16 



THE CONDOR 



Vol. X 



lay one great, round, pearly white &gg in a downy bed of fluffy yellowish feathers. 



The nest was a badly dilapidated magpie's nest from which all of the top had 

 weathered away except a portion which shielded the bird from the north, leaving a 

 rather flat platform of sticks not unlike an old hawk's nest, and was situated about 

 15 feet from the ground in a small cottonwood tree about 8 inches in diameter. 

 The depression of the nest cavity was quite shallow and was unlined except for a 

 thin layer of feathers from the parent's breast, upon which, together with some 

 dead leaves and similar trash the egg was deposited. 



After taking a few preliminary notes we left the nesting site as quietly as pos- 

 sible in order not to disturb the birds any more than was necessary. A week later 

 we returned and carefully approached the nest. The owl evidently heard us and 

 as she raised up we could plainly see her head above the rim of the nest. 



NEST AND EGGS OF THE WESTERN HORNED OWL 



We promptly got our cameras into action and after making a couple of ex- 

 posures from the ground, climbed a tree about 25 feet from the nest in order to get 

 a better view of the brooding female. This did not seem to frighten her, but when 

 we got about half way up a tree within 15 feet of the nest the old bird flopped off 

 the nest and out of sight. 



An examination of the nest revealed two eggs in which incubation had begun. 

 The nest contained many more feathers than on the previous week and as a breeze 

 was blowing these nodding feathers gave the interior of the nest a beautifully soft 

 downy appearance. By climbing an adjacent tree and lashing the camera to a 

 limb we secured a close view of the nest and eggs, and then by careful work, after 

 winding the nest securely, we cut down the tree and, loading it into the wagon nest 

 and all, carried it in triumph to the Colorado Museum of Natural History 



