42 



JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



the ground and surroundings and care- 

 fully preserving the carcass of the fox 

 we carried them to camp to send them 

 to a taxidermist for mounting later 

 on. 



We found that the eagle measured 

 7 feet, 1 inch from tip to tip and 

 weighed 52 pounds and a half. His 

 talons measured Sy 2 inches in length 

 from the main claw to the back claw 

 and spread 6 inches. He was in full 

 winter plumage and in magnificent 

 physical condition, and I prize the 

 group as one of the choicest specimens 

 in my large collection. 



ARTHUR I. NASH. 



A LOVE STORY OF BIRDLAND. 



When other swallows had assumed 

 the joys and responsibilities of house- 

 keeping my hero alone was mateless. 

 Mateless because the lady of his 

 enoice had yielded to the endearments 

 of one larger and stronger than him- 

 self, though none the less beautiful or 

 affectionate, and with his aid begun 

 the structure of her nest upon a rafter 

 of the hennery. 



In vain he sat upon a nearby pro- 

 jection and chattered to her of love or 

 displayed to the best advantage his 

 little form and brilliant colors while 

 flying around her in graceful circlet: 

 content with her partner's love and 

 busy with houshold preparations, she 

 viewed him with indifference. Not so 

 her mate. Every insult that his mind 

 could conceive or his superior strengtn 

 inflict he heaped upon his rival who 

 returned again and again to renew his 

 courtship with the courage of despair. 



His beautiful coat became a ruffled 

 mass of feathers, his head was covered 

 with unhealed wounds and he seemed 

 to have reached the acme of unhapni- 

 ness. 



One evening he watched the old hen 

 covering her downy brood and a greal 



longing took possession of him to rest 

 near her great, loving heart and lie 

 escaped from his tormentor to the 

 shelter of her wing. 



There he was found at daybreak all 

 unmindful of his wounds and broken 

 limb and poor little broken heart that 

 had ceased to beat. 



HATTIE WASHBURN, 



Goodwin, S. D. 



BIRDS IN THE VICINITY OF PORT- 

 LAND. 



Having lived for quite a number of 

 seasons in a summer cottage near the 

 woods and fields of Cape Elizabeth, I 

 have used the opportunity thus afforded 

 to spend an hour or two each pleasant 

 morning, especially during the migra- 

 tions and nesting periods, with the 

 birds which are here found in great 

 variety, and have from time to time 

 extended my observations to the other 

 towns around Portland The Cape fur- 

 nishes most of the conditions which 

 attract birds, deep woods, wet swamps, 

 scrubby pastures, broad meadows and 

 wooded farmland, while not far away 

 is the sea washing up on sandy 

 beaches, backed by salt marshes. Her- 

 ring gulls fly all winter up and down 

 the harbor and crows are constantly 

 seen in cold weather not far from the 

 coast. Chicadees, tree sparrows, gold- 

 en-crowned kinglets and downy wood- 

 peckers are winter residents along the 

 shore in pine groves. 



Bluebirds have been seen every- 

 where hereabouts this summer m 

 greater numbers than usual, the same 

 as reported from other parts of the 

 state. The junco is seen in great 

 flocks early in March and for sever;.'] 

 weeks thereafter. A few are said io 

 nest on the islands of Casco bay, but I 

 have not seen them. This spring af- 

 ter i he 1 I tli of March, the fox sparrows 



