Page:Condor17(4).djvu/4

14(? THE ONI)OR Vol. XVlI On approaching the first island to within a distance of about a hundred yards, we were welcomed, much to our delight, by several Waxwings flying from the shore. For the most part they flew directly towards the boat, then circled back to the island, apparently much alarmed at our presence. While on the wing the birds uttered a short succession of high-pitched, screaming notes, closely resembling in character, though not in volume, the cries heard on nearing a Pigeon Guillemot rookery on the seacoast. As soon as we landed most of the birds flew to an adjacent island. Only one pair remained, these being in full view about fifty yards distant, perched near the top of a small spruce tree. After a search of about fifteen minutes we found the nest, rest- ing on two small horizontal branches, close to the trunk of a spruce tree, twelve Fig. 50. NEST A.XO EGGS OF THE BOHEMIA-.X WAXWI.XG, TAI,:E:? AT ATLI.? t,A?E, BR?T]SH COLWXB]^. "N?sT NO. 2"; PL^C?O Or ^ SPRVC? TR?. feet from the ground. ]t contained two eggs. Both the nest and eggs being carefully packed, together with the birds, which we had shot, we continued to search the island for other nests. We failed to locate any, however, save an old Waxwing nest near the top of a small spruce tree, about fifteen feet up. Anxious to visit the' neighboring island, we gathered our spoils and pro- ceeded to its nearby s. hore. Shortly after climbing up the rocky bluff, three pairs of Waxwings were located perched on tree tops. This island being of larger size than the first one visited, and being also more thickly timbered, a thorough and careful search was necessary to find their homes. By watching the birds' movements, and closely scanning every tree from top to bottom,