Bulletin No. 12. 5 



one of the latter having been shot at Delavan Lake, extent seven feet 

 two inches, weight nine pounds. 



Passenger Pigeon, Ectofiistes migratorius. — A fine single Passenger 

 Pigeon shot on September 8, 1896. 



Am. Osprey, Pandion haliaetus Carolines sis. — Several Ospreys, quite 

 a rare bird here, seen during the fall and summer — one in July and the 

 remainder in September. 



Snowy Owl, Nyctea nyctea. — One Snowy Owl, so far this winter, 

 seen on December 11. 



Redpolls, Acatithis linaria. — Have appeared here this winter for the 

 first time to my knowledge. The first were seen on November 24 and I 

 thought them to be Goldfinches from their long drawn-out "me-e-e-e-e-," 

 but on catching a glimpse of one, I at once recognized it as Acanthis 

 linaria. They have since become very abundant and are still here 

 (January 12), but I have so far searched in vain for a red male. Their 

 flight is exactly like that of the Goldfinch and they call repeatedly while 

 on the wing. When very close to a party of them in the bushes, one 

 can hear a repeated " chi'p-chij)-chijti-chij)," with a rising and falling in- 

 flection, as if in conversation. This and the call are the only notes I 

 have heard. N. Hollister, Delavan, Wis. 



A New Mexican Bird. — Western Nighthawk, Chordeiles Virginia- 

 mis henryi.— This bird is quite common in New Mexico, replacing the 

 common Nighthawk. The cry and flight are the same, but the birds ap- 

 pear to sleep oftener on the ground. I have often started them up when 

 out walking, long after the end of the breeding season. When flushed 

 from their nests they would circle around once or twice and then alight 

 within a few yards and wait anxiously until I walked away. The eggs 

 were laid on the bare ground without even a sign of a depression to keep 

 them from rolling away. How the birds ever found them after once 

 leaving them is a wonder to me, as the places all looked alike and the 

 eggs resembled the soil so in appearance that it was hard to distinguish 

 them, even when they were pointed out. These birds did not seem to 

 gather together as much as does our common eastern form while flying. 



Sydney S. Wilson, St. Joseph, Mo. 



Mr. Wilson also sends a clipping from a local paper which gives an 

 account of a ferocious attack by a Bald Eagle upon a horse. The horse 

 had been ridden into a field, and tied to a tree while its owner was hunt- 

 ing. Soon the eagle appeared and pounced upon the horse, which was 

 unable to break away and free itself from its tormentor. " Holzhauser 



