THE NIDIOLOGIST. 



named creatures of farm and forest into 

 rarae aves, objects of unfailing and absorb- 

 ing interest. 



How the lightning struck so soon is a 

 mystery, but the writer recalls with pecu- 

 liar interest that he contributed an article 

 to No. 2 of Vol. I of the Yoioig Oologist. 

 The subject was "The California Mottled 

 Owl," and happily the identification was 

 correct and the facts honestly if simply told. 

 Those were the old days when A. M. 

 Shields wrote of collecting eggs by the 

 bushel on "Nigger Slough. " Among other 

 careful observers who then wrote were: F. 

 M. Dille, T. D. Perry, Fred B. Spaulding, 

 G. F. Breninger, H. C. Lillie, \Vm. L. 

 Kells, C. A. Keeler, E. H. Fiske, H. J. 

 Jamison, Frank A. Patton, C. H. Wilder, 

 W. \V. Worthington, Prof. D. E. Lantz, 

 and many others, some of whom still sur- 

 vive and write. 



Mr. Lattin is so well known that an ex- 

 tended sketch of his life is unnecessary 

 here. He was born of parents in moderate 

 circumstances and spent the early years of 

 his life in hard work. After graduating 

 from the High vSchool at Albion, N. Y., he 

 put in several years as a teacher in the 

 country districts, and it was at this time 

 that he became interested in the study of 

 natural history. He comnienced exchang- 

 ing specimens, and soon began his career as 

 a dealer in birds, birds' eggs and natural 

 history supplies, his business having a won- 

 derful growth. 



This establishment is now being carried 

 on successfully by Mr. Walter F. Webb, at 

 Albion, N. Y. "Lattin" still owns The 

 Oologist, and is largely interested in the col- 

 lecting of shells and other objects of natural 

 history. May his present prosperity con- 

 tinue, and_ his shadow never grow less, is 

 the wish of H. R. T. 



A Day tcith the Raptores. 



IT was on the 22nd of February, a most 

 delightful day in California, that my 

 friend W. A. Burres and I concluded to 

 saddle up (I was visiting near Sargents) 

 and ride over to a locality where we had been 

 informed a Golden Eagle nested on a cliff. 



We crossed the San Benito river and 

 passed through the picturesque and historic 

 village of vSan Juan, with its ancient mis- 

 sion church. Some time before noon our 

 progress was barred by a high fence, so we 

 tied up and proceeded on foot. 



Stretching lor six or seven miles westward 

 was a rocky region with numerous ledges 

 and cliffs, which we determined to explore. 



We passed a number of caves, the breed- 

 ing place of Turkey Buzzards later in the sea- 

 son. We saw a Golden Eagle sailing majes- 

 tically above us, but failed to locate its nest. 



" A Western Horned Owl!" cried my 

 companion, and the bird flew from her aerie, 

 disclosing the two white, nearly spherical 

 eggs. Here we were in luck of the finest 

 kind — if we could get the eggs. 



We succeeded in securing this prize by 

 my friend risking his neck by climbing a 

 rope which I held from the top of the rock. 

 In crossing to the nest he paused and coolly 

 seated himself in the domicile of the Red- 

 tail! It was undergoing repairs then for 

 occupancy. The Owl's nest was a loose 

 collection of oak-sticks and sage-brush, 

 with a curious addition in the shape of a 

 little boy's bow, minus the string. There 

 were a few Owl's feathers for a lining, with 

 a great quantity of rabbit bones. These 

 big Owls are lovers of chickens, also, al- 

 though they undoubtedly do the farmers 

 more good than harm. The young Owls 

 make great pets. I once saw a pair that 

 were kept loose in a livery stable. 



One day in May, near Sargents, I stum- 

 bled upon a family of this species, which 

 were tumbling about in the grass near 

 some oak trees. I looked into every tree 

 in the vicinity, but was unable to find their 

 home. The next year, however, a friend 

 unraveled the mystery. He found the nest 

 in a hole in a "sand cut, " right next to the 

 railroad track, 4 feet in and about 20 feet 

 from the ground — a rather odd nesting site. 



But we must return to my friend, who 

 has been busy packing those big Owl's 

 eggs in cotton. They were lowered to the 

 ground, and then the climber followed 

 them in safety. Haying levied tribute suc- 

 cessfully on this Bilbo, we passed back to 

 our horses. On the way we startled an- 

 other great Owl from a tree in a wild, rocky 

 place, but could not see its nest. Near by I 

 discovered a large nest of the Golden Ea- 

 gle on a shelf of a giant rock. It was the 

 only nest I have ever seen which was like 

 the typical Plagle's nest of the story-book. 

 The eggs might readily have been .secured, 

 had there been any, but bunches of " chick- 

 weed " were growing in the nest, and its 

 appearance indicated disu.se for some years. 



H. R. TAYI.0R. 



