Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1913-12-05

lar nest was picturesquely situated on a rocky
point of the Chalk Cliffs" northeast of the geo
logically famous Square Butte which, despite
it's modest name, is an immense rock CONSTITUTE
ing an isolated spur of the Highwood mountains,
$500 feet above the prairie. In reality the so
called Chalk Cliffs" consist of an outcrop OF
white sandstone, chiefly in the center of a range
of grass-covered hills whose green SUBMITS rise
in strong contrast above the white corrugated
rocks. This sandstone stratum has been worn
into a series of perpendicular cliffs, pure white
above, but stained light brown below by Ignite
matter, and projecting spurs are carved lnto ran
tastic pinnacles and mounds. One promOntorY
IN particular is a regular saw-tooth ridge. The
nest here shown is poised upon the apex Of a pill
lar which terminates a knife-blade projection
1915 feet high, and suggests in some photographs
the prov of a ship. AS there is a sheer vertical
descent on three sides, and the surface of the
connecting ridge suddenly breaks off, leaving &
wide fssure in the rock between it and the nest,
it is a task of no small difficulty to reach the lat
ter and one best suited to a sailor or a cat. 1t
can only be accomplished by approaching the
eyrie from above. and then crawling along the
ledge, when, by dropping into and crossing the
gan (Which is we'll shown in the photography. the
nest can be attained. Mr.. FELTON,, making light
of the danger. climbed frequently to the nest,
and made numerous exposures with a small
camera at the range of a few feet. Inc nest was
four feet in height and three and a half feet IN
diameter. and was higher than any Montana
evries of the golden eagle known to me, which
snecfes has also nestled in the Chalk Cliffs Gin
his recently published History Of the Birds OF
Colorado" Mr.. w. /. Sclater mentions a golden
eagle's nest which measured six feet in dame
ter and nine feet high.'O The hawks carried
green alfalfa to the nest for decorative purposes
and Mr.. FELTON, noticed a fresh supply there on
three separate occasions. When found on May
Is the evrin contained three newly Matched Young,
b1t only two reached maturity, as one Of the
nestIings disappeared on July 9 when ffty-two
DAYS old. Mr.. FELTON, COnjectured that 1t had
been blown out Of the nest by a violent thunder
storm but the two stronger birds might nave
elected their weaker brother. In any event. the
ortcast would soon have been picked up by some
fourfooted or winged marauder. The two re-
naming fedglings permanently left their nest on
Ju1v % when about nine weeks old. Whhe
r,tobine at this nest, at two o'clock one after
Noon Mr. FELTON, observed a great horned OWL
fving along the cliff face in an easterly dlfectlon'
The owl passed close to the nestllngs, When one
of the soaring hawks, presumably the female was
saen TO swoop at and strike the interloper, Wh1ch
rnereupon dived oDiiqueiy TO the ground Inc
hawk made two more dashes at the sitting OWL
and a short squabble ensued each time between
tho birds: but when Mr.. FELTON, reached the place
the owl was nowhere to be seen, and the haWk
had returned to her nestlings. AS the great
horned owl is a powerful and feroclous Dlrd'
which even attacks and eats large hawks 'see