1891
May 12
(No 8)
Mass.
  West Tisbury, Martha's Vineyard. in and as soon as my 
eyes became accustomed to the half-light of the interior 
I saw the erect "ears" half closed eyes, and round, 
Cat-like head of a Mottled Owl scarcely four inches
below the opening. She was sitting on her nest which 
was composed chiefly of dry oak leaves many of 
which showed around the thin edges turned upward
forming a sort of rim or frame. The hole, a natural 
opening was nearly round and so small that I 
could scarcely force my hand in. I raised the 
Owl from the nest but could not take her out 
owing to the smallness of the opening. With some 
hesitation next ran my fingers under her twice 
getting them within her claws but she behaved in 
the usual half-gentle, half-stupid or dazed manner 
and made no attempt at resistance. I could feel 
one young bird (naked and squirming and evidently
just hatched) and three eggs. There may have 
been another egg or two - I could not make
sure for the bird so nearly filled the cavity that 
I could not get my whole hand beneath her. 
We left her and her treasures unmolested. Faxon 
yesterday met a collector who had with him a 
set of five fresh eggs of this species which he had 
just taken. 
  A little further on we found fresh signs of 
Grouse in a sandy place in a wood path; dusting 
holes with fresh excrement and a few small but 
thin feathers. The excrement contained bud scales but 
thin feathers were not recognizable. Shortly afterwards 
we stumbled on a rock which looked like the