THE NIDIOLOGIST 



139 



Eagle's nest that I knew had been deserted for 

 several years. While standing at the foot of 

 the tree gazing up at the immense structure, 

 and wondering how the eggs could be obtained 

 should there be any, I tapped the tree with a 

 stick, and was surprised to see a Ferruginous 

 Rough-leg Hawk sail off. The next day we 

 secured the female, and after ahalf hour's labor 

 I succeeded in getting the four eggs. 



We secured a set of five handsomely marked 

 eggs of this kind of Hawk, together with the 

 female, from another nest some miles distant. 

 Later, passing by the nest last mentioned, I was 

 gratified to observe it occupied by another pair 

 of Ferruginous, with three eggs as a starter for 

 our third set. 



The birds are arriving from ten to fifteen- 

 days earlier this year than last, and the indica- 

 tions are that they will nest sooner than usual. 



Within a few rods of our door there is a 

 Mallard's nest (set complete), and the female 

 plucking the down in preparation for incubation. 



Prairie Sharp-tail Grouse are nesting, and 

 Coots and Grebes are busy piling up'the partially 

 decayed matter for their domiciles. The gen- 

 eral depression in business does not affect bird 

 life, for each and all find something to do. 



Mr. Mummery is mourning the loss of a val- 

 uable Irish setter, probably stolen, but he 

 smiles when he thinks of the Hawk he secured 

 — a Swainson's in the melanistic phase of 

 plumage. Edwin S. Bryant. 



Sweet W^ater Lake, N. Dak., May 4, 1895. 



* % 



Habits of the Hairy Woodpecker. 



My brother and I took a short trip yesterday 

 to visit two pairs of Hairy Woodpeckers. We 

 found both nests, one of which had not been 

 used (though the bird was there), and the 

 other held four eggs, rather badly incubated. 

 This bird is almost as uncertain a quantity as 

 the Sharp-shinned Hawk. For a location it 

 selects a dense maple swamp, and builds its 

 nest in any of the living trees. As the hole is 

 only one and three-quarter inches in diameter, 

 it is useless to look for it in such a mass of trees ; 

 the only way we find it being by looking on the 

 ground for the chippings. This is the only 

 W^oodpecker I know of that builds extra nests, 

 of which it has quite as many as the Marsh 

 Wrens, the only dift'erence being that the '' de- 

 coys " are never near the real nest. 



J. H. Bowles. 



Ponkapog, Mass., May 11, 1895; 



Michigan Notes. 



Spring birds arrived very late this year. 

 Noted my first Robin March 17, Bluebird 



March 24, Meadowlark March 24, Phoebe 

 March 30, Flicker April 2, Killdeer April 6, 

 etc. I have been surprised at the great scarc- 

 ity of Bluebirds this year. Have noticed but a 

 few pairs after weeks of waiting. The other 

 birds are here apparently as abundant as ever, 

 but I have looked in vain for Sialias gentle 

 warble from the fences. Orioles are especially 

 numerous this year. 



Took my first Crow's nest April 16, with five 

 eggs, and sets of 2 Red-shouldered Hawks on 

 the 19th. Shot a fine male American Bittern 

 in a yard in the center of Detroit, April 20. A 

 few of these birds are still to be found in the 

 river marshes, but, compared with their number 

 in former years, are rare. Have noticed several 

 Loons on the river and also on the inland lakes. 



B. Hall Swales. 



Detroit, Mich., May 16, 1895. 



riore Hints. 



As suggestions seem to be in order, per- 

 haps the following from my notebook, 

 with a few details, may not come amiss- 



I suppose all of us are more or less tort 

 mented when we find a rare nest with the se- 

 uncompleted, by the fears that it may very pos, 

 sibly be appropriated by Crows, Jays, snakes, 

 small boys, or (must it be admitted) some 

 brother collector. During several years I have 

 adopted the following plan. Birds laying eggs 

 of the same size as those of the Red-shoul- 

 dered Hawk will, without hesitation, accept 

 eggs of the domestic hen when put in the 

 place of its own. In nests of the Sharp- 

 shinned Hawk, Woodcock, and birds of simi- 

 lar size, I have successfully substituted eggs 

 of the common Bantam. K rare Warbler seems 

 to consider it no insult if its treasures are re- 

 placed by those of the Chipping Sparrow. So 

 the list might be continued, very few of the 

 birds failing to accept the exchange and con- 

 tinue laying. 



Except in cases where the food is the same, 

 it is best, for obvious reasons, to remove the im- 

 postures when the bird completes her set. 



The substitute eggs do not need to be col- 

 ored at all, but I have found it of value tO' 

 paint my name and address on them (also for 

 obvious reasons). 



Some time ago I read of a collector who had 

 found a set of Evening Grosbeak {Coccothraus- 

 tes vesperti/ia),t\\t eggs of which "were unfor- 

 tunately too much incubated to be saved, " and 

 since then I have seen a dozen such expressions. 

 To begin with, unless a rare one, it is better to 

 leave a very n\uch incubated egg ; but, if worth 

 taking, it is worth saving. 



