102 
THK CONDOR 
1 Vol. Ill 
until we placed her on another limb 
and continued on our way. We re- 
turned over the same course some five 
hours later and imagine our surprise 
when, on reaching the last mentioned 
place, the first thing that met our gaze 
was the remnants of a perfectl}^ fresh 
Screech Owl’s egg. This egg lay 
broken on the ground directly beneath 
the spot where we had last placed the 
bird. The broken shell was soft and 
pliable and was all coiled up. The 
white and yolk were of a very thin and 
watery nature. I found the owl a few 
feet away on the ground, among some 
thick shrub roots. She was in the 
same numb, senseless condition, and I 
took her in my hand and placed her 
again in the cavity, where she im- 
mediately became very active. 
In my opinion, there are two ways of 
solving this problem, if such I may call 
it. Either the owl was in such a sleepy, 
insensible state that she dropped the 
egg in the ordinary course of laying, 
supposing she was on the nest, or she 
was so overcome by fright or pain that 
she was compelled to drop it. The 
former seems the more plausible theory. 
This incident may serve to open up 
the question as to whether a female 
bird has, under any circumstances or 
conditions, any control whatever over 
the laying of her eggs, or whether, 
when the time comes, no matter where 
she finds herself, she must then and 
there deposit them. I think that it 
would be a very interesting question to 
discuss. 
A. I. McCormick. 
Bakersfield. Cal. 
Photo trom life by Mr. J. G. Dudley. 
ll.VRPV EAGLE. {Thrasaeius harpyia.) 
VVe are indeljted to Mr. B. Baker of the National Zoological Park, 
Washington, 1). C., for the photograph of this interesting eagle. Mr. 
Baker informs us that "the bird was presented by the Governor of the 
State of Amazonas, Brazil, to Commander C. C. Todd of the U. S. S. 
Wilmington for the National Zoological Park It has been at the Park 
for two years and is still apparently in perfect health,” 
