NATURAL HISTORY. 



387 



al bobcat or skunk. There were plenty 

 of deer farther up in the hills, but they 

 were out of season. 



After hunting all morning and getting 

 but two rabbits, we were tired and dis- 

 couraged. We stopped at the head of a 

 gulch, on a large rock, and ate our lunch- 

 con, after which we felt better. After 

 resting awhile we started down the gulch, 

 which was a homeward direction. We 

 had heard of an old mine in the gulch, but 

 not knowing exactly where it was, we 

 reached it before we expected to. Proba- 

 bly we should have passed it had not Shep 

 made a tremendous uproar at the en- 

 trance. We ran to him, supposing game 

 was in sight, but to our disgust we found 

 nothing but the dreary black hole. We 

 tried in vain to stop the barking of the 

 excited dog, so we decided to make an in- 

 vestigation of the old mine. With a 

 piece of old pine board we made a torch. 

 We took one gun with us in case of an 

 encounter with some terrific beast, which 

 would not have been much of a surprise 

 in a place of that kind. 



I took the lead with the torch and Roger 

 followed with the old muzzle loader, full 

 cocked. As we crept into that damp, 

 dark hole, our teeth were chattering pres- 

 tissimo. We had gone about 50 feet, when 

 Shep sprang past us with a savage growl 

 and rushed at something. I could not see 

 what it was, for they were in a fierce 

 struggle, and we dared not shoot lest we 

 hit Shep. In my excitement I held the 

 torch too near the roof, and the dampness 

 instantly put out our light. I. hunted in 

 my pockets for a match, but before I 

 could light my torch again something hit 

 me on .the head, and out of the mine we 

 both went as fast as our legs could carry 

 us, never stopping until we were a mile 

 from the mine and on the main road home. 



We had quite a vigorous dispute as_ to 

 what that old mine was inhabited with. 

 I said wildcats, but Roger was convinced 

 it 'was spirits. To our relief and aston- 

 ishment the question was settled when 

 Shep came up with a large mountain rat 

 in his mouth, scratched a little, but none 

 the worse for his encounter. 



M. L. Goff, Gunnison, Colo. 



A TORMENTED OWL. 



February 2 I was attracted by the chirp- 

 ing of about 100 sparrows. The chirping 

 grew angrier and angrier until it became a 

 yelling and screaming din. On investigat- 

 ing I found that a poor saw-whet owl was 

 the cause of the rumpus. It was snugly 

 hid in a fir tree and looked as if it would 

 enjoy a good long sleep, but the sparrows' 

 scolding forbade it. 



I have often read that the owl has suf- 

 fered endless persecution by other birds 



when found asleep in the day time, and I 

 was glad to have the opportunity which 

 verified this statement. 



"As saucy as an English sparrow," is a 

 common expression. These sparrows were 

 uncommonly saucy. The owl seemed try- 

 ing its best to ignore the scoldings of the 

 little shrews, and this fact seemed to anger 

 the sparrows still more. About a dozen 

 flew to the branch on which the owl was 

 perched and jostled her. If the owl had 

 not made a few sleepy pecks at them they 

 would have crowded her from the branch. 



Desiring to obtain a better view of her, 

 I shook the branch. She flew away out of 

 sight, but still followed by her tormenlors. 

 I again heard the sparrows a few rods 

 away, and with small difficulty found the 

 owl seated on a branch of a cedar and 

 again having a court of screaming spar- 

 rows about her. On my nearer approach 

 she focused her large yellow eyes on me 

 and again, took flight, entering a barn 

 through a hole which was barely large 

 enough to admit her. 



This little incident showed me that owls 

 are not entirely blind in the daytime, and 

 that sparrows are more saucy and persist- 

 ent than I ever imagined them to be. 



Litta Voelchert, Manitowoc, Wis. 



TO PRESERVE BIRDS' NESTS. 



In making a collection of bird's nests, 

 how much of the branch on which a nest 

 hangs should be preserved? How can 

 mud plastered nests be kept from crumb- 

 ling and falling apart? 



I hope Recreation will publish more 

 articles like the one by J. A. Loring in the 

 May number. The drawings by L. Grey 

 are of great value to a student of birds. 

 O. M. Gates, Mansfield, O. 



ANSWER. 



In collecting nests, it is not advisable to 

 save more than 6 inches of the branch on 

 which a nest is situated. To do otherwise 

 makes a collection so large that it is diffi- 

 cult to provide cases to properly protect it 

 from dust and destruction. When collect- 

 ing nests each should be carefully wrapped 

 in every direction with thread to preserve 

 its shape until it is finally placed in its case 

 in the collection. The nests are mounted 

 by placing them on wire standards, which 

 are fastened to small wooden pedestals, 

 which carry the label. It is a difficult mat- 

 ter to handle nests made of mud. and keep 

 them from falling apart ; but, by treating 

 them as carefully as eggs are treated, it can 

 be accomplished. The best course to pursue 

 is to take nests after the young have been 

 reared and the birds have flown, place them 

 in a bed of tow, or cotton, in a box of the 

 right size, and carry by hand to the col- 

 lection. To prepare such nests for exhibi- 



