THE NIDOLOGIST 5 
through the shells of four eggs. I de- 
scended, but as I called to mind an over- 
cautious Oologist stealthily leaving a nest 
of fresh eggs, twelve days previous, my 
thoughts were more expressive than ele- 
gant. 
While out gunning October 1g in a local- 
ity distant from the nest I came across a 
fine male of this species and secured him 
before he was aware of my proximity. He 
is now in my possession, nicely mounted. 
Early in May, ’96, I was watching the 
locality of the nest of 95, but several visits 
failed to show a single bird, though I saw 
one in the much larger growth adjoining, 
and I decided they had retired to the deeper 
and more inaccessible woods,and reluctant- 
ly gave up hope of finding another nest. A 
Broad-winged Hawk was located in the 
larger growth, and on the r1thI went there 
and made a thorough search for the nest. 
For hours I searched unsuccessfully, and at 
last gave up, the Broad-wing circling over- 
head with a derisive ‘‘sig-e-e-e-e’’ as I de- 
parted. (And right here I must remark 
that those Michigan brethren who collect 
Hawks’ eggs in a top buggy ought to visit 
this section, where we amass a series by 
finding one nest with infinite trouble and 
then securing one set from it each year.) 
As I was near the nest of ’95 I decided to 
make another search in its vicinity,and was 
soon rewarded by finding a hole from which 
a small portion of a head protruded, but not 
enough to distinguish whether it belonged 
to the greatest of northern Woodpeckers or 
only a Flicker. All efforts to dislodge the 
bird were vain. I pounded the stub and 
bombarded the entrance with clubs without 
the slightest effect. so I strapped on my 
climbers and ascended. I was more than 
half way up to the nest before the bird, 
Ceophloeus pileatus indeed, with erected crest 
and expanded wings, sailed from the nest 
to a tree near by, from that to another, and 
so on until out ofsight. The cavity admit- 
ted my arm, and in another instant I was 
holding in my hand two beautiful translu- 
cent eggs. I returned them to the nest, for 
I was sure the set was not complete. On 
the 15th I visited the nest and found the 
male occupying the cavity. He did not 
leave until I was within ten feet of the 
nest,when he flew to a tree nearby. Hedid 
not leave at once as had been done previ- 
ously, but exhibited perfect indifference to 
me, staying within three rods of the nest 
and occasionally moving from one tree to 
another and tapping in a desultory manner 
on the trunk. ‘The nest contained three 
eggs, and incubation had not commenced, 
so I again left them. I had hardly reached 
the base of the stub before the male alighted 
at the entrance, and, after repeated inquir- 
ing glances within, entered and disap- 
peared. ‘The 20th I again visited the nest. 
The bird flew directly out of sight when I 
was part way up the stub. At none of my 
visits did the birds utter a note of remon- 
strance. 
The nest hole was in a large dead beech 
stub thirty-four feet five inches from the 
lower edge of the entrance to the ground. 
The cavity was large and roomy, being 
wider at the top, like a cup, measuring, 
straight in horizontally, the rule placed on 
the lower edge of the entrance, eleven 
inches; depth, fifteen inches; diameter of 
entrance, four inches. 
No more eggs had been laid, so I took 
the set of three. I was surprised to find 
incubation considerably advanced, as the 
eggs were fresh the 15th. ‘The period of 
incubation for these birds must be short—I 
think not over twelve or fourteen days. 
The eges average larger than the measure- 
ments usually given, a common occurrence 
when the number of eggs in the set is small. 
One egg is noticeably smaller than the 
others. The three eggs measure: 1.43 x 
1-034 1-41 X 1-02) 1.20.97 in inches: 
Ten days later I happened to pass the 
nest and as I passed I hit the stub, and was 
surprised to see the male appear at the en- 
trance. I climbed to the nest two days 
later, but it was empty. The male was 
probably using it for a roost while the 
female was preparing another nest else- 
where. 
Pittsfield, Maine. 
; A 
Minnesota [en Organize. 
September 4 a meeting was held at the residence 
of Mr Mitchell in St. Paul to organize a State Orni- 
thological Association. Thirty-two names were en- 
rolled as charter members. Mr. Mitchell was elected 
temporary Chairman and Mr. Peabody Secretary. A 
committee was appointed to draw up a Constitution and 
By-Laws, A communication was read from Rev. P. 
3. Peabody of St. Vincent and three sets of eggs of the 
White-faced Glossy Ibis, the first recorded in the State, 
exhibited. All Ornithologists of Minn., desiring to join 
the Association should address W. I. Mitchell, 534 
Summit avenue, St. Paul. 
LLoyD PEABODY, 
SechiMin OseAs 
