Barred Owl’s Nests. — We have seen four 
nests since our residence in Norwich, and 
as they all vary we will try and describe 
them. No. 1 was in a very large, healthy, 
chestnut. The nest was in a rent or slit 
in the side of the tree, about thirty feet 
from the ground. This hole was about 
three feet high by not over six inches wide. 
The nest was level with the entrance. 
When we visited it in company with Mr. 
Brand, the old bird was on the nest, which 
contained two fresh eggs. There was 
snow at the nest's entrance as well as on 
the ground. Mr. Brand has taken eggs 
from this nest for seventeen years. No. 2 
was entirely different. It was also in a hol- 
low in the top of a chestnut tree, not over 
twenty feet high and easy to get at. The 
hollow place has evidently been burned at 
some time to drive out squirrels. This 
nest was in the stub or top of the tree, 
which had been blown off and was open 
and the nest or cavity was about the size 
of half a flour barrel. The female was on 
the nest and left at our approach. She 
was remarkably large and a beautiful spec- 
imen. The nest at this time contained a 
hen’s egg, which had been placed there 
when the owl’s egg had been removed. 
This nest has been taken for many years 
by “ J. M. W.” No. 3 was in a large 
chestnut about fifty feet high and was the 
nest of a Red-tail or Red-shouldered 
Hawk, and in nowise different from what 
a Hawk usually builds. This pair has 
been robbed for years by “ J. M. W,” but 
not in the same nest or even same piece of 
wood. No. 4 was in the crotch of a but- 
ternut tree, about twenty-five feet high. 
This cavity was half hole and half shelf, 
so that when the bird was on the nest she 
could be seen from the ground. This was 
not occupied the season we saw it, but “ J. 
M. W.” has tak en manv^e^ fro^s^ . p . /jtf- 
Early Finds.— March 19th Junius A. 
Brand, of this city, called on us with a set 
of two Barred Owls ’ eggs, perfectly fresh. 
The nest was in a large hollow chestnut, 
some thirty feet high. This is a very early 
record. The eggs were brought to us fresh 
from the nest and unblown. 
O.&O. Vll. Aug. 1882. p. ty-!r 
I An I cy Nest, took my first Barred 
Owl-S egg - — ffei tfteVifrto'-jQy ' en't being qu ite 
ten days late. This owl’s hole of ancient 
domain is barrel-shaped and now open at 
the top, and on the 24th of March there 
was such a heavy slab of solid ice in the 
bottom that for one year at least it seemed 
as if the tenant must secure quarters else- 
where. But, April 3, I took the first egg, 
substituting a hen’s egg for the rest of the 
clutch which can be safely reckoned upon. 
Except a dab of wet feathers the egg was 
in the middle of the slab of ice which had 
begun to melt very slightly under the 
heat of the owl’s body. . We read of strange 
nesting-places, and queer material used in 
construction, but isn’t this the first in- 
stance of a collector finding his eggs on 
ice ? — J. M. IF., Norwich, Conn. 
OOLOGY. 
J. PAEKEE NORRIS, Editor. 
The Editor assumes no responsibility for those ar- 
ticles which have the names of the writer attached. 
Owl versus Hawk. 
BY J. M. W., NORWICH, CONN. 
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At this season the field oblogist will associate 
certain points of resemblance and difference in 
the breeding habits of our four large local Rapa- 
cice. Briefly grouped, they are as follows : He 
will note that they all prefer an old tenement. 
The crow is their architect whose ground plan 
obtains, and the grey squirrel the pro tem., tenant 
whose fixtures revert to the estate. The Great 
Horned Owl breeds earlier than the Barred, is 
shyer and more formidable, and lays but two 
eggs. The Red-tailed Hawk breeds earlier than 
the Red-shouldered, is more retiring and fiercer, 
and commonly lays two eggs. Our nebulous 
owl usually lays three eggs, often but two, and 
sometimes four. Buteo lineatus usually lays 
three eggs, often but two and occasionally four. 
It is presumed that the Barred and Red-should- 
ered which lay two eggs are old birds, and those 
which have trios and now and then break into 
fours are young adults. At any rate it will con- 
stantly be found that when individuals of either 
sort lay two or three in one year, successive 
years will also bring pairs and trios. I took two 
five years in succession from one Red-sliouldered 
Hawk, and from one old Barred. Qwl six years in 
succession got only pairs. Her clutch is always 
two, in fact. Yet the fact remains that trios are 
typical sets of mature birds of these two species. 
But again ; in Sandy Hollow, Ledyard, three 
years running I took sets of four from a Red- 
shouldered and the fourth year got four fledged 
young. In ’82, ’83 and ’84 I took but trios and 
pairs from my large Red-sliouldered contingency, 
but in 1885 four quartette clutches came early to 
the front. And this year the season opened with 
two sets of four Barred Owl’s eggs. This is the 
apparent system, and these the changes that sur- 
prise and enchant us in our spring- field work. 
When the angry Red-tails find Mrs. Bubo in 
their old home I fancy they would not often dis- 
possess the tenant but for the noisy help of the 
crows, always “spoiling” for this kind of a free 
fight. April 3d, 1886, I took a clutch of one 
Barred Owl and three Red-sliouldered Hawks, 
and three years ago I took a similar clutch. In 
_the_ first place the aggressive hawks were aided 
by such a contingent of crows that the poor owl’s 
life became a burden to her and she was forced 
to seek a quieter neighborhood. These avian 
troubles were in open nests. But when Bubo 
and Syrnium breed in cavities they can “hold the 
fort,” for no self-respecting Buteo will ever crawl 
into a hole. 0.& O. XI., Jnn.lS&Q.p, JfV- W 
