A Heath Htn Quest 



245 



upward in a straight line which bent as the flyer progressed. We could see him 

 winging strongly, then resting apparently a-wing, — but it was all over in a few 

 moments. The dark shape dropped into the far-away oaks as suddenly as it 

 had arisen. Meanwhile the mate had scuttled into the unknown. We hunted 

 her for hours with no success. Then came three years' absence from the island. 

 In the meantime, the bill for protection and the warden came into being. This 

 brings me to the present quest. 



We were taken to the warden's house by the most enthusiastic of guides, 

 a local clergyman, who has a long check-list of island birds, and a fund of know- 

 ledge not gleaned altogether in bird-books. 



HEATH HEN 

 From a mounted specimen in the American Museum of Natural History. Reproduced from 



Bird-Lore for April, 1903 



After a long drive, we reached the warden's house, which is set in the midst 

 of the scrub-oak district. No one was at home save a chained dog and two cap- 

 tive Red-tailed Hawks. The Hawks eyed us suspiciously, but consented to pose 

 for their pictures, after we had assured them of our kindly dispositions by pre- 

 senting portions of our lunch. Vast quantities of cleanly picked bones lay all 

 about their wire home, telling of voracious appetites or a long captivity. 



In a barn at a distance from the house, we found a man at work, a Portu- 

 guese, from whom we learned that Heath Hens were seen in that vicinity. He 

 thought we might find nests and seemed ready to promise us any pleasure, especi- 

 ally after we engaged feed for our horses. 



"Nests in July!" I exclaimed. "Why, I have heard they nest only in May, 

 or earlier. They do nest in May, don't they?" 



"Y-as, " he assured me placidly, "July — May." 



