110 



THE OOLOGIST. 



A Short Collecting Tour in 

 Florida. 



On the lltli day of April, 1888, I left 

 home for a short tour in the country. I 

 went more especially for the Sparrow 

 Hawks, as they were now in their prime 

 nesting; but was ready for anything desir- 

 able that I came across. I had proceeded 

 about a mile, when, seeing a pair of 

 Sparrow Hawks fooling around, I began 

 to look for their nest. Presently I saw a 

 hole about twenty feet up, that looked 

 "wore," and strapping on my climbers 

 "shinned up." Imagine my surprise on 

 finding a Florida Screech Owl sitting on 

 two fresh eggs. I suppose the Sparrow 

 Hawk? had nested here last year ;but this year 

 the "Screecher" had got ahead of them and 

 they were at a loss to know what to do for 

 a nest. I had proceeded but a short 

 distance Avhen I found a set of five badly 

 incubated Logger-head Shrike's eggs. 

 The nest was composed of sticks and straws, 

 lined with bits of feathers, cotton etc. I 

 soon had these packed safely away in my 

 collecting box. 



Seeing a colored boy at work in an ad- 

 joing field, I asked him if he knew where 

 there were any birds' nests. He said yes; 

 he knew where there was a TUla Hawk's 

 (meaning Sparrow Hawk) nest, to which 

 pointed, saying, "Hit was way up dar. " 

 After looking at the snag, I decided I 

 would not attempt to climb it, as the hole 

 was fully sixty feet up and the snag was 

 very rotten; but when I pounded on the 

 snag and the " old lady " flew out, I could 

 not resist trying it, and after a shaky climb 

 I secured a nice set of four badly incubat- 

 ed eggs. 



The eggs were laid on rotten wood on bare 

 floor of cavity ; and near this [nest I found 

 another set of four Sparrow Hawk eggs 

 just exactly like the first set iu color, 

 markings and shape. I think this set 

 must have been laid by the offspring of the 

 other pair. I found nothing after this for 

 nearly two hours and then f oimd a pretty 

 set of three Sparrow Hawk eggs, jDerfect- 



fresh. My next find was a set of five 

 Brown-headed Nuthatch eggs. I saw the 

 pair pecking away on a dead tree, 

 and thinking they might have a nest near 

 by, concluded to watch them; and soon the 

 female flew to a dead stump and 

 began her twittering when she was joined 

 by her mate ; whereupon she disappeared 

 in a tmall hole I had failed to notice before. 

 At this I thought it time to investigate the 

 matter myself. To make a long story 

 short, after ten or fifteen minutes t.jdious 

 and delicate work, I secured the set. They 

 were beauties; having a white ground 

 color thickly sprinkled with reddish-brown 

 dots, chiefly at the larger end. '1 hese 

 birds excavate their holes like the Picidm. 

 This cavitj' they line with fine strips of 

 pine bark and vegetable fibre. Soon rfter 

 this I found a set of six Logger-head 

 Shrike's eggs, perfectly fresh. The nest 

 was situated iu an orange tree fifteen feet 

 up, composed of moss, lined with cotton. 

 My next and last find was another set 

 of Sparrow Hawk eggs, five in number, 

 perfectly fresh. I noticed a pair of 

 Sparrow Hawks sitting on a dead snag, and 

 thinking they must have a nest near bj', 

 began looking around and soon discovered 

 a hole that looked suggestive, and after a 

 short climb secured a fine set of five, by 

 far the prettiest set I had taken during the 

 day. I had now arrived near home and 

 soon after was enjoying a good supper and 

 congratulating myself on my success for 

 the day. 



A. L. QuAiNTANCE, Archer, Fla. 



Nesting of the Pigmy Owl 



The California Pigmy Owl is sometimes 

 seen sitting on the limbs of trees iu dark 

 thickets. It is a curious looking bird, a 

 little larger than a Cal. Woodpecker. I 

 have never taken but one set of the eggs, 

 and I found them accideutly. I was work- 

 ing out in the country near Santa Eosa. 

 It was about the middle of May, and one 

 day after dinner I took a short walk up the 

 side of a rocky hill, near the building I was 

 at work upon. I had a lath in my hand 



