38 



Bulletin of the Michigan Ornithological Club. 



sqitainaia.) Upper parts are as in the normal plumage 

 with the exception of a peculiar bluish bloom, such 

 as is seen on plums, grapes and fruit of a like nature. 



The label reads as follows: Sex, male; date Oct. 

 16th, 1897; locality, Michigan Agricultural College; col- 

 lectors, L. J. Cole and W. B. B. 



Adolphe B. Covert. 



Ann Arbor, Mich., January, 1899. 



A Word About a Great Horned Owl's Nest. 



On the 30th of March, while I was passing an after- 

 noon in a grove of oaks near Burgess Lake, I was sur- 

 prised to notice signs of occupancy about a nest built by 

 a Red shouldered Plavvk, and decided to investigate. 

 On ascending to the nest, which was in a large white 

 oak, I was pleased to find that appearances had not 

 deceived me. The nest contained two down covered 

 Owls and one egg just about to hatch. I extricated the 

 youn(3 bird from the egg and took the shell home with 

 me. The old birds were very solicitous about their 

 offspring and would not lea-\'e me, but flew around 

 hooting, and, as it seemed to me, cui'sing me. On 

 again visiting the nest on the 25lh, I was rather surprised 

 to find that the young bird AAhich I had aided in its 

 entrance into this world, had survived my rather rough 

 handling, and was seemingly as healthy as the other two 

 birds, although somewhat smaller. On again visiting 

 the nest on the 30th, I found but two young birds in the 

 nest, one of the larger birds having disappeared, and 

 the smallest had a small mark on the top of his head as 

 though he had been injured. During the last two visits 

 to the nest the male was not to be seen, although the 

 female still guarded her treasures. It may be that the 

 male had been killed, and that the young Owl was killed 

 by a Hawk or Crow during the absence of the female in 

 search of food. As it is rather uncommon for the 

 Great Horned Owl to lay three eggs, and as it is also 

 somewhat out of the ordinary for a young Owl to be 

 aided in his hatching by the rather rude hand of man, I 

 thought that perhaps this would interest the Club. 



C. B. Rarden. 



Greenville, Mich. 



Henslow's Sparrow and the Dickcissel 

 in Ontario. 



The Dickcissel {Spiza aniericana) is by no means 

 rare in the western end of the Ontario peninsula, 

 having been noted commonly at Point Pelee and the 

 nearby mainland in June, and in fair numbers west 

 of Chatham in June and July. In the first year of 

 the dearth of Bluebirds there were five males noted 

 near London and one at Ottawa, and one nest with five 

 eggs was found near London on the farm of a bird-lover, 

 who hoped they would come again next year; but 

 they ungratefully didn't, although they raised their 

 brood in safety. Individuals have been noted near 

 the northern shore of Lake Erie in various years, 

 but they are not known to be regular breeders east 

 of Chatham. The first capture, which was at Point 

 Pelee, is recorded in the Auk, Vol. II, page 307. 



Henslow's Sparrow is a new addition to tire Canadian 

 fauna and was first found on May 24th, 1898, by 

 Mr. H. Gould, of London, and myself, near the mouth 

 of the Thames river. 



In our two visits about ten birds were noted 

 and two shot. They were living in the wet, grassy 

 pastures close to marshy land, and were certainly the 

 most inconspicuous birds either ofus had ever seen. The 

 first one we pursued because of its peculiar flight, which 



we thought belonged to no familiar bird and we had 

 to shoot it on the wing with our little Stevens' 

 bicycle guns, because it would not permit any other 

 view. While chasing it we heard the song (?) of 

 the male consisting of the syllables "tse lep," and it was 

 so unobtrusive that we passed it by aud only recollected 

 it as a bird note on June 12, when we heard and 

 saw others near the same place. I can offer nothing 

 new in regard to its life history — indeed we made 

 very little acquaintance with the birds at all, but 

 were laid for next year! They were 

 very unobtrusive and very hard to get; 

 seldom showing themselves, even on a mullein stalk, and 

 even then, generally at long range. When on the 

 ground they are almost invisible and seem to keep 

 a very sharp eye on intruders. After finding them 

 so comparatively common at the mouth of the Thames it 

 was very interesting to find two of them — males — on 

 July 2, near Sarnia, Ont., and within 2 miles 

 of Lake Huron. These were evidently breeding 

 birds with nests well hidden, but their attachment to one 

 locality betrayed their story. 



what plans 

 very quiet. 



All along the shore 

 suitable breeding grounds 

 confidently expect to meet 

 in our western counties, 

 the same ground. Mr. 



of Lake St. Clair are 



for this species, and I 



them at every opportunity 



Michigan has probably much of 



W. A. Davidson tells nae he has 



hunted especially for them without success, but I feel 

 sure that they will yet be proven not uncommon in 

 suitable localities W. E, Saunders. 



London, Ont. 



Some Unusual Occurrences. 



A fine specimen of the American Goshawk 

 [Accipiter ntricapillus) was shot near this place 

 December 24th, 1898. This fine hawk has been 

 taken in various places throughout the state, but this 

 is the first one taken in Wayne County to my knowledge. 



A Belted Kingfisher was observed on December 29. 

 Although they are reported as occasional during mild 

 winters, this is very late for one to be seen on our 

 small streams. 



In the latter part of October an Eagle was caught near 

 Northville (this county) by a German, who saw it 

 dive after a flock of Quail in a thick growth of raspberry 

 bushes, in which it became entangled. Rushing upon it 

 he caught it by the butts of its wings, and it is now 

 in the grocery store of Fry Bros., in Northville. I 

 was summoned by postal to identify the bird, which was 

 somewhat difficult to do as it was in the immature 

 plumage; but the legs were feathered clear doiun to 

 the foot, which caused me to think it was a young 

 Golden Eagle. To make sure I sent a description 

 of the bird to Dr. Elliot Coues, who replied, "If 

 your Eagle is feathered down the shanks to the roots 

 of the toes it is the Golden Eagle." This is, I 

 believe, the first specimen of this species that has 

 been taken in this locality. 



Some time during September, 1898, an American 

 Barn Owl {Strix pratincola) was shot by Mr. Abraham 

 Sheffield near Salem, Washtenaw County. The bird 

 was mounted by Mr. Wm. Starks, of Northville, and 

 is now in his possession. This is the first record of this 

 l)ird being found in this locality that I know of. 



James B. Purdy. 



Plymouth, Wayne Co., Mich. 



Snowy Owls {Nyctea nyctcd) have made their 

 appearance in southern Michigan in scant numbers this 

 winter. 



