32 



THE ORNITHOLOGIST AND BOTANIST. 



being delayed I did not look after him until 

 the next morning, and then my beautiful hawk 

 of the evening before presented a sorry appear- 

 ance, indeed. 



The owls had killed him, pulled the feathers 

 out of a wing and the tail and then surreptiti- 

 ously dropped the body behind a barrel that 

 stood in one corner of the room. The chorus 

 of hootings when I entered the room, and repeat- 

 ed when I discovered the hawk behind the bar- 

 rel showed very plainly that they considered 

 what they had done as something smart. 



One day while they were busily eating their 

 mess of shiners I suddenly dropped on the floor 

 beside them a large live black-snake (Coluber 

 obsoletus), which I had kept concealed behind 

 my body when I entered the room. They were 

 terribly frightened and owl hysterics would more 

 nearly describe their actions than any other 

 words. They hooted and screamed, flying excit- 

 edly about, and the barred owl, finally, much to 

 my discomfiture, perched upon my shoulder as 

 if seeking my protection. Nor would they be 

 pacified until the monster was removed from 

 their sight. For a fortnight after this the great 

 horned owl who was much more knowing and 

 sensible than was his mate, would eye me sus- 

 piciously whenever I would come about them. 



I might relate many more interesting traits of 

 these owls and of the queer things they did dur- 

 ing the eighteen months that they were in my 

 possession, but for fear I may weary the readers 

 of the Ornithologist and Botanist, I forbear. 



Suffice it to say, that Dick, the bubo, finally 

 killed Bob, the syrnium, and ate him up; after 

 which piece of vandalism he was set at liberty, 

 as not being a fit bird to live and associate with 

 peaceable and law abiding persons.- 



COERESPONDENOE COLUMN. 



We invite short notes on subjects of interest to 



lovers of flowers or birds for publication in 



this column. Questions pertaining to 



these subjects will be answered, 



and specimens identified 



when possible. 



A QUERY. 



Can any one give me the name of any book 

 or magazine article on wild flowerf, written by 

 Emily Ayers? Wildblume. 



CANADA SPARROWS. 

 It has occured to me, since receiving a letter 

 of inquiry, that in my article on Canada spar- 

 rows in the February number, I ought to have 

 given all the names of that bird. . It is also 

 called the tret sparrow, probably from its nest- 

 ing in trees, and Spizella monticola. These I 

 did not think to mention in my reply to H. M. 

 J. M. H. 



Everything is a miracle from somebody's 

 point of view. — Torrey. 



Mr. H. Harris, writes;— I was pleased with 

 the article by Mr. Clute about Hepaticas. It 

 agrees with my own observations, except that I ■ 

 never knew any which were not fragrant, and 

 thought this their chiefest charm. Is there a 

 difference in localities with regard to the fra- 

 grance of flowers ? ; . 



[Has anyone else found fragrant hepaticas? 

 If so how do they compare in abundance with 

 the scentless ones? — Ed.] 



A corkection. 



In your February issue I notice Mr. E. J. 

 Gillett of this county relates the finding of a nest 

 of the white-crowned sparrow near his home. 

 I cannot say what Mr. G's nest is, but presum- 

 ably that of the field sparrow if not that of the 

 song sparrow to which he likens it; but what- 

 ever it may be it is most positively not that of 

 the species Mr. G. says. I am inclined to think, 

 however, that our young friend reported this 

 species ignorantly rather than purposly-but even 

 then he is hardly excusable for by a mere glance 

 at any authentic description he could have 

 quickly learned that there was as much differ- 

 ence between his nest and eggs and that of the 

 white-crowned sparrow's as there is between the 

 Wilson's thrush and the American robin. As 

 yet, the first nest of this species is to be found 

 in our county. The birds are, however, veiy 

 common during migrations. 



Yours truly, 



Frank H. Lattin. 



[ The above note from the publisher of the 

 " Oologist " is conclusive. Mr. Gillett was evi- 

 dently mistaken in his identification. — Ed.] 



