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against the rock in abject fear. Frequently the rush of wind from the 
bird’s “stoop” would raise the dog’s hair the length of its back. Reports 
of prairie falcons, when disturbed about their nests, attacking ravens, owls, 
and other species of hawks with which they normally live in more or less 
harmony, are common. But a dog being the target of an irate falcon is 
rather novel. 
On my first visit I did not remain long at the cliff for fear of causing 
the eggs to become chilled during the absence of the parents. So from a 
place of concealment I watched the female return to the eyrie; and then 
began to descend the hill. It seems that I was to have one more thrill this 
day, for as I picked my way among the rocks and bushes a golden eagle 
sailed into view around the corner of the cliff. It spied me instantly and 
banked its huge chocolate-brown body away. I watched while it circled 
upward as if climbing an invisible staircase until it disappeared in the 
blaze of the sun. 
Further on I saw several mountain chickadees flitting around in the 
shrubs along the path. When I came into the valley many magpies were 
to be seen slipping about. I examined several of their nests and was 
amazed at the almost impenetrable fortress which they constructed of sticks, 
mud and grasses; and each nest was large enough to fill a bushel basket. 
While crossing the fields to the village numerous meadowlarks flushed from 
beneath my feet; and perched on a fence were a pair of mountain blue- 
birds. Robins were also abundant, but contrary to their city relatives, were 
suspicious and unapproachable. A flock of red-winged blackbirds swayed 
in the topmost branches of some trees which lined the banks of a little 
creek; and beyond a red-tailed hawk traced an unseen circle in the heavens. 
As I entered the town I turned once more to wave farewell to the rulers 
of Castle Rock and the broad, sweeping plains about it—rulers whose 
subjects feared and respected them, yet sovereigns who lent far more to 
their domain with the beauty of their presence than they would ever take 
from it. 
(Note—Mr. Layne, a former student at Lane Technical High School, 
is now stationed at Smyrna, Tenn., and in a letter accompanying the above 
writes as follows: “I have been able to do quite a bit of birding at this 
station. Over the holidays I visited Dr. Walter Spoffard of Vanderbilt 
University, and participated in a Christmas census under the direction of 
the Tennessee Ornithological Society with him. Our list totaled 58 species 
and over 361 individuals, not counting robins, of which there must have 
been three or four thousand. I don’t believe I have ever seen a species of 
bird so common as the robins were on that day.’’) 
a ft fi 
A Word from the Pacific 
SOME OF OUR naturalist friends have already been separated from their 
service in the armed forces and we welcome them home. They have all 
retained their interest in wildlife during their service, and we hopé that a 
continued interest will help to settle them into the somewhat changed 
