ORNITB 



flown and then felled the tree. This nest, 

 also, is pensile but not exactly like the 

 other. It is suspended from small twigs 

 and connected to the stem by small fibers 

 caught to the rough bark. It is of moss, 

 fine grass, plant fiber, very small rootlets, 

 and a few feathers loosely woven and lined 

 with soft feathers. Outer diameter 3| 

 inches, height 4^ inches, inner diameter 2 

 inches, depth 2^ inches. 



It is amusing to note their antics when a 

 Jay happens in the vicinity of their nest. 

 I have often been attracted some distance 

 by their constant chirp, and find them flut- 

 tering around some sedate looking Jay, 

 bent on obtaining its breakfast, and at 

 short intervals pouncing down on its back 

 as if to impress upon him their importance. 

 In a corner of the timber near my shanty 

 I have witnesged these proceedings several 

 times, anditisa strong indication that their 

 nest is not far away.— Z*. B. Stone, Han- 

 Qy.l833.p.»a-VV 

 Short-eared Owl. 



This httle owl, so far as my observation 

 has extended, seems peculiar to the coast, 

 where among the reeds and ^ck marshes 

 ^vpf the shores and neighbo^ng islands it 

 _3 a covert from the noi/y world. Hav- 

 found such a place/ they, unlike all 

 oth^New England oyls, build in colo- 

 nies. ^ locality not fsf from here has been 

 from mV earliest re^llection a breeding 



place for 

 most des: 

 level with 

 completely 

 when it recedi 



The situation is 

 b/ftng a meadow or flat 

 4st, over which the tide: 

 but leaves it entirely dry 

 This meadow is covered 

 with a ooarse^rasXand surrounded by tall 

 brakes and /reeds. \n these latter they 

 gather tog/ther the remains of last year's 

 frost-bitt* reeds and\lace them in a 

 promiscuous heap on a traesock. This is 

 afterward hollowed out anfl the set of 

 eggs ^ then laid. Six is the togest num- 

 ber l/ever found, with the excepflipn of one 

 nest*' in which I found ten; but tm^e were 



Bomo Birds of LaPlatba Co. Col. With | 



Annotationa. O. F. Morrison, 



11. AV.,//,/„,s r,a,-a,Wa (Linn.), Lioht. Ruby- 

 u-ovvned Kii.gi.M. (^oninion during the migra- 

 lons, but breeds sparingly from 7000 up to 

 11,000 feet. I have not taken its eggs, but Mr 

 Drew has in San Juan County, and as I have 

 seen it f,-om the Ifist of May to August, it no 

 doubt breeds. The nest spoken of above was 

 pKaeed in the uppermost branches of a spruce 

 about thirty feet from the ground, in one of 

 these dark masses where the corn grows thick- 

 est, and where it would be imposible to see your 

 hat, were it there. The nest was loosely placed 

 among the outer twigs, being partially pens- 

 ile, and w as composed of bits of fine bark ex- 

 ternal lly, and within of silk-weed shreds, moss, 

 spiders silk and feathers, all matted together in 

 a compact manner and lined with wool. It con- 

 tained four young and an addled egg, the latter 

 measuring .0]4x.012mm., white. A descrip- 

 of the nestling plum.age I will keep for 

 future publication. 



O.&O. 2:111. May. 18S8 p. > i 



