122 



THE YOUNG OOLOGIST. 



Jottings From the Note-book of a Col- 

 lector in Texas. 



Thinking it may interest the readers of 

 The Young Oologist, I send a few notes 

 of my field work during 1 883. I was in 

 the North, New York and Pennsylvania, 

 during '84, and in consequence did not col- 

 lect any that season. My first take was on 

 the 12th of March, when I rim upon a 

 Black Vulture sitting on one egg, the nest 

 placed under an old fallen tree top, incu- 

 bation about one-third advanced. 



Mai-ch 14th — Found nest of the Crow 

 containing live fresh eggs. These were 

 taken out, and passing the nest a few days 

 afterwards found the crow had laid one 

 more egg and was setting hard on that. 



March loth — Found a nest of the Red- 

 bellied Hawk containing three eggs, incu- 

 bation slight. This species frequents the 

 bottoms, building a very large nest of 

 sticks and Spanish moss in the crotch of a 

 tall post-oak or pin-oak tree. Moderately 

 common in this localitj'. 



March 17th— Took a set of Bluebird's, 

 five fresh eggs, out of an old gate-post. 



March 31st— I was in luck this day. 

 While hunting for the nest of a pair of 

 Great Horned Owls that I was positive 

 were breeding in that locality, I flushed a 

 Turkey Buzzard out of a bunch of briars 

 and brambles. On searching I found her 

 nest, a mere hollow in the ground, contain- 

 ing two as beautiful eggs as I have ever 

 seen. I have taken many sets of this spe- 

 cies, but none that will compai-e with the 

 set 1 took this day. After securing my 

 prize I again cominenced paying attention 

 to my Owls, and at last found their nest, a 

 hollow in a large post-oak tree, about 

 twenty feet from the ground and not more 

 than 100 yards from a house. I found this 

 set rather too late to save, as one young 

 ow let had just managed to get his head 

 into this cold, cruel woi'ld; the other egg 

 was slightly chipped. However, as I had 

 never heretofore taken any eggs of this 

 species, I bagged 'em with the rest. 



April 2d — I took my first set of Carolina 

 Wren. The nest was placed [in an old 



outhouse and contained six fresh eggs. I 

 took the last set of this species on July 3d. 



April 4th — I was fortunate in securing a 

 rarity, namely, a set of the Red-cockaded 

 Woodpecker, this day. The nest was 

 pecked in a half rotten pin-oak, twenty-five 

 feet from the ground, and contained four 

 beautiful white eggs, incubation com- 

 menced. 



April 7th — Took my first set of Red- 

 bellied Woodpeckei', five eggs, fresh. 



April 8th — First set of Cardinal Gros- 

 beak was taken t-o-day. I took about two 

 hundred sets of this species, taking the last 

 July 23d. 



April loth — Carolina Dove was the vic- 

 tim to-da}'. This is one of our most com- 

 mon species. I take many sets annually; 

 have taken them as late as August 20th. 



Having seen the Swallow-tailed Kite 

 during the preceding summers, I was on 

 the lookout for their nest, and told Stokes 

 and Dick Lancaster (two brothers whom I 

 emploj^ every year to climb and collect for 

 me) to be on the watch also. 1 waited 

 patiently and at last, on April 21st, Dick 

 Lancaster brought me the welcome tidings 

 that he had found a nest of the Swallow- 

 tailed Kite. Accompanied by his brother 

 Stokes we went for that nest. On arriving 

 thei"e I found the nest was placed in the 

 top of a very tall pin-oak, seventy-five feet 

 or more from the ground. I am a poor 

 climber myself, twenty or twenty -five feet 

 being my limit, and consequently am de- 

 pendent on others when it comes to col- 

 lecting C'row, Hawk and Owl eggs. But 

 to return to our nest. Dick shook his 

 head, the wind was blowing and swaying 

 the nest too much. Stokes said he could 

 climb any tree in the bottom and was going 

 to see into "that nest," took off his boots 

 and commenced ascending. I watched 

 him anxiously and at last saw him peer- 

 ing into the nest, and the welcome cry 

 came down, "Two eggs; guess what color 

 thej^ are." They were brought safely down 

 and proved to be beauties indeed. None 

 other of the Hawk species can equal them 

 in my estimation. I think this set of eggs 

 now graces the cabinet of the editor of 



