t84 T^he West American Scientist. 



We visited this locality again the latter part of July, of the same 

 year, ('85), and found a spoonbill's nest containing three half-grown 

 birds. As the adult birds were in poor plumage, we secured only 

 a few specimens, but determined that the next year we would be 

 in time for both birds and eggs. 



In the early spring of '86, we visited this locality several times, 

 and watched the spoonbill very closely. In May we noticed them 

 carrying sticks, and found where a small "rookery" was being 

 built. On the second day of June, we visited it and were success- 

 ful in taking several sets of eggs. The "rookery" was in a small 

 clump of Cypress trees. The nests varied in height from the 

 ground, from 5 to 15 feet, and resembled very much a heron's 

 nest, being more "bulky" however, and made of green, instead of 

 dead sticks. The eggs were ashy white, spotted with reddish 

 brown, varying much in shape and size. Average size 2.50x1.80. 

 The usual number of eggs found in a nest was 3 and 4. We took 

 from one nest, however, 7 eggs, all perfectly fresh. From several 

 nests we took as many as 5 and 6 eggs. In this same "rookery" 

 were nesting, the American egrett, La. heron and snake bird. 



We secured several specimens of the spoonbill this time, and 

 they were in beautiful plumage. As we examine these specimens, 

 we cannot help but remember how they looked while alive, and 

 are forced to the conclusion that nowhere else do these birds look 

 so beautiful as in their native haunts. There perched in a tree, 

 each movement shows some new color or tint to admire, or flying 

 over head the squeaking of its wings, like some old door on its 

 rusty hinges, causes attention to its swift and graceful flight. 



R. E. Hachford & Son. 



RED TAILED HAWK, 



I found a nest of this species on April 9th, '87. It was in a 

 medium sized oak, and not more than thirty-five feet from the 

 ground. When I first saw the nest, the old hawk was setting. I 

 threw several stones into the tree before I could make her leave. 



The nest was not easy to reach, owing to grape vines matted 

 about the body of the tree; but, by using my hatchet freely, I 

 managed to reach the nest, which contained three eggs : white, 

 with bluish tinge, spotted and blotched with brown umber, a few 

 small spots of black, and large splashes of very light brown. On 

 one, the spots formed a ring around one end, and numerous spots 

 over the entire surface ; on another, the spots are large and scat- 

 tered all over the surface, but more thickly at one end; on the 

 third, the spots formed a ring around the middle of the ^^^, with 

 spots and blurs all over the surface. They measure as follows: — 

 2 40x1. 91; 2.48x1.93; and 2.51XI.92 in. 



The nest was placed in a fork, and was composed of sticks, 

 twigs, small branches, corn husks, grass and moss, lined with 



