92 
THE NIDOLOGIST 
Mountains, in Southern Arizona. We had 
been watching the birds for several days, 
as they chased each other up and down the 
canyon, before we decided to disturb them. 
There were several large colonies in the 
different cliffs close at hand. 
“Tt was on June 10, 1896 that I dis- 
covered a nest that I thought we could 
reach. The cliff that contained it was 
about half a mile up the canyon from our 
camp. As soon as we were satisfied we 
could get the nest we went back to camp 
and carried our rope to the bottom of the 
cliff. The rope was 34 inch and 4oo feet in 
length. Mr. O. W. Howard went around 
the cliff to the top, dropped us a string, 
hauled up the rope and made it fast to a 
small pine. We were about 150 feet from 
the bottom of the canyon on a shelf of rock 
while Howard was a hundred feet higher. 
The cliff was overhanging and the rope 
hung out from the foot of a rock about 15 
feet. The nest was about twenty feet from 
the top of the rock, thus the rope hung 
out from it. There was a large cave just 
beneath so we boys at the bottom pulled 
the rope in about 50 feet and pulled it tight 
so that the center of the rope was against 
the rock by the nest. 
“Howard slipped down the rope and 
looked ino the nest. It contained one 
fresh egg, or rather the egg was laid about 
six inches to one side of the nest. He 
could not reach the egg with his hand, so 
he slid to the bottom and we manufactured 
a couple of scoops. One was a spoon on a 
stick and the other a miniature butterfly 
net Another trip was made down the 
rope and the one egg secured. Several 
days later three more eggs were taken from 
the same nest. 
“‘Five trips in all were made down the 
rope in securing the set and nest, three by 
O. W. Howard and two by myself. 
Another crevice was discovered a few 
yards from the one from which eggs were 
taken. We were all at the bottom of the 
cliff, so we thought it would be too much 
trouble to climb around to the top of the 
cliff. I decided to try a little rope-climb- 
ing. The first twenty-five feet was easy 
climbing, as the boys kept a heavy strain 
on the rope, but the next ten feet was 
anything but pleasant. The rope turned 
around with me and I had a good view of 
the bottom of the canyon a tew hundred 
feet below several times in quick succes- 
sion. When I reached the crack I could 
not get into it as it ran straight into the 
cliff for several feet. 
““A few days later another cliff was tried 
but with poor luck, for we could not get to 
the nest after reaching the place where the 
birds went in. The nest obtained was 
composed of grass, soft twigs and feathers, 
glued to the rock so tight that I had a hard 
time in removing it. The nest was about- 
eighteen inches from the mouth of the 
crevice.”’ 
The Southern Division met March 27 at 
the home of Otto J. Zahn in Los Angeles. 
It was reported that a list of Ornithological 
books had been placed in the Los Angeles 
Public Library at the request of the 
Southern Division, for which a vote of 
thanks was passed. The meeting had been 
called in honor of the memory of Major 
Bendire, but the rendition of the program 
was deferred until April 24, when the 
Division will meetat Highland Park. The 
Secretary read a review of the life of Major 
Bendire by Dr. Merriam in ‘‘Science.”’ 
Personal reminiscences of Major Bendire 
were given by Walter E. Bryant; they but 
repeated the sentiments of all who knew 
this great scientist, that he was ‘‘a man of 
energy, perseverance and courage,’’ and in 
his scientific work was satisfied with 
nothing short of the best results that could 
be obtained. 
Northern Division 
The Northern Division combined its 
March and April meetings April 3, when it 
met at the Delta Upsilon Fraternity House, 
Stanford University. Five visitors were 
present. John M. Wiliard and C. W. Ran- 
dall Jr. of Oakland were elected to active 
membership. The resignation of Rev. E. 
Lyman Hood, owing to his total lack of 
time, was accepted. 
The case of Oscar P. Silliman of Castro- 
ville, who was charged at the February 
meeting with defrauding a certain party 
with spurious sets of Townsend’s Warbler, 
Vaux’s Swift and other rare species of eggs 
was taken up for final action. The evi- 
dence being complete the following resolu- 
tions were unanimously passed, having been 
concurred in by the Southern Division: 
‘Whereas, Oscar P. Silliman of Castro- 
ville, Cal., a member of the Cooper Ornitho- 
logical Club, has shown conclusively by a 
written confession to a certain party, that 
he has indulged in numerous fraudulent 
ry 
