34 



THE BAY STATE OOLOGIST. 



I "tipped" my purse liberally to a number, but was unable to gain the desired 

 information. The amazing lack or Ornithological love among the "masses" is 

 certainly deplorable. I remember a natural history dealer, who was worried to 

 death by inquiries about a window he had fixed with mammals and birds; the prin- 

 cipal one being, "where did them Ostrich eggs come from?" They being eggs of 

 the Com. Guillemot. 



Resorting to my last means, I called upon the corpulent editor of the "Adver- 

 tiser" in his sacred sanctum. He had been so informed by a "cracker" farmer who 

 had been so told by one of his servants. The place had been nick-named "Negro- 

 town," so to this place I turned my wandering feet. After trudging about five 

 miles, I enquired at a low log hut, whether they knew of the nest. The versatile 

 proprietor, an Ethiopian as black as a coal heaver, replied: "Sutinly suh, sutinlv. 

 Hit's a fac' ! De nest am 'bout a ha'f-mile from hyah. If you wish, we kin ride 

 ober an' see it." 



We mounted a pair of razor-backed mules and went on our way through the 

 stunted and straggling undergrowth. "Yes! dey hab done used de same nest for 

 neah as I kin rekkerlect; foh, lemmee see, about twelve, fohteen years." 



Upon approaching the tree, (an aged sycamore) we found the upper part, where 

 the nest was situated, to be dead, probably to better enable the parent to view the 

 surrounding territory. Many ignorant persons suppose the birds kill the tree; so 

 I addressed this query to my guide: "How is it that the trees are always dead?" 



"Oh! de bird always kills de tree" (I suppose he noticed an incredulous look) ; 

 "hit's a fac', foh I hab seed foah trees, an' they were all dead." 



It was plain to be seen that the nest was genuine ; so I secured board at my guide's 

 mansion (?) and determined to await proceedings. With naturalistic delight, day 

 after day, I would sit hidden and watch the Eagles (the King of birds and our na- 

 tional emblem) sail gracefully for over fifteen minutes without flapping their wings. 



Meanwhile, the nest, which was about the size of a bushel basket, rapidly grew 

 by additions, until in outline it far surpassed the original size. For two days I did 

 not see either of them, except the male fishing at a neighboring lake, a mile away. 

 Rising earlier than common one morning, I saw the two magnificent birds eating 

 their breakfast of fish, which was presumably brought by the m ile. 



The female crouched in the nest and away flew the male to his lonely perch. 

 "Well, old lady, I suppose you are about to lay your treasures; so I'll not be selfish 

 but wait and let you keep them a week, thereby I'll be more likely to get a full set. 

 I'll not kill the goose to get the golden egg." 



Meanwhile some startling revelations were taking place. One evening, while 

 eating my supper, and the hostess would tempt the fleeting appetite of the daintiest 



