Lincoln, Maine. 
Nest and four eggs. 
Nyotala aoadica . 
1397. 
Apr . 23 
to 
Apr . 29 . 
1 
i 
" I found a set of four eggs of the Saw -whet Owl that 
were partly incubated but had no difficulty in saving them. 
This set is very different from the set sent last year. I 
will give you the measurements which are not just correct as 
1 have not got a good rule to do it with, but this will give 
you some idea of them. 
1st 1 1/4X1, 2nd 1 5/1 6 X 31/52, 3rd 1 1/4/ 31/32, 4th 1X13/16 
You will see that the 4th is very small and is more blunt 
than the rest and was not incubated any, probably not fertile. 
I found the eggs in a poplar stub about 15 ft. high in a nar- 
row strip of woods between two labes. I tooh five Flying 
Squirrels from this same hole this winter and upon going bj*. 
the place thought I would try the stub. Upon the first blow 
from my hand the Owl looked out : of the hole. I then passed on 
thinking perhaps the set was not complete. This was the 23rd 
April. I went on the 29th and the female acted the same but 
would not leave the hole and as I climbed up daer- disappeared 
from the hole. Upon opening the cavity I found her at the 
bottom of the nest and she did not leave untili taken from 
the nest and thrown into the air. She then flew a short dis- 
tance and waited until I left w'hen she flew to the hole and 
went in. There was a freshly killed mouse in the nest. The 
only resistance of the female was the snapping of her tiny 
bill. Will sell the eggs at $3 each. Perfect in all respects"'. 
Letter from W.J. Clayton, May 10, 1897, Lincoln, Maine. 
/of 
