the wing beats of the great birds as they 
passed over. The whole situation was 
grotesquely comical, and I could not help 
imagining the surprise of some of our col- 
lectors in less favored sections were they 
present with usat the shcw. Is it any 
wonder that Westerners get a reputation 
for exaggeration? But the foregoing is 
true asset down, “Wm. Henry,” ef a/ tothe 
contrary if they’ choose, and Ward will 
bear me out. ‘The nest, as I expected, was 
complete except for the lining. Possibly 
the Eagles were a young and inexperienced 
pair; yet if they sought security in an un- 
looked for spot, they were certainly in a 
way to succeed. 
H. R. Tayror. 
oe 
A Glimpse of S. auricapillus 
WAS SITTINC there on the sunny side 
of a deep ravine when he hopped into 
view. So silently he came, that had I 
not caught the queer rustle of the chestnut 
leaves among the pine needles as he came 
around the base of a large birch, I should 
not have suspected his presence. 
He was then not more than ten yards 
from me, across the hollow, and I could 
even catch the light reflected from his 
pretty bright eyes as he stood there a 
moment irresolutely watching. ‘Then, 
appearing satisfied of my peaceable inten- 
tions, he continued his interrupted search 
among the leaves. 
Oceasionally something he attempted to 
pick up would escape him and roll down 
the bank a few feet only to be immediately 
snapped up again by the bird who rapidly 
pursued it. Ifa fallen twig lay in his path 
he would hop upon it, sharpening or clean- 
ing his bill by a single stroke, never bend- 
ing the body but using the neck alone, and 
in a very dignified manner. 
Near me, on my right, lay a thin patch 
of snow, as large in area, perhaps, as a 
dining table, which the heavy shade of a 
thick hemlock had preserved longer than 
most of the “‘beautiful.” When the Thrush 
came to this he paused to deliberate scarcely 
half a second, and then, running into the 
deepest of it, began scratching much the 
same as he had the leaves but a few seconds 
before. 
In a monient, having a hollow suitably 
prepared, he crouched down and gave 
several sharp flaps of his wings that sent 
the snow over him in showers and when he 
THE NIDOLOGIST 95 
had ceased it left him nearly buried from 
view. After this novel proceeding was 
over he continued feeding as unconcern- 
edly as before, having never since he first 
came into sight deigned to cast an open 
glance at me, although covetly watching 
me, I daresay, all the time. 
But what is that, fez, fowhi, fwhi, fwht, 
fwii, five times in quick succession? ‘The 
quick whistle of a Cooper’s Hawk as he 
darts low down through the trees, closely 
pursued by two Crows, and as I glanced 
at my little companion, I saw him tremble 
and cringe to the ground for a second and 
then go scurrying off into some distant 
underbrush as fast as bis pretty brown 
wings could carry him. 
ARTHUR M. FARMER. 
Clinton, Mass. 
—— 9+ = 
Willard Safe—A Correction 
Mr. John M. Willard of Oakland, Cal., 
writes: ‘‘While looking over THE NrpoL- 
ocistT for February I saw on page 58 the 
little note of mine about the nest within a 
nest, and noticed that the date given is 
Fanuary 9, 1896. I think I said Fly 9. 
If it is my mistake Iam willing to take 
the consequences, but, ‘Next month we 
shall most likely have to expose an 
unusually audacious fraud,’ which you 
have put on the next line below, might be 
taken as an insinuation that you were 
going to expose the writer of that note as a 
fraud, as Arkansas Goldfinckes’ and empty 
Grosbeaks’ nests do not often grow in early 
January.”’ 
— eee = 
Pine Siskins Far South 
On March 13 I sawa flock of about 30 Pine 
Siskins (Spzmus pinus) in a gum and maple swamp 
just across the river from New Orleans. I 
secured a female from the flock which quickly 
disappeared when I shot. As far as I know this 
species is rare here; have never seen it before. 
Spring has been very early in southern Louis- 
iana, and most of the birds have come a little 
earlier than usual. The first Chimney Swift was 
seen March 13; first Red-eyed Vireos March 20; 
first Prothonotary Warblers March 20; first 
Orchard Oriole March 23, with bulk of males 
March 30. March 26, a Black-throated Blue 
Warbler was seen; this bird is rare here. March 
27 several arrivals were noted: Crested Flycatcher, 
Wood Thrush, Warbling Vireo and Indigo Bunt- 
ing, while on March 31 the first Barn Swallow 
was seen. 
H. H. KopMaAn, 
New Orleans, La. 
