76 



THE NIDIOLOGIST. 



exist, for there are exceptions which strong- 

 ly point either to indiiference of the birds, 

 or to absohite lack of conformity with an}' 

 known principle. For instance, the Long- 

 eared Owl deeply hollows its nest from 

 choice, and it may be considered one of the 

 larger birds; yet it would seem that, if pro- 

 tection were needed, the Great-horned Owl, 

 actuated by the same desire, would build 

 the edges of its nest well up. On the con- 

 trary, this large Owl has but a very slight 

 hollow in its open nest; and then again, 

 what is most singular, it selects a hollow 

 in a large tree about once in three or four 

 times* for its eggs. 



Then, too, manj- exceptions occur to dis- 

 pute the accepted belief regarding the 

 smaller nests. For example, the very shal- 

 low nest of the Acadian Flycatcher, and 

 the irregular platform of the two Cuckoos, 

 the latter often shared in by two females of 

 the two species of Cuckoos. These nests 

 are placed in anything but protected situa- 

 tions, and the eggs and young are exposed 

 to the elements. Yet the birds never seem 

 to make anything of an effort to keep the 

 eggs or young in, by supplying a high rim 

 to the nests. The Acadian Flycatcher's 

 nest is extremely liable to be swayed about 

 by the wind; in fact the eggs are often 

 found dashed to the ground in this way, 

 the shallow cup not being sufficient restraint 

 for them in even a moderate storm. Then 

 again, in direct opposition to this, we find 

 the nest of the Traill's Flycatcher, a near 

 relative, deeply cupped, and capable of 

 withstanding much violence, although 

 nearly always built only a few feet from the 

 ground in the fork of an upright, while the 

 nearly flat nest of the Acadian is placed at 

 the extremity of a long, slender limb and 

 fully subject to every wind. 



If the deep hollow were an indication of 

 protection, one would think that the ele- 

 vated and exposed nest of the gaudy Rose- 



* Our Owl's egg collectors in Michigan differ in 

 regard to the proportion of Great-horned Owl's 

 nests in hollows ; some maintaining that it is a 

 rarity to find the nesls so situated, some claiming 

 that one-half are so built. 



breasted Grosbeak would be hollowed 

 deeply. On the contrary, it is but slightly 

 cupped, and altogether a very shiftless af- 

 fair, while the nest of the Song Sparrow, 

 concealed thoroughly in the tussock or at 

 the edge of a ditch, is apparently unneces- 

 sarily deeply hollowed. We may think we 

 have a theor\- on this subject, but there are 

 enough of exceptions to each and every 

 feature in nest building to cause us to doubt 

 our jitdgment. 



Nidiology, if we may be allowed to coin 

 the word as representing the science of 

 nests, offers a wide field for the investiga- 

 tions of ornithologists; and nidification, as 

 one of its principal divisions, is an attrac- 

 tion to all students of our bird-life. 



For the present I think that enough has 

 been said on this subject, but if the request 

 is made by my readers, at some future time 

 the study may be again discussed. 



SCREECH OWL AND BLUE JAY. 



That the little Megascops asio does not 

 always confine his tastes to a diet of mice, 

 is shown by the observation of Mr. Wm. 

 Jones of the Lewiston Bird Club. 



He says: A few evenings ago, when it 

 was nearly dark, I heard a great outcry 

 from a Blue Jay, as though in great dis- 

 tress, the sounds coming from a Norway 

 spruce, growing in my front yard. Hasten- 

 ing out I found the Jay and the little Owl 

 having a tussel among the branches about 

 five feet from the ground. 



The screecher relinquished his quarry 

 with considerable reluctance at my ap- 

 proach, and perching on a limb but a rod 

 away, proceeded to scold me in no good- 

 nattired tones for interfering with his pro- 

 posed supper. Picking the Jay up from 

 the ground, I carried it into the hotise and 

 examined its injuries. Except a few 

 scratches about the head, it seemed to be 

 uninjured, but was apparently almost par- 

 alyzed with fright. Putting it into a box 

 until morning, I then relea.sed it, and it 

 flew away, apparently all right. 



Lewiston, III. Dr. W. S. Strode. 



