THE YOUNG OOLOGIST. 



i6i 



and the bony processes surrounding it, and 

 always on the side contiguous to the nostrils. 



The largest were nearly an inch in length 

 and about one-twentieth of an inch in dia- 

 meter ; white and semi-transparent, very 

 slow motioned. In one case I found over 

 two dozen behind the left eye, a portion of 

 them had collected in a bunch the size of 

 two buckshot. The flesh and tissues sur- 

 rounding the parasites appeared to be in 

 no way inflamed or irritated. 



Qitery ? Were these adult forms, or sim- 

 ply larval or intermediate stages of some 

 other form of parasite ? I had kept the 

 owls alive several days and they ate freely, 

 could see well and appeai'ed perfectly 

 healthy. 



J. B. U., Fork Union, Va. 



The Marsh Hawk. 



The Red-tailed Hawk. 



{Buteo borealis.) 

 This bird is rather common throughout 

 the northwest. It arrives in this locality 

 (44 degrees N. lat.), about the middle of 

 April, and begins to nest soon after its 

 arrival. They generally select an oak tree 

 and place their nest from twenty to ovei' 

 lif ty feet from the ground. It is generally 

 built in sight of houses and fields, the top 

 of a hill or bluff being a most desirable 

 place. The nest itself is a large affair, 

 about thi-ee feet by two, or even larger, 

 lined with birch bark and leaves. The 

 birds are rather sociable, the farmer espec- 

 ially thinking so when he is minus some 

 young chickens. I found one nest within 

 three hundred feet of a much traveled 

 road. I identified the first set I took by 

 seeing the color of the tail when the bird 

 flew between me and the sun. The eggs 

 are generally if not always two in number, 

 dirty white, spotted with reddish brown 

 mostly at the larger end. They measure 

 about 2.20; by nearly 3.00 inches, about the 

 same at both ends. They generallj' build 

 in a tree, but I have found one nest on the 

 face of a cliff, over one hundred feet in 

 height. They leave generally about the 

 last of September or the first of October, 

 but this year remained with us until the 

 middle of October. 



Geo. H. Seloter, 



Lake City, Minnesota. 



(CIRCUS HUDSONIXTS.) 



I have seen from time to time inquiries 

 as to the nature of the Marsh Hawk, in the 

 Young Oologtst. For the benefit of those 

 who are unacquainted with this interesting 

 bird, I will give a description. It is about 

 twenty inches in length, and an adult bird 

 will measure about three feet from tip to 

 tip. During the spring and summer they 

 may often be seen fljnng low over the 

 meadows in search of small rodents, and 

 while flying thus, the white upper tail- 

 coverts, which distinguish this Hawk from 

 others, may be seen from a considerable 

 distance. They build their nest about the 

 first week in Majf, in the middle of a large 

 marsh, or what might be more appropri- 

 ately termed, an open swamp, where spruce 

 trees and huckleberries grow, though they 

 always choose a spot which is free from 

 the larger trees and shrubs, with onlj^ the 

 low swamp laurel, and a bed of moss to 

 sepai'ate the nest from the water. The 

 nest is sometimes only a mere collection of 

 straws and twigs, but is sometimes six or 

 eight inches high, and a foot across. The 

 eggs are 4 or 5 in number, and when fre.sh 

 are a light bluish cast, slightly marked wdth 

 blotches of reddish brown neai- the small 

 end. They measure about 11- to 1 J inches. 

 When flushed from the nest, the old Hawk 

 rises perpendicularly with a piercing cry. 

 Fred. S. Odle. 



Lapeer, Mich. 



Father's Advice to his Son. — "My 

 son, I have heretofore presented you with a 

 copy of the Holy Bible. If you study only 

 one book let that be the book, as the truths 

 it contains 'are able to make j'ou wise unto 

 salvation.' 



I herewith present you with a copy of the 

 recent edition of Webster's Llnahridged 

 Dictionary. If you studj^ only two books 

 let this be the other, as it is not only a 

 dictionary unsurpassed in the spelling, pro- 

 nunciation and defination of words, but is 

 also an encyclopedia of information in its 

 Vocabularies of persons and places noted 

 in Fiction, Scripture, Greek, Latin, and 

 Geographical Names, Biographical Diction- 

 ary, Quotations, Pictorial Illustrations, &c., 

 making it a book to which you will have 

 occasion frequently to refer during life." 

 — President, Marion Female College, 



