Wanderings. No. 2. 
A. PERFECT HAY, 
Through many years of collecting in the 
woods of the Old Bay State, it has been one of 
ihe greatest ambitions of my life to take a 
nest and eggs of the Great Horned Owl, and 
many hours have I spent and many miles have 
1 travelled in a vain attempt to gratify this 
desire. A year ago, I rode forty-five miles and 
back and spent three days in a vain search, 
although a set was taken later on from one of 
the very nests which I visited, and this year I 
determined to undertake the journey again. 
Accordingly, one afternoon ehrly in March, I, 
with my iteual comrade, started for the same 
locality, and after a tedious ride of one and a 
half hours 'an a slow-going “Huckleberry 
train,” stopping at every cross-road, about 
dark we alighted from the cars in the old 
town of Plymouth, and found the team, which 
we had previously engaged by mail, awaiting 
us. 
A few momenta occupied in putting our 
“duffle” into the carriage, and we were off 
for the woods. A tide of two hours, and at 
nine o’ clock, we alighted at the door of “ mine 
host” Douglass, ot whom you have heard 
before; and we were\soon discussing the 
merits of a cranberry pie! 
I never could understand why “the old 
lady’s” cranberry pies alWays taste good, for 
I abominate them in the cky, but my mouth 
will water whenever I think df those. 
We arose the next morning Vo find a cloud- 
less sky and h warm wind, one\of those per- 
fect days, only to be found wlienVpring is just 
awaking from her nap. 
Our objective point was the nest from which 
the eggs were taken last season by my friend, 
but we fhouglit that before starting for it 
we would take a stroll over the old island, 
which occupies the centre of the pond. Ac- 
cordingly we launched a boat, and rowiifg over, 
were soon enjoying the familiar spots, and 
bringing back reminiscences of past seasons. 
)LOGIST. 
55 
■J 
Here was, last year, the nest of a Parula 
Warbler, and here a set of Downy Woodpeck- 
er’s eggs. 
And, while looking at an old nest from 
which two sets of the eg gs of Cooper’s Hawk# / 
had been taken, an OwB ^rose before our very" — • . 
eyes, and disappeared. Only a few minutes 
were needed to take us both up to that nest, 
and there, on their couch of downy feathers, 
lay the two long-wished-for eggs. To say 
that we were delighted would be drawing it 
mildly, and we immediately began to prepare 
them for transportation. While writing down 
a description of the nest, I was attracted by a 
shadow, and looking up, I saw the female 
sitting on a branch not more than six feet 
from my face, gazing very intently at some 
crows who were worrying her. 
I transferred my pencil to my left hand, and 
slid my hand toward my hip-pocket for my 
“Smith & Wesson,” but slight as was the 
motion, Mrs. B. caught on and turned her 
eyes in our direction. It was probably the 
first time she ever met the genus homo face to ;- 
face, and, judging from her looks, she never ! - 
will want to again. She did not say anything, 
and “she waited not upon her departure, but e 
went at once,” and we saw her no more. She |e 
probably thought “discretion was the better 
part of valor.” 
The eggs were laid upon a lining of feathers 
from the breast of the bird, are pure white, 
and measure 2.19x1.88 and 2.20x1.86 inches. 
. They now lie before me, on the same bed, 
I that is the feathers, but different surround 
ings. 
The other nest, previously mentioned, 
panned out nothing, and no signs, as did all 
other places which we visited, but we had a 
glorious time, and glory enough for one day. 
The next day brought me back to my desk, 
but as I look upon those eggs, I feel amply 
repaid for the ninety miles’ travel necessary to 
procure them. F. A. Bates. 
O AO. XIV. Apr. T889 p.55 
t- 
,<v 
Rapfcores, Bristol County, MasSU 
Hilton B. Read. 
Great-horned Owl ,(Bubo virgini anus'). A 
rare resident, and not known to breed at pres- 
ent though it may do so. A series of their 
eggs, personally examined in the collection of 
Mr. F. H. Carpenter, comprises eleven sets of 
two eggs each, the result of a single pair of 
birds. The nest in this instance was made b} r 
the owls and placed in the forks of a tree which 
was half blown down but had caught in the 
branches of another. The usual period of ob- 
taining the first set was between Feb. 27 and 
March 8, the two dates being the earliest and 
latest on which fresh eggs were found. 
O.&O. XV, Apr. 1890. p. 56 
O.&O. XII.Aug.1887 p.118 
