■36 PKOCEEDINGS OF THE 



unthinking action. Fortunately the water was not deep at this 

 point, or I would have suffered for my thrill. Vigorous Jump- 

 ing and splashing brought me to the nest. 



A mud island four feet square, covered with stalks of wild 

 rice, had been appropriated by the birds. The center of the 

 clump was occupied by the nest. The foundation of this, two 

 and a half feet in diameter and six inches high, was composed 

 of pine and oak twigs intermixed with bunches of pine spills 

 and bracken. On top was a slight hollow eight inches in diam- 

 eter, rounded roughly by half a dozen bunches of meadow hay 

 and a few rushes. It was a bulky, roughly-made platform, yet 

 possessed all requirements needed for a ground nest, security of 

 position, height above high water, and ability to hold its 

 clutch. Five beautiful eggs, light-blue as the softest sky, 

 nestled in the hollow, and despite their size crowned the bulky 

 mass with light and delicate beauty. They were uniform in 

 color, without spots or blotches, except that two had faint 

 light-brown streaks or smudges. 



These objects in blue, for whose possession a skulking war 

 between their owners and the meadow pirates was evidently in 

 progress, were the center and soul of an island home. From 

 the standpoint of bird art nothing more could have been desired. 

 Completely surrounded by swaying grasses it reigned supreme 

 as castle of a grassy lake. Water was not wanted for moat nor 

 trees for demesne. The owner was king of the place and held 

 all under fear. It was really as well chosen a bird retreat as I 

 have seen. On the edge of the great meadows, yet well con- 

 cealed by the screen of trees, it was a vantage point from which 

 the Hawk could dart out over the marshes in search of food or 

 perform aerial evolutions for the admiration of his mate. 



And it was a Hawk. None but the Marsh Hawk could have 

 owned such a nest or possessed such an appearance. Aston- 

 ished as I was when it rose, I had noticed its owl-like ruff and 

 fluffy feathers, and especially the white upper tail-coverts. To 

 my startled eyes the bird had the appearance of a wedge, very 

 wide in front and narrowing toward the tail. But I wanted 

 more positive identification, because a book I had with me, 

 *' The Birds of E. Penna. and New Jersey," gave the last re- 



