May, 1884.] 



AND OOLOGIST. 



55 



posed of thick, heavy sticks and lined in- 

 side with finer ones and a few feathers. 

 Whether these feather were put there pur- 

 posely or not, has always been a question 

 with rne — at any rate this nest did credit 

 to the bird that built it. It was clean, no 

 carrion nor decayed flesh of any kind being 

 about it. As a general thing these birds 

 are very filthy about their nest even before 

 the eggs are hatched, after which their 

 nests will turn a man's stomach. One nest 

 found near the above contained six eggs, 

 fresh, and was the filthiest I ever saw ; 

 the decayed parts of rabbits, moles, etc., 

 lying in and on the edges of the nest was 

 something astonishing. These birds had 

 not even built a nest of their own, but 

 took an old Crow's nest, which was nearly 

 filled with old leaves and pine needles. 

 The hollow part was hardly sufficient to 

 hold the eggs in the nest. I shot both 

 birds. After going through my hands I 

 suppose they are much cleaner birds than 

 wheu breeding on the banks of the North 

 Platte river. There is a tame specimen 

 here, owned by a man in Troop "I" of the 

 5th U. S. Cavalry. It is kept in the grain 

 room of the stable. It is quite an inter- 

 esting sight to watch. It will sit all day 

 and night on top of the grain sacks and 

 watch for mice. There being plenty of 

 them the bird gets enough to eat. For 

 catching mice this bird is as good, if not 

 better, than a cat. I never have known 

 this one to miss his prey after sighting it. 

 As regards courage, the Great-horned Owl 

 stands at the head of all the Owls, and I 

 have great respect for him on this account 

 — chiefly because I shall always carry a 

 scar given me by one of these birds while 

 taking a nest of their eggs two years ago. 

 It is next to the Great Grey Owl {Syrnium 

 lapponicum var. cinereum,) in size, and is 

 distinguished by its size and large eartufts. 

 In color it is blackish, with dark and light 

 brown, but as it varies so much in color no 

 regular description can be given ; the gen- 

 eral mark is a white collar. Eggs pure 



white, spherical (nearly) 2.14-16x1.15-16. 

 Length of bird about two feet, generally a 

 little less ; feet completely feathered ; wing 

 15 or 16 inches; tail 9 or 10 inches. 



Falco sacer, var. gyrfalco. Quite an ex- 

 citement was recently created here by the 

 report that an Eagle had been captured 

 alive and brought to the military post by a 

 man living on Goose Creek, some forty 

 miles from here. As nobody seemed to be 

 able to tell what it really was, and think- 

 ing it was too small for an Eagle, they 

 dubbed it Eock Eagle. I visited the place 

 where it was confined, a stable, and found 

 it was a Gyrfalcon {Falco sacer,) which 

 had probably come this far south because 

 of the severe winter. As the specimen is 

 alive I could not take measurements, but 

 judging as near as possible, find as follows : 

 A little over two feet long, wing about 15 

 or 16 inches, tail 8 or 9, rather more 

 than less ; tarsus feathered half way down 

 front, bare strip behind, (in all probability 

 this is variation Gyrfalco ;) bill and claws 

 dark, crown darker than back, and heavy 

 moustaches. I tried to buy this specimen 

 but the owner would not sell. However, 

 I have not given up all hopes of getting it 

 yet. It sits under a carriage without being 

 fastened and is fed on raw beef, holding 

 the meat by one claw and tearing off small 

 pieces. Although not an Eagle, it is a much 

 rarer bird for this region. I do not know 

 of any having been taken as far south as 

 this. — Ghas. F. Morrison, Ft. McKimiey, 

 Wyoming. 



[Comparing our correspondent's description of this " Gyr- 

 falcon " with that in the authorities, leaves us in some de- 

 gree of doubt as to the precise variety of the specimen 

 found. In Fauna Eoreali Americana, Falco sacer is said 

 to be the "immature Gyrfalcon," and the Gyrfalcon, Falco 

 Islandicus, (Latham.) In the illustration in " Animal King- 

 dom," the American Gyrfalcon, F. Greenlandicus, has the 

 tarsus covered by hock feathers. Perhaps some of our cor- 

 respondents who have undoubted specimens of each variety 

 of Gyrfalcon will be able to throw light upon the subject. 

 Comparing Check Lists, etc., on this matter has brought 

 forcibly before us the necessity for a uniform and authori- 

 tative system of nomenclature. " From our correspon- 

 dent's description we suppose he identifies the bird as a 

 specimen of Hierofalco gyrfalco sacer, (Forst.)—412b. of 

 last Smithsonian Check List."— Editor.] 



