THE NIDIOLOGIST 



ing them on the rocks. In spite of my hat, which 

 I held under the nest, I dropped the first one on 

 the ground. This accident showed me where 

 to hold my hat. Although I dropped two oth- 

 ers, they landed safely. It was necessary to re- 

 move all the twigs to get out the nest ])roper, 

 which was very heavily lined with skunk's hair. 

 On this trip I heard a Wren up a rocky little 

 gulch, and climbing up found the nest in a 

 crevice of the loose rock in the side of a cliff. 

 Taking off my shoes, and holding on by my 

 toes and finger nails, I managed to reach the 

 nest, which contained five young birds. A 

 piece of eggshell was lying just below the nest. 

 This nest was of the same construction cs the 



wide by one and one half deep. The set of 

 eggs taken last year measure .7i.\.56, .71.x. 56, 

 .71.X.55, .71X.55, .71X.54. Those taken this 

 year measure .68X.50, .6gx.49, .68X.49, .6SX.49, 

 .67X.49. The ground color is white; the mark- 

 ings are reddish-brown and a few spots of gray 

 and lavender. The spots are distributed over 

 the egg, being usually heaviest at the larger ends. 

 Berryessa, Cal. R. H. Beck. 



R 



E.\RRED OWL S NEST, EGGS, AND YOUNG. 

 ^PhoLOS^:lphed from life.) 



others, with a little lining of deer hair. Making 

 a trip to the nests on June 11, the young birds 

 from the first nest were found among the rocks 

 about one hundred yards from the nest. The 

 others were not seen. Both the nests that con- 

 tained the young were torn in pieces and scat- 

 tered about. 



The pair I took the eggs from had moved 

 about one hundred yards, and evidently had a 

 nest which I could not find. One pair of birds 

 that were seen at the same place the last three 

 years were absent this year. The nests are 

 built on a foundation of twigs, the nest proper 

 being of moss from the rocks, lined with hair, 

 a few leaves, or feathers. The top of the nest 

 is smooth, especially the entrance, which some- 

 times extends for an inch or two on the rock if 

 it is level with the top of the nest. The cavity 

 of the nest is about one and three quarter inches 



Dicksonia. 



E.'X.DERS who have noted some accounts 

 in the Nidiologist of the pet Black- 

 iicr.ded Grosbeak " Dick," will be 

 pleased to know that his 

 j.iersonality is still impress- 

 ive, as witnesseth the fol- 

 lowing letter from our 

 good friend, Miss Mary 

 C. Harbaugh, of Alameda, 

 Cal.: 



" When ' Dick ' came 

 into our bird family some 

 months ago, he was — to 

 us — a stranger, yet from 

 the first hour of his ar- 

 rival he won a place in our 

 affections by his quiet, 

 trustful ways. His bright 

 eyes took inquiring glan- 

 ces about the new sur- 

 roundings, which no doubt 

 were assuring, for his 

 sweet piping notes were 

 soon heard either in solo 

 or accompanying the joy- 

 ous tones of Canary com- 

 j;anions. 



" His morning greeting 

 is a funny ' squeak,' as dis- 

 tinctly uttered as though spoken. When 

 breakfast appears, his delight is expressed by 

 hopping up and down, his feet beating a regu- 

 lar tattoo on the perch, whilst bright eyes 

 watch the shredding of a delicious bit of steak, 

 which is eagerly caught if dropped, and carried 

 to the small dish which serves as a dining table. 

 A great deal of fuss ensues if said table is not 

 constantly supplied with bread, cake, fruit, 

 cooked potato, or almost anything eatable, as 

 Dick is not at all choice in his bill of fare. 



" His singing is the delight of the neighbor- 

 hood, being as varied as that of a Mocking- 

 bird. (In proof whereof I was offered two in 

 exchange.) The hooting of the Owl; the 'Cher- 

 ries, cherries,' as distinct as a Robin could 

 say ; the low notes of a bird in distress, ending 

 in a joyous trill, with spreading, trembling 

 wings, make the songster a picture of delight. 



