roads, but never have found them in 

 brush or timber. I have never found 

 set containing three eggs, but there 

 are naturalists here that have. I know 

 of one young man here that found 

 twenty-five sets in one season, and 

 out of the twenty-five sets he found 

 one set containing three eggs, although 

 the third eggs were smaller. When 

 the Night-hawk is flushed, one must 

 go to the place where it is thought she 

 flew from. The steps must be easy 

 and light or the eggs will be stepped 

 on. If the eggs cannot be found, if 

 the hunter will go about a quarter of 

 a mile distant, lie down, and watch 

 for the Night-hawk, he will be sure to 

 get her locality, and when she goes to 

 the eggs again, they can be found. I 

 have also had experience with Red- 

 tailed Hawks, Sharp-shinned Hawks, 

 and other of the species, but the 

 Night-hawk is the most interesting 

 of the Hawks to me. 



The Owl next. I have found a num- 

 ber of their eggs, but will start out on 

 the Texas Screech Owl. I find him 

 located in a hollow tree, just down the 

 creek out in a stump and maybe under 



