THE NIDIOLOGIST 



153 



east, and these mDvemeiits cannot always be 

 explained by variations in the food supply or 

 changes in the area under cultivation. 



These varying phenomena all suggest direc- 

 tions in which research might be profitable, 

 and questions which can only be answered by 

 painstaking study carried on over wide areas. 

 When these questions have approached solu- 

 tion we will be prepared to confront the still 

 greater enigma. What power is it that prompts 

 birds to migrate, and directs them in their 

 flight ? Angus Gaines. 



Vincennes, Ind. 



A Strange Freak of the Cowbird. 



ABOUT May 8 I found a nest of the 

 Rose-breasted Grosbeak in my orchard, 

 and on May 12 there were three Gros- 

 beak's eggs and one of the Cowbird. 



I think it was on May 26 that I noticed the 

 nest again, the eggs being all hatched. The 

 Grosbeaks had down on them, while the Cow- 

 bird looked as if it had just hatched. 



The Grosbeaks fed their young regularly, but 

 I never saw them feed the Cowbird but a few 

 times. 



One evening I was out by the nest when I 

 was amazed to see a Cowbird, with a worm in 

 its mouth, come to the tree and feed the young 

 Cowbird. 



Nearly every evening she would come and 

 feed the young Cowbird, but if the young 

 Grosbeaks would open their mouths for food 

 she would peck them on the head and refuse 

 them food. 



During the day I had no time to watch the 

 birds; my observations were all made in the 

 evening. The Cowbird continued to feed her 

 young until it was large enough to leave the 

 nest, and then I lost track of it. 



During this period the Grosbeaks would also 

 feed it, but would fly away upon the approach 

 of the Cowbird. 



I never heard of such an occurrence before, 

 and would like to hear from other observers in 

 regard to this. J. R. Bonwell. 



Nebraska City, Neb. 



While on his trip after California Vulture's eggs 

 Mr. O. W. Howard found a nest of the California 

 Pygmy Owl, unfortunately containing young birds 

 just out of the shell. The nest was in a hollow 

 sycamore tree six feet from the ground. It was dis- 

 covered by observing one of the old birds flying across 

 the road with a Sparrow (nearly as large as herself) in 

 her talons, which she carried to her young. This fact 

 is worth noting, it being about midday, demonstrat- 

 ing this little Owl to be more or less diurnal in its 

 habits. 



A Curious Hummingbird's Nest. 



MR. CLAUDE FYFE, of San Francisco, 

 Cal., kindly sent us the photograph 

 from which we have made the illus- 

 tration of a curious nest of Anna's Humming- 



NKST OF ANNAS HUMMINGBIRD. 



bird. Mr. Fyfe evidently wishes to add a 

 peculiar interest (to us) in this nest, for he 

 Avrites : 



" I secured this beautiful nest in a eu- 

 calyptus tree right opposite your house in 

 Alameda." 



The nest, as will be seen, is built on a cluster 

 of seed cups. It is of very unusual size, and is 

 probably a double nest, the new one being 

 built on the last year's structure. 



In the woods, July i, an adult Chipping Spar- 

 row -was hopping about through the weeds, fol- 

 lowed by a young one which looked larger than 

 itself. The callow thing hopped close after its 

 parent, and, although it pecked amateurishly at 

 leaves, it was fed at intervals by its mother. It 

 was a sight to see such a big baby following 

 and being fed by the indulgent adult. The 

 same thing was observed four days later, when 

 the young Sparrow was still tagging after its 

 mother, opening its mouth wide in infantile ap- 

 peal. H. R. Taylor. 



Nyack-on-the-Hudson. 



