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Fr) 7 F Oe 1 » : ) Cs Lem a ae f ] f an A y Se, - More.) eee le 2.) eee ae ee. Ce ng | ree I : Ral: TS Ay 7 i ia rhe ut ee ce or Vv : A a i an yet bA ) hPa | vn ie vs f ne i] ; y 7 ‘e A , Sab . 7 J J A ifs id Wa es uy os , wh fy ni " th hd 2 } ' PO ae ae i TAM Ny et Aan ir¢ | ' ia t ri " if 8) Di bt ne ii + AA Ve ; Wy | : : | ra Was { i aes ats ; { of Pye ia {i a i. q : 8 LO an! OZ, ; : a YT f| F : Pay 1 pa ) ‘ ‘ ALi f ary \) oe : me skeerats | i ar Y ll - Ne & i Lvear } iN | oa ay hk: ESTABLISHED 1878. art Para THOLOGIST 4 ~~ e ¥ VOL. VI 1881 See ome oneal BIRDS: TMEIR NESTS AND EGGS. PUBLISHED BY JOS EEE M.. WADE, NORWICH, CONN. . ‘i ‘f ISTSSS oH Perc ATES, TO THE MEMORY IMMORTAL WILSON, THE ILLUSTRIOUS AUDUBON, AND THE DEVOTED NUTTALL. ORNITEZOLOGIST AND OCOLOGIST. CONTENTS OF VI.-1881. A febieas, RRC i ease tsecce ccs. eeeetomatecsl\«>90<0) daemons 20 PATE OS pies coo ss coed es oie vnc Smee 7, 38, 43, 61, 76 | | Eggs, WilniteuBluecbirds: ...cdmeneeccess <--<0eeeeeniee 28 J: Nit 72 KS ha a Oe Eee ee ie 69 | Eggs, Large Clutches of... 40, 48, 53, 61 PANTS oP CRE pc. steven :cacicues dtteaaiociccsh deelieazensieees 29 | Eggs, Sparrow Hawk’s..........00-cesssssessesseeeeees 43 Additions to the R. I. Fauna.......... a ne cepeacee Gave Maole, Babdi feocc.2<:.cus--20ttearedes sears? aoe 60, 79 - Be MC CGed WOLK: \.2.53::.0+5-baemeasesss ccoussetnnsereace Aa PE VCOUNCEERMATA.cocx) Sass «+ sodaeeeecs eeseos sce 61 BRCLMENIBINE ceancay cave. n00= + duper eswausanle sede ese. sanse 52 Eagle, Golden.. We is ca Bte nt ed ee ee Almost a Suffocation........00 .-cesee-scooereecee seers 77 | Eggs, Spotted Phobe’s Soci MARS ha. took sets oo ammeter Uh B Bges, Spotted Robin’s:....:-decs 1. cis s-2s.0-eneeess 79 SCEIUCHONOTCTAG eoaaes on. cos faemeeneee Eas eiite heise deeopoee 4 | F Bittern beast... sceascs soos peepeerosn oeetwooees 6, 8 | Females Preponderating .........cc:ccsceeseeseeeeeees 93 Binds: “A. New Way to SKkinices.c.nn< veOl, |p RUHLG! WW OLKS..,..0.cscesssccsntuvcessconsticaavconeccossesce 45 TIGWIS, UICC OF GOW... 6 scsce.sese a wcsncsnendes roose OST AnS: | ES ee oe 44 M ROMER VALU no oreo. -. .fptgeateehcacsac lsemeeeeebes anieeniet a Un Oological, Incubation Experiments. a aq'|, Wren, Short-billed Marsh. -.....csacssseeecaeemeree 15 Owl, Whitney... : Nae * oan 95, gg Wren, Whaintercs:...scceacees sesseeee conse enanennenerses 24 Ornithologist ad Odtagist. OE pee eee: 2: ae 4 | eee Bova i Seis 25, 39, ys P LIP -POOL-WIILL..-..s sere eceeeeeceeeneene nee sercsacerreenes oO Publications, Recent...8, 16, 20, 24, 32, 80, 84, 96 Warblers, PYairie.....-ccaeencekane si em A oe, ee ree 13, 40 Warblers, Kentucky.....-..ss1+-seesesersee sees 49, 64 Pewee, Say’s............ ee a 63 Warblers, Black-throated Blue, ........-1++:00+ 49 Piven cual Sparrow Hiek ye Ra eM 64 Warblers, Prothonotary.....-...-20:seeeereees 58, 65 Qa | Warblers, Blue-winged Yellow..................00- 57 Sita: CMMfOrtiA........ cscieapived seaiwo.-: cenit 74 | Warblers, Blue Yellow-backed . .........+0- -++++0++ 62 R Warblers, Black-capped Yellow.................2005 62 Bee LS NIRETIES. .. . Medsuies id sokinenos cue, duninasene 21 | Woodpeckers, Red-headed..................-72, 78, 79 PEATE ET ITO G OAR <6. «suse Radi ends Vacs sss cece svetecdaneval 97 | Warblers, Worm-eating ...........cccccseceenseesseees 78 Removall........:sec000.-coscecenseceen cesses -seeeceeeeeee28 | Woodpecker, Black-backed, Three- ROE. . eseaven 88 Robins, Grow th of. Sch AM apie sears Sion 630-67 | Small, Melee Aes... comune cn..7 00s Tame eee G Stone; DDit-ces.0. cece... eee ea 45, 46, 67 Griffing, Moses B 2........ccacc0c-ceccsseece-ss 7, 59, 82 Spaeth, GES so sa cdinnive AMee eto wa uss alae RC eee 61 eee Hallio meres. 0 30, 51 Slossons,Aummie) rum b Ullee ce ees. ss cenen eens 78 erm CAS, SW Weeek cs: . Geet: eruckeceeee Ledeen 69 | Sennett, Geo. Bvseeeceeceseieeeesittes cee 86, 93 oogale; Chas. itr... ......geteerevseccsest.s ae 76 | Tv Grabesy “Elarty Sopa. «....czeghesa auereataeve sttsssee 80'| Tappan, Geo... rs... /cape: xc sieeen. «sage 67 H | Thompsonmm@has. “Avo o.oo eoeeen es ae 8 UALS, ERENT cc cecee ais a:,. amie d ceo 4a Macati wees 6 | Ww iyeemis. iC, Wis ges; Dee te ee eee 8 | Willardgemebt. tee. 8 he ee 1, 2, 3, 32 PGILETHOAL, Ji, Grasse .a:«.. Game ccnge eect ate 11, 27 | Worthington, W. W...........- 5, 11, 40, 48, 46, 62 2g a Ene bacines v6 o@ideaeds = See cgiaeinwe] sire te loin 13'\| Warren) ferhert M, ::.....2eenes..cce2. Sac 5 MAWES, C. AUBCT 0s seeececeesceeeee cose cee teeees mei) Wrightbieambes.. j.:-,. Seems tte: ae 22, 80, 85 ee ST’... meee taren eee OU) . ce Wood, Dr. Wm.......38, 34, 35, 47, 48, 78, 79, 88 OS IBS aarti = sec ae y 06") Willey, Mikeo., P........... Qe Uk. a 39 Hardy: “Manly ;..:.......... gee eee eee 56 | Wharton, Wm. R...........-. eo ee, a 39, 78 Hatch, Delos CSice se aresne 45:0 pwlaliminein aianle cele bh'a\spaacaace, sae 76 Wilson, Dr. uy [Ue Ji: Sein bee 31g BORER eho ccis scene ee 50 I VOW illic. "Wise 00A 23). <5: Sete aise ceeee eo 64 Te mp EGC cbapccens 100 <0 MRE cee conte EET Tal 'W allacew iQue. 2c... teeeees- nee 76, 82 ‘We desire not the prostration of science, but we would strip from it the robe of omnipotence improperly assumed, and That cold, repulsive skeleton anew would dress, Then warm it into life and loveliness.” — Prof. Hosford. — , - >) oe og ee r So ere oe ae -¢ PREFACE, + The object of this magazine is to collect and dissem- inate a knowledge of Bird Life, and cultivate a desire for observation in Ornithology and Oology in the rising generation. It will advocate and sustain the taking of specimens when necessary for identification, also for collections when from regions of plenty, but it will sug- gest other methods equally practicable to those who object to destroying life, and cultivate a love of bird life about our homes, and a desire to increase rare birds by introduction rather tam kill off) those =taar venture among us. It will avoid the technical as much as possible, and make itself fully understood by the gen- eral reader. JOS. ~-Mi:: WADE Norwich, Conn, Feb. 18, 1882. eh aay li ORNITHOLOGIST AND a) OLO GIST. Established March 1875, Joseph M. Wade, editor and publisher. $1.00 per wou, WOE VI. THE OOLOGIST. ITS HISTORY FROM THE COMMENCEMENT. [BY THE ASSOCIATE EDITOR. ] During the winter of 1874-5, while con- ducting an ornithological department in a western amateur paper called The Reper- tory, the writer with a very indefinite idea of his undertaking, but with a certain con- viction that the periodical literature of America poorly represented the science of oology; while the broader subject of ornith- ology did not count a solitary popular ser. ial devoted entirely to the wants of those interested in birds and their eggs, conclud- ed to commence the publication of an ama- teur paper eminently for the Oologist. With no outside help, no money, and a limited experience, after having secured the promise of an unemployed printer to un- dertake the publication of a small monthly, called Toe Ooxoartst, to be “issued,” as the first number states, “in the interests of col- lectors and naturalists,” he set himself to the task of supplying the material for the first number (the writer was then 16 years of age). This was published in March, 1875, an eight page, small, octavo sheet, and consisted of short items and articles of a varying character; the bulk, however, being on oology. The plan of the paper, when started, was of a manifold nature ; so much so that its existence was nearly erushed out on the publication of the first number, by the severe and unrelenting criticism uniformly thrust at it by those few to whom the salutatory seemed a cr-- terion of its immediate future. [The pre- sent copy of our little journal is a fair specimen of what we intend to produce for the next twelve months or more. | ROCKVILLE, CONN., 'This | ber was a complete failure. 10 cents single copy. pronounces well merited, and was certainly a great influence in re-forming its scope and literary aspect. As a sort of initiatory there was in the first issue a department shortly entitled “Story,” under which a senseless item, which was frequently band- ied about by the newspapers, was publish- ed; certainly, the writer admits, very inap- propriate. The next department was “Ool- ogy.” Under this caption appeared several articles entitled respectively, “Birds’ Nests and Eggs,” “Nest and Eggs of the Broad- winged Hawk,” “Eggs and Nest of Black- throated Green Warbler,” ‘“Oology,” and “Our Excursion,” supplemented by several small items. The editorial portion of the paper occupied, as in the last number, the top of the fourth page ; after which, under the departmental title, “American Birds,” were printed ‘American Game Birds,” “The Confined Purple Finch,” and a purported humorous piece, entitled “Abowt Robbinz.” The remaining portion of the paper was devoted to notes and items under the de- partments of “Foreign Birds,” “Sugar,” a supposed humorous subdivision (conduct- ed after the style of many of the amateur papers, by an appropriate editor, who pseu- donymed himself “Sweet-meat,” and illus- trated by one of the editor's own wood- cuts, well suited to the department but not above eriticism,) “Ornithological Items,” “Exchanges,” “Correspondence,” “‘Miscell- aneous,” and “Advertisements.” No prospectus of the paper having been distributed, and no announcement of its proposed publication having been made, except to a few, personally, the first num- The publisher criticism the editor frankly and advisedly |xnd proprietor was at a loss to pay the 2 ORNITHOLOGIST [Vol.6—No. 1. printer for it, but arranged to have the sec- ond number issued, and made a favorable financial adjustment in the meantime. Number two was printed in April, and showed the good effect of some of the crit- icisms on the first number, for all that did not come within the meaning of its print- ed heading was omitted. A series of pa- pers was commenced in this issue. entitled “Birds’ Nests and Eggs,” which ran through three volumes almost uninterruptedly, de- scribing the nests, eggs, and breeding lo- calities of many different species of birds, Number two contained four wood-cuts; two of eggs, an illustration of the articles just mentioned, a humorous one, and a_ repre- sentation of the Green Heron. The first two issues were printed in coarse type upon thin paper, with scarcely any margin, the heading being all ‘set up” in type. Neither came up to the expecta- tions of their recipients, and as the means for the continuation of the paper were more than exhausted, the editor withdrew the periodical from the printer's hands, and concluded that he could neither find the means nor encouragement to continue it. The writer possesses a deal of enthusiasm on oology, and was exceedingly mortified that his journal should be an utter failure; for even from association with the two numbers already published, he felt that nothing else could ever supply its place ; it was a hobby of extraordinary tenacious- ness. Soon after, however, several enquir- ies came for specimen copies, some from surprisingly remote localities, and one or two notices appeared in the papers. These awakened a fresh determination to continue Tue Ooxoarst, if it was reasonably possi- ble. The writer, therefore, with his limi- ted allowance of pocket-money, purchased a piece of engraver’s boxwood, and with what little experience he had acquired dur- ing leisure moments carved out a heading for number three of the paper. [When this somewhat singular heading was after- ward discarded, it was with more reluct- ance than one could readily account for; but it was associated with an experience of which it stood an appropriate and sympath- izing symbol.] By dint of some exertion, he added a small font of type to a dimin- utive printing office he had, sufficient to compose one page of the paper, and havy- ing done that, writing and setting type as he went, he made ready the form, and ne- gotiated with a boy friend to print it on _ his press, half-a-mile away. This was done one page at a time, until, at the expiration of about one month, the May number ap- peared, embellished with four original woodcuts and several engraved minor head- ings. Improvement over the April issue was very manifest; but with hard work at school, many pains which would otherwise have been taken were neglected. Five numbers were printed in this way during spare hours and on Saturdays, until, by his — friend's disposal of the press, it became necessary to do the printing elsewhere. The magazine did not make its way read- ily into recognition. It was a losing and consequently discouraging struggle for favor with amateur collectors. It did not begin to defray the expense of its publica- tion, which was very small. But at this stage of its existence, and with a list of a few paid subscribers, it seemed injudicious and unreasonable to relinquish it. Besides, it had already become of such importance, apparently, as to be frequently quoted by other papers ; and this actuated a sense of pride that influenced the writer to continue _ it. To the end of printing the pages, he planned and had a neighboring blacksmith make him a printing press whose capacity (which determined its expense) should be just that of one page of type, and on it the next four numbers were printed; when, deeming it necessary to lessen the labor imposed by the rude printing machine, he disposed of it and purchased an “amateur” press of larger dimensions. Volume II and a greater portion of Volume III were printed on this press. At this time, how- ever, the writer found himself somewhat sought for small “jobs” of printing, and March, 1881-] with the proceeds of this work he obtained a still larger and better printing press. This has been used in the printing of “THe Oo.oaist wp to the publication of the first four numbers of Volume V; the last eight numbers of this volume have issued at the office of a regular printer; Mr. Jos. M. Wade, the present editor and publisher, having undertaken its continuation on a basis which all lovers of the study will ap- preciate and acknowledge. Tue Ooxoerst had much to con- tend with in gaining its pres- ent foothold, on not only Ameri- can, but foreign ornithologists, and oologists. especially .¢: SB Its == list of subseri- bers is necessari- ly select. We have fre- quently remind- ed of the rapid improvement been that has gone on in the journal dur- ing its career of six years; five volumes only being published, one year being lost in unavoidable suspensions from lack of means and patronage; and withall we take pardonable pride in its growth, as evidenc- ed by a comparison of number 1 of Vol- ume VI with the corresponding number of Volume I; and in expressing our desire that it be made the best journal of its kind in the world, we must call to our aid the experience of all working students in our fleld, and ask our superiors toaid us all they can; for the editors of the journal, as one of our fcllow naturalists has said, must not be expected to know all about or- nithology themselves, but must be able to shape the collected information of others and distribute it for the benefit of the sci- ence. Descriptions of actual experience and observation will be fully appreciated. AND OOLOGIST. “That Woodcock.” At last, through the kindness of Mr. Frank S. Wright, of Auburn, N. Y., we are enabled to give the true history of the wounded Woodcock with the stick through its breast. Mr. Merrill, of Bangor, Maine, the Taxidermist, who mounted the bird, writes to his friend as follows :—“On Octo- ber 9th, 1880, I received a Woodcock in the flesh from a friend who shot the same near this city. The breast of the bird was pierced by a stick about five inches long, not from “side to side,” as stated by some of the local pa- pers, but from the front through the breast. out at the side, and un- der the wing, (as our illustration, S drawn by Mr. Merrill, shows.) The flesh of the bird was but Lit- tle eut and had entirely healed, as also had the skin, so that the stick was fastened into the wound. The growth of the bird had apparently been stunted by the presence of the stick which was a perfectly straight piece of the stalk of Golden Rod or some growth of a like nature. This shows that the bird must have been pierced by alighting on the eround rather than by flyig swiftly through the trees and being transfixed by a twig as the comments of some of our local papers seem to imply.—H. Merrit. —_——a Scarter V'anacer’s Nest.—June 5th 1880 I found a nest of the Scarlet Tanager con- taining three eggs that were exactly like those of the cow-bird. I should like to know if tanager’s eggs ever vary enough to resem- ble those of the cow-bird, or is there anoth- er instance of a bird's sitting on cow-bird’s ‘eggs when there were none of her own in ‘the nest. M. K. Barnum. 4 ORNITHOLOGIST [ Vol. 6-—No. 1. ORNIPHOLOGIST and OULOGLST. A MONTHLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OF BIRDS, THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. Os: IM: WADE, - = = = Editor S. L. WILLARD, is - Ass’t Editor With the co-operation of able Ornithological Writers and Collectors. $1.00 per annum. 10 cents single copy. Address SOS. M. WADE, Rockville, Conn. Tuer Ooroetst has done its, good work, has closed its monthly visits to our read- ers, many of whom have learned to look anxiously for its appearance. Our associ- ate, Mr. Willard, who established the mag- azine, has given in another part of this is- sue a very concise history of it from the commencement to the end of volume five. This should bs read by all our readers, but more especially the boys, for it will show them what can be done by perseverance. We are well aware that the Ootoaist is a small magazine, but it contains much that will be sought for years heuce. It will be one of the scarce works among book co'- lectors. It has closed its career and we do not know of a single volume for sale. We stand ready to purchase every volume of- fered in fair condition, even to the Jast one, and pay original cost. For the first three volumes we will pay double the original cost. Is there another magazine in the U. S. that will do this? THE ORNITHOLOGIST AND OOLOGIST 18 Now before our readers. The editor while pub- lishing the last eight numbers of the Ooto- ast, has made many congenial acquaint- ances and correspondents, and they will no doubt desire to hear something of the pro- posed future of the little magazine. of our readers no doubt look upon it as they do other magazines published for money, in this case they are mistaken. Money does not enter into the considera- tion. It is published out of pure love of the science of Ornithology and the pleas- ure of corresponding with naturalists. We Many have our hands full of business during the daytime, our magazine receiving our atten- tion in the evening, often ito the ‘wee sma hours” of the night. We desire pat- ronage enough at least to pay all expenses, and as much more as possible. is received will be expended on the maga- Those disposed to help in securing subscribers can say that if any one at the end of the year is not satisfied they can re- turn the numbers in good condition and have their money returned. Se SES Correction, zine. In the January number of the Oologist’ you call for a correction in reference to my - finding the nest of the Bernicla brenta on Saint Clair Flats, Michigan. I have no correction to make. I found the nest and eges and saw the birds as there described. I have had fifteen years experience in col- lecting and mounting birds and am not easily deceived. I do not know of any bird that could be mistaken for the Brant. If Mr. Ridgway would like to examine the eges found by me, I will send him one for that purpose. This is the only evidence I ean offer until next season, when I am in hopes of repeating this year’s experience. I am confident there are some birds breed- ing at the Flats that have not previously been found in the United States, from ob- servation of my own and statements made to me by men who have accompanied me on my trips. Several have mentioned see- ing a pair of strange birds that had the ap- pearance of wild geese but were not much larger than Mallards. W. H. Cours. Detroit, Mich. [Since the above was in type Mr. Col- lins writes us that he has sent an egg to Mr. Robert Ridgway for identification, who decides that it is either the Brant, or a small variety of Hutchins goose. If the latter, it is new to science. In either case it was certainly a “good find.” —Ep.] Great Gray Owx. — In reply to Mr. Ridgway's doubts about the Great Gray Owl being found in Virginia Mr. Wm. T. Whatever March, 1881 | AND OOLOGIST. 5 Allen replies that he would as soon expect to find the nest of the Great Auk in Vir- | ginia as that of the Gray Owl, and is well aware of the latter being a resident of the Arctic regions only. Mr. Allen makes fur. ther remarks regarding the number of eggs laid by the ow] family which will appear at a future time. He concludes as follows: “T hope Mr. Ridgway will give me credit for being better posted on the owl ques- tion than to be guilty of such an absurdity as making the Great Gray Owl a native of Virginia.” SS Oe A New Journal. Tue Canapran SporTsMAN AND NATURALIST, a monthly journal devoted to the interests of the sportsmen and naturalists of Cana- da. It is gotten up in good style and on good paper, 8vo., 8 pages and covers, sim1- lar to the Ootoeist. It is published at Montreal, Canada, Wm. Cowper, editor, W. W. Dunlap, assistant editor, Ernest D. Wintle, treasurer. The annual subscrip- tion is one dollar in advance, specimen cop- ies ten cents. Communications should be addressed to 806 Craig St., Montreal, Can- ada. Itis well worth the attention of all sportsmen and those interested in general Natural History. Science Advocate, is a sixteen page jour. nal, 8vo., devoted to general science and is edited by Henry A. Green, who is devoted to the work. It is published quarterly at only twenty-five cents per annum. It is ably edited and at the low price it is offer- ed it should receive a large share of patron- age. Address, H. A. Green, Atco, N. J. A __ AOE eee Elack-billed Cuckoo. On May 25th, 1879, I was shown a nest of the Black-billed Cuckoo (Coccygus ery- throphthalmus), on which the female was sitting, and I identified her by approach- ing near enough to see the red eye-ring,be- fore she flew off. The nest contained two | (2) eggs, which I left in hopes of getting a full set. On the 26th another egg had been laid, but I still left them wishing to|May 8 1864 get a set of four, but on the 27th only one ege remained in the nest. This I left, as the bird was on the nest as I approached. On the 28th the nest was empty, and the bird no where in sight. On the 29th I was passing the place, and noticed the bird on the nest. I went up to it, and was very much surprised to find 3 eges just as if nothing had happened. Have you ever heard of anything like the above ?—W. W. W., Shelter Island, N. Y. +) <--> —__ Bird Notes. Tue Rosr-preastep Grospeaxk is a plenti- ful summer resident in this locality (New- ton, Mass.,) especially so in the vicinity of the Charles River, where they seem to pre- fer to buildin the medium-sized growth of the white birch, the nest being usually placed near the top of the tree and about 20 ft. from the ground. Their eggs are almost invariably four; I have never seen five. I know of no bird which is more regular in its number then the Rosebreast. —Hersert M. Warren. Five eggs tor the Rose-breasted Gros- beak seems unusual. Four is the number here ; years ago before boys were so nu- merous, numbers of them bred on the Is- land in the river here, and by consulting my notes, I find that on June 21st, 1862, I found a nest there containing four young, but the boys have made such havoc that but few birds comparatively breed on the Island now.—Jno. H. Sage. Dates of the arrival of the Baltimore Oriole (Icterns buttimore) for 25 years in the township of Locke, Ingraham county, state of Michigan. This species isa com- mon summer resident with us, and was first noticed Sy me in the summer of 1842. May.2 1859 May8 1865 May 8 1873 May 11 1857 May 8 1866. May 9 1874 May 5 1858 May5 1867 May 101875 April 28 1859 May5 1868 May 9 1876 April 30 1860 May 4 1868 May 5 1877 May 11861 May 5 1870 May1 1878 May 101862 May1 1871 May 5 1879 May 101863 May 7 1872 May 3 1880 H. A. Arxins, M. D. 6 ORNITHOLOGIST [Vol. 6—No. 1. Sparrow Hawk. Breepine at Portianp, Conn.—In May 1879 I secured a set of eges of Malco spar- verius found in such a manner as to prove that this Hawk does not always, if ever, construct a nest of its own. A farmer had arranged seven nests for -Pigeons inside his barn, with holes through the side of the building communicating with them, and the nest at the corner was appropriated by the Hawks, and contained no other material than that used by the Pigeons in constructing it. May 4th two eges were found, and May 7th four eges, at which time they were allremoved. Two or three days later another egg was laid and then the birds deserted the nest. In order to show that peace prevailed, it may be stated that the Pigeons occupied three of the other nests at the same time the Hawks were endeavoring to raise their brood. The farmers boy informed me that the Hawks had been about the barn all the previous winter, and although continually disturbed while laying, Ifound them quite tame; the fennle not moving until after the board (which covered all the nests) had been removed, and then only flying t» an apple tree near the barn, where she was soon joined by her mate, and the two sat contente lly arranging their plumage in the sunlight as unconcerned as a pair of the pigeons with which they were breeding would have done under similar circum- stances. SHaRp-SHINNED Hawx.—I have a specimen of the male Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipi- ter fuscus) taken in this vicinity Feb. 4th, 1881. It was in good flesh and cortained the remains of Parus atricupillus and Chrysomitris tristis. Another specimen was seen at the same time but unfortuuately was not captured. Merriam in his “Review of Conn. Birds” in writing of the Sharp-shinned Hawk says, “T have no au hentic record of its oceur- rence here in winter.” The taking of this specimen in winter in this locality is inter- esting.—Jno. H. Saae. Night Herons in Winter. In the Oologist for September your cor- respondent, M.B. G. states, that in Feb- ruary, 1879 he shot two adult males, one adult female, and one young Night Heron, during cold weather; ground covered with snow and creeks frozen. It has been gen- erally supposed this bird was only a sum- mer visitor. I can add my testimony showing they are not so tender to cold as. some suppose. The following’ winter, ’79 and 80, I had a tame Night Heron which I reared the previous summer, but with full liberty to go where he pleased. I reared two, but one “‘took the wings of the night’ and did not return; before winter the other took long flights at twihght but always returned ; was never absent in the morning when he expected his rations. He sat in evergreen trees opposite the house, or sunned himself on the fence; was very affectionate to- the family, not stirring when we approached him very closely, and would run or fly after those who fed him, taking meat from the hand. He would go in the detached kitchen, but not in the house further than the door, not the least afraid of cat or dog; and should they ven- ture within the reach of his long sharp- pointed bill would have reason to remem- ber it. I supposed he would die when winter set in, which was a cold one, yet he seemed not to mind it, he even seemed in better condition than poultry; was hearty and sleek. He roosted on the evergreen trees at night, taking shelter on the stoop in hard weather ; he would eat nothing but meat or fish. I will not enlarge on the considerable amusement he gave us, but simply verify the statements of your cor- respondent, that cold did not seem so un- congenial.—Hzrnry Hatzs, Ridgewooa,N J. ee Oe Least Brrrern.—Mr. Fred. T. Jencks of Providence, R. I, reports purchasing a beautiful specimen of the above bird which had been killed by a boy with a bean snap- per on Feb. 28, 1881. Where had this del- icate bird spent the winter? March, 1881.] AND OOLOGIST. 7 California Bird Notes. CHAPARRAL COCK, (reococcyx californianus.) The notes of G. H. Ragsdale in the Jan- uary number of the Oologist, regarding the Chaparral Cock (Geococcyx californi- anus) or Roadrunner, as it is called here, call up some of my experiences with that very odd and interesting species. Its fleetness is indeed very remarkable, but can be continued but a short time without rest. When pursued, its habit seems to be to run with great speed for several rods, then suddenly stop for 1 moment ; then on it goes again, stops again, and so on. Its -habit of throwing up its long tail seems to greatly assist it in stopping so suddenly. Its inability to continue its rapid running without rest is proven by the fact that boys frequently run them down by setting dogs upon them. While running it can usually increase the distance between it and its pursuer, but while resting the dog more than makes good the gain and soon overtakes it. The Roadrunner builds a bulky nest usually in a bunch of cactus, a foot or so from the ground. One found May 16, contained two eggs, the embryo being well developed. Another nest, found two weeks later, contained two young nearly full fledged, and two eggs still fresh. From these facts it would seem that éwo is the usual clutch of eggs, and that a second set are laid before the young of the first set leave the nest. Rep Tarrep Haws.—Jan. 13 I saw a pair of these birds repairing an old nest, climbing to which I found it newly lned with cottonwood bark and green sage twigs. Last year I obtained my first eggs of this species March 25. _ Axsinos.—Deec. 7, I shot a most beautiful Albino California Quail (Lophortyx cali- fornicus,) and Jan. 12 an Albino Red- shafted Woodpecker (Colaptes mexicana.) They both now enrich my collection. Is it not an unusual occurrence to find Albin- os among the Picide ? Earty Nestine.—Last Saturday, Feb. 12, I found a Horned Owl’s nest in the top of a live oak tree, containing two eggs. A shot at the Lewis Woodpecker (Asyn- desmus torquatus) caused the owl to fly from the tree, thus betraying her nest. Both eggs were slightly incubated. On Monday I found a nest of the Sickle-billed Thrush (Harporhynchus redivivus) con- taining two eggs, and a nest of the Long- eared Owl ( Otus vulgaris var. wilsonianus) with one egg. I visited each nest this evening, Feb. 15, and found three eggs in the first and only one in the second. This I think is remarkably early for the Thrush. My Buteo borealis of which I wrote you before. has not yet begun to lay. This is at least a month earlier than any birds nested here last year.—B. W. Ever- MANN, Santa Paula. eg 3 Bird Notes. C. N. P., Muscatine, Iowa, writes that he has probably taken fifty sets of Rose- breasted Grosbeaks’ eggs, and thinks that at least one-fourth had four eggs. He states that the nest is built so shallow the eggs sometimes blow out, hence the small number occasionally found. Jan. Ist, he saw a Robin when the ground was covered with snow, and the thermometer down to zero, Jan. 5, saw another ; thermome- ter below zero. Jan. 26, saw two common Doves: ground entirely covered with snow, and 6° below zero. In mild winter they are sometimes seen in January and Febru- ary, but this has been an unusually severe winter. M. B. G., Shelter Island, reports that Night Herons do not seem to mind the excessively cold weather, as several were seen on Jan. 28, coming to feed in a springy place along a creek. Snow Buntings and Yellow-rumped warblers were quite plenty. Song Sparrows were seen almost daily ; saw a Robin and a King Fisher on Jan. 20. ——— $$ Ooo —— We should consider it a special favor if our readers who are pleased with our mag- azine, would show it to their friends and in- duce them to subscribe for it. 8 has seen two flocks of Pine Grosbeaks dur-! ed his dinner. ing the last week in January, and that his friend Kimball saw a Meadow Lark several times in Ellington, Conn., during the last of January. A gentleman driving from Somers. Conn., noticed the Lark on the road side. — It flew on the fence before him, and continued to fly in advance of the team for three or four miles until it reached El- lington. W. H. CG., Detroit, Mich., states that he has two female Cow Birds killed near that place, Jan. 24, the thermometer standing at 12° above zero. C. W. H., Statesville, N. C., writes that he has discovered a new way to skin birds: he first makes a small cut on the head, be- tween the skin and the flesh, then inserts a blow pipe, tie tightly to prevent escape of air, then blow until all the skin is separated from the flesh, close up the air hole and let the bird remain until cold, then proceed to remove the skin. He experimented on a Pigeon with perfect success; he hopes others will try the experiment and report. B. J. P., Willimantic, Conn., in referring to Mr. Jencks’ notes on the breeding of the Least Bittern in R. L., states that he has taken one and sometimes two of their nests in each season, until! last year when he was compelled by sickness to stay at home. Monday, Feb. 7, being a warm day I took my gun and went after Snow Bunt- ings ( Plectrophanes nivalis). I soon found a flock and fired both barrels into it and got 11. While waiting for the flock to re- turn (as they will and hover over the wound- ed ones,) they returned before I had my cartridges changed. Whiie I was waiting I saw one of the wounded birds fluttering along the snow some 75 yards from me. a Shrike swooped down upon the wounded bird and seized it by the throat. I was astonished at the impudence of the Shrike and fired a charge of dust shot at it, but it took no notice further than to let go and fly up and look around. It went,;back to the Snow Bunting and again took it by the Upon examination it prov- ed to be( Collyrio ludovicianus) Loggerhead Shrike. This is the first instance of find- ing that species here in the dead of win- ter. : P. §.—I noticed in the February number of the Oologist that Dr. Atkins states that he had shot a specimen of Song Sparrow (Mel- ospiza meodin) Jan. 1st. I think the Bird will prove to be Lincoln’s Finch (J. lin- colnit) as the Birds are very much alike. —W. H. Corus, Detroit, Mich. 49 Qe Recent Publications. BeautiruL AND Curious Brirps oF THE Wortp, by Chas. P. Cory, F.LS., F.Z.S., etc.—Parts I. and II. of this magnificient work have been issued, and we feel it our duty to dwell somewhat upon it, as it fills an important though by no means espec- ially valuable position among serial ornith- ological publications. The first part contains two plates and corresponding text. One of these repre- sents the Dodo, a famous bird of Australia, - now extinct ; natural size. The coloring is excellent, although the character of the subject is such as to require little real ar- tistic nicety. All the picture claims is accuracy. The artist has made a_back- ground to relieve a figure which would otherwise be monotonous. The other plate is that of a Bird of Paradise, one of the sombrerer species, creeper-like in ap- pearance. The foliage is excellently caleu- lated to exhibit the native haunts of the species. Part two contains three plates, illustrat- ing respectively, the King Bird of Paradise, the Apteryx, and Great Auk, all good sub- jects, and selected in accordance with the ti- tle of the work. The figures are first printed in pale colors, and afterward carefully color- ed by hand by competent artists. The work is to consist of ten parts, published at inter vals of three months, at ten dollars per part. The author may be addressed at number 8, Arlington Street, Boston, Mass. ORNITHOLOGIST OOLOGIST. $1.00 per Established March 1875, ~ 10 cents annum. Joseph M. Wade, editor and publisher. single copy. VOL. Vi. NO. 2 ROCKVILLE, CONN., APRIL 1881. Hooded Warblers. NESTING IN SOUTHERN CONN. It was back a mile from the public roads in the deep old woods, chestnuts, beeches and birches of seventy-five years standing with a short undergrowth of kalmia aver- aging some two and a half feet in hight. This shrub is abundant here and is fre- quently found in patches of considerable extent. I was passing quietly along in such a place when something flitted across my path almost from under my feet. It passed so swiftly from sight I could not distinguish it, disappearing instantly in the adjacent shrubbery, but I knew what it was for I had been through the same ex- perience before. Scrutinizing every shrub ever so carefully, I failed to fix my eyes on the nest that I knew was there, for I could soon hear the sharp, clear note of the fe- male Hooded Warbler a few paces away in the thickets, and catch an otcasional glimpse of her as she flitted from shrub to shrub, and from one thicket to another, and I could see the white patches of the tail open and shut with every movement. Taught by past experience I presently abandoned searching and retired a short distance, carefully marking the spot, to watch the bird and wait developments. As I moved away from the spot I could perceive that the bird approached it again by the continually repeated “telip” nearer and nearer at each repetition, till in five minutes it was silent or with only an occa- sional note, and I knew she was on the nest. I listened keenly for every note as I again approached the spot, for this bird will occasionally repeat her note-when on the nest, as I have often proved, and when she went fluttering off, I saw the little shrub tremble and knew that there was the nest closely hidden among the dark green kalmia leives, but very easy to see now that I knew just where to look. Pieces of yellow birch bark, beech and chestnut leaves carefully matted and bound together and to the triangular crotch, formed the base of the structure, rounded and neatly finished at the top with the inner bark of chestnut and ce- dar, with fine grass and scales from beech buds and a little fern down mixed in, and all secured compactly together with spider webs. I speak advisedly having seen the bird diligently gather the webs. Inside the nest was neatly and smoothly lined with mixed horse hair and very fine grass. Largest outer diameter three inches and a half, inner diameter two inches, and _ depth two inches, and built in a little kalmia bush about fifteen inches from the ground. This description will answer for most of the many nests I have found of the spe- cies, with varying quantities of birch bark and fern down, invariably in a kalmia bush. This was the twenty-sixth of May, 1879, and within this nest was four beauti- ful little eggs, pearly and rosy, but dif- ferently marked from any I had before seen of the species, just about regulation pattern for size, averaging 23-32 inch in length, and 18-32 inch in greater breadth, being marked with very minute dots, a few scattered over the surface but mostly in a ring around the larger end. Eleven days after this event I found another nest and set of three eggs in the same spot,iscarcely a foot from where I found the other; these eggs were quite unlike the former set in 10 ORNITHOLOGIST [ Vol. 6—No. 2. markings though of similar size, the spots being larger and more distinct, of a dark reddish brown color and chiefly collected about the large end though not in a ring. I did not look again in 1879, but the 25th of May, 1880, I repeated the same experi- ence in the same place, securing another set of four fresh rosy eggs, prettily and neatly marked in the usual manner; and again on the 3d of June, only nine days later, I found another nest and four more eges in the same spot. All these four sets were taken from within a radius of four feet, and I fancy were all of the same pair of birds, though very differently marked, for I have observed that Hooded Warblers are very unsocial, having never seen two pairs of them occupying the same locality or nearer than thirty rods of each other. If it was the same pair it would imply that the robbing of nest and eggs was no great loss to them if they can be so promptly and completely replaced. A few notes from my observations of the bird as found here and I will close. The male bird is seldom seen near the nest except when it is building, or after the young are hatched, but he can usually be heard some twenty-five rods away, constantly repeat- ing his clear musical che-we—e—o. I have seen him in the mating season, hovering after the manner of the Chats, and warb- ling so sweetly and continuously that the song seemed more like a chorus than a solo; but this performance is rarely seen. The female is usually only a little plain “Yellow Bird,” with the bright yellow face contrasting sharply with the greenish yel- low of the back, but I have ovcasionally seen females with the black hood distinctly developed. I especially remembered one that I captured, with its nest and eggs, and which I really supposed to be a male till I had dissected it, the hood being as perfect as in the average male. The bird may usually be heard by the first week of May (2d my earliest record.) in their usual haunts from some dense thicket, and the female arrives I think a few ‘September. days later though she is so quiet and in- conspicuous that she might be there and yet — unobserved. Some of the birds tarry till Despite the assertions of sey- eral writers of note to the contrary. I pronounce the species a very common one here, in evidence of which I found in the season of 1880, eleven nests, with four eggs each in every instance but one, which had a Cow Birds and three Hooded Warb- lers. I believe that when the bird and its habits become better known its breeding range will be found to be more extensive in Connecticut, than the little town of Say- brook, if not it would seem a very remark- able circumstance. J. N. Crarg. F at OOo a Horned Lark. NESTING HABITS IN ORLEANS CO., N. Y. The Hremophila alpestris is quite com- mon in this part of the state and is gener- ally seen on some sandy knoll or by the roadside dusting themselves. During the past few years I have spent considera- ble time in trying to’find their nests, but with little success until the past season, when quite unexpectedly on April 17, 1880, when crossing an old pasture lot I acci- dentally found a nest, and while approach. ing it the old bird quietly left it appearing quite unconcerned whether I took the four nearly fledged young that it contained, or not. The nest was placed in a cup-shaped cavity lined with June grass. As the day was cold and windy the young did not at- tempt to leave the nest, but huddled to- gether and tried to hide themselves under one another and when I touched them they only squatted the closer. The Horned Lark must be a very hardy bird for this nest had weathered very cold storms in safety. About this time I found a crows nest with two eggs which were frozen. April 19th, visited the Horned Larks nest, when the young ones immediately scramb- led out of it and made off in a way that was comical to behold, they were not old enough to fly but by using legs and wings they tumbled off in a lively manner. April, 1881.] AND OOLOGIST. 11 May 28th, while hoeimg a new straw- berry patch I found another nest of this species and came very near crushing both nest and eges as there was nothing near to protect it, but simply hollowed out of the dry sand and lined with grass like the previous nest. The grass was very dry and very loosely put together. In this case incubation had commenced and the bird was unusually tame, she did not leave the nest until I got within eight or ten feet of it and tien she would move off in a slow and quite unconcerned manner. She did not seem in the least afraid and would pick up bugs and worms quite un- concerned. When I had passed the nesi about the same distance she would as quietly return to it and snuggle around like a setting hen before settling down and would sit as quiet as though no one was near. This nest contained 4 eggs the ground color of which was gray, minutely and thickly speckled with light brown very uniformly. Some of the specks are nearly as largé as a pin’s head. The meas- urements varied and were as follows,.80x.61 .80x.62, .82x.63, and .84x.63. About the 15th of June, this same pair made another nest in a patch of Tobacco near by. I did not molest this nest and by the middle of July the five young which they had raised were able to fly and left the nest, and were fully as large as the old birds. It is my opin- ion that all three nests were made by one pair of birds, and if I had left the eggs in nest No. 2 they would no doubt have raised three broods in tle season. F. H. Larriy, Gaines, N. Y. ps SED eee Cactus Wren. (Campylorhynchus brunneicapilius.) Journeying across the bleak and arid Colorado desert, this little wren with the awe-inspiring hame was one of the most numerous of the feathered race that I saw, and its nest was to be seen wherever cactus or mesquite grew. Its peculiar note continued long and monotonously, relieved the oppressive silence and sug- gested life and checrfulness. The nests, very large for the size of the bird, were laid on the flat branches of the cactus, or occasionally placed in a mesquite or palo verds tree, and were very conspicuous. They were built of fine grasses, well inter- woven, and were shaped something like a retort, with a long funnel shaped entrance. The body of the nest was often as large as a man’s head, completely roofed over and with the entrance, also roofed, on one side at the top of the nest. This entrance way was often 6 to 9 inches in length, and. of only sufficient diameter to admit the pas- sage of the bird. The interior of the nest was always thickly lined with feathers, which were gathered with infinite labor from many and various birds, and to exam- ine one of the nests was a good way to find out what birds were in the vicinity. The nests were seldom higher than three or four feet from the ground, exceptional ones in mesquite trees being at a height of from ten to fifteen feet. The full comple- ment of eggs, in no case noticed by myself, exceeded five. They are rather elongated and slightly pointed and average specimens measure about 1 inch in length by .65 inch- es in diameter. The color, when freshly blown, is very rich being of a delicate sal- mon, marked universally and evenly with darker salmon; also forming a slight ring around the larger end. The birds are in little flocks during the winter months, and mate and nest very early. How many broods are raised I am unable to say, but dates of finding nests with eggs in the middle of February and as late as August, are before me and well authenticated. In this case they must be remarkably prolific. I will endeavor to ascertain more concern- ing number of broods raised. G. Houteruorr, Jr., Los Angelos, Cal. me OM ee W. W. Worthington, Shelter Island, N. Y. reports the following arrivals: Fish Hawks and Great Blue Herons March 25, Shore Larks and Wild Geese Apr. 1, Grass Finches Apr. 2, White-bellied Swallow Apr 8. ORNITHOLOGIST [ Vol. 6-No. 2 ORNITHOLOGIST and OCLOGIST. A MONTHLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OF BIRDS, THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. JOS. M. WADE, - - - . Editor “. L. WILLARD, = = - Ass’t Editor With the co-operation of able Ornithological Writers and Collectors. $1.00 per annum. 10 cents single copy. Address JOS. M. WADE, Rockville, Conn. Preparing Heas—Some time ago some one inquired for something to prevent in- sects infesting and destroying eggs. Judg ing from our own collection at the time we could not understand how the smallest in- sect could live in a collection of eggs any more than they could in a case of new vials, but since then we have done some exchang- ing with various collectors and have been surprised to see the specimens some other- wise good oologists will send out. Fresh eggs with holes an eighth of an inch in diameter and some even larger. Some have large holes but well cleaned—others have even part of the yolk adhering to the out- side of the shell; these are the kind in which the insects hold high carnival, and even if they were prevented from gaining an entrance, the eggs turn black and com- mence to decay from the time they are placed in the Cabinet. Another class of collectors will place on the egg with pen and ink the full record of the find; these eggs for neat collectors are almost ruined. others will place all of a kind in the same box, having no regard for sets; in this way many valuable sets are lost to Sci- ence. Single egg collections are worthless except as articles of curiosity. When the find is made, if. the collector has time at his disposal, he should fully ob- serve the habits of the birds, enough cer- tainly to identify the species. If this can- not be done, a little bird lime properly used will very soon place the birds in his power for examination ; only as a last re- source would we advise the shooting of the birds. Before the nest is taken, the inter- nal measurements should be made, its ma- terial noted as well as the location. We never clean eggs in the field, always reservy- ing them for evening work, when they are carefully drilled with the smallest drill possible ; then with the Ellsworth blower, described by Dr. William Wood, we _ pro- ceed to remove the contents, when each specimen is placed in a pan of warin water until the set is complete, when they are thoroughly washed inside and out, even the moisture being blown out. A record is then made on a small slip of paper and placed in the Cabinet with the eggs. No mark being made on the shell, the drill hole is also so small, that it is hardly no- ticeable. The Smithsonian and collector's numbers may be put on the shell with a clear soft pencii that can be easily washed off should the eggs change hands, or anew edition of the check list appear. Se I Evropran Sxy Larxs.—We have receiv- ed an invitation from H. Hales of Ridge- wood, N. J. to visit that place and see a large lot of Sky Larks previous to their being liberated the coming Spring, It appears that “with the assistance of Purser Kinzey of the steamship City of Rich- mond, Mr. Isaac W. England secured 200 of these birds in England. Twenty-five died on the passage. The others arrived in New York on the 13th of last Decem- ber. About fifty of the birds escaped from the cage while they were on their way to Mr. England’s farm at Ridgewood, N. J. By the 17th of December their number had been reduced to 103. On that day Mr. Hales took charge of them. All were very weak. Over twenty © died. The others recovered their strength. They are kept in an apartment twelve feet square, well lighted, warmed, and venti!- ated. The floor is well sanded, and they can have a dust bath whenever they want it. The floor is partly sodded, and they have a new grass plot weekly. This subject opens a wide field for the lover of rural pursuits. To what more April, 1881. ] AND OOLOGIST. jel tS) charming use could the well-to-do owners of country places put a little money than importing and acclimating the song birds of the Old World. They would be confer- ring a lasting blessing upon the people by introducing the skylark, the woodlark, the titlark, the blackbird, the thrush, the lin- net, the green, gold, bull, and chaffinches, the nightingale, and other European warb- lers so famed in song and story, and so dear to every lover of rural life.” We make the above extracts from a long article by Mr. Hales, in the V. Y. Sun of March 28th, and we regret not. having space for the entire article, and fear we will not be able to see the birds while in confinment. The mere mention of the above list of birds bring us back to “Boy- hood’s happy days,” when every bird men- tioned was as familiar as the common “Robin” of the U.. 8. we hope Mr. England will be successful in his effort, being liberated South of the “North Riv- er,” they will no doubt work down to West Jersey, and possibly Deleware, as winter approaches. Should they ever be- come plenty in this Country they are an excellent bird for the young sportsman to practise on. Se Scarlet Tanager. Dates of the arrival of the Scarlet Tana- ger, Pyranga rubra, for 25 years, in Locke, Ingham County, Michigan. This spe- cies 1S a Common summer resideni, and was first observed by me in the summer of 1842. It was found breeding for the first time May 27th, 1878. The nest was built on a horizontal limb of a beech tree, 25 feet from the ground. I*have only found two nests since that date. Baltimore Oriole. Dates of the arrival of the Baltimore Oriole, (Zcterus baltimore.) for 25 years in the township of Locke, Ingham County, State of Michigan. This species is a com- May May 4, 1856. _ May 18, 1857. May 8, 1858. May 6, 1859. May 4, 1860. 4, 1861. May 12, 1862. May 4, 1863. May 14, 1864. June 4, 1865. May 10, 1866. May 17, 1867. May 15, 1868. May 14, 1869. May 5, 1870. May 6, 1871. May 2, 1872. May 6. May 8, May 10, May 12, May 12, May 1, May 10, May 3, 1873. 1874. 1875. 1876. 1877. 1878. 1879. 1880. mon summer resident, and was first no- ticed by me in the summer of 1842. May 2,1856 May 8,1865. May 8, May 11,1857. May 8, 1866. May 9, May 5, 1858. May 5, 1867. May 10, Apr. 28, 1859. 5, 1868. May 9, Apr. 30, 1860: 4, 1869. May 5, May 1, 1861. 5, 1870. May 1, May 10,1862. May 1, 1871. May 5, 1879. May 10, 1863. May 7,1872. May 3, 1880. May 8, 1864. Dr. H. A. ATKINS. —_ +9 — i Bird Notes. A Haws Owt, ( Surutu ulula hudsonica.) was killed at Gorham, N. Y. in Nov. 1875. The young man who shot it informs me that he was on horseback when the bird was first seen and rode very near without flushing him. Leaving his horse, he re- turned with his gun and secured the bird. The weather was very mild. I do not think that the Hawk Owl has before been record. ed as a bird of central New York. Kitipeer (Negialitis vociferus) is not a very common summer resident though very well known, arriving from March Ist to the 15th and departing the last of Octc- ber. The following notes of its breeding may be of interest: 1869 May 4, 1875 June 1, 1878 June 12, 1879 April 23, 1880 June 11, 1880 June 18. The eggs were four in every instance, and in one case were laid in the mellow ground of a corn-field with- out any ndicaticn of its usually pebbly nest. Inpieco Brrp (Cyanospisa Cyanea.).—I have taken the nest of this bird on the fol- lowing dates: 1875 June 19, 1875 July 19, 1878 July 2, July 4 and Aug. 138, 1880 1880 May 30. The farmers formerly pas- tured the woods with sheep and there was then no underbrush, but this custom is now discontinued and the woods are filled with a dense growth of bushes, and this bird is now abundant where, previous to 1874, they were rare or entirely unknown. J. M. Howey, Canadaigua, N. Y. 1873. 1874. 1875. 1876. 1877. 1878. 14 ORNITHOLOGIST [ Vol. 6—No. 2. Marsh Hawk. (Circus hudsonius) A Lares Set or Eaas.—I quote from a letter from an ornithological friend in Dunnville, Ont., he having kindly given me permission to do so. “T was told of the nest by a farm labor- er, who in going across the fields daily to his work, discovered it in a swale out ina meadow, but near a wood. When first found it contained only three eggs, but at the end of another week it had six. Some days after this, I cannot say now just how long, when I visited it there were four young birds and three eggs, one of the lat- ter chipped, one half incubated and the third but slightly so. Of the birds, one was a good sized fellow able to stand up while the others were not so strong. The nest was in an open space in the high weeds or rushes near a bush, and was com- posed of small sticks and grasses quite flattened and tramped down. The man told me that he had never seen but the one pair of birds about the nest, and he saw them every day he went to his work. I took them on the 14th of June 1880. This is about all I can tell you concerning them.” Some time ago I noticed in the Ootocist one of its correspondents writing of find- ing a set of eggs, one of which was very small. I donot think this occurrence is at all unusual. At present I have a set of three eggs of the common Crow, two of which are larger than the average, while the third is very small. One can geta good idea of their size from these meas- urements: 1.98 x 1.19 inches. 1.90 x 1.18 inches, .91 x .72 inches. I have also no- ticed this peculiarity in the Downy Wood- peckers, Robins and Black Duck's eggs, and I have no doubt that it occurs with the eggs of almost every species. S. F. Rarugun, Auburn, N. Y. a ea Catcuine A Tartar.—A gentleman resid- ing in Greenville, R. I, about eight miles northwest of Providence, on Saturday last brought in a male of the Little Black-head Duck (Fulix afinis) which he had caught in his meadow. He stated that he saw it first flying as though very tired and alight- ing in the meadow. He gave chase. It flew short distances at a time and he final- ly captured it. The bird had captured a mussel and was at the same time a captive, for the mussel was a trifle too large for the duck to swallow, and moreover the duck was trying to get it down the. hinged end first. It had shut itself on the bird’s tongue, near the throat, in such a way that the latter could not crush it. On dis- section no food was found in the duck’s stomach, and it had apparently been wan- dering about for some time. I had not heard of their visiting any fresh ponds, being confined to the sea-board. It prob- ably , while in such a predicament flew hither and thither without regard to diree- tion. The party had it mounted with mus- sel in its mouth as found. F. T. Jencks. [After receiving the above we called at the store of Southwick & Jencks and saw the duck in question. The mussel was firmly fixed in the throat, forcing the bill open about one and one quarter inches. Ed. | Bank Swatiows Urinizev.—Mr. John H. Sage of Portland, Conn.; states that there are large quantities of the above birds breeding in the banks of the extensive Brown stone quarries at that place. The birds are protected by the men, they be- leving that they destroy large num- bers of insects that would annoy them while at work were the Swallows not there. Ricuarpson’s Owx.—About the middle of December 1880, an owl was brought to a taxidermist in this city, by a young lady, to be stuffed, but the taxidermist seeing that it was not a common species, per- suaded her to take a Cedar bird instead. The owl, on examination proved to be Nyctale tengmalmi, var Richardsoni, (Bonap) and is the first, I believe that has been taken in the state, though Dr. Elliott Coues gives an instance of one being shot in Connecticut. The bird is now at the Brown University. EE ————_ o 15 April, 1881.] AND OOLOGIST. I have noticed that while the owls have been quite abundant during the past win- ter, the Snow buntings, Plectrophanes ni- valis, have been uncommon. It may be that they have gone farther south, where the deep snow has not covered the seeds from which they obtain their food. while the Owls having a different diet, find our climate better adapted to their wants. It would be interesting if some of the south- ern readers of the Ootocist would inform us if they have seen them very abundant in their locality. H. C. Bumpus, Providence, R. I. +9 ++ — Oological Notes. Dovsiz-YoLKkep Eees.—In the specimen paper you sent me I found a notice of a double yolked Blue-bird’s egg. I once found a double yolked King-bird’s egg. In this specimen the usual markings were to- tally absent, being replaced by a few large blotches of a little darker tint than the shell. Unfortunately I broke it while de- scending the tree. There were two other eges in the nest marked in the usual man- ner. The nest of another one was lined entirely with bunches of human hair. It was near a barber shop. SHort-BILLED Marsh Wren. — The only nest of this kind I ever found had two dis- tinct compartments, one containing an egg and the other nothing. Do they always build two compartments? Buve Brrps; Tuer Burtpine Hasrrs.—In July 1880 I found a nest of the Blue-bird, placed upon some splinters, and without any protection except that about two feet above them was a trunk of a tree from which the splinters proceeded. This is the only time I have ever found a Blue- bird’s nest out of a hole. In our vicinity they seem to havea taste for building in letter boxes upon fences. Last year I found four cases of the kind. Inquiry.— Last summer I saw in the top of a hickory tree a nest looking lke a House sparrow’s. It contained one egg of the shape and size of a Swallow’s which was pure white except at the large end where it looked as if it had been smoked. Indeed on first seeing it I thought it had, but upon blowing the yolk was clear and limpid, and besides the color would not wash or scrape off, so it must have been natural. The old bird was not near enough to distinguish her colors. What sort of an egg is it? K. P. McExroy, Toledo, O. Sone Sparrow.—On the 24th day of May, 1879 I took at Fair Haven, Conn., a female Song sparrow, Melospisu melodia, together with her nest and five eggs. She had chosen for the situation of her nest the bed of a railroad, where trains were continual- ly passing, and had placed it not more than ten feet from the track. But the pe- culiarity to which I wish especially to call attention is that while four of the eggs were in size and color precisely alike, be- ing a bluish white with spots of reddish brown so confluent as to appear almost uniformly of that color, the fifth is notably ereater in size and very different in color- ation, having a more decided ground work with its spots much larger and thinly scat- tered. Again while the four eggs were nearly fresh, this oddity contained a fully formed embryo which was with difficulty removed. N. A. Eppy, Bangor, Me. THe Cotorine Marrer or Birp’s Eaas— The brilliant and remarkably permanent color of the eggs of many birds has led Liebermann to investigate its cause. He finds that however widely different these colors are from each other, they are due essentially to but two coloring matters, one a blue or green substance, probably a biliary coloring matter, the other character- ized by a remarkable absorptive spectrum. These coloring matters are contained in the first layer of the shell, often in several thicknesses. When the shell is treated with hydrochloric acid, the coloring separates in flakes, and by treatment with alcohol a strong solution may be obtained. With the eggs of Gulls and Plovers an unsuc- cessful attempt was made to obtain the coloring matter pure. Screntiric AMERICAN. 16 ORNITHOLOGIST [ Vol. 6—No. 2 Great Hornep Owt’s Eaes.—Mr. W. W. Coe of Portland, Conn., has again taken a pair of eggs from his “Old Owls.” They were taken this year on March 8th. This is the seventh or eighth successive year that this pair of birds have yielded tribute to Mr. Coe. Dr. Wm. Wood states that he once took five eggs at one time and from the same nest. It would be interest- ing to know if these eggs were all laid by one female. An Eee Wrrutin an Eac.—I would like to know whether any of your readers have met with a case in the formation of eggs similar to the following, for as far as my experience goes, it is decidedly unique. A friend of mine while breakfasting on some duck’s eggs, opened an unusually large one and found within it a second egg with a perfect shell, similar in color and thickness to the outer one. He brought it to me and itis now in my collection. It is almost globular and about an inch in diameter ; it contained a yolk with surrounding albu- men, but I could not say as to the germ for it was boiled hard. G. A. McCarium, Ontario. 69 6+ Recent Publications. “Tilustrations of Nests and Eggs.” The Oologists of North America have now be- fore them three works on the Nests and Eggs of the birds of North America, all claiming their patronage. As there are few of our readers that will be enabled to examine all three, it might be well for us to give a little of our experience, as well as our opinion, of the three works in ques- tion. We have no interest in any of them, have purchased two of them, and seen a sample copy of the third. We have before us seven numbers of the “Illustrations of the Nests and Eggs of the Birds of Ohio,” and have examined them thoroughly, have read them carefully. There is room for slight criticism, but the artist is well aware of defects that the ordinary reader could not detect and which will be remedied in future numbers. It is published at five dollars per part. This will seem high to many but it is well worth much more. The book as a whole is simply superb. The plates are so real, and artistically drawn, and the text is a simple statement of facts in plain English that must win all readers, to all who can afford it. we say buy this work. It will always be worth the subscription price. Dr. Coues endor- ses it unreservedly, and to the extent of its cost it is one of the finest works ever published and devoted to Natural Science. Since the above was written we have re- ceived number eight of the above work,’ which contains the Cardinal Redbirds nest and eggs, Warbling and Red eyed Vireo’s nests and eggs, also the nest and eggs of the Carolina Dove, all of which are finely executed. The text as usual is so plain that a child can understand it. It is a misfortune to the Science that the above work is not better known so that a larger colored edition would be circulated. “The Illinois State Laboratory of Natu- ral history; Bulletin, No. 3,” containing studies of the Food of Birds, Insects and Fishes, made at the Illinois State Labora- tory of Natural History at Normal, [linois, by S. A. Forbes. Sixty-nine pages of the above work are devoted to an exceedingly valuable article on “The Food of Birds,” which should be read by every ornitholo- gist who can fairly claim to be a natural- ist. They will there find much food for thought. We are indebted to a modest friend “away down East” for a valuable pamph- let entitled, “Report of the Commissioners of Fisheries and Game of the State of Maine for 1880.” This report contains considerable information about the recently imported “Messina Quail,” which seems to have bred quite freely during the year 1880. It states that “the eggs of the quail are of a greenish color profusely blotched with brown,” but are said to fade quickly when exposed to the light. For want of room we shall forego making the extracts we desire until some future time. ORNITHOLOGIST OOLOGIST. Established $1.00 per March 1875, | 10 cents annum. Joseph M. Wade, editor and publisher. single copy. NO. 3 VOR Vi. ROCKVILLE, CONN., MAY, 1881. Henslow’s Sparrow. NESTING IN NORTHERN CONN. Henslow’s Sparrow, Coturniculus hens- lowi, has apparently been on the increase in this town (Eastford) during the last five or six years. I think it was in 1876 that I first detected it by its note, ina swampy meadow. Whenever I passed the place during the season the same monoto- nous sound could be heard, and the bird has made his home there every year since. Two years later I heard one in another small meadow, not far from the first. On the 6th of August 1879, I had the pleasure of examining two nests of this species in a single field, which a farmer had uncovered the day before, while mowing. The land was very high, but wet or springy, though having nothing like the appearance of the swampy places where these birds usually make their home. Each nest contained three eggs. One set of eggs which I took was so far advanced in incubation that I found it impossible to blow them. I left one nest intending to return the next morning with a gun for the purpose of se- curing the female, but during the night some animal destroyed both nest and eggs. The nests were very slight structures, com- posed of dry grass and lined, if lined at all, with the same material, no finer than the bulk of the nest. One of them was on the side of a “cradle knoll” the ground all around it being quite wet. The nest was on level ground in a dry spot and the rim was sunk to a level with the surface. The bird was on the nest and at my approach she slipped off and ran away through the short grass very much like a mouse. The eges of this species cannot be positively distinguished from those of the Yellow- winged Sparrow, Coturniculus passerinus. In one nest the eggs were considerably elongated and quite pointed at the smaller end. In the other they were more nearly round and not sufficiently pointed to ren- der the two ends distinguishable. These were undoubtedly the second layings of the season, which accounts for there being so few eggs. I captured one of the birds, which proved to be a male, and his plu- mage, owing to the moult, was in a most dilapidated condition; minus about half the tail and other feathers in proportion. In the afternoon of July 17th, 1880, in driving from Putnam to Eastford I heard five of these birds in as many different places; two in Woodstock and three in EKastford. A few days afterward I inquir- ed of a farmer who had recently mowed a meadow in which I heard one of them, if he had found any birds nests there, and he replied that he did mow over a “little ground bird’s” nest having three eggs, which he described as white with brown spots, but unfortunately the horse rake had obliterated all traces of it. One morning in May, 1879, I found one of these birds and undertook to capture him, which proved to be no easy matter. When he first rose from the ground I was not ready for him and with a short flight he dropped into cover. I hastened to the spot where he disappeared, but when I got where he was he wasn't there. After floun- dering around for some time in the water and over the “tussocks” I started him once more, but in a direction where I was not | looking, and with a short flight he plunged into’ the grass again. He had a wonder- 18 ORNITHOLOGIST [ Vol. 6—No. 3. ful faculty for worming his way through the grass, and at a sharp angle from his line of flight, but whether to the right or left I could not know until he arose again. It was only after several attempts that I succeeded in capturing him. The musical performance of this bird has very little to commend it; though con- sidermg the poor success he meets with, his performance is certainly praiseworthy. When the muse inspires his breast he mounts to the top of a weed or some other object that raises him just above the grass. There he sits demurely until the spirit moves, when he suddenly throws up his head and with an appearance of much ef- fort, jerks out his monosyllabic “isip,” ap- parently with great satisfaction. Then, having relieved himself he drops his head and waits patiently for his little cup to fill again. Somehow I cannot watch him while thus engaged, without a feeling of pity for a creature so constituted that he can be satisfied with such a performance, and content with his surroundings. C. M. Jones, Eastford, Conn. +O > — Collecting on the Pacific Coast. June 26,1880,on my return from a collect- ing trip in the Interior, I started for “Punta de los Reyos,” Point Reyos; a barren, dis- mal, rocky place, such as is seldom visited by a collector. Excepting in a few places the cliffs are inaccessible, and here amid the din and roar of old Ocean, thousands of Brants, Cormorants @raculus pencilla- tus, and Violet Green Cormorants, Gracu- lus violaceus, build their nests and rear their young. There was also a few Tufted Puffins, Mormon cirrhata, Western Guille- mots, Uria columba, with a few pairs of Western Gulls, Zaurus occidentalus, and two pairs of Wandering Tattlers, Heterosce- lus brevipes. The latter had no doubt nests, as they would not leave two im- mense caverns which were formed in the face of the cliff by the action of the water. While perched on a rocky point between the two caverns shooting the M. cirrhata as they circled about my head, the MZ. bre- vipes would come flying out with their shrill piping cry only to return again, and at the next report the same scene would be enacted. At the report of the gun the air would be filled with birds circling about, each giving out their peculiar cry. But only those nearest could be heard, such was the terrific din and crash made by the Pacific ocean against the face of the cliff and in the caverns, large and small, worn in the solid rock by countless ages of the washing of the cruel and re- lentless waves that know no rest, day or night. I could sit on a few favorable points and look into hundreds of nests, filled with their treasures, “so near and yet so far,” but the steep and perpendicu- lar cliffs afforded no foothold whatever. One place in particular, a narrow shelf of rock about twenty feet above the water and on which were eight nests of U. colum- ba with the birds on the nests, not one of which could be obtained except by being lowered from the cliff above for a distance of 200 feet byarope. The L. occidentalus had already hatched and the downy, half- fledged young were easily caught, when the old ones came darting and circling around me with a continuous screaming cry that sounded above the roar of the surf and set hundreds of other birds in motion so that to watch them whirling about one’s head produced a dizziness. I was soon glad to release the little things, as they kept biting so viciously. So I gave each a toss in the air and they went whirling down over the cliffs until they struck the water when most of them pad- dled off to sea, while the old ones dispers- ed in search of food. The cliffs range in hight from one hundred and fifty to seven hundred feet, and are inaccessible except in a few places where I made out to get a few sets of G. pencillatus. I remained here three days and secured more skins than eggs. Only a small percentage of the birds shot could be secured as they drifted into caverns and among the rocks May, 1881.] AND OOLOGIST. 19 out of the reach of man. Some distance from the shore there are a number of islets from a few yards to several hundred in ex- tent. These islets were literally alive with G. pencillatus, the rocks being black with them and at a distance of nearly a mile the stench from the accumulation of filth was almost unbearable. These islets are also inaccessible, as their sides are smooth and almost perpendicular, even with a boat nothing could be done, not even a foot- hold gained to reach the coveted eggs so temptingly displayed to view. In places I could lean over the rocks and look into fif- teen or twenty nests at a time, not over ten or fifteen feet distant, some with eggs, some with young, and some with the old birds incubating. Birds were continually going out to sea, and returning probably in search of food, several of the MW. cirr- hata had fish in their beaks eight or ten inches long which resembled the smelt. J was not able to reach the nests of these birds as they were among the rocks on the land. The holes were so deep and crooked I could not reach them with my hand. The pretty red legged U. columba were continually in motion. Some came in from the sea with weeds and kelp with which to build their nests, and out they would go in a few minutes with a weak whistling cry. Occasionally a flock of Brown Pelicans, Pelecanus fuscis, would come sailing by, but where they bred I could not tell as I never saw their nests or eggs on the coast. Next season I intend to make another trip to this region but can assure the readers of the Ooroaist it is anything but a pleasure, as it is a lonesome, foggy, out of the way place, and a Collector's life is continually in jeopardy while he is on the cliffs, a single misstep will fetch him into an abyss from which there is no escape. This is only one of the many dangers a collector is exposed to if he is iocated on the borders of civ- ilization and soon becomes used to scenes which at first he would view with a feeling of horror. C. A. AtiEn, Nicasio, Cal. Least Titmouse. ITS NESTING HABITS IN CALIFORNIA. On the 15th of April, 1880, I found a nest of the Least Titmouse (Psaltriparus minimus) that is of remarkable length. The following are its measurements: length, 21 inches; diameter near upper end, 1? inches; diameter a foot from top its greatest size, 3 inches; diameter near lower end, 24 inches; distance of entrance from top, 53 inches; depth of cavity, 7 inches ; diameter of entrance, ? inch. No other nest found exceeded 9 inches in length, and in every one the entrance was in the top or nearly so. This nest is composed of fine vegetable cotton, great quantities of the pappus of compound flowers, minute bits of lichens, among which are woven long strips of grass-blades, fine fibrous roots, and the tough inner bark of weeds. Both the upper and lower portions of the nest are not so solidly made as is the middle portion. The nest was hung upon a small limb of a live-oak, about eight feet from the ground, and im- mediately over an irrigating ditch. There were seven eggs in the nest, incubation well begun. The Least Titmouse is an abundant win- ter resident of this county (Ventura) and may be seen in flocks of five to thirty flying from sage-bush to sage-bush and feeding among their branches. In summer I do not think they are so abundant, yet many remain to breed, choosing as their favorite places in which to hang their long, beauti- ful pensile nests a bunch of mistletoe or the thick foliage of a live-oak. Nests have been found in sage and greasewood bushes, and one in a bunch of cactus. My observations of a number of nests and their sets of eggs enables me to verify Dr. Coues' remark, viz: “That the nest is usually as many inches long as there are eggs in the full set.” My twenty-one inch nest being the only exception among a dozen observed. All others I have are from six to nine inches long, and contained from six to nine eggs. B. W. Evermann, Santa Paula, Cala. 20 ORNITHOLOGIST [Vol. 6-No. 3. ORNITHOLOGIST and OOLOGIS?. A MONTHLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OF BIRDS, THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. JOS. M. WADE, - - . - Editor S. L. WILLARD, - - - Ass’t Editor With the co-operation of able Ornithological Writers and Collectors. Foreign SUBSCRIPTION.—$1.00 per annum. Specimen subscription $1.25 including postage. copies ro cents each. JOS. M. WADE, Rockville, Conn. Entered at the Rockville P. O. as second-class matter. EDITORIAL. Recent Pusrications.—The study of or- nithology has lately developed to such an extent that we come naturally to look upon its literature with a more critical eye than a few years ago, when each new publication, of whatever pretension, was hailed—and justly—with much interest and cordiality. Books were not written for the sake of the author's fancied appreciation of seeing him- self in print. We encountered little that did not bear the evidence of true value; because it was a lawful privilege, respected by the younger students of the science, of the ablest men to form the results of the current investigation for public use. In these days of rapid growth and increased interest in the study of birds, and the grad- ual lifting of popular misconceptions and old and often taught errors, we look for a higher scale in the literature from which we must of necessity derive the bulk of our information. We are quicker to discover an imperfection than formerly. The rapid perfection in book making and art in illus- tration, have excited our discrimination to such an extent that we are apt to discour- age that publication which does not teach us more than the one which preceded it. To be sure we make all allowances for the nature of the work. We can not criticise books of fiction and books of science in the same way; the elements are too unlike. But the latter must be read; they must consist of facts, and, unlike the former, must be exact: we can not tolerate errors. | There are several reasons for an increased attention to this department of our jour- nal. We believe that we are called upon to guide, in a measure,-our readers’ selec- tion of bird publications. We owe it to the coming generation of young ornitholo- gists to keep before them a resume of the current ornithological literature, the mass of which is from the nature of the case, in- accessible to all. We shall endeavor to make this portion of the ORNITHOLOGIST AND Ooxoaist of especial value by pronouncing candidly, decisively, and when possible, at length, upon all ornithological publications that come to our notice. cee NN Rare Eaes.—We have just received from Wilhelm Schluter, Halle on the Saale, Ger- many, three sets of eggs which are rare in this Country. They came through in per- fect order and axe fine specimens. First a set of six Snowy Own, Vyctea scandiaca, (406) These eggs are dated January 7th, 1880, and are from Tornea in Lapland. Second a set of four Great Gray Own, Ulula cin- erea, (339). This set is dated’ May 20th, 1880, and are from Kittila, in Finland. Third a set of six American Hawk Owt, » Surnia funerea, (407.) This set is dated May 22d, 1880, and is from Labrador. With the above we received an exceedingly fine skin of the Eacrte Own, Bubo maxi- mus. It isa female and a very large fresh skin. Although it is an expensive busincss importing eggs, we must say that Wilhelm Schluter has our entire confidence. ee eee Our Conrrisutors, who have favored us so liberally with valuable observations, and whose articles do not immediately appear, will please bear with us for awhile, and we hope will still continue to supply us with such observations as they may make during - the present collecting season. We would ~ earnestly request our readers while collect- ing and when matters new come before them to observe carefully and immediately note down the facts for publication. May, 1881.] AND OOLOGIST. - 2] Cotiectors.—Mr. Robert Ridgway of the Smithsonian and Mr. Fred. T. Jencks of Providence, R. I., left Washington for ‘Wheatland, Indiana,(the home of the Ridg- way's) April 13th, on a collecting trip which is expected to continue for two months. Mr. Jencks has already sent us notes of the trip and promises to continue them for the benefit of our readers. They will appear in our next number. —_ +++ —_. Northwestern Screech Owl. The habits of Scops asio Kennicotti,found on the northwest coast where it replaces S. asio muccalli seem to be essentially the same as those of its eastern and south- ern relatives, the Scops asio and asto mac- calli. Itis scarcely ever seen in the daytime, and if not secluded in the hollow of a tree, it is only found in the densest and darkest of the thickets generally about creek bot- toms. It does not appeareto come about houses. This form averages considerably larger than asio and maccalli, and seems to be moderately common in this vicinity, while a hundred miles to the eastward about Fort Lapwai, Idaho, it appears not to be found. At any rate, I failed to notice it there during three years collecting. I ob- tained four specimens here during the past winter, two of each sex. The measurement of a female shot November 7th, 1880, is as follows, wing 7.50, tail 4.25, tarsus 1.50, culmen 0.75, iris yellow, bill and claws pale horn color. The second female was larger still, the wing being 7.85. The males are a trifle smaller. A set of eggs taken to-day April 7th, four in number, measure as fol- lows, 1.47x1.28, 1.43x1.29, 1.45x1.30 and 1.46x1.30. These were found in a hole in a good sized Cottonwood tree about twen- ty-five feet from the ground. The cavity was about sixteen inches deep. There was no nest, the eggs lying on decayed bits of wood and a few dead leaves; no feathers. The parent, presumably the female, was on the nest and would not leave the hole, where I allowed her to remain while re- moving the eggs. The first time I exam- ined the cavity it contained a single egg and a dead mouse. This was March 29th. The eggs of course are white and globular like most Owl’s eggs. .A pair of Sparrow Hawss, Zinnunculus sparver- ious, have taken possession of a hole only about two feet above the one occupied by the owls, and seem to live in harmony with the latter. The call notes of Kennicotti’s owl appears to me to be the same as that of the eastern Screech Owl, and I heard it nightly during the month of March. Since the first egg has been deposited the birds have remained silent.—Cuas. Benprre, Fort Walla Walla, Washington Territory. at oe Bird Notes from Virginia. “That Woodcock.” The reading of Mr. Merrill's article on “that woodcock” re- minded me of asimilar case which hap- pened some years ago. While sitting in the house my attention was attracted by loud eries of distress from a Woodpecker. I seized my gun and stepped into the yard just in time to witness the last struggle of the Woodpecker in the talons of a Cooper Hawk, which was soon my prize. When I picked the Hawk up I was surprised at his emaciated condition, but I soon discovered ample cause in a large splinter as thick as my finger and six inches long, through the fleshy part of the wing near the shoulder. The splinter was firmly imbedded and the wound healed over. Tur Summer Rep Birp, (Pyranga Aesti- va) is much more rare here. In all my ex- perience I have found but one nest, and this also was on the depressed bough of a hickory. A beautiful nest carefully and artistically woven of fine wiry grass, and strips of bark, and well lined with softer material. The eggs (3) much resembled those of the Pyranga rubra, but of a high- er and cleaner tint. It contained one or two eggs of the Cow Bird. In short in this section there seems to be few small birds, whose nests are not occasionally utilized by the cow-bird for its parasitic brood. 22 ORNITHOLOGIST [Vol. 62No. 3. Tue Scarter Tanager, Pyranga rubra, arrives here the first week in May, and rears but one brood, and leaves at the close of Summer. His nest is consequent- ly adapted only for summer weather. It is composed of small sticks and dried grass, 80 thinly woven that the eggs may be seen through it. In every case I have found it on the horizontal limb of a hickory. The eggs, three or four in number, are of a dull blue, with lines and blotches of brown and purple, thickly clustered about the large end. Tue Invieo Birp, (Cyanospisu Cyanea,) seems to be a special favorite with them, but in one instance within my notice the little “bunting” had outwitted his oppress- or. The cow-bird had apparently deposi- ted an egg in their nest before it was quite finished, whereupon the owner built a new bottom so as to leave the obtruded egg enclosed between the two and proceeded to lay its own eggs on top. Tue Sparrow Haws of whose nesting in- quiry is made. I have met with their nests quite frequently, in all instances in a hollow tree in the deserted hole of the wood-pecker. The eggs 5 in number of a beautiful fawn color spotted with brown. We are much indebted to this, the most beautiful of all the American Hawks, for the destruction of field mice, which would otherwise prove a great nuisance to the farmers. W. T. Auten, Gaylord, Va. Notes from Michigan. Turrep Trrmovuss, (Lophophanes bicolor.) A specimen of the above was taken at Locke, Michigan, April 12th, 1881. I saw a pair of these birds on April 30th, 1871, but failed to secure them, being as usual in such cases, without my gun, but near enough to distinguish their peculiar mark- ings to a certainty. Canapa Jay, (Perisoreus canadensis.) A. B. Covert of Ann Arbor, in this state, found a nest of the Canada Jay containing five eggs May 27th, 1872. It was fifteen miles northeast of that city. Itis the only case recorded as far as I know in southern Michigan. In the Northern Peninsula it is a common resident. I have seen but one specimen of this bird in our woods and that was on May 17th, 1876. Itcame quite near me, so there was no difficulty in identifying it; unfortunately I did not have my gun. Bau timore Orrore, (Jcterus galbula.) In our State this bird frequents the tops of elm and maple trees, have never known it to nest in an orchard or near a house. H. A. Arxrns, M. D., Locke, Michigan. [In this State the Baltimore Oriole nests on elms, and mostly near dwellings, occa sionally in orchards, but very rarely in the fields or woods. We never found but one in the woods and that was never finished. Their nests seem to be made entirely of materials furnished by civilization. Will our correspondent furnish us a nest the the coming season that has been built in the forests of Michigan ?—Ep. | “Carcuinc a Tartar.” Noticing in the April number of the OrnirHoLoeist AND Ooxoaist an article by Fred. T. Jencks, Esq. of Providence, R. I., entitled “Catching a Tartar,” I was reminded of a Tartar of the same genus caught by a Florida Gallinule on Seneca River N. Y., in the year 1875. My uncle while enjoying a day’s sport de- coying ducks, observed, a short distance from where he was stationed, a strange act- ing bird swimming about in a pool of water surrounded by flags. Noticing an enor- mous bill for the size of the bird and think- ing it might be a “rara avis,” he shot it and presented it to me for preservation. It proved to be an adult female Florida Gal- linule—an abundant species in this locality. Like the duck spoken of by Mr. Jencks, it had caught a mussel and had been caught by it, and in a manner quite as aggravating. The mussel had closed about midway over the lower mandible, and by its vise-like grip was surely cutting it off. When I re- ceived it, this useful member “was nearly severed. No food was found in the stom- ach on dissection, and the bird was very much emaciated. Frank 8S. Wricut, Auburn, N. Y. “May, 1881.] AND OOLOGIST. 23 Importine Game Brrps.—The Daily Ore- gonian, contains the following extract from the Hon. O. N. Denny, U. 8. Consul Gen- eral at Shanghai, China, to Mr. A. H. Mor- gan, of Portland, Oregon: “I mentioned in my last that it was my intention to try and stock our state with some of the finest varieties of game pheasants found in China, and to this end I have been collect: ing them for some months past. I am sending by the ship Otago, of Port Town- send, care of Captain Royal, about sixty Mongolian pheasants, to be turned loose in various sections of the state. I ,also send eleven Mongolian sand grouse. These birds have very peculiar shaped feet, re- sembiing somewhat those of a mole. I also send seven Chefoo partridges. I am collecting other varieties which I will send in due time, some of them are beautiful birds.” Frmares Preponperatine.—Capt. Charles Bendire, stationed at Fort Walla Walla, Washington Territory, writes that he has been quite successful in taking skins the past winter, and notes that among the Raptorgs, the females greatly preponder- ate. In seven specimens of the Pramiz Fat- con, Hierofalco mexicanus polyagrus. There are only two males. In eight speci- mens of Buack Meru, salon Colum- barious suckleyi, there was but a single male. In four specimens of the American Rovew Lteecep Haws, Archibuteo lagopus sancti Johannis there were no males. The owls were more evenly divided as to sex. ee Oological Notes from St. John. Wuite Wincep Crosspirt—I am on the search for the nest and eggs of the white winged Crossbill, I know they breed here. I think it was in the third week of Janua- ry, 1875, I was out moose hunting and started a big buck, and in the chase I found him making a circle, and cut through a bunch of trees to gain upon him. On my way through the thick wood, I stopped to adjust a strap on my snowshoes I found myself face to face with a white winged crossbill on her nest, the high bank of snow under me bringing my head about level with the nest. As I approached closer to exaniine it she flew to a branch close by, where I was enabled to carefully examine and identify her. The nest was placed in the fork of one of the main limbs of the tree and was composed externally of the long gray moss which grew in large patches on most of the trees in this vicini- ty, and so much resembled these patches of moss as to be difficult of detection. In the inside was a lining of softer moss, and between the lining and the exterior were small twigs interlaced. In the nest were three eggs of a bluish-white ground color having dashes of red upon the large end. But like the exquisite in Richelieu who be- ing filled with fate had no time to discuss ambition, so I, filled with the excitement of the chase and my ears tingling with the magnetic chorus of the dogs, had no time for bird’s eggs and hurried on, thereby losing what now, no moose or dog could tempt me from securing. So far as I know there is only one of our citizens who has any claim to be an Oologist; Mr. Jas. W. Banks. He has collected and carefully identified some sev- enty varieties of eggs, some of them of very rare species. As he is a close observ- er and enthusiastic, he will no doubt add largely to his collection during the coming season. Sorrrary Sanpprprr.—Mr. Banks found a nest of the Solitary Sandpiper on July 3d, 1880. It was on the shore of a lake on the suburbs of the city, about 200 yards from the edge of the lake on a dry spot in the midst of a rather swampy patch of meadow. There was no attempt at nest building, the eggs being laid in a mere indentation in the ground, apparently scratched out by the parents and without lining of any kind. There was 3 eggs in the nest and in boring one it was found to contain a well developed embryo. There were no broken shells near the nest, nor 24 [ Vol. 6—No. 3. ORNITHOLOGIST evidence of more eggs having been laid. the eggs were lying with the small ends resting in the center, The center of the nest being deep the eggs had the appear- ance of standing upon their small end, the large ends pointing slightly, toward the margin of the nest. Being tender hearted (then) he only took one egg and visited the nest very often afterward. The birds were extremely shy and with the utmost stealth he could not approach the vicinity of the}- nest without the parent taking flight and settling down some distance away. appear- ing nervously anxious, piping continuously and endeavoring to draw his attention from the nest. The eggs differ slightly from those described by Dr. Brewer, being shorter and the spots partially confluent, a few of these decided “blotches.” Winter Wren.—Mr. Banks found on June 17th, 1879, the nest of a Winter Wren with the parent on it. It was par- tially concealed by a windfall, being placed just where the moss on the tree and the grass inet. It was composed entirely of dried pine “needles,” loosely laid together and resting against the moss and grass. There were 4 eggs in the nest, apparently but newly laid. Rosin’s Nest Prnstre.—On May 15th, 1880, Mr. Banks discovered a Robin’s nest partially pensile. The back of the nest leaned against the limb of a tree, and pieces of grass were woven into the nest and over the lib. Rosm’s Nest with water.—Mr. James Morrison of this city, found a Robin’s nest last spring with a quantity of water in it. _ It was mid-day and there had been no rain the night previous, nor for several days before. When first observed the female was inside putting in the mud lining. On visiting the nest next day the dry grass lining had been put in and the bottom of the nest was very wet. Sonmitary Sanpprper.—Mr. Harold Gil- bert, one of our best informed embryo ornithologists, while shooting at Hampton last fall flushed a Solitary Sandpiper, which flew a short distance and on to the branch of adead tree. Never having seen such performance before, he called for an encore and three successive times this bird went through this same unorthodox maneuver. May this not have been the Green Sand- piper we read about? M. Cuamper.atn, Saint John, N. B. ee Recent Publications. “Tllustrations of Nests and Eggs.” The next work in order is by Ernest Ingersoll, entitled “A History of the Nests and Eggs of American Birds,” which is sold at the low price of fifty cents per number. Each number contains twenty-four pages, and two plates, and is printed on good paper. It is in Royal 8vo. form, a very convenient size for the student. In the circular sent out two letters are given, one from Dr. Elliott Coues, and one from J. A. Allen. Both of these letters should be read with care. There are endorsements from the ‘Philadelphia Sunday Post,’ and ‘‘New York Evening Post, also ‘New York Tribune.” What the Editors of these papers know about nests and eges we are not even prepared to hazard a guess. We believe Mr. Inger- soll published this. work before he was fully prepared, fearing some one else would occupy the field) Mr. Ingersoll uses a facile pen and is thoroughly able to please as a magazine writer where the ability to please is of more consequence than scien- tific accuracy. The plates in this work are entirely worthless for all practical pur- poses. We doubt if Mr. Ingersoll could identify his own plates, much Jess the eggs they pretend to represent. There is.con- siderable valuable matter in the work which will be found between quotation marks and some where the quotation marks seem to have been forgotten. As a work it had much better never have been pub- lished, and its publisher displayed good judgment in disposing of it. We hope the purchaser will not continue it until he can fully realize the magnitude of his un- dertaking. ORNITHOLOGIST AND OOLOGIST. $1.00 per Established Mareh 1875, 10 cents Annum, Joseph M. Wade, editor and publisher. single copy. VOLE. VI. ROCKVILLE, CONN., JUNE, 1881. NO. 4 Black and White Creeper. ITS NEST AND EGGS. Having rambled some distance and not having made any stimulating find, and the weather being warm, it being the 20th of June, it was exceedingly easy and desira- ble to get down full length on the green turf near to an old stump, on which had formerly grown a solitary chestnut tree. We had no sooner got fairly down, with our face a few feet from the stump, when a Black and White Creeper came out from a crevice between two roots, and ran up the stump and across the field with a zig- zag movement over the ground in an ap- parently wounded condition, first dropping one wing, then the other, until it had got to a safe distance when we lost sight of it, and returned to the stump, and while ex- amining the crevice between the two roots a little under the stump and not easily seen was a nest, composed in part of leaves and inner bark of chestnut and well lined with hair, being oneand one half inches deep, and the same in diameter, being of the size and having the appearance of a well built Chip- ping Sparrow’s nest, in which were four eggs slightly mcubated. The nest was built so near the stump that there was lit- tle more than the lining on the side, but on the front the nest was thicker and of coarser materials, as above described, being built so as fill the cavity even. To make doubly sure of the bird’s identity we set some limed twigs on each side of the nest and waited patiently at a proper distance for the bird's return, which was in about fif- teen minutes. dead limb of a tree near by, running up, It first appeared on the | creeper and as if in search of insects. It was never still or perching, but was con- tinually moving, flying down to the stumps and creeping over them, then returning to the tree. It finally flew to the stump under which was its nest, creeping down it, across and over it in different directions, then flying away to return again, repeating this interesting performance several times, until at last it alighted on the stump, creeping downwards to the nest, on reach- ing which it appeared to discover its disor- dered condition, and started to fly away once more, but too late, the limed twigs caught its wings placing it at our mercy. When we picked it up, examined it care fully, fully establishing its identity, we cleaned off the bird-limed twigs, and our curiosity being fully satistied we gave the bird its freedom and removed the nest and eggs all of which are now in our cab- inet. so ae Yellow-bellied Woodpecker. (Sphyrapicus varius.) This handsomely marked bird of the Woodpecker family is a common migratory species in our vicinity. It arrives from the South about the 10th to 15th of April, and soon becomes quite abundant in the woods, where its loud rapping on dead or decayed stubs announces its presence. By the first or second week in May, all but a few of the birds have passed farther on to the North where they breed. I have long suspected that afew pairs might remain with us and nest, and two seasons ago was fortunate enough to verify my suspicions. Previous to this, I had heard of, and seen then down in a manner peculiar to this!stray individuals during June and July, 26 ORNITHOLOGIST [ Vol. 6—No. 4. which certainly gave grounds on which to base a supposition of their nesting. June 7th, 1879, while collecting, I rapped on an Ash tree having a:decayed top in which were some Woodpecker’s holes, and was surprised to see a male Yellow-belly issue from one of them. On climbing up I could distinctly hear the hissing noise made by the young birds in their nest. I left it un- disturbed being somewhat disappointed in failing to procure a set of eges, biding my time, however, in hopes that the pair of birds might use it the ensuing spring. On May 25th, 1880, I visited the place again and on pounding the tree saw a Yellow. bellied Woodpecker fly from the old nest- ing place, so climbing up and cutting it out, I found two eggs perfectly fresh. This was undoubtedly not the number of eges the female would have laid, had she been undisturbed. June 16th, following, thought I would examine the tree again, as I had some time observed that when a Woodpecker has a set of eggs taken from its nest that it will simply deepen the hole and lay again. This proved to be the case in this instance, for the hole had been deepened some three inches, and on the soft chips at the bottom lay four eggs. shghtly incubated. They are immaculate, as are all Woodpeckers’ eggs, and average about .87 inch by .70 inch. The original hole was about 20 feet from the ground, and probably 8 inches deep. Entrance was so small that the birds on going in or coming out would sometimes have to wig- ole considerably before passing through. The tree was in a swampy place. This is the first instance of which I have heard of the eggs of this bird being found in Central New York. It undoubtedly breeds sparingly, but its nest seems to be very hard‘to discover, on account of the few individuals remaining to breed. I would be pleased to know of any other occurrence of their nesting in this section. S. F. Ratrusurn, Auburn, N. Y. 0 — Ask your friends to subscribe for this magazine. and thereby help the cause. Bubo Virginianus. ITS NESTING HABITS, ETC. In an earlier copy of the Oonoarsr, (See Vol. 5, No. 7, page 49,) is given an account of the nesting of a pair of Great Horned Owls. As I have this year, (1881) taken eges from the nest of the pair of birds above referred to, I will continue the ac- count. The nest which I found April 6th, 1880, then contained two young birds. Being even then too late for eggs, I this year ascended to the nest on Mareh 11th, but found it deserted and badly weath- er beaten. There was then about one foot of snow on the. ground and snow- ing hard. A short distance off in the next grove the same pair of birds had built a new nest for themselves in the top of a pine tree, over sixty feet from the ground, and not a limb on the tree beneath fifteen feet from the nest. After a very laborious chmb (I had not my climbing irons with me) I looked over the edge of the nest and was very much surprised to see four eggs therein. The number laid by this bird is two and very rarely three. This mystery however was solved after a little study, as follows. Two of the eggs were in the middle of the nest, and sunk about two thirds their depth into the lining, and were much discolored from being in contact with the wet moss and cedar bark. When blowing them they showed about seven days incubation, but were badly addled. As the bird had flown from the nest while I was under the tree, this might seem strange. The other two eggs were a trifle smaller, but quite free from any stains, and were quite fresh. From the position of the eggs in the nest, and the condition of their contents I came to the following conclusion: That the first two eggs were laid on one of the last days of February, and after about one week's incubation, were wet or frozen while the adult birds were from the nest, and therefore spoiled and were deserted, but rather than give up the nest, the birds had made an attempt to cover these and had laid another set in June, 1881. | AND OOLOGIST. 7M | their place. The first two eggs measure 2.26x1.79 and 2.24x1.89. The two last laid measure 2.17x1.74 and 2.15x1.70. In an interesting letter from Mr. Wm. Brewster, he speaks of a similar circumstance, where he found two eggs of B. Virginiznus, be- neath a nest full of eggs of the sheldrake in a hollow stub, in the State of Maine. I think that there is no doubt but that the conclusion arrived at with regard to the above described eggs is correct, and that it was not a set.of four eggs, but rather, two sest of two eggs each. C. A. Hawes, Boston. 6950 ——— Verpin on Yettow Heapvep Trrmovse. (Paroides flaviceps (Baird.)—I first met with this rare and _ interesting little mite of bird life on the Colorado de- sert, some 100 miles above Fort Yuma. I was made aware of its presence, by finding several nests which had been lately deser- ted by the young. Later (about May Ist.) I found a nest with full fledged young, which fluttered away on my disturbing them. From this I infer that the first set of eggs is laid about the first week in April. Despite my careful search, I could then find no nest with eggs, although abandoned ones were not uncommon. The birds, too I seldom saw, but such I believe is their customary habit, to keep in retire- ment in the low undergrowth. Three weeks later, in the vicinity of Tucson, A.T., I had the good fortune to find a new nest, (suspended in asmall willow sapling) which contained four eggs about half advanced in incubation. The nest was a wonderful structure considering the size of the bird, scarcely larger than some of the larger humming-birds. It is in shape a perfect ball, about half the size of a man’s head, and composed of decomposed leaves, cot- ton-like fibre from the cactus and various soft fibrous vegetable matter, matted to- gether like felt cloth. Externally, rough and thorny twigs give a protection and form the frame work around which the nest is built. Internally it is literally one mass of feathers, lining completely, bottom, top, and sides. The entrance could be hardly detected, so small and well concealed was it by an overhanging twig and protuber- ance of body of the nest. When found, it would hardly admit of the passage of a finger. The whole structure built so as to swing free to the breezes, was hardly cal- culated to withstand rough treatment or handling, and once detached from its sup- port was apt to fall to pieces. The eggs, four in number in the only two nests I found, were all partly incubated, and were at least the full complement of those sets. In the first brood they may lay five. They are very delicate little eggs, measuring about .60 by .45 inches, and considerably tapering and pointed at the smaller end. The ground color is a pale delicate pea ercen, and the egg blotched all over with rather large markings of reddish brown, forming a ring around the large end. The situation varied exceedingly. Those nests found on the desert were all close to the ground, at the end of mesquite limbs, cr in a cactus, while those found near Tucson were some in cactus, some in low saplings and occasionally in mesquite trees, from 15 to 30 feet from the ground. The little birds, seldom seen,manifest their presence by angry and anxious calls to each other from surrounding brush or thickets. Never having observed the bird around Los Angeles or in any part of California, until on the desert near Arizona, I am in- clined to think they are confined to the ex- treme southern limits, extending into Mex- ico.—G. Houreruorr, Jr., Los Angeles, Cal. eS a While riding out over Laurel Hill this morning (May 29) we noticed a cat put its paw on a young robin, not with the inten- tion of injuring it, however, but at the in- stant it was done a robin came down with the speed of lightning and struck the cat on the head. We have been trying to solve the problem of which movement was the quickest, the coming of the robin or the leaving of the cat. bo CO ORNITHOLOGIST [ Vol. 6—-No. 4. ORNITHOLOGIST and OOLOGIS?. A MONTHLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OF BIRDS, THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. JOS. M. WADE, - - - - Editor S. L. WILLARD, - - - Ass’t Editor With the co-operation of able Ornithological Writers and Collectors. SUBSCRIPTION.—$1.00 per annum. Foreign subscription Sr 25 including postage. Specimen copies 10 cents each. JOS. M. WADE, Norwich, Conn. Entered at the Norwich P. O. as second-class matter. HDITORIAL. Nomenclature of North American Birds. Since the well known “Catalogue of North American Birds,’ by Prof. Baird was issued in 1859, no short ornithologi- cal work has appeared of so much impor- tance as Ridgway’s “Nomenclature of North American Birds,” which has recently been received. This new list contains 226 valid species and recognized races which have either been first described or added to the North American fauna since the year 1859, while no less than 62 names of the old catalogue have been reduced to the ranks of synony- my or removed as extralimital. Over 300 of the remaining 698 names have been more or less changed, so that only 395 of the 760 names, as given in the old Cata- logue, are retained by Mr. Ridgway. Im- portant changes appear in the nomencla- ture of many of the groups, but our limit- ed space will not admit of any quotations illustrative of the changes of the generic and specific names. The appendix con- tains a condensed analysis of the changes which have taken place in North American Ornithology since 1859, and is a valuable feature of the paper. © Oologists whose eggs are marked ac- cording to the “Smithsonian List’ will be interested in the “Concordance” at the end of the work, as the numbers of the old Catalogue as well as those of the new are here given in conjunction. Mr. Ridgway has given a great amount of information in the 94 pages of the pamphlet, and _ the laborious task undertaken and so_ thor- oughly finished by him,will add new laurels to his already well known fame as one of the first of American Ornithologists. Removal. Since our last number was sent out we have changed our place of business from Rockville, Conn., to Versailles, Conn., but our journal in the future will be issued from Norwich, Conn., where we shall re- side, and which will be our post-office ad- dress. This will explain to our corres- pondents why some of them have been neg- lected during the past two or three weeks. Our thanks are due to our contributors for very copious notes of the arrival of our feathered friends in various parts of the country which will have to be worked into shape when we have more time than at present. Our Magazine. We have received many congratulations on the appearance of the first three num- bers of our magazine, which are the more gratifying as they come from our scientific men in different parts of the United States and Europe. It is a great satisfaction to us but we need a subscription list that will at least pay running expenses. Our time and labor will be cheerfully given, but if each one would try and induce a brother naturalist to subscribe it would be a great help to the magazine and would place il on a@ permanent footing. We get but little revenue from our advertising columns, therefore it is to the interest of our read. ers to lend a helping hand. _--s— Waitt, Brvesirp’s Eacas.—A few days ago, on reaching home, we were very agreeably surprised to find laid on our ta- ble (not by the Bluebirds, but by a Nor- wich friend), a set of four pure white Blue- bird’s eggs, perfectly fresh, and with the pink hue so characteristic of the Wood- pecker’s eggs. The birds were of the us- ual plumage. ; June, 1881.] AND OOLOGIST. 29 Rusy Turoatep Humminesirp.—( 7'rochi- lus colubris Linneus.) Late in Septem- ber, 1879, near noon, a gentleman brthugo me a female of this bird, apparently quite dead and limp, and with the tail feathers all missing, rendering it imperfect. I re- fused to mount it on account of its missing appendage. The bird was left lying ina large bay window, full of choice house- plants,in my place of business, upon a slop- ing belt of damp green moss, surrounding a fountain basin. The weather being quite cool, necessitated a fire in the room. There the bird lay and was forgotten for about an hour and a half. When I picked it up; quite damp from the spray, I was aston- ished to see a sort of gasp. I could scarcely believe my own eyes, since the bird had been found lying upon his back under a porch early that morning and was not no- ticed until swept off. After a pause this was repeated again and again. I placed the bird in the sun, where these gasps gradu- ually became quicker and softer, until within an other hour, these approached natural breathing, and soon after it could be seen flying about the room uttering its low chirp, while sipping nectar from the many flowers; now and then it would come to a button-hole bouquet in the lapel of my coat. The next day being warmer, the bird was given its freedom. I have had live birds of this species, of both sexes, brought me on several occa- sions, which would fly about the room and feast on the flowering plants, as above, never missing a button-hole bouquet or flowers held in the hand by any one stand- ing near, while quiet. The above remarkable incident was _ wit- nessed by several prominent business men and my fuinily.—A. H. Munpr, Fairbury, Ii. Great Auk. A few months ago, the interest of orni- thologists and oologists in the Great Auk was again aroused by the discovery, in a collection of eggs which had been sold for a small sum by auction at Edinburgh, two rather damaged specimens of the eggs of the Great Auk. The lucky purchaser sent them to Stiven’s Auction Rooms in Lon- don, and they were sold, one for one hun- dred pounds, and the other for one hun- dred and two pounds. The late Mr. Proctor of Durham, went to Iceland in 1833 and 1837, in search of this bird, but was not able to find it, though he stayed at Gramsey, a small island forty miles north of the mainland. There are in this neighborhood two speci- mens of the bird, one in Durham and one in Newcastle Museum. There are thirty- four birds and about fifty eggs in various European collections. Several years ago, during the cleaning of the museum of the Royal College of Surgeons, London, a box was discovered, and on examination it was found to contain several eges of the Great Auk. In 1878 some caves were discovered near Whitburn, a village on the coast of Dur ham, in which were found a large quantity of human and animal remains, among them were several bones of the Great Auk. This is the more interesting as only one authen- ticated instance of the bird having occurred in the neighborhood had before been re- corded.—J. T. T. Reep, Ryhope, Durham Co., England. Smart GREEN-CRESTED FLycaTcHEr. — Dates of the arrival of the Small Green- crested Flycatcher (Hmpidonax «acadicus) for 25 years in Locke, Ingham Co., Michi- gan. This species is a common summer resident, but I have never found it breed- ing. The first one ever met with here was taken May 3d, 1857. May 3, 1857 Apr. 28, 1866 May Apr. 29, 1858 Apr. 30, 1867 May May 2, 1859 Apr. 29, 1868 May Apr. 21, 1860 May 2, 1869 May Apr. 23, 1861 Apr. 25, 1870 Apr. Apr. 26, 1862 Apr. 29, 1871 Apr. Apr. 30, 1863 Apr. 25, 1872 Apr. May 5, 1864 May 4, 1873 Apr. Apr. 26, 1865 5, 1874 a RoW) festa Neards 10, 1877 25, 1878 30, 1879 26, 1880 24, 1881 Dr. H. A. Arxrs. All subscriptions must commence with current volume. | 30) (Vol. 6-No. 4. ORNITHOLOGIST Cross-Brep Ducx.—I received from Se- neca River, a very striking cross between a Black Duck anda Mallard. The bird in question was a male, about equally marked between the two. The neck had the green gloss of the Mallard, there was the Mallard’s bill, the Mallard’s under tail covert, the Mallard’s wings and the chocolate color on the breast. The feathers about the head were that of the Black Duck. The chocolate of the breast was thickly spotted with round black spots which extended down the belly and sides to the vent. There was an entire lack of the white ring around the neck and the curling feathers on the rump. The toes partly red, partly black. Such is the appearance of a rather odd looking duck that now graces my col- lection. Frank S. Wricut, Auburn, N. Y. Canava Jay.—G. A. McCallum, of Dunn- ville. Ontario, writes that the Canada Jay is not a resident of that place. Mr. Cham- berlain, of St. John, N. B., is by good au- thority, informed that this Jay breeds with them in June as well asin January. We shall be glad to hear from any of our read- ers, that live in sections inhabited by this bird, and who have studied its habits. Dovusie-YoLKED Eeac.—Hallie Gray, Al- bion, N. Y., reports that on May 17, 1881, a Robin’s nest was found containing a double-yolked egg and three of the’ ordi- nary size. He also reports finding a Chip- ping Sparrow's nest on the ground, in the middle of a clump of catnip, which con- tained three eggs. Notes from Norwich, Conn. Robins and Blue birds in considerable numbers remained here all the winter of 1879 and 1880, which was a very mild sea- son. I observed them nearly every day: and others who are curious in such mat- ters make a like report. The presence of these birds in such large numbers during the entire winter is unusual, but I account- ed for it from the fact that there was hardly a cold day from October to April. But how shall we explain, what is undoubt- edly true, that these birds (especially the Blue birds,) have dwelt with us through this present very severe winter, (1880 and 1881,) in greater numbers than in the pre- vious mild one. Mr. Brand of Norwich told me that some half a.dozen Blue birds came into his yard at night, for some time this winter and entered some bird boxes, and apparently remained in them over night as he saw them come out early in the morning. This would look as if they were staying here and not on their way from North to South. Isee by my Journal, January 9th, 1880, that a hunter brought a male Wood Duck into market on that day. I purchased it and it proved to be a very fine specimen. The man said he shot it a mile or two _ down the river. Another hunter told me that he flushed one a number of times in a secluded bend of the river near Yantic Cem etery. Three or four “Flickers” (Colaptes au- ratus), haunted the hemlock grove on the top of a hill East of my house, through the winter. Among our more common winter birds I observed that the Purple Finches and Les- ser Red-polls abounded in Norwich last win- ter, but this winter, 1880 and 1881, I have scarcely seen a half dozen of either: kind, at the same time we consider the Purple Finch a constant resident. Cedar birds in immense flocks stayed with us through the winter. This is a resident but not gen- erally in so large numbers. I have never seen the snow bunting, (Plectrophanes nivalis,) in Norwich, Mr. Rawson tells me he saw a flock of them in the adjoining town of Preston some years since. I have seen specimens which were procured in Hebron, Conn. February 20th, 1880, the Song Spar- rows commenced to sing. They had been common through the winter, but they ut- tered no song until that day. In a day or two after you might have heard the notes of this tuneful little sparrow from every bush and wall. June, 1881.1] AND OOLOGIST. 1 ey) The Snow Owl is a common winter res- ident with us, there are a number of speci- mens in town, and some are seen every winter. March 1st, Crow Blackbirds appeared. 7th, Fox Sparrows; 8th, Red-winged Black- birds; 11th, During the snow storm yes- terday the birds all disappeared; but where? 21st, I had a near and full view of a flock of Fox Sparrows and heard them sing. Charming songsters. 28th, a Red-tailed Hawk plunged into a_ brush heap this morning, (probably in pursuit of game) and got entangled and stripped the feathers from its wings about half the length of the quills. It was drawn out by a boy, from whom the Hawk escaped. I saw it afterwards flying just over the tops of the trees. It had a strange appearance in the air, and flew with apparent difficulty. How many more feathers could have been lost and still the Hawk been able to fly? April 2d. . Large numbers of Gulls (Aittewakes) were in the river, floating along like ducks. Occasionally one would rise up and fly a short distance and sink down again into the water. This gull ap- pears here in the fore part of April and departs early in November. I never saw them in the water before. 3d, Phcebe birds appeared in numbers this morning. 4th, White-bellied swallows. 9th. Cow Birds and Wood Pewees came to-day. A few common snow birds still remain. 13th, Prof. Hutchinson shot two of Wilson’s Snipe, so says Mr. Rawson, who saw them. 14th, Belted Kingfisher, toward evening. 18th, Field Sparrows. 22d. the Brown Thresher appeared to-day. This is much earlier than usual. 25th, Chewinks, black and white Creepers and House Wrens cheered us with their presence to-day, for the first time this spring. May Ist. This evening I heard the wel- come voice of the Whip-poor-will near the house of Mr. Jeremiah Davis. His son told me he had heard it for two or three evenings previous. 2d. This morning came the Cat-bird, White-eyed Vireo and Wood Thrush. 3d, Summer Yellow Bird and Baltimore Oriole. Mr. John Burroughs says that the Baltimore builds on the south and west sides of the tree. There are two or three within sight of me now, that are on the east side. It would seem that some members of the Thrush family (Robin, Wood Thrush, Cat-bird and Brown Thresh- er) sing later in the evening than any others of our songsters. They are often heard until it is quite dark. The Chipping Sparrow will break out at times in the night for a moment and then sink back to sleep again, but the song of this bird is substantially finished before dusk. July 25th. The Screech Owl in Confinement. On May 10, 1880, I procured a Sereech Owl, (Scops asio) which had been taken from the nest when half grown. It has been continuously caged ever since, except one week in last December, when it escap- ed, and was recaptured seven days after. It is probable that it fasted the entire week, for the ground was covered with snow, and never having foraged for itself, its chances for food were small, and it was ravenously hungry when found. Sev- eral weeks since I bought a mate for it, and a day cr two after they both escaped, but my pet did not leave, and when I dis- covered the cage door open and went to close it the owl came flying down on my shoulder from a tree near by. After its first moult its plumage became and still continues a rich rufous ; it had been a mot- tled gray and black. In watching this owl I have noticed that at all times, but especially during the warm weather of summer, contrary to the observations of several naturalists, it both drank and bath- ed freely and with unmistakable delight. I have made some queer experiments with its food. At one time it killed and swal- lowed whole three full-grown mice in quick succession; another time it killed and ate a common water snake over a foot long. Snakes give it a great deal of trouble, twisting themselves about its legs and refusing to be swallowed, by catching on and wrapping their tails about the perch. It relishes the cinnamon bat when killed ; I have not tried it with a live one. It has killed rats nearly full-grown. When a rat or mouse is put into the cage it pounces upon, it catching it with its claws through the neck and small of the back, and then brings down its bill and nips it along the spine from the head to the tail, and then, if not too large, swallows it entire. Ten to twelve sphynx moths fur- nish but an ordinary meal, although the scales and dust sometimes newrly choke it. It always tears off the wings and crushes the bodies of all insects before swallowing. Grasshoppers, May beetles, and “such small deer,” are also relished. It will catch and eat anything in the day time quite as freely as at night. It pounces with unerring certainty upon anything put alive into the cage, and it quickly determines the ques- tion of food, whether good or not. Toads it eschews, though it will kill and eat frogs. It shows a natural aversion to and fear of hawks, buzzards, etc., the passage of which over its cage is instantly noticed. It has great fear of cats and dogs, making its feathers lie as flat as possible, snapping its bill and making a rattling noise when- ever they come near. Epear A. Smarty, Hagarstown, Md. 36 OBAITRe [Vol 6-No. 5. ORNITHOLOGY ‘ai nouodisr A MONTHLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OF BIRDS, THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. JOS. M. WADE, - - - - iditor S. L. WILLARD, - - - Ass’t Editor With the co-operation of able Ornithological Writers and Collectors. Foreign SUBSCRIPTION.—S1.00 per annum. Specimen subscription $1.25 including postage. copies 10 cents each. JOS. M. WADE, Norw ich, Conn. Entered at the Norwich P. O. as second-class mi: atter. HDITORIAL. A Tame, Wild Blue Jay. (Cyanura cristata.) A commercial traveler who regularly vis- its most of the woolen mills throughou: New England, makes the following state- While in the office of W. D. Davis, ment : at the Uxbridge (Mass.) Woolen Mills, the |. conversation turned on birds, when he was informed that in the evergreen tree at the office door, was the nest of a Blue Jay, (Cyanuru cristata.) and that the boys in the office could at any time lift her from the nest, and she would not even struggle to gain her liberty. Not believing the statement, a bet of the cigars was made, when they stepped to the’ door and the bird was lifted from the nest and placed in the left hand of our friend who smoothed down its feathers with his right hand sey- eral times. When he stopped, the bird looked at him and flew directly to the nest. When it was again removed from the nest, and the gentleman smoothed down its feathers as he assured our friends he was often in the habit of doing, especially when visitors came and they wanted to show off their pet. The birds had bred in the mill- yard for several years,and Mr. Davis would not allow them to be molested. There is something remarkable about the nesting habits of the Blue Jay not well understood by our ornithologists. Out of the breed- ing season they are decidedly the wildest bird in New England, it being difficult to get within cea but when ready to nest, it is not an uncommon thing for them to build close to some habitation. During the fore part of 1878 we collected so faith- fully that a severe attack of typhoid pneu- monia was the result. We had poor luck with Blue Jays that season, only finding one nest and that in plain sight by the roadside, but as soon as we were confined to bed, a neighbor came in and informed us of a Blue Jay’s nest in a small evergreen tree,almost in a public thoroughfare, whcre people were passing and repassing contin- ually ; being helpless, the bird hatched its young in peace. The following season, visiting North Manchester occasionally, we saw at one time on the Hudson place, right in the Door-yard as it were, three Blue Jays’ nests, one of them being near the ereenhouse door, where one or more men were at work. We several times stood within a few feet of it and looked directly into the nest, when the old bird would re- main perfectly indifferent to our presence. Once we reached down to find the contents of the nest, when she quietly lelt it, but not until we touched the side of the nest. Correspondence. In our private correspondence we re- ceive a large number of extremely valua- ble gossipy letters, full of valuable matter interesting to our readers and which the temptation is strong to publish, but being private letters the contents are lost to our readers. We'now propose to commence a department with the above heading and shall be glad to receive letters from col- lectors, written especially for publication, such letters should contain the experience and observations of the writers, briefly stated, collections made or question asked, and answers to the questions of others. If such letters are written on separate sheets of paper from what is intended for the editor personally, much time will be saved. Letters from the little known and thinly settled portions of our Territories will be extremely desirable and will be read with interest. July, 1881. ] AND OOLOGIST. 37 The Season of 81. The notes of Judge Holbrook, in the June number show, what birds can be seen, and how many hints on migration obtained, in simply walking from house to office with- out once setting foot off the pavement. To follow these birds afield, and observe their breeding habits, also other and allied species not noted here by the above ob- server. is the purpose of the present writer. I have kept up my average of over fifty hawks’ eggs this season without special search. Of course more or less traveling and sky-gazing was involved, but by “w.th- out search” is meant that no new pairs of hawks were looked after woods traversed. But in the old haunts IT harry my Buteos and Accipiters each year with as much confidence as the Green- lander annually robs the Hider Duck of egos and down. Mirch 1 “and April 24,” I took sets of two eggs each from a Barred Owl’s hole, which in four seasons has yielded me twen- ty four eggs. These “short sets” were com- plete ; to make the matter certain, a hen’s egg was substituted for each set, but the clutch was not increased. April 30th “took two infertile and undersized eggs of this species from an outside nest, the first found in such a situation for several years. I took three Red Shouldered Hawks from it late last year, May 4th, so the nest was left in good condition. The outside was built strongly of sticks by crows, in 1879, to which the hawks, after throwing out the usual winter litter made by squirrels, addéd a fine and bulky lning. This was in turn all torn away by the owl, and the eggs, laid in the deep bowl on bare sticks were visible from the ground through a field-glass. A male Barred Owl was shot here in the mating season, the second and no new week in March, and this may account for | the condition of the eggs. ‘This ow], after covering her sterile products for four weeks, had the audacity to hoot and snap her bill at me because I prevented her from setting all summer to no purpose. In the Salt Rock Woods, an old nest in which were well grown, young Red-tailed Hawks, May 11th, 1880, had two young Great Horned Owls, April 10th, 1880. The Red-tails this year, finding in their home powerful tenants, with nine points of law in their favor, built a new nest half a mile down the woods, from which I took the usual clutch of two eggs on the above date. Took set, of Buteos, April 16th, from an old nest which six years ago held seven crow's eggs. In the interim the nest had been patched more then once, and even partly feathered, and so had done duty as a decoy on several occasions. May 8th, took from adjoining swamps two sets of B. /ineatus too far gone in incubation to be preserved. I have certainly left this sea- son three pairs of this species to breed in woods reascnabiy secure from the far- mers’ muzzle-loaders. This year’s ex- perience adds data tothe fact that B. borealis loves to breed on dry hillsides, where the woods are rather open, and a wide range of view can be had of the ap- proaches to the west, while 2. lineatus breeds commonly in low-lying, wooded in tervals and swamps. A pair of Cooper's Hawks, which gave six eggs in 79 and: four in ’80, again came to the front with five eggs the second week in May, 81. Last season I took an addled egg from a Marsh Hawk's nest and a slightly chipped egg which I placed in my pocket. The chipped egg however soon proved to be a very lively music-box, oval design, and “wound up” by the key of nature. The nest also held four lusty young a week old. The hawk occupied two weeks in ovipositing and four weeks in incubation. From this pair of Harriers, May 25th, this year, I have a set of four fine spherical eggs. A Sharp-shinned Hawk, which gave me a large set of eggs last year, with a “runt” egg at the end of the clutch, this season laid the runt egg at the beginning of her clutch which was not unusual in number. The life-history ORNITHOLOGIST [Vol. 6—No. 5 of this small Accipiter has never been ful- ly written, and deserves an entire article in this journal, which I will try to prepare at an early day, unless some more facile pen does justice to the subject. In conclusion I would remark that it appears astonishing to some people that so many Hawks’ eggs can be taken in the suburbs of a city of twenty thousand in- habitants with an old and well settled country-side lying around it. But the trained observer cannot fail to observe that many of the rodents and various sorts of birds congregate near large towns, and the ornithologist notes that these and an occasional waif from our poultry-yards form the proper food of the young Raptores. The August number will con- tain the conclusion of my notes on birds found breeding near Norwich this sea- son, with a few remarks there on. J. M. w. Growth of Robins. We have been watching the growth and final departure of a pair of young robins from their nest, not twelve feet from one of our chamber windows, in the crotch of a cherry tree, where the same nest has re- mained over several seasons, and seems to be the home of the same pair of robins. The children have been specially interested in the operations of caring for the young birds, and for that reascn we devote a part of every day to watching the nest. A strange, and tous a most unexplainable operation. has been exhibited by the male bird. Standing on the edge of the nest, and intently observant of his brood, he suddenly strikes his bill to the cloaca of one of the young ones, who, apparently ex- pecting the stroke, and evidently desiring it, has raised this part by extending his legs, and throwing his hinder parts upward in anticipation of the paternal act which was to follow. A white lump of excrementi- tious matter exudes, which the old bird seizes and apparently swallows. The same operation, immediately succeeded with refer- ence to the other young bird. A few days previous I went up on a ladder and looked into the nest, and handled the young birds, then nearly ready to fly. There were no indications inside of the nest of any excre- mentitious matter, but on the trunk of the tree a few inches below, were three white spots which I concluded were caused by - droppings from the young birds. We have repeatedly witnessed this act, and never having heard any statement with regard to it, very naturally wish to know if this is done by all birds, or by any other beings, biped or quadruped; for I am sure that scores of human bipeds in N—. B——., don’t do even one half what that robin did for the sake of cleanliness. I could not ask or desire them to do the whole. I re- member now an old saying, “It’s a sorry bird that fouls its own nest,” but I never dreamed that any bird couid go to such lengths as we saw, or thought we saw ; and I still think the material voided was kept in his bill, till he had time to deposit it where it suited his convenience. The feec- ing of first one young bird and then the other, was a marked routine, though the strongest seemed always to have the best portion, say a vigorous angle worm, while the weaker and smaller of the two gener- ally got only a bug or miller, or a small white insect of a kind not known to us. Seven or eight years ago, flocks cf the Pine Grosbeak were seen here. It was a hard winter, though not so hard as some we have seen since, though no birds of that kind have since been seen here. I killed one, a female, and bought of the man who stuffed her, a splendid male, which he had just killed. They are beautiful birds.—Dr. S. W. Harr, N—— B——, Ct. Axpino.—In the New York Daily Times’ of April 20, 1881, is the following curious item : “A milk-white, red-breasted robin is ex- citing considerable interest among citizens of Sewickley, Penn., where she has been discovered building a nest, assisted by a male robin of normal color, save that he has a white head.” Joun H. Saag. July, 1881.] 39 AND OOLOGIST. : General Notes. Barn Own.—The following important announcement has unfortunately been mis- laid during our moving. Oliver Davie, of Columbus, Ohio, writes under date of May 2d:—I to-day received from one of our, not altogether Christian sportsmen, a beautiful specimen of the Barn Owl, (Strix Flammea), which he killed yester- day (Sunday), within six miles of this place. This is the second specimen only, that is known to have been taken in Frank- lin Co., Ohio. Great Hornep Ow3s. ano Eaas.—About the middle of March two of my friends _ went in quest of some Great Horned Owls, and after a great deal of tramping through the heavy pine woods, with sixteen inches of snow on the ground, they at last found and shot one. Proceeding a few rods far- ther one of the party imitated the Owl’s eall, which was answered from a very tall old pine. As the answering bird could not be seen one of the party, with climbing irons securely fastened, went up the tree, when another ow] left it, only to fall to the ground at the report of my friend’s gun. On reaching the nest, which was discover- ed in the tree above it, was found to con- tain three large fine fresh eggs. Wituiam Brancnarp, Tyngsboro, Mass. A Tatxina Rozsry.—He is now 10 years old, and when about two years old he as- tonished me by calling my name, and he can now say Theodore as plainly as any one, he soon learned to call puss; puss, puss, Kittie, Kittie, Kittie, quite plainly. About five years ago a pair of Pea Fowls were brought on the place where [I live. In alittle while he learned to say “Pea- cock,” by hearing them talked about. Tueo. P. Witty, Weymouth, Mass. An Eeca wirnin an Eac.—I noticed in your magazine an account of an egg within an egg;and the writer wishes to know whether any of your readers had met with such acase. I have in my collection a small chicken’s egg of a light chocolate color, and about the size and shape of a Barn Swallow's. It was found within an ordinary hen’s egg. I have read of several other cases. A couple of years ago I found in an old crow’s nest the eggs of a dove. This appropriation of the nest of a crow bya dove seems to me quite un- usual. Wo. R. Wuarton, Germantown, Penna. In the April number of the Ootoetst, I notice a note about finding an egg within an ege. The writer of it wishes to know if there is another instance of such an oc- curence. Some time ago a lady friend gave me an egg that she had found within a hen’s egg. It was about an inch and a half long and had a hard shell lke the outside one. M. K. Barnum, Syracuse, N.Y. Notes from Saratoga, N. Y. A Cormorant (G. Carbo) was shot last fall at Saratoga Lake. Captured a young, male, White-Winged Crossbill on Noy. 12, 1880. flock of about twelve. Redpolls, Nov. 27, 1880. Pine Finches, Jan. 20, 1881. Shore Larks, March 20, 1881. Two Gt. Northern Shrikes, April 2, 1881. April 23, 1881, saw a Yellow-Bellied Woodpecker capture a fly a /a Flycatcher, April 25th, found a young Gt. Horned Owl under the nest. At this time it was cover- ed with down, but is now almost capable of flying, as his wings and tail are most like an old bird. He makes a fine pet; not being cross at all. Also, saw Red-Bellied Nuthatches building. April 30th, collected set of four Red- Shouldered Hawks. May 2d, set of three Red-Shouldered Hawks. May 9th, set of two Red-Tailed Hawks. May 7th, set of five Crow Blackbirds. May 14th, went to a heronry on the Hudson river. Should judge that one thousand Night Herons breed here. We shot a number of them and got about 80 eggs, all fresh. It is a little early for them as only a few had complete sets. Nests in hard wood trees, about 40 feet There was a 40 , [ Vol. 6—No. 5. ORNITHOLOGIST high. Saw in several nests an attempt at lining, having several shreds of bark. Guy C. Ricu. 2S eee Notes from Shelter Island. The collecting season is now open. I send you extracts from my note book up to date. April 10. A Crow’s nest examined to-day was nearly ready for the eggs. It was lined with cow’s hair. April 14, Field Sparrows arrived. April 15, Rusty Grakles arrived. April 21, Chipping Sparrows ar- April 22, visited a Mottled Owl’s nest, at Arshamomogue, Long Island. The male and female owls and 4 eggs rived. were in the nest. Male in grey and female in the red plumage. Eggs fresh. I collec- ted two sets of the same variety of eggs from this nest last year. The first con- tained 5, and the second 3 eggs. April 23, Robins building. Savannah sparrows ar- rived, As I was fishing to-day, in West Neck Creek, I noticed a Fish Hawk me, slowly sailing around, watching for a fish. IT had almost forgotten about the Hawk, when suddenly I heard a splashing in the water, and on looking I saw the Hawk had grappled to a fish but was unable to raise it from the water. I quickly had the anchor raised ready to go and capture the Hawk, when by an_ extraordinary effort he sueceeded in raising the fish, when I saw it was a Tautog, or Black fish, at least a foot in length. After he had risen in the air with his prize, it seemed to be all he could manage, but with joyful screams he flew with it and perched on his unfinished nest about a quarter of a mile away. April 25, a Kildeer Plover passed over, bound north. April 26, Barn Swallows common and beginning to build. April 28, Brown Thrushes, and black and white Creepers arrived. April 29, King birds and Towhee Buntings arrived. May 2, Spotted Sandpipers arrived. Eggs Collected: April 19, Eastern near eee a ee Bluebird, 4 eges, fresh. April 21, Mottled Owl, 3 eggs, fresh. April 26, Mottled Owl, ® eggs, fresh. April 28, Common Crow, 4 egos, fresh. In reply to G. A. McCillum, Ontario, I would say that I once had a small hen’s ege, in fact it as a curiosity, but in blowing it I notic- so small I was going to blow ed something hard inside of it. On break- ing it I found another perfect ege about the size of a small marble, on blowing it I found it contained no yolk but simply the white albumen. W. W. WortTHINGTON. Notes from Virginia. The Florida Gallinula, (Gallinwa gale- ata), was captured on a run in the edge of this town, and is »ow enjoying his cap- tivity with as much grace as if he were to the “manor born.” It is usual for this bird this far although sometimes found a little farther north along the sea-shore swamyis. A pair of Carolina Tits, (Parus Caro- linensis), have gladdened my home by They have taken possession of an apple tree and I think will build near it. Perhaps I may get the first set of eggs. Thad a Blue-wing Teal, ( Quesquedidla Discoes), and kept him for a week but he would not eat, and I put him on the run, but I fear to late to revive. Strange they won't eat T had a nice wire cage, 3x5 feet. I gave him rice in wa- ter, and many other things which I thought he would eat. [think if I had had amate for him it would have been better. V. M. Firor. oe —— not to venture north, earoling for me every morning. in confinement. Large Criurcurs or Eaees.—Capt. Chas. Bendire, reports two sets of Burrow- ing Owls, of eleven eges each. Chas. A. Allen of Nicassio, Cal., reports eleven for the Least Tit. B. W Everman of Santa Paula, reports sets of Barn Owl of ten eggs each. Jos. Skinner, Jr., reports seven eggs from the nest of the Webster Bluebird. ORNITHOLOGIST OOLOGIST. $1.00 per Established Mareh 1875, 10 Cents Annum. Joseph M. Wade, Editor and Publisher. Single Copy. VOL. VI. NO. 6 NORWICH, CONN., AUGUST, 1881. Burrowing Owl. Speotyto cunicularia hypogea. (Ridgw.) CAP. CHAS. BENDIRE, U. S. A. This little Owl is an exceedingly abun- dant summer resident in the vicinity of Walla Walla, W. T., and as there seems to be some conflict of opinion regarding its life-history and general habits, as handed down to us by our earlier ornithological observers, I have taken advantage of the many excellent opportunities offered me, to carefully study its habits in this region. It is well known that this species is both ‘diurnal and nocturnal, but it is particularly active in the early portion of the evening; and I believe that it then seeks most of its food. Numbers can be seen hovering in the air in the manner of Sparrow-hawks, on the lookcut for the smaller rodents, etc., during the early twilight, whenever they are at allcommon. During the day-time they are generally found close to their burrows and when not molested, allow themselves to be approached very closely. In this vicinity their arrival from their winter haunts varies generally from the 1st to the 10th of March, and by the middle of the month they become very abundant. The males appear to precede the females about a week in their arrival, as the first ten specimens shot by me, invariably proved to be males. During the pairing season their peculiar love note, resembling that of the European Cuckoo (C. canorus) can be heard in all directions about sund. wn, and is kept up for an hour or more. This note is only they use another chattering sort of note, and when alarmed a short, shrill, tzip. As this little Owl inhabits a large extent of country on both sides of the Rocky Moun- tains,it is quite possible that its habits may differ somewhat in widely separated re- gions, and what may hold good here, may not eastward of the Mountains. I believe this species is generally con sidered as a peaceful and harmless bird, living in perfect harmony with the prairie dogs and ground squirrels, whose abandon- ed burrows it inhabits. My observations, very carefully made, and covering several seasons, lead me to take a different view as far as its peacefulness is concerned. Taking the small size of this Owl into con- sideration I must certainly call it an ex- tremely plucky and aggressive bird, as full of courage as any of our Falcons, as it has not the least hesitation to attack rodents larger and heavier by far then itself. In this vicinity these Owls seem to live to a great extent on that pest of the far- mer, Townsenp’s GRouND SquirREL, Sper- mophilus richardsoni townsendi (Allen,) which would be much more destructive if not kept down by these Owls. In order to satisfy myself that they were actually able to kill adult squirrels, I trapped several and placed them alive (they had been caught in a wire trap and were not at all in- jared) in a room witha pair of these Owls. As soon as noticed by the latter one of them would fasten its talons into the squirrel’s back,and with a few well directed strokes of its beak, break the vertebree of the neck, and eat the head off the squirrel, uttered while the bird is at rest sitting in} often before the latter was quite dead, yet, front of its burrow; while fying about | the remainder of the body was usually left 42 ORNITHOLOGIST [ Vol. 6—-No. 6. and devoured later; I was surprised to see how easily they killed these squirrels, which made scarcely any resistance. Aside from these, their diet seems to consist of different species of mice, pocket gophers as well as of crickets, grasshoppers and occasionally even of fish. It is astonish- ing how much one of these Owls will eat in a day, amounting often to consider- ably more than their own weight. About here they occupy the abandoned burrows of badgers and ground-squirrels. The latter are enlarged to suit their re- quirements. They are easily tamed and make interesting but rather filthy pets. When enraged at any strange object, these birds will puff themselves out by raising their feathers, throw themselves backwards in the manner of a wounded Hawk or Fal- con, and striking out with their talons if within reach of the object, usually emitting at the same time a hissing, rattling noise, which resembles the warning note of our rattlesnake so much, that it cannot be told apart, and is apt to deceive the closest ob- I have had this demonstrated more than once, by asking an assistant, who was not aware that these Owls could make this peculiar noise, to reach into a partially opened burrow,which I knew con- tained one of these birds and eggs, to get the latter for me, and was invariably told after he had inserted his hand and _ with- drawn it ina hurry, “Captain, there is a rattlesnake in that hole,” and nothing would convince the man that such was not the case, till I exposed the end of the bur- row, and at the same time the Owl, to his view, but no rattlesnake. This un- questionably accounts for the popular be- lief amongst frontiers men generally, as well as among some naturalists, that rattlesnakes, prairie dogs and these Owls live in the same domicile. That they should be able to kill a full grown prairie dog seems scarcely probable, but they un- doubtedbly kill and live on the young ones. I have examined a great many burrows oc- cupied by these Owls and have never found server. any other living animals in any of them (always excepting vermin, such as fleas and flies), certainly no snakes or rodents, and I believe that they would make equally short work of the former as of the latter. It is possible that these birds capture a small bird now and then, but I have not as yet had any evidence whatever that they do. In the western agricultural districts this owl deserves the fullest protection, living as it does on the worst foes the farmers have to content against, and in favorable localities it will increase very rapidly. According to my observations this little Owl is the most prolific of the whole family found in the U. 8. The usual number of eggs laid, being nine, although ten and eleven in a set are not unfrequent, and I have heard from one of my correspondents that he took a set containing not less than twelve eggs this spring, near Carson, - Nevada. They are most devoted parents and allow themselves rather to be captured than to abandon their treasures. I think both parents assist in incubation, which lasts about fourteen days. In this vicinity they commence laying about April 15th, and by the end of May the young Owlets may of- ten be seen sitting in front of their bur- rows. In the various localities in which I have examined the burrows of these owls, I have never found any other material in the chamber occupied by the nest, than finely broken up dry horse or cow dung. This is scattered about from one to two inches deep at the end of the chamber, which: is somewhat enlarged, and on this mass the eggs are deposited, and these, if a full set, are usually placed in the shape of a horse shoe. Iam informed that in California these Owls sometimes construct their nests out of dry grass, but I have never met with any so constructed. Their eggs, like those of the balance of the family, are white, rather more pointed and glossy however than Owls’ eggs gen- erally are, and in a large series almost any _ shape may be found from globular to pyr- August, 1881. ie AND es 43 iform. These measure 1.35 na 1.09 inches for the largest, to 1.17 by .97 inches for the smallest. The average size in a series of over 250 specimens in my collection is 1.24 by 1.03 inches. The young, when first hatched, are covered with light, greyish down, grow very rapidly, and the amount of food re- quired by a family of ten Owlets, in the shape of mice, gophers, etc., must be very great, and as this consists, as far as my ob- servations go, out of absolutely nothing else but noxious animals. I repeat again that this bird deserves the fullest protection as one of the most beneficial species in the grain producing districts of the great West. William MacGillivray. On the fly-leaf of a copy of MacGilli- vray’s British Birds, imported from Edin- burgh, we find the following list of his writings, written by the Scotch owner of the book : “Prof. MacGillivray was born in old Aberdeen, was a scholar of Mr. Ewan McLacklan. took the degree of A. M. at King’s College, went to Edinburgh about 1823, was appointed keeper of the Museum of the College of Surgeons in 1831, and while there, wrote and published the first three volumes of his “British Birds,” was appointed professor of Natural History and lecturer on Botany in Marischal Col- lege Aberdeen in 1801, was made L. L. D in 1844, by Kings College. He died in Aberdeen on the 5th of September, 1852 aged 56 years. His separate publications amounted to about twenty volumes; be- sides these, he contributed six Papers to the transactions of the Wernerian Society; twelve papers to the Edinburgh Philosophi- cal Journal, nine papers to the Edinburgh Quarterly Journal of Agriculture, three pa- pers to the Prize Essays and Transactions of the Highland Society, two papers to the Edinburgh Journal of Natural and Geogra- phical Science. He sent many papers to the Edinburgh Literary Gazette and the ’| eggs. Edinburgh Journal of Natural History. He left, ready for publication, a history of the vertebrated animals inhabiting the counties of Forfar, Kincardine, Aberdeen, Banff, Elym and Nairn, with the adjoining parts of Inverness and Perth, also the Nat- ural History of Balmoral, from notes made during an excursion in the autumn of 1850. This last book expanded into the Natural History of Deeside, was purchased by Prince Albert and printed privately (but considerable alterations were made by the editor on Prof. MacGillivray’s manuscript). 2s General Notes. AMERICAN Repstarr (Setophaga ruti- cilla).—W .Otto Emerson, Haywards, Cal., writes that on June 20th he shot a Red- start in some wild blackberries, on the bor- der of a creek running through the or- chard. There was no difference in plum- age between it and those taken in the East. Mr. Enierson was informed by Dr. Cooper that it was the first specimen, to his know- ledge, taken in California. Larce Sets or Eacs.—W. W. Wor- thington reports: Bobolink, six eggs; Wilson’s Tern, four; Osprey, or Fish Hawk, four; Crow Blackbird, six; Night Heron, six; Black-capped Chickadee, cone Downy Woodpecker, seven. Sparrow-HAwK’s Eaes.—On the morn- ing of April 2, 1881, while out collecting, I discovered the nest of a Yellow-Billed Magpie (Pica nuttall/), and on climbing to -|it was surprised to find instead of Mag- pie’s eges, two freshly laid Sparrow-hawks’ There was no doubt about the identity, as the old birds circled about my head while I-was robbing the nest. Axpino’s.—During a recent trip to Bos- ton, we visited the Taxidermist Establish- ment of Chas. T. Goodale, 93 Sudbury street, where we saw a beautiful Albino Duck, but of what species was not certain. Charley was inclined to think it a Mallard, while others were equally sure it was a Black Duck. It wasa male and pure white. There was also a pure Albino Swallow, be- longing to acustomer, who is desirous of selling the specimen. 44 ORNITHOLOGIST [ Vol. 6-No. 6. ORNITHOLOGIST and OULOGIST A MONTHLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OF BIRDS, THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. JOS. M. WADE, - - - = Editor S. L. WILLARD, - “ - Ass’t Editor With the co-operation of able Ornithological Writers and Collectors. SUBSCRIPTION.—*“1.00 per annum. subscription S125 including postage copies 10 cents each JOS. M. WADE, Norwich, Conn. Foreign Specimen Entered at the Norwich P. O. as second-class matter. EDITORIAL. Rare Finds. During the present season (1881) quite a number of rare sets have been found and added to various collections throughout the country. Among them area set of four of the Saw-whet Owl (Wyctale acadica) by Mr. W. Perham, Tyngsboro, Mass., (see Nuttall Bulletin, page 143) One set of five of the same by Capt. Chas. Bendire, at Camp Harney, Oregon. Also, several sets of Scops asio which if not Ainnecot- ti or Maawellie, may prove a new variety. Mr. Fred, T. Jencks was fortunate in se- curing several sets of Kentucky, Worm- _ eating Prothonotary, and other rare Warblers. He also found three nests of the Black-crested Titmouse, but they were in trees too large for any ordinary climber. He not only saw them building their nests, but watched them almost daily until the young were able to fly. This was in the heavy timber of Southern Indiana. Mr. James C. Merrill, M. D., stationed at Fort Custer, Montana, secured some very rare sets although working to great disadvan- tage in various ways, preventing his reach- ing the desired breeding grounds until late in the season. We connot do better than make an extract from Mr. Merrill’s letter: “T found a superb set of eight fresh Regu- lus calendula [Ruby-Crowned Kinglet], one set of five Dendroeca auduboni [ Audu- bon’s Warbler], one addled egg in a nest- full of young of Parus montanus [Moun- tain Chickadee], egg pure white, vide Ben- dire, Belding and Brewer; Sphyrapi- cus nuchalis, one set of five ; Junco, prob- - ably annecteus, five eggs; female sent to Mr. Ridgway for identification. Also, four sets Pipilo arcticus [Northern Towhee] and Canace richardsoni [Richardson's Grouse]. Eggs of Sphyrapicus and Junco are, I think undescribed, though I have not yet had time to look this up. Found several pairs of Harlequin Ducks breeding, but could not find their nests, which were doubtless in hollow trees. Al] were found almost exactly on the Montana- Wyoming boundary line. All the above were breeding abundantly, and if next year I can have five or six weeks in the same lo- eality I know that I can do splendidly, as I am now familiar with the ground. I re- gret exceedingly my poverty in duplicates, as I hoped, and expected to be able, to make many exchanges.” + Birds of the Hudson Highlands. The six parts of Dr. Mearns’s “List of the Birds of the Hudson Highlands,” that have been published in the “Bulletin of the Essex Institute,” at intervals from 1878 to’ the present time, carry the subject to the Quail (Ortyx virginianus) and will, when completed, be one of the best of the many local lists that have appeared from time to time in different parts of the country. In- teresting field notes are given and much scientific value is found in the compara- tive tables of measurements of more than nineteen hundred (1900) specimens that the author has collected in the Highlands. eee Addition to the R. I. Fauna. Messrs. Southwick & Jencks of Provi- dence, R. I., received July 27, to be mount- ed, a fine specimen of Caspian Tern (fe- male) which measured twenty-one inches in length and fifty inches in alar extent. It was shot by Mr. J. B. Dunn at Wester- ly, R. I. August, 1881.] AND OOLOGIST. 45 North-western Screech Owl. In our May number appeared a short article, by Capt. Charles Bendire, on Scops asio Kennicotti. It appears that with fur- ther experience with the birds in question, the Captain is not at all certain that his first conclusions were correct. In a letter dated June 18, 1881, he states: “I am by no means certain now that the specimens I took here are the true been offering for sale a work by John Kri- der entitled, “‘ Forty Years’ Notes of a Field Ornithologist, &c.” Many copies of this work have gone into the hands of some of our best ornithologists, some of whom re- port that it contains many errors, but of this more hereafter. Our present object is to make one or two interesting quotations from the work. “Duck Hawk.—It is. well-known to all the duck-shooters along the flats of the Sus- quehanna River, as well also to those who frequent the sea-shore, where this bird is certain to be found during the ducking sea- son. I have found it also on several occa sions on the Delaware River, when I was rail shooting. | shot one specimen below the navy yard, also another on Jersey shore, both of which had been feeding on some farmer’s chickens I have often noticed the manceuvres of this voracious hero of the falcon tribe when in pursuit of ducks. On one occasion I was seated in a blind with my decoys in a pond in front of me, waiting for the approach of ducks, when at a distance I saw a small lot of ducks mak- _ ing for the pond. As they approached I discovered that they. were pursued by a Hawk, and as soon as they arrived at the edge of the pond they immediately dove under the water. The Hawk, somewhat disappointed, continued on his course tow- ard my decoys, making a quick dart and where the Ducks breed. catching one in his talons, but finding it heavier than he supposed soon dropped it, and was in a hurry to get off when the leaden messengers from my gun brought him down. This specimen is now in the Academy of Natural Science, of Phil- adelphia. I have frequently found this bird: along the sea-shore in spring, but never found it breeding in that neighborheod which has been so reported. Ido not con- sider it rare, but difficult to obtain. They vary much in size—the male is much small- er than the female, and the plumage of the adult bird different from that of the young. I have met this bird as far east as Maine, and as far west as Minnesota, along the Mississippi River, and have not been able myself to find its nest, but have the eggs in my collection which were found in the State of Maine. I also have the birds which were shot along the Delaware River below Philadelphia. “BaLD EacLe.—The Bald Eagle is very plenty along the coast of ‘Virginia, Dela- ware and New Jersey. It feeds on Ducks and fish. I have seen this bird sit on the meadows and watch the Fish-hawk catch a fish, when he would pursue the Hawk and make him drop his food, and before the fish could reach the water the Eagle would catch it and make for some secluded spot to feed upon it. I have also seen them chase crippled Ducks and make a meal of them: they frequent mostly the ducking grounds. I have seen them very plenty in the western states, and on the lakes I have found them breeding in New Jersey, near Bees- ley’s Point, also on the eastern shores of Maryland, and in Iowa and Minnesota, but have never found more than two eggs in a nest. The young in the fall plumage is without the white head and tail, and some- times is very dark, almost black, varying very much in size. I had one from Bees- ley’s Point that measured eight feet six inches from tip to tip; then I have had them that only measured five feet six inch- es. I have seen them in company with the Turkey Buzzard feeding on the carcasses of dead horses and other dead animals. They build their nests on high trees and cliffs—eggs four in number.” In this last article Mr. Krider states that he has “never found more than two eggs in anest,” and yet he coffcludes his ar- ticle by saying: “ They build their nests on high trees and cliffs—eggs four in number.” October, 1881. | AND OOLOGIST. 61 The New Check List. The first edition of the new check list is exhausted, and the orders now being re- ceived are booked in rotation and will be promptly mailed as soon as the new edition, now in the hands of the printers, is received LARGE Sets oF Eccs.—W. Otto Emer- son reports taking sets of California Quails’ eggs this season of seventeen, and season of twenty-four. Belg! CHEWINK.—July roth, I found a nest of Pipilo erythrophalmus containing three tresh eggs, built at least three feet from the ground in a spice bush. Such is not com- mon I believe.—. W. Everman, Llooming- ton, Indiana. last CorrectTions.-—In the September num- ber, page 54, second column, seventeenth line from the bottom, punctually should read practically. Page 51, second column, Pine Grosbeaks should read Pine Goldfinch (Chrysomitris pinus.) ————_ oe ALBINO’s.—While in the store of Chas. P. Goodale, Boston, we learned that Mr. John Morrow, of Newburyport, Mass., shot a Carolina Rail, the wings of which were pure white. Mr. C. H. Chandler, Cam- bridge, Mass., shot a little Blue Heron, pure white except the tips of the wings. This is the young of the little Blue Heron in its first plumage. As it was shot at Pine Point, Maine, and had been seen in the spring and summer, it would be interesting to know where the bird was bred. An Ecc WITHIN an Ecc.—We have received an egg from Mr. Fred. Cory, San- ta Paula, Cal., which contained another perfect egg inside about the size of an or- dinary hen’s egg. The outer shell was very large. Both shells were perfect, but unfortunately the contents had not been re- moved, and they were broken badly in the mails and could not be measured. If they had been properly prepared they would have been a valuable addition to our col- lection. Burrowing Owl—Continued. Speotyto cuntcularia hypogewa (Ridgwi.) I nad entirely forgotten to mention the locations of the burrows, how deep they were, &c. It was an oversight. The lo- cation Of course varied according to the nature of the country. At Fort LapwaiI generally found them occupying burrows on the hillsides with a southerly exposure. The burrows usually ran straight into the hill for three or four feet, and then curved to the right or left, more or less, from one to four feet to the chamber that contained the eggs. Some burrows were in the shape of a horseshoe, and the eggs were laid within a foot anda half of the entrance of the hole, but I had to dig probably ten feet to find this out. The chamber in which the eggs were laid is generally a little higher than the entrance hole, if in a side hill. Here at Walla Walla they generally breed in holes in the level ground. These bur- rows descend about two feet and then turn off in various directions The end of the hole being also a little higher than the bur- row after its direction is changed horizon- tally. I presume they sometimes get del- uged during heavy rains, but this does not often happen, as we have but little rain and seldom very heavy in April or May in this country when they are breeding. They are not gregarious but I have found two nests within one hundred yards of each other.— Capt. Chas. E. Bendire, U. S. A, An Encounter. While my sister was looking out of the window, she witnessed quite an encounter between a Blue Jay and a snake. The snake was about three feet long. The bird would pick at the snake’s eyes and then flutter away to return again and repeat the process—the snake retreating all the while. A running fight was kept up until the snake, finally, was glad to get away. My sister did not know what variety the snake was. —Gus. C. Spaeth, Mt. Carmel, Its. 62 ORNITHOLOGIST | Vol.. 6—No. 8. Blue Yellow-backed Warbler NESTING ON SHELTER ISLAND. I think most of the ornithological writers have been mistaken in naming the breed- ing range of the Parula americana. Minot saysin “-Land and Game Birds of N. E.,” page 416, “Very rare in summer so far south as Massachusetts. Maynard, in ‘“ Birds of Eastern North America,” says: “A few remain in southern New England to breed, but the majority spend the summer in the more northern section.” The Blue Yellow-backed Warbler breeds as abundantly in this town, if not more so, than in any part of Northern New Eng- land, as I have collected sixteen sets of their eggs, and seen fully as many more, within the past three years, and have at- tained a pretty accurate knowledge of their habits. ‘They arrive about the first of May and usually spend two or three weeks in mating before they begin to build. The nest is invariably built in a bunch of long green moss, and lined more or less with the same dun colored plant down that the Yel- low Warblers use for the same purpose, but the Blue Yellow-backs use it more spar- ingly. They sometimes weave one or two horse hairs and rarely a piece of fine grass into the nest; and these are the only mate- rials used on this island. The first nest that came to my notice was neither globular nor pensile, as they usually are, but completely open at the top like a Yellow Warbler’s, and placed in-a small ce- dar bush not three feet from the ground, on high land, being a very unusual position. The nest is usually placed in a bush or | small tree in swamps or swampy places, and usually about ten or twelve feet up. I have seen two nests. that were attached to the side of the trunks of large trees at the same height. The number of eggs laid is four and sometimes five. I found one nest that contained eight eggs, six of which are in my collection now, the other two having been broken in removing them from the nest. The nest is of the usual size, and the eggs were piled upon each other in two layers. They must have been laid by two females as part of them were addled. The nest is generally purse-shaped, with the en- trance at the side near the top, and differs in bulk according to the size of the bunch of moss in which it is built, and I believe that more moss is brought in some instan- ces to finish the nest. The Blue Yellow- backs breed commonly on Gardiner’s Isl- and, as I saw two nests there nearly ready for the eggs on May 17th, 1879, which is about two weeks earlier than they lay on Shelter Island. If collectors had known 'the right place to look for the nests, they _would have been found long ago in greater numbers and further south than most writ- ers on the subject have led us to believe.— W. W. Worthington. Black-capped Yellow Warbler. ifS, NESTING. HABDTS; The beautiful little ALZyiodioctes pussillus arrives here about the twentieth of April the males coming about one week before the females. ‘They raise two broods each season The first nest I found was on May 16th and the young had come to maturity and flown. ‘This nest was placed in a wild blackberry vine two and one-half feet from the ground, and in the very thickest part of the vine ‘The nest was composed of very fine dry grass, bits of moss and dead leaves, and lined with fine fibrous roots. The fe- male alone builds the nest, but the male can be seen following her around and singing to cheer her in the work: I can discover no difference between the song of this War- bler and that of the Yellow Warbler (Dez- I found another nest on June 15th containing a set of four eggs. In- cubation had begun. fresh, have a pinkish color like most of the Warblers. This effect is produced by the yelk showing through a transparent shell, When blown the ground color is white with fine reddish spots around the larger end. This nest was in blackberry vines eight feet. dreca estiva.) The eggs, when. - October, 1881. } AND OOLOGIST. 63 from the ground, on the bank cf a creek. The female was on the nest and did not cffer to leave until I got close to the nest. While taking the nest she flew around me and called her mate with a sharp note— peep, peep. ‘this nest, like the las: taken, was made of fine dry grass and bits of dead leaves, and lined with fire fibrous roots. Size of nest: cutside, three by four inches; inside, one and one-half by two inches. have taken two other nests, one on June 21st, and one on June 25th, 180. Iam the only one who has found the nests here the past two seasons. ‘They are all through breeding and leave for the south about the | last of August.—W. Otto Em.rson, Cal. —9¢+e Pintail Duck. ITS NEST AND EGGS. The following is a description of a nest and set of eggs of this duck (Dajila acuta) collected in Will, Illinois, May roth, 1877. | The female was frightened from the nes; by my approach, otherwise I should not have found the nest, having passed and re- passed it several times on the previous day. It was built in a hummock of grass ina low wet pasture near a brook and several sloughes, was quite near to the road, and almost in the path used by children in go- | ing to and from school, and was first found | by one of them who informed me of the | fact : A hollow in the centre of the hummock was lined with dry grass. and weeds, form- ing the nest, which was thickly lined with down. I succeeded in getting the nest out whole and the dimensions below taken soon after reaching home: Depth, outside, four and one-half inches; depth, inside, three inches. Outside diam- eter, nine inches; inside diameter, five inch- es. The eggs were eleven in number, and were were nearly hatched,the embryos being with | difficulty extracted through a half inch hole, three being broken in cleaning. The eggs vary but little in size, the largest being 25 16 x1 9-16 inches, and the smallest 2 3-16- | XI 9-16 inches, and 2 1-4x1 1-2. The col- or is a di:ty white with a tinge of greenish olive—at least that 1s the nearest I can come to describing it. The down in the nest seems to be placed on the sides, there being but little on the hottom. ‘The ducks are quite plenty in that vicinity during the spring and fall mi- grations —D. “4. Eaton, Woburn, Mass -e¢e SsOo0TING Birds wITH WATER.—Query: Ts it safe to shoot birds with water to get them without injuring them? Say put a small load of powder with cut wad and tal- low on it to keep the dampness from the powder. Then with water in a flask ready to pour in when needed to shoot with. Or is there any other fluid or liquid better adapted for the purpose. I use the word safe with regard to the person shooting — V. M. Firor, Charlestown, Va. ha See Say’s PEWEE (Sayornis say?) is not a handsome bird, being in many respects as Its drab color and loose feathers give it a poverty- stricken appearance, though the young ones are hands»yme enough. The female lays four white eggs, and sometimes hatches out two broods in a season. A _ pair of these birds have had a nest on the porch of the commanding officer’s quarters at Fort D. A. Russel, Wyoming, since the year 1875. Every season, early in April, a pair of Say’s homely as any in the mountains, | Pewees make their appearance, and flying about for a few days, commence making repairs on their nest, which is located on the top of one of the pillars. Never hav- ing been disturbed in any way, they are ‘quite tame and attend to their business, paying very little attention to the human beings that sometimes swarm on the porch. The young ones, when they are able to fly a little, are the cutest little bunches of drab fluff that ever was seen. They have a con- fident look about them that is amusing, and in a few days learn how to catch their own flies and take care of themselves. In gen- eral appearance they are very much like the Arkansas Flycatcher —Co/ A. G. Brackett tn American Field. 64 ORNITHOLOGIST KINGBIRD AND KINGFISHER.—While I was walking along the shore of the Masha- paug pond, within the limits of Providence, sometime ago, I saw an interesting attack upon a Belted Kingfisher (Ceryle alcyon) by a Kingbird ( Zyrannts carolinensis ) The Kingfisher had poised himself sever-- al times to look for fish, and was just mov ing to do so again as the Kingbird ap- proached and attacked him. The King- fisher is not a quarrelsome bird, and always minds his own business. He was entirely unprepared, and acted as though he could not believe that the other had any evil in- tentions, for he tried to poise again. The second attack seemed to undeceive him, and show him his enemy was in earnest. He va ilted and turned, vainly endeavoring to rid himself of his persecutor. He soon saw he could not save himself by flight and tried diving. As soon, however, as he ap- peared at the surface he attempted to fly, but the Kingbird, keeping up an incessant twittering, forced him to dive again. Two or three times this was repeated, both birds making considerable noise, until the King- fisher seemed convinced that escape in that direction was impossible, so he sat like a duck upon the surface, and as his persecut- or would swoop at him he would go under. This lasted some little time, until even the Kingbird seemed wearied and flew away. Then, after waiting a short time, the King- fisher flew in the opposite direction.-—Fred, T. Jencks, Providence, R. 1, KrntTucKy WARBLER.—My experience agrees with that of Mr. Jencks, except that my nests were found just where the differ ent stalks of a blackberry bush came out of the ground, and were supported by them, but not fastened to them. I noticed that the different eggs of a set varied a good deal in the color of the markings. In a set of three, the first was marked with a dark, rich, reddish brown. The third was of a neutral tint, while the second was in- termediate in color.—Ldgar A. Small, Ha- gerstown, Maryland. ing directly over the water. SPARROW-HAWK AND PLOVER.—While fishing with a friend at the foot of lake Snipsic, near Rockville, Conn., in the au- tumn of 1875, my attention was attracted by a number of Plovers feeding on the shore. They were taking their breakfast together, skittering back and forth at the edge of the water, calling “tweet, tweet.” I had just called my friend’s attention to them when a Sparrow-Hawk ( 7innunculus Sparverius) darted from the thick pine woods that come to within a few rods of the shore. The bird had evidently seen the Plovers before leaving the pines, as he came direct from the woods to where they were feeding. The Plovers, seeing their enemy ap- proach, flew in different directions, one go- The Hawk neither hesitated nor turned to the right or left, but selecting this one flew after it. The birds on the shore sounded their notes of alarm, while the pursued gave no cry, but seemed to bend all its powers in flight, keeping straight abead but dropping grad- ually to the water. So swiftly followed the Hawk, that at one hundred yards he had shortened the two rods to two feet, but at the very moment he threw forward his tal- ons to seize it the Plover turned and dropped under the water like a pebble that. had been thrown from above. So close was the Hawk that as he swooped away his breast almost touched the water. After what seemed to be a full minute the Plover came to the surface, sat upon the water a few minutes, and place from where it started. It was quickly joined by its companions, and all were soon as busily and quietly feeding on the shore as if nothing had happened.—Czarles A. Willis, Rockvitle, Conn. Peele Le Rare Birps.—Mr. O. E. Lake, of Tops-. field, Mass., shot a Yellow Rail recently.. Mr. C. H. Chandler, of Cambridge, shot a Curlew Sand piper at Pine Point, Maine, during the past summer. Mr. Goodate pronounces the above birds very rare in the localities where taken. [Vol. 6-No. 8. then flew back to the. ORNITHOLOGIST - A Na OOLOGIST. $1.00 per JOSEPH M. WAnE, Editor and Papheher Single Copy, Annum. esaplished, To os 10 Cents. eas VI. NORWICH, aN: , NOVEMBER, 1881. NO. o. ‘Prothesecey Warbler. Protonotarta cttrea. On my arrival at Wheatland, Indiana, April 18th, 1881, the Prothonotary Warbler _ was already there, but was noted that day for the first ime by Mr. Ridgway, who had preceded me a few days. It is found in swampy woods and about pond holes and sloughs in the bottoms. [In such places they are abundant if decayed stumps, in which they breed, are plentiful. They make their presence known by their tsh, tsh, tsh, tsh, delivered evenly and rather quickly, much like the first two or three notes of the Nash- ville Warbler’s song. They sing as much while the female is sitting, and when they have young, as before. The call note is a sharp chip and this is sometimes repeated quickly a number of times, in this latter re- spect they are like the Golden Crowned Thrush; it also has a pretty warble which is delivered while flying. It is rather deliberate in its motions, but likes to roam from place to place, not stay ing long anywhere. ‘This is perhaps more prominently noticeable on account of being unable to approach it quickly, as one has usually to wade through water. Some indi- viduals appear quite shy and lead the col- lector a long chase For several days I much doubted whether they were ever found away from over water. This may not seem strange when I state that the fifteenth bird shot was the first obtained dry. The locality of the nest is betrayed by the song. If there are no old stumps standing in water then it will usually be found close by which is a very appropriate name, has a The ‘Stump Yellow Bird,’’ | ee ai bill, with which it excavates a socket in a stump so rotten as to be about as soft as‘punk. The hole is not particu- larly ROUND and usually not over four or six inches deep. It is filled with a green moss to within about two inches of the en- trance. The nests varied in height from four to twenty feet from the ground, but usually six or eight. When a nest is found within reach the eggs can easily be touched by putting the first and second fingers in the hole and a slight pull will leave the whole spread to view so rotten is the stump selected by them. On one occasion not being able to reach the nest, I rocked the stump, and sprang and grasped the top while falling, and it broke midway thus leaving the portion con- taining the nest in my arms. There proved to be young in this nest, and I leaned the stump against a fallen log about fifteen yards away. Though the height of the nest was reduced from ten feet to two, yet on returning several hours later the female was feeding the young. The eggs are four to six in number. They have the gloss of a Woodpecker’s, and are among the largest of the warblers, except the Chats and watbling Thrushes. They look like miniature Meadow Larks, except that they are marked about twice as heavy as the darkest of that species. The Prothonotary is second to none in beauty. I usually found the finest colored ‘specimens, prebably the older birds, around small secluded pools, only one pair toa place. Two specimens obtained having red feath- ers; the first had ared stripe across the forehead. The second, probably the finest ever taken in this respect, had feathers 66 ORNITHOLOGIST [Vol. 6-No. 9. about the color of those of the Summer Red | I got a set of white eggs. When fresh they Bird, sprinkled sparingly on the cheeks and | had the rosy characteristic of Wood-peck.- throat, and extending as far as the middle of the breast. These, and two in Mr. Ridg- way’s possession, are all I ever saw or heard of that were so strongly marked.—Fred. 7. Jencks, Providence, R / eee - Notes from Maryland. ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOWS are quite common in this county, building their nests in the masonry of bridges and mills over water courses. ‘Uheir nests are especially common along the Antietam Crvek. ‘They generally breed in single pairs or at most not more than three or four pairs at one bridge or other locality. A Snowy Owt was brought tome, Janu- ary tst, 1881, alive, but it died from unknown causes a few minutes after I got it. It had been shot in the wing about three weeks be- fore, at a point nine miles west of Hagers- town. It was a male and was nearly white. Thisis the fourth or fifth specimen killed in this county during the past five years. VHE TurreD TITMOUSE is a common resident in this locality, nesting in natu ral cavities in trees, nearly always in an or: chard, and generally rather lowdown Last spring a pair stayed about a box in the yard for a week, and seemed almost decided to build, as I hoped they would, but finally left for other quarters. eggs seem to be six. ‘The nests are loosely made of hair, wool, feathers, &c. RAVENS are occasionally shot in the wild- er portions of this county and they proba- bly breed along the Potomac River in the slate hills region. ‘The usual set of PILEATED WOOD-PECKERS are not un common in the heavy lumber lands. BLueE Birps.—Has any one noticed a scarcity of Blue Birds the past season? They wintered here in larger numbers than I ever knew them to do, but began to dis- appear in January and February, and I only found about four nests this season Could the birds have been killed by the severe cold of last winter? From one of the nests er’s, but on being blown the white assumed a slight blueish tint. CHAPARRAL Cock.—In the March O, and O., Mr. B. W. Everman writes that he never found more than two eggs in the nest — ot this bird, and that it would seem that two eggs is the usual clutch. I have a set of four eggs, nearly fresh, from Eagle Pass, Texas, and I had sent tome aset of five fresh eggs from the same place, but three of them were broken in the mails.—Zdgar A. Small, Hagerstown, Ma. Small-billed Water Thrush. May 3oth, «881, while collecting in a swamp on the north bank of the Seneca Riv- er, Onondago County, N. Y , I found a nest of the Small-billed Water Thrush (Szurus nevius), Coues, containing one egg and three young birds. I was about a hundred yards from the edge of the swamp and looking for an oid hawk’s nest, when the bird flew out from under the roots of a tree near by. Af- | ter a careful search I found the nest un- der a projecting root and so well concealed by overhanging rootlets that it could not be seen until the eye was nearly on a level with it. Itnearly filled the cavity and was made chiefly of moss and leaves lined with fine rootlets Inside, the dimensions were about two and a half inches across by two deep. ' The outside measurement could not well be taken as it was built of material very similar to what surrounded it. I took the egg and shot the female so that there might be no mistake, but left the nest and young, hoping that the male would care forthem. The egg was addled but contained no embryo, so I succeeded in blowing it and have it now in my collection. It measures .75 inch by .56 inch. ‘The ground color is white, speckled sparingly at the smaller end and very thick- ly on the larger with shades varying from lilac to dark brown. Next spring I shall make a careful search for another nest and if successful will give you a more complete de- scription.— 7, K. Barnum, Syracuse, N. Y. a A eT amo a Stowe pie a (ois November, 1881. | AND OOLOGIST. 67 Notes from Denver, Colorado. . June issue, number four, of your journal came yesterday. I was somewhat amused at your criticism on ‘‘Gentry’s Birds, Nests and Eges of the United States,” for I had just received an epistle from the Hon. J. A. Wagensellar telling me how his finer feelings were hurt on account of my growling about the text of his publication. For my part I do not see anything unjust in your criti- cism. I noticed an article by J. F. Rath- bun, of Auburn, N. Y., concerning the Yellow- bellied Wood-pecker (S. varius ) In reply to his query I would say that I took several sets of eggs of that bird while I was in Oswego, N.Y. In 1877 I took one set from these birds, and in 1878 it nested in the same tree, digging a hole higher up in the same limb. It is very plenty there during migration, but breeds rather sparingly. The latter part of last June I visited Manitou and its immediate locality. While gazing at the gigantic rocks that tower toward the skies, in the Garden of the Gods, I noticed hundreds of Violet-green Swallows (7. ¢halassinZ) and several Rock Swifts (P. saxatilis) soaring at a considera- ble height above my head. Upon a closer eXamination I noticed that nearly every crevice in the rocks was occupied by their nests, though none were accessible. Judg- ing from the litter on the outside of the rocks near their nests, and the lateness of the season, I concluded that they all con- tained young birds.—D. D. Stone. Or @- Notes from Syracuse, N. Y. May 25th, £881, while climbing up a sapling to a Wood Thrush’s nest, the fe- male darted at me and hit me quite forcibly on the head. I afterward found that the eggs were not much incubated. July 15th, 1881, while out shooting on Nant»cket Isiand, I found a fresh Barn Swallow’s egg on the bare ground, among the long grass of a hay field.—A/. KX. Bar- num, Syracuse, NV. Y. Chipping Sparrows FEEDING ON CABBAGE WORMS. The season for ornithological develop- ment is passed. I have noticed fewer young birds this summer than usual, but I have made one valuable discovery. It is that the Chipping Sparrow (Spizella socials) is a devourer of the cabbage worm. I no- ticed a pair which were doubtless feeding on a brood in my garden yesterday, and previous to that going from cabbage to cab- bage in search of the green worm; and I had the satisfaction of seeing the worm in the beak of the bird, and then to see it fly off to where its nest was filled with birds. This may not be a new discovery but only new tome. But it is a demonstrated fact of which I am glad.— V. MZ. Firor. READ Yellow-headed Blackbird. On the twenty-fourth of last August, while collecting in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, I shot a somewhat peculiar specimen of the Xanthocephalus icterocephalus, of which the following is a description: Length, 10.7 inches; stretch of wings, 12.50 inches; off wing, 4.47 inches; Tail, 4 19 inches; tar- sus, 1.59 inches; bill, .81 inch; color of eyes, dark; tarsi, black; bill, black. From the right side of the head, about 1-4 inch behind the eye, extends one white feather, said feather being tipped with black. It extends out from the head .82 of an inch by actual measurement The yellow is of a bright orange shade, except on the top of the head, and.on the top and sides of the neck where it is very thickly intermixed with bkgck, giving one the idea that itis a female. But, furthermore, it is not of the rusty black, which almost invari- ably denotes the female, but it is of a beau- tiful clear black. It also has the white on the wings, and very conspicuously — too, which a female is said never to possess. The sexual organs were badly disintegrat- ed by the shot, so that I was unable to def- initely ascertain the sex, but from what parts I could see, | thought it to be a fe- male.—Geo. L. Tappan, Chicago. 68 ORNIT HOLOGIST [Vol. 6—No. 9. ORNITHOLOGIST OOLOGIST A MONTHLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OF BIRDS, THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. JOS. M. WADE, Editor, S. L. WILLARD, Assistant, With the co operation of abie Ornithological Writers and Collectors. SUBSCRIPTION—$1.00 per annum. Forcign sub scription $1.25—ineluding postage. Spect- men Copies Ten Cents. JOS, UM. WADE, Norwich, Conn. Entered at Norwich P.O. as Second Class matter. EDITORIAL. Rose-breasted Grosbeak. This bird was brought to us with a mate, both naked, the last of July, 1878. He was named Jack, after a pet Blue Jay that was a comical genius, and Jack certainly has not been a whit behind his namesake. We often wish we had kept a careful record of his pro- gress and doings, and we now wish we were able to describe Jack’s life for the benefit of our readers, but as that is not our forte we will simply give a synopsis of Jack’s growth and doings. From an error in feeding, the younger of the two svon died, when bread and milk was substituted, on which Jack did well. A young lady was spending a few weeks at my house and she devoted almost her entire time in raising and caring for Jack. He was well fed and often taken out on the lawn and allowed to pick and ramble in the grass. Several times he got into the fountain to bathe, but was helped out and saved from drowning. He soon got so that he would recognize no one but the lady who cared so well for him; and when on the floor, and still naked, he would sing a little complete song for her at any time when asked to do so. This lady remained with Jack about five weeks, when she left him with much regret. She returned again the following January when the bird immediate- ly recognized her. Once her visits were a year apart but even then he did not forget her; and when the lady visited my house the present summer, in the city of Norwich, Jack bounded across his cage and with de- light welcomed her back again. This is the more strange as he never made the ac- quaintance of but two persons. He cares nothing for the writer although he has been with him daily from his birth, and fed him fruit, &c. It is often wondered how birds migrate and return again in the spring, but when this bird’s memory is taken into con- sideration the wonder is not so great. He got his first feathers during the months of August and September, 1878. They were those of the female except the breast, and the first feathers there were rose colored, inter- mixed with brown feathers as in the female. His first wing and tail feathers were brittle and all broke out during the winter. He made a complete shedding during February and March following 1879, when his tail and wing feathers again all broke out and he commenced his full song in April, and stopped as soon as the breeding season was over and was perfectly silent until the following spring. He did not moult this fall, 1879, until September and his feathers remained unbroken. He had no sooner got through this moult than his spring moult commenced, and by February 5th, 1881, he commenced his song. When first caged he had an Indigo bird for a mate, and he has never forgot his song and often sings it distinct from his own. He also sings the entire notes of a Canary which I used to own. The present summer a pair of Wrens took up their quarters for a week or two near his cage. He was de- lighted with their company and tried to im- itate their notes. His first spring notes are not full, but as the breeding season arrives his notes are full and remarkably sweet. He will then sing for hours without an in- termission. ‘[hose who have only heard this bird in its wild state can form no idea of the power of its song when well cared for in confinement. No Mocking-bird ever cre- ated the amount of interest this bird has AND OOLOGIST. 69 November, 1881. | the past two seasons. The most indifferent people would stop and listen to him. The school boys:would stop and try hard to imitate him, and some with good success. One bright little girl said to another, “I know what he says” “Why, what is it?” “T’ve lost my pencil at school; I’ve lost my pencil at school.” “Yes, but there is something else,” the other one replied. “Oh, yes, I know: ‘ Teacher, I’ve lost my pencil at school; teacher, I’ve lost my pen- cil at school.’ And that perfectly de- scribes his leading note when properly sung. He shed his feathers during July and Au- gust, 1880, when his song ceased until the spring of 1881. He again moulted in No- vember and December, 1880, and com- menced to sirg on January rst, 1881, gain- ing in volume until the arrival of his kin- dred in the spring, when his song was in- cessant, and had it not been so tull of sweet- ness would have been unbearable As it was, hardly a person passed the house that did not stop, and very many made bold to introduce themselves to inquire about that wonderfu) bird. And yet it was but a Rose-breasted Grosbeak, a native of our New England woods. This summer Jack moulted in June and July, and continued to sing until the pres- ent time, October 2d, but his full, sweet notes are only sung during the breeding season. At other times he occasionally breaks out in full song, but more fre- quently imitates the Canary or Indigo birds. He will answer at any hour of the night if spoken to by the lady who cares for him. He will play hide and seek with her as well as aschool girl could. When the first fruits of the season are given him it is laughable to see his rediculous antics. If we were capable of describing Jack’s life history, our readers would hardly credit it. But then we must remember that no baby was ever bet- ter cared forthan Jack. He gets a little of everything, and no human being could bet- ter know when griddle cakes are being pre- pared than does Jack, and for three years he has never been forgotten. Osprey Eagle—Inland. During the month of September the Os- prey seems,to entirely desert its breeding haunts and ascends the various rivers, even to their head waters, where the streams are both narrow and shallow, and here also they seem to pursue a different method of securing their prey. Mr. Freeman, agent of the Totoket Cotton Mills, at Occum, Conn., while looking out of an upper win- dow of the mill, observed an Osprey Eagle settle down on the shallow water and with its claws extended, without diving, secure a fish of good size and fly over the meadow. The fish struggled so hard that the Osprey let it drop, and immediately descended and with extended claws picked ‘it up without alighting, and again flying to a great height let it drop, and once more picked it up in the same way. The second time it was picked up the fish ceased to struggle, when the Osprey sailed off to the woods to make a quiet meal off his victim. Mr Freeman had a good view of the bird’s movements, and is of the opinion that the fish was a pickerel, and was let drop on the meadow designedly by the Eagle to kill it, as it could plainly be seen to struggle both in | the talons of the bird, and while on the meadow the first time it was dropped. This is not an isolated case tor Mr. Free- man had once before seen an Osprey take a fish in the same way and drop it onthe meadow and descend and pick it up in the manner described above. ee et ARRIVALS.—Chas. W. Gunn, Grand Rap- ids, Michigan, reports the arrival at that place of a flock of Titlarks on October 18th. A Snowy Owt was brought to Mr. Gunn on the same date by Mr. O. Dennis. Mr. Gunn also states that “the earliest previ- ous date of arrival for this Owl, for Kent County, during a period of eight years, is November 5th, 1880.” pet The ORNITHOLOGIST AND OOLOGIST is waiting to be taken by about twenty five more subscribers for 188t. 70 ORNITHOLOGIST | Vol. 6—No. 9. Suicide of Gov. Lewis. We are indebted to the immortal WILSON for the following touching description of the death of Lewis, of the ever memorable expedition of Lewis & CrLarK across the American continent to the Pacific, during which so many new birds were discovered. It is extracted from a letter written by Al- ex. Wilson, and addressed to Miss Sarah Miller, Philadelphia, Pa., and dated at Natchez, Miss. Territory, May 18, 1810. “Next morning, Sunday, I rode six miles to see a man of the name of Grinder, where our poor friend Lewis perished.* In the same room where he expired I took down, from Mrs. Grinder, the particulars of that melancholy event, which affected me ex- tremely. This house or cabin is seventy-two miles from Nashville, and was the last white man’s cabin as we entered the Indian country. Governor Lewis, she said, came hither about sunset alone, and inquired if he could stay for the night, and, alighting, brought the saddle into the house. He was dressed in a loose gown, white, striped with blue. On being asked if he came alone, he replied that there were two servants behind who would soonbe up. He called for some spirits, and drank a very little. When the servants arrived, one of whom was a negro, he inquired for his powder, saying he was sure he had some ina canister. The ser- vant gave no distinct reply, and Lewis in the meanwhile walked backwards and forwards before the door, talking to himself. Some- times, she’said, he would seem as if he were walking up to her, and would suddenly wheel round, and walk back as fast as he could. Supper being ready he sat down, but had eaten only a few mouthfuls when he started up, speaking to himself in a violent manner. At these times, she says, she ob- served his face to flush as if it had come on him ina fit. He lighted his pipe, and draw- ing a chair to the door sat down, saying to Mrs. Grinder, in a kind tone of voice, ‘Mad. am, this is a very pleasant evening.’ He smoked for some time, but quitted his seat and traversed the yard as before. He again sat down to his pipe, seemed again composed, and casting his eyes wistfully towards the west, observed what a sweet eve- ning itwas. Mrs. Grinder was preparing a bed for him, but he said he would sleep on the floor, and desired the servant to bring the bear-skins and buffalo robe, which were immediately spread out for him; and it be- ing now dusk, the woman went off to the kitchen, and the two men to the barn, which stands about two hundred yards off. The kitchen is only a few paces from the room where Lewis was, and the woman being con- siderably alarmed by the behavior of her guest could not sleep, but listened to him walking backwards and forwards she thinks for several hours, and talking aloud, as she said, like a lawyer. She then heard the report of a pistol, and something fall heavi- ly on the floor, and the words, ‘O Lord!’ “Immediately atterwards she heard anoth- er pistol shot, and in a few minutes she heard him at her door calling out, ‘O mad- am ! give me some water, and heal my wounds.’ The logs being open, and un- plastered, she saw him stagger back and fall against a stump that stands between the kitchen and room. He crawled for some distance, and raised himself by the side of a tree, where he sat about a minute. He once more got to the room; afterwards he came to the kitchen door, but did not speak. She then heard him scraping the butket with a gourd for water, but it appeared that this cooling element was denied the dying man. “As soon as day broke and not before—the terror of the woman having permitted him to remain for two hours in this most deplor-. able situation—she sent two of her children to the barn, her husband not being at home, to bring the servants, and on going *It is hardly necessary to state, that this was the brave and enterprising traveller, whose jour” ney across the Rocky Mountains, to the Pacific Ocean, has obtained for him well-merited celebrity- The trae cause of him committing the rash deed, so feelingly detailed above, is not yet known to the public; but his friends will not soon forget the base imputations and crue] neglect, which the honourable mind of the gallant soldier knew not how to brook. — Ord. November, 1881. | “AND OOLOGIST. 71 in they found him lying on the bed; he un- covered his side, and showed them where the bullet had entered; a piece of the fore- head was blown off, and had exposed the brains, without having bled much. He begged they would take his rifle and blow out his brains, and he would give them all the money he had in his trunk. He often said, ‘I am no coward; but I am so strong, so hard to die.’ “ He begged the servant not to be afraid of him for that he would not hurt him. He expired in about two hours, just as the sun rose above the trees. He lies buried close by the common path, with a few loose rails thrown over his grave. I gave Grinder mon- ey to put a post fence round it to shelter it from the hogs and from the wolves; and he gave me his written promise he would do it. “T left this place in a very melancholy mood, which was not much allayed by the prospect of the gloomy and savage wilder- ness which I was just entering alone.”’ Notes from Maine. In the ORNITHOLOGIST for September I noticed an article by M. H., from Camden, entitled, ““Notes from Maine.” From in- dications in the article I am led to believe that M. H. lives in the very near vicinity of Bangor, and hence his observations would be largely made in this portion of our State. As several statements therein made do not accord with the observations of myself, or of other field workers in this vicinity, I would like to present a few notes on points mentioned. M.H. says: “For ten years at least I have not seen a common House Wren, al- though formerly very abundant. Ican find no one who remembers havi~ g seen one for years.” House Wrens built in a house pro- vided for their accommodation in my gar- den for a series of years, to, and including 1879, in which year I took the nest and eggs, and removed the house. Had I not taken away their abiding place I should ex- pect them to still resort to their old home. This case was not exceptional, as I knew of other pairs breeding in different parts of the city at the same time, and my personal observations are of course limited. The House Sparrow, European, he says, “has visited us in winter for the last two years, but have never seen any after March. They have come and gone at about the same dates as the Snow Bunting.”” I would mention that this year they did not disap- pear in March. I have seen them contin- ually through the past summer, and have seen them feeding their young on the streets of our city—showing they bred here the past season. To-day, October 18th, I saw a flock of a dozen or more. Hawks, in my opinion, are not so un- common as might be inferred from M. H.’s ° remarks. Undoubtedly they are more nu- merous in other localities, and their nests are not often met with here—I found but one the past season, exclusive of Fish Hawks’, of which I took several. This may probably be explained by the fact that suitable localities for breeding are so nu- merous that the chances for finding their nests are correspondingly small. Nearly every time I am out gunning, par- ticularly in the fall, I see one or more, and during the past year I have obtained seven different species in this immediate vicinity, viz: Sparrow, Pigeon, Marsh, Sharp-shinned, Red-shouldered, Fish, and Goshawk. Sandpipers are frequently seen to dive and swim under water as described by M. H. Ihave often seen it and have had oth- ers speak of being witnesses of their nat- atorial abilities. The past summer I saw a young Spotted Sandpiper—in the down-— on being chased by a dog take to the water and keep away from its pursuer by div- ing and swimming under water, using its wings for propellers. This was kept up for fully fifteen minutes, till the little swimmer had baffled his pursuer. Blue-birds are quite common with us at present, having, as M. H. says, increased in numbers of late years. Thoreau, in “Maine Woods,” mentions it as a remarkable fact that while the Blue-bird is common in most parts of Maine, it is unknown in the vicini ty of Bangor. This, however, is no longer true— Harry Merrill, Bangor, Maine. 72 ORNITHOLOGIST [Vol. 6—No. 9. Hooded Warbler. Myiodioctes mitratus. This beautiful warbler is one of the live- liest of the family. It does not seem to be particularly shy, but extremely restless. | Instead of making flights from branch to branch in pursuit of its prey, which it catch- es on the wing, it goes from tree to tree, and is rarely still. While following it by its song, it is heard first here, and then there, and I have fullowed one hither and thither for fifteen or twenty minutes, at least, with- out catching a glimpse of it, and then if it chanced to stop singing it must be given up. They would be very difficult to ob- . tain were it not for their warble, which to me is among the sweetest of bird-notes. It usually consists of two or three notes, some- times more and is delivered quickly in very clear, sweet tones. They seldom go above the lower limbs, and are often in bushes and on sticks close to the ground—the mat ter of a perch being the same to them as to the Flycatchers. The localities best liked in this section are the densest buttoms, and Mr. Ridgway says they prefer sections where there is cane. Certain it is that they are plentiful opposite Mt. Carmel, in Indiana, where cane grows, but they are also common where there is none. This bird has to an ornithologist more than ordinary charms. Its difficulty of capture, song and beauty, ' the black and yellow of the head showing up so beautifully amidst the foliage, gives it few rivals. The males and females arrived about the same time during the last week in April, and began to build two or three weeks la- ter. ‘the three nests which I found were all in bushes, about two and a half feet from the ground, composed outwardly of leaves and bark, inside of which bark and stems, and lined with hair. | But one nest had eggs, and this the fe- male left so quietly that I did not see her and had to sit fora short time and await herreturn. On her beginning to chirp, the is fine mate put in an appearance, anxious, also. _ The eggs were four in number and a cow | bird’s. They were partly incubated. The eggs of this species are subject to great va- riation, but several sets in my possession more nearly resemble the Maryland Yellow- throat, in both size and markings, than any other. -—_0eo—___—__ Red-headed Woodpeckers IN SOUTHERN CONN. The most noticeable bird movement re- cently here is the recurrence of the Red- headed Woodpeckers, which are here in old oak groves in great numbers, something which has not before occurred since 1872, when they abounded in the same places.’ They came as before in September, and are mostly the young of the year without the red head. They make the grove resound with which resembles the Tree-toad’s song, and their rapping on the branches, dashing from one tree to another and to the ground, and again in the tree- top chasing each other with varied manceu- vres, making a very pretty sight, with their bright tricolor, red, black and white, make Flying out among the leaves they seize an acorn in their beaks and taking it to some suitable place they secure it in a crotch or crack in a dead branch and hammer it with their beaks till they break the shell and secure the contents, which they swallow piecemeal. I hope they will tarry as they did on the former occasion, through the winter, and some tarried and nested here in the spring. Besides these two occasions I have never observed them here except single speci- mens on their migration, and then very rarely. I know there are places where the bird is an abundant summer resident, but I always understood not in any part of New England, and it is an_ interesting question with me, whence these sudden in- fluxes came and what vagaries caused them? —J. N. Clark, Saybrook, Conn. —_——_ Southwick & Jencks’ new catalogue is out. their chatter them very conspicuous. ORNITHOLOGIST — Ae OOLOGIST. JosEPH M. Wapks, Editor and Publisher. Single Copy, $1.00 per Annum. Established, March, 1875 10 Cents. VOL. VI. DECEMBER, 1881. NO; Tro. NORWICH, CONN., Cooper’s Hawk. Before transcribing my notes on the breeding habits of the vivacious little Sharp- shinned Hawk, we must pay our compli- ments to its larger congener. Indeed through the season it forces itself upon our notice in so many ways, and with such per- sistence, that we are obliged to respect its prior claims. When we go into the leafless woods, during the first week in April, for our earliest set of Buteos, the Cooper’s Hawks are already paired and apparently ready to begin housekeeping. They feign alarm at our approach to the old haunts, and following us, scold us well as we go from nest to nest. But as usual with the sex when house-hunting, the females are capri- cious and not easily suited. The old home, though in good repair, is perhaps in a neighborhood where callers are too free, and ample time must be taken to choose a new tenement. Then again, about the twenty-fifth of April, when we once more climb to our Buteos, hoping for a second clutch, we are surprised to find the first egg of a Cooper which has taken possession of this ready- furnished abode. The second week in May ‘they are breeding commonly, and by the first of June they are so abundant here as to outnumber all the other Raptores. They will breed in old nests in the same low sit- uations in hemlocks and young pines as the Sharp-shinned Hawk, but they frequent as well the tall deciduous woods, and I have taken eggs from dizzy heights on outlying | prongs, away above the loftiest forks of the Buteos. Very rarely A. Cooperi selects a new and unused site, but as a rule old nests are used, and often on a pile of rubbish in a crotch they will rear a very large super- structure. Ifthe forks of the tree go up a little way without divergence, the pair will work for weeks and raise the nest three or four feet until it is bulkier than the home of any of our local rapaciae except the Fish- hawk. I know to-day where there are three such old Cooper’s nests which are piled so high with brush that standing on a level with the bottom of the nests it is difficult for a climber to reach inside. The males assist at intervals in bringing sticks, and unite with their mates in scolding any wit- ness of their house-raising. The fecundity of this Hawk, under the peculiar persuasion of the oologist, is not so great as its small congener’s, yet it will lay three clutches each year in as many nests if the first and second sets are taken. Five eggs is the usual clutch, though I have seen four eggs incubated many times, and have taken an extreme clutch of six. The first egg laid is usually pale blue, the rest of the nest complement is lighter, and the eggs as a whole fade as incubation progresses. Two weeks are occupied in laying, and at the end of one week's incubation the eggs can be easily blown. Sets with markings are not rare; but the pigment 1s used spar- ingly, so as a rule a fair series of these eggs present few changes and are unattractive. I can believe that for one acquainted with our New London County woods, and all the old Crows’ and Hawks’ nests here, it would not be a hard task to secure a half bushel of these accipitrine eggs every sea- son. (For the benefit of those incredu-, lous collectors who do not live where Hawks breed freely, and who cannot realize esti- 74 ORNIT HOLOGIST [Vol. 6-No. 10. mating eggs by dry measure, I will add that at the right time in May, with a good horse and two expert climbers, I will agree to get a bushel of Crows’ eggs near here in one day.) From the long appearance of the females tail of this species, shown when covering their eggs, and when sailing over low patch- es of woods. these Hawks are called here by the farmers, Long-tailed Hawks and Pri- vateers. But the most appropriate country name 1s Chicken Hawk. Coopers are the most deadly scourge in country farmyards. While the Buteos give warning of their whereabouts by soaring ? far overhead for hours and sometimes days before dropping among the young poultry, the dreaded Accipiters, sailing very low, will suddenly start over a wall and be off with a chicken without notice. The old domestic cocks and Guinea fowl will see a Buteo when but a speck in the sky, and on a too near approach to earth of the com- mon enemy sound an alarm which sends all the timid ones to cover. But even after repeated raids of the Cooper, his advance is so unheralded, and his dash so quick, that he gets off scot free, even though the farm- er stands in his doorway with gun in hand. Many atime has a countryman made his moan to me about the Privateer carrying off all his chickens, when I knew where said “Privateer’s’”” nest was and was secretly hoping to get a nicely marked set of eggs therefrom. But as a reward for keeping my guilty secret, the only markings my set displayed would be the blood stains from the quarry taken from the neighboring poultry yard. The smallest males are not unlike an old female Sharp-shinned, but the old females are greatly superior in size and strength to any A. fuscus. During the months of Au- gust and September, the present season, a large Cooper’s Hawk haunted a marsh of a few acres on Groton Long Point, known as Pear Point Swamp. Just clearing the tops of the low trees in his noiseless flight, twice a day he would come skimming along over this favorite hunting ground. He was seen to pick up vermin, finches of several kinds, and a few small leteridae. One afternoon he made a bold dash at a muskrat, and though there was actual contact it was brief, and both rat and Accipiter appeared more frightened than hurt—/. M. W., WNor- wich, Conn. California Quail BREEDING IN THE GARDEN. On the twenty-seventh of May, 1880, I placed some brush and rubbish fifteen feet from the front steps, in a triangle of the driveway. On the third of June I stooped down to set fire to the brush and I saw three Quail’s eggs. I left them, hoping if it was a Quail that had been there she would come again. The following morning I found the fourth egg. I then piled more brush on so that no one could discover my treasure and carry them off. I called the attention of Dr. Cooper to the location of the nest, as carriages and persons were passing nearly every hour of the day within four feet of the nest, and he thought it should be made a note of. Henry Chapman, ornithologist, and I. Mailliard, oologist, of Nicasio, called and both were confident that when she com- menced sitting the interruptions she would be liable to meet with would frighten her from her nest. June 7th, I put my hand in the nest and the Quail flew out, but made her morning callon the eighth. June 14th, I went to the nest and found her sitting on fourteen eggs. I had my face within eighteen inches of her and could see her eyes, but she did not seem disturbed or annoyed. In the meantime for the week that had passed, 1 had been watching the marital devotions of the male Quail. He would place himself in a tree in the orchard, three hundred yards from the house, give his call- note—krick kri—three or four times for his mate, and he seemed to know how long it would take her to get to the roadway, December, 1881. | AND OOLOGIST. 7d which runs between the house and orchard, where he would meet her and eat the wheat that I daily scattered for them, after which they would slowly pick their way down through the orchard. The male keeps a watchful guard over his mate, and on seeing danger utters a quick pit, pit, pit, both starting on arun, the male keeping in the rear to protect and urge on his mate. Af- ter gaining a safe distance, the female takes her dust-bath, when they go to the creek, walking up and down the water’s edge—re- turning in a roundabout way to the nest. The male seldom went farther than the road, and we would not see nor hear from him again until the morning’s call, between ten and eleven o’clock, when the same meeting and greetings would be renewed. The hen Quail was frightened from her “nest three different times—the last was two days before she was goingto hatch. It was about eight o’clock in the evening. and I was havirga wire screen cage placed over the brush, wishing to keep her and her chicks. The brush was disturbed in some way so that she flew out and away to the orchard. As I looked out into the dark ness after her I exclaimed, ‘‘ That is the last of my Quail hatching.” I decided to leave the eggs in the nest over night. In the morning I found her, faithful and de- termined, on her nest again, proving that disturbing a Quail, either before or while sitting, will not make her forsake her nest. That night I succeeded in getting the cage over her. When the morning ten o’clock call came she left her nest attempting to get out, but seeing the wheat scattered in the cage ate of it, and went back to her nest and eggs as usual. The second day the male, after calling and repeating his call many times in vain, came up to see why his mate did not put in her appearance. He walked around the cage uttering his warning call, pit, pit, but in a lower tone than when frightened. She tried to get out, but not succeeding he left. Her uneasiness continuing, I put the eggs under a bantam hen and hatched ten of the fourteen eggs. Now comes the part of bird devotion. 1 put the hen Quail in a large box with wire screen front, and placed the box where the nest had been the day before, setting a figure-four trap a few feet from it, wishing to catch the male. Not succeeding, I then putin the box another male Quail which I had, thinking compan- ionship would quiet her attempts to get out, which it failed todo. Inthe morning about four o’clock I was awakened by repeated angry calls of a male Quail. I hurried to my window—which was not twenty feet from the cage—and saw a male Quail flying and scratching at the wire screen and try- ing to get in. I went out to move the trap in front of the cage, as I saw that would be the only way to catch him. AsTI went to the cage he flew at me, and madly running around the box would not go away, keeping just beyond my grasp. I moved the trap and when I reached my room I looked from the window and saw the trap down with my bird sate. I put the hen Quail and her mate in the cage by themselves and direct- ly we could see the satisfaction of both. Five of the young chicks died, and my son has them as specimens. Four escaped from the cage when three days’ old, scud- ding out of sight with the wildness charac- teristic of the Quail. we kept until nearly grown, answering the calls of the wild Quail outside when he es- caped. Of one thing my summer’s expe- rience convinced me, that our California Quail excels in devotion and sociability not- withstanding its shyness.—C. AZ. Crowell, Haywards, Cal ‘The remaining one Snowy Ow.t.—Oliver Davie, of Colum- bus, Ohio, reports,.under date of Novem- ber 2d, receiving a Snowy Owl, shot near Licking County reservoir the day previous. Dr. J. M. Wharton, State ornithologist, informs him that this is probably the earliest record of this bird being taken in the State of Ohio. It is certainly very early for this’ bird to start on its southern migration, es- pecially in view of the fact that up to that ‘date there was no indication of winter. 76 ORNITHOLOGIST [ Vol. 6—No. 10.. ORNITHOLOGIST ——AND— OULOGIST A MONTHLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OF BIRDS, THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. | JOS. UM. WADE, Editor, S. L. WILLARD, Assistant, With the co operation of able Ornithological Writers and Collectors. SUBsCRIPTION—$1.06 per annum. Foreign sub- scription $1.23—ineluding postage. Speci- men Copies Ten Cents. JOS. M. WADE, Norwich, Conn. Entered at Norwich P.O. as Second Class matter. HEIPE PROT LA Ls, In Prospective. -We congratulate our readers on the rich literary feast im store for them, which, through the libérality of our contributors, we shall be enabled to place before them in future numbers. Among the forthcom- ing articles are: Zhe Long-eared Owl on the Pacific slope, by Capt. Chas. E. Bendire. The Mexican Goshawk, by the same author. Lhe Sharp Shinned Hawk, by J. M. W. A collector in Florida, by Chas. W. Gunn. Notes from St. John, by M. Chamberlain. Lhe ffooded Warbler, by J. N. Clark. The American Barn Owl, by B. W. Ever- man. A remarkable experience on the nesting of our two Cuckoos in the same nest, by Dr. H. A. Atkins. The nest and eggs of the Road Runner, or Chaparel Cock, by B. W. Everman. An explanation of an apparent discrepancy in the statement made in his two books descriptive of two collect- ing excursions made by Geo. B. Sennett through the region bordering on the Rio Grande during the years 1877 and 1878. We are almost glad that such a discrepan- cy occurred, for it has enabled us to draw out Mr. Sennett, who is so thoroughly en- grossed in his large business, and as Mayor of the city of Meadville, that he has almost forgot that he is an ornithologist. We have also several interesting articles from a.| contributor in Texas—new to our columns —Mr. H. Nehrling, among them the Fork- tailed Flycatcher, (illustrated) The Nonpa- reil, The Larkfinch, &c., &c. Also a large number of shorter notes from our various well-known contributors, for all of which see index. ———_0+e—___—_—__- SmmpLE SAMPLE Boxes.—We have re- ceived for examination a nest of four sam- ple boxes made of stiff pasteboard and pa- per. Each box will hold a set of eggs, ac- cording to size, and are easily and quickly packed. They vary in size and price from $1.75 to $3.00 per hundred. Address Chas. W. Jencks & Brother, Providence, R.I. A NEw Owt1, probably.—Mr. John Wal- lace received among other specimens from the collection of the late Mrs. Maxwell, of | Denver, Colorado, a small Owl which he says is smaller than the Pigmy, and has short ears. In color, it is like the Long- eared Owl, but more dense’ in shade, the contrast in marking being stronger and more distinct. The specimen is now in the hands of Mr. Geo. N. Lawrence, who will find its proper position in the family of Owls. GOLDEN EacLe.—Henry Wedge, River- ton, Conn. hasa Golden Eagle in confine- ment which was shot near Ragged Moun- tain, Barkhamsted. ‘Two shots struck the bird. One in the nostril, the other over the eye It is a young bird and was caught Oct. 29th. If any of our readers live near Riverton, we would like them to ex- amine the bird and report more fully. It will probably prove a young Bald Eagle. 2. Sees * ALBINO.—Mr. Delos Hatch reports shooting an Albino Chipping Sparrow during the past summer. It was not well feathered and but recently from the nest. Rare Birp.—C. I. Goodale, Bostoa, Mass., reports, under date of October 17th, receiving in /// plumage a Red-throated Diver, which is very rare in this latitude at this season, while young birds and birds out of plumage are common. December, 1881. ] AND OOLOGIST. 17 Almost a Suffocation. Jehn Wallace, of New York city, who resides near Paterson, N. J., has gained an enviable reputation as a taxidermist, and is also a man of hobbies, and were he nota man of strong will, he would find but little time to devote to them, but “ where there ‘is a will there is a way,” and he finds time. Among his hobbies are a rare collection of “Hummers,” “Birds of Paradise,” and last but not least, a fine greenhouse with a valuable collection of Orchids, and here is where the trouble came from. The boiler that warms the greenhouse is in the base- ment of the house. The night of the first of November being warm, the dampers were closed, and too close, as the sequel will show. John and his family retired as usual, and all went well until near four o’clock A. M, when his oldest daughter called out to know the time, which was giv- en as near four o’clock A. M, when she got up to dress, and when partially dressed fell to the floor, cutting herself severely. The children began to rise one by one, but no sooner got to their feet than they fell to the floor helpless. This was a fearful posi- tion for John and his wife, who, thinking the children were poisoned, began adminis- tering oil. The son, John’s assistant in the city, was called to go for medical aid, when he was found to be so near gone as to be black in the face. Here was a family of seven children all sick and the sickness unknown, and up to this time the gas had not been noticed ; but the severe headache and general depression began to tell, when the discovery was made that it was gas from the greenhouse stove, when the fam- ily was removed to fresh air as rapidly as possible and with medical aid they were soon pronounced out of danger. John and his son suffered severely but started for the depot to reach the city, but the de- pression and a feeling of being weighed down by a heavy load forced them to return, but later in the day they both found their way to the city and are now appar- ently no worse for the severe ordeal they *. went through. The fortunate waking of the eldest daughter, no doubt, saved the entire family from suffocation, and we con- gratulate them on their narrow escape. AMERICAN BitTErRN.—This bird is quite rare here, yet one or more nests are found each season; two nests are all I have known about. Nest one was made near a lake and in a swamp. It was made of damp reeds matted together, making a flat top on which were three eggs nearly hatched. Nest two was found July 12th, 1879. Bird flushed and shot. After picking up the bird the nest could hardly be found. This was 1n a swamp some distance from lake or stream, and built up out of the shallow water with damp reeds, but was dry on the top. It contained three eggs partially incubated. This nest was made entirely of reeds and a few stems, and stalks of weeds. These birds do not breed near each other here, and do not come back to the same locality to breed, as this swamp has been looked over thoroughly every sea- son since without finding a nest. A bird shot in April was in flne plumage, and another shot in June was very far from handsome. They arrive about April rsth, and leave about October roth. Has anyone noticed them standing very straight with the bill high in the air? While doing this they seem absorbed, and I have rowed within a few feet of one while thus occupied.—Guy C. Rich, Saratoga, N. Y. Puese’s Eccs Sportep,—On May tsth I found a set of Phoebe’s eggs, two of which were slightly spotted with very faint light brown spots on the larger end. Is this a common octurrence? [Occasion- ally spotted sets are found. | Brown TuHRASHER’S NEST ON THE GRouUND —May 22d, found Brown Thrash- er’s nest on the ground, in a grove thinly scattered with oaks, but in which there was no underbrush. Was not this an unusual event °— Will. R. Ide, Evanston, [ll. [We have often found them in similar positions. Ed.| 78 ORNITHOLOGIST [ Vol. 6—No. 10. Worm-eating Warbler. The first Helminthotherus vermivorus ob- served this spring was at. Wheatland, In- diana, April 24th. It was in company with a Blue-winged Yellow, both deliberately searching the bushes near the ground. Being out for a stroll, without a gun, I watched them quite a time. This species is not gaudy, yet, like the Cedar-bird, the delicacy and the blending of its colors rank it high asa beautiful warbler. During the week I secured three, and saw no more until I visited Mount Carmel, about a month later. I not unfrequently heard its song while in heavily-wooded, rolling coun- try. This issimilar tothat of a Chipping Sparrow, but not so continued. They in- variably became quiet before I could see them, and I was unable to catch them in the act. On account of their scarcity I al- most despaired of finding a nest, but on asking a friend to show me a nest he had discovered the day before, said it was at the top of a ravine; he didn’t know exactly where. I had walked but a few steps after reaching the top when from beneath my feet went the bird. I recognized it immediately and watched it to the bushes, and then looked to see what was in store for me. The nest was nicely placed in a nook of quite a steep bank, and made of old _ black- ish, partly rotten leaves, apparently as poor as the bird could find, and very sparingly lined with grass and a few hairs. Consid- ering the material the nest was not bulky, though large for the bird inside. The two eggs were slightly incubated and in appear- ance about like minimum Golden-crowned Thrush’s, but marked with a darker shade of brown, rather more profuse at the larger end.—fred. T. Jencks, Providence, R. I. _ ee ROUGH-WINGED SWALLow.—In the spring of 1879 I found a Rough-winged Swallow’s nest not far from here’ which con- tained eleven eggs, all of which had evi- dently been lately laid. I «have never known this bird to lay over six eggs except in this one instance.— Wm. R. Wharton. Native Birds in Confinement. I have during the last few years made some experiments with our native birds, and have caged and kept in captivity the follow- ing; all have done well and some have be come very tame and fearless. The snow bird (Junco hyemalis) lives and thrives even through the long hot summer. My snow bunting (Plectrophanes nivalis) sickened when the July heat came and soon died, but he lived happily with me from Novem- ber to July. Catbird, Robin, Bobolink, Common Redpoll (Aegtothus linaria), Cedar-bird, Snow-bird, Snow Bunting, Brown Thrash- er, Scarlet Tanager, Indigo Bird, Purple Finch, Crow Blackbird, Cow Blackbird, Bluebird, Balt Oriole, Fox Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, Song Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Tree Sparrow, Field Sparrow, Savanna Sparrow, Goldfinch and Shore Lark. The last named bird has been in my aviary but a few weeks.—Annie Trumbull Slosson, Hartford, Conn. Red-headed Woodpeckers. In the November number of your valua- ble journal is a notice from J. N. Clark, of Saybrook, respecting the Red-headed Woodpecker. (Melanerpes erythrocephalus.) Forty years ago they were about as common as the Yellow hammer (Colaptes auratus) in this part of the State. They entirely dis- appeared in 1847, and I did not see another specimen until 1860, I was at that time visiting a patient in an adjoining town, and recognized the peculiar note of this bird. I remarked that this was the first time in thir- teen years that I had heard the Red-headed Woodpecker. My patient informed me that this bird had nested in a decayed tree in his neighbor’s door-yard for three years. On-my returning I discovered the bird and the hole in the maple. I called at the house and requested permission to secure the - eggs, but could not get consent. _ I knew it was the habit of the bird to continue occu- pying the same nest after a part or all of December, 1881. | AND OOLOGIST. iis) the eggs were removed, and I could see no good reason why those eggs should not be mm my collection. Visiting my patient again, I found it convenient to go toward evening. Taking one of my collectors with me I intimated to him that we were to pass by the nest of the Red-headed Wood- pecker and I hoped he would see the hole as we passed, for he might not be able to see it when we returned, as it would be dark. Although all the eggs were taken (six) the old birds continued to eccupy the same nest. Since then I have occasionally known a pair breeding about here. Last year two broods were raised within two miles of my office, and I have instructed my collectors not to molest them, hoping they may yet appear here in numbers.— Wm. Wood, East Windsorhill, Conn. Notes from Maryland. WHITE-BELLIED NUTHATCH.—For sev- eral years I mistrusted that this bird bred with us, as they are almost as common in the spring and summer months as in win- ter. But this season the matter was placed beyond a doubt by the finding of the nest on May 17th. It was in a hole in the decayed stub of an apple tree in an orchard The hole was about seven feet from the ground, and contained four fresh eggs. The bird was on the nest when found. It showed no signs of anger, running quietly up and down the trunk of a tree near by. Is not the breeding of this bird as far south as this unusual? Rosin’s EGG Sportep.—The past sea- son I saw an egg, which was taken from a robin’s nest, that had a few light red specks. They were about the size and color of those occasionally found on eggs of Sayornis fuscus, and the distribution was about the same. It was a little larger than average, but of the usual ground color. BaLp EaGuie.—April 2oth, 1880, a pair of Eagles commenced a nest in a large tree on the Potomac River, about nine miles west of this town. I had a man watching the nest, and I hoped to get a set of eggs, but the female was killed before the nest was completed. Cow-BIRD.—Has any one noticed that upon the advent of a Cow-bird’s egg in a nest all the other eggs are mysteriously thrown out? I have seen this several times this year. One was a Song Spar- row’s. On the morning that the second egg was laid I saw a Cow-bird slip into the nest. In a few minutes she came hurrying out, and going to the nest I saw that she had dropped her egg. The afternoon of the same day I again went to the nest and found all three eggs broken on the ground below. The other was a Chipping Spar- row’s, with which all went well until the third egg was a Cow-bird dropped her egg in the nest, which was ina grape vine, and about ten feet distant was an apple tree. The eggs were carried to this and dropped to the ground. Two of them fell on some grass and were scarcely broken. These had x shaped holes in them, which just fitted the partly open bill of a Chipping Sparrow. Could the Chipping Sparrows have thrown the eggs out? Sonc Sparrows.—This season a pair of Song Sparrows built a nest in a honey- suckle, about twelve feet from the ground, against the side of a house. The eggs of this nest were destroyed by other birds. They then went twenty feet higher up and built again. This nest was blown down. The next nest was built in a clump of honeysuckles, about seven feet from the ground. Here they raised their brood of four young.— agar A. Small. laid, when Red-headed Woodpeckers. While collecting on the meadows north of Hartford, on the 26th of September last, I unexpectedly came upon some Red-head- ed Woodpeckers (Melanerpes erythroceph- alus.) I shot three, two adults and a young, the latter having only traces of the red on the head and neck ‘The adults had not fully recovered from the moult, Dur- ing the whole morning I met these birds as they moved in short flights leisurely south- 80 ORNITHOLOGIST [Vol. 6-No. 10. ward, for I did not observe one to fly in another direction. I consider this bird rare in the neighborhood of Hartford, for although I have been a pretty close ob- server for five’ or six years I never saw more than three or four individuals previous to these just mentioned. What is the ex- perience of others with this Woodpecker ? Is it not very locally distributed throughout Connecticut ? I remember seeing an adult among some cedars on the summit of Talcott mountain, nine miles west of here, in October, 1876. Stragglers were on the meadows November 3d.—Harry T. Gates, Hartford, Conn. | A male was shot at New Britain, eighteen miles south of Hartford, about the time of the above flight. The only specimen we have seen ip this State was in Tolland, early in the fall ot 1879.—Ep.] — Robins and Black Snakes. While I was passing by the head of the mill-pond where the water was skirted by several rods’ width of aiders and _briers, with an occasional maple or white-wood, one of the latter stood tall and straight near where I was. There was several inches in _depth of water at its base, and its trunk went up straight and smooth for some twenty feet without a branch, there> one arm extended out to the right and the trunk of the tree continued up naked and straight some ten or fifteen feet more, then the branches grew thickly, covered with foliage; some, not its own, came from 2 grape vine that twined among the upper branches, and the body of the vine looked like a large rope hanging from the top of the tree down among the alders below and within a foot or two of the trunk. In the top of this tree were a dozen or more robins, all scolding in chorus at the top of their voices; some hovering over the tree, some dashing down among the foliage and rising again only to join the chorus with renewed ener- gy. I soon discovered that there was a robin’s nest near the top of the tree and some dark object—not the mother bird— had possession. I heard above the din the scream of distress from a young bird, and gathering a handful of small stones I began a bombardment of the tree top. Af- ter one or two failures a stone, well directed and well impelled, struck the spot and im- mediately something began to move. A large black snake uncoiling itself dropped, sirlking the branch mentioned some ten feet or more below, and thence wriggling in the air down among the alders till I heard it splash in the water. I was very much surprised, and it is a wonder still to me how that snake could climb such a tree or vine, the only means .of access to the nest. It is also a surprise to me how the snake discovered the nest, which was at least thirty-five feet above the water, with an in- tervening canopy of alders and thick foli- age surrounding the nest. The scene was one I shall not soon forget, though I have often observed on other occasions that this snake is a mortal enemy of young. birds and deserves extermination from their friends. He seldom escapes a shot when he crosses my path.—_/. lV. Clark. —_——— Publications.. RECENT AND OTHERWISE. J. J. Aupuson.—In the Turf, Field and Farm for November the 18th, 1881, will be found an exceedingly interesting article over the initials of M. rR. a. The article is well written and contains about as many facts concerning this great man’s simple life as can well be crowded into two col- umns and ahalf. Cut it out and preserve it for future reference. The Germantown Telegraph is a weekly family paper published at Germantown, Pa. It contains much original matter for the family, the sportsman, the farmer, and gardener. In politics it is independent, and fearless. Its Philadelphia letter alone is well worth the price of subscription. If there is a bette: family paper published we have not seen it. $2.00 per annum ORNITHOLOGIST — A hep — OOLOGIST. — e $1.00 per JOSEPH M. Waps, Editor and Publisher. Sas. Single Copy, Annum. Established, March, 1875. 10 Cents. VOL. VI. NORWICH, CONN., JANUARY, 1882. NO TY, American Long-eared Owl. neat from below. They were about twelve CAPT. CHAS. E. BENDIRE. feet from the ground in heavy willow tops, and a shake of the bush on which the nest Asio Americanus is one of the most com- | was placed would cause the Owl to fly on a mon species of the Owl family, and is found | neighboring willow, showing her disapprov- neatly everywhere in suitable localities | al of the proceeding by a frequent snapping over the entire Pacific coast, as well as to of the bill. One nest contained six eggs, the eastward-of the Rocky Mountains. | slightly incubated, another five, the remain- Every creek bottom, extensive or not, as | ing one three. The two last sets were fresh. - long as it contains a few patches of dense | I took thirteen more sets of eggs of this willow thickets and undergrowth, will be | species during the season of 1871, the last found to be inhabited by one or more | one on June 6th, probably a second laying, pairs of these birds, if close search is made | and found several others with young ones for them; but as they are almost if not | in various stages of growth. Most of these entirely nocturnal they are seldom seen, | nests were old Crows’ nests that had been even in localities where they are compara- | sgmewhat repaired. Two pairs of birds tively common, As far as my own limited | took up their quarters in old Magpies’ nests observations go, this species seems to be | and two others in- hollow cotton-wood trees. more partial to somewhat open country, | In one of the last cases a Red-shafted than to dense and continuous forests. It is | Flicker had excavated a hole directly over quite probable, however, that it may be | the one occupied by the Owls, and the two equally plenty in such localities when care- | entrance holes, although on different sides fully looked for, which I have never done. | of the stump, which was only about twelve The first nests of the Long-eared Owl | feet high, were not over two feet apart. were found by me at Fort Lapwai, Idaho, | These birds seemed to live harmoniously on April 16th, 1871. I found three nests | together. They are the only instances on that day all situated in dense willow | where I have found this species breeding thickets growing near a small creek, and all | in hollow trees (a fact not previously no- three within a few hundred yards of each | ticed, [ believe), although I have taken over other. The nests occupied by them were old Crows’ nests. The sides of these had been built up a couple of inches higher, making them quite deep and hiding the | puilt a nest of itsown. I found several birds from view. They were lined with old | guch near Camp Harney, Oregon One of grass, a number of leaves and feathers. | these on April 4th, 1877, and this is at the The nests looked rather dilapidated from | 5.46 time the earliest record of my finding below and a feather or two could usually | their eggs. This nest was placed in a be seen hanging down on the sides, indica- | thick bunch of dry willows, about ten feet ting plainly that the occupant was nota / from the ground, and was tolerably well Crow, whose nest always looks trim and | built, composed externally of small sticks forty nests of these birds since then, and have observed a still larger number con- taining young. Now and then this Owl 82 ORNITHOLOGIST [ Vol. 6—No. 11. and sprigs of willows and aspens, some of | that they try to make themselves look as the latter had been peeled by beavers, which were common in the vicinity. The sticks were still green and pliable. This drew my attention to the nest, which I at first mistook for that of a Raven or Crow. The inside of this nest was about five inches deep and lined with dry grass and feathers: It contained four fresn eggs. On April 4th, 1877, also near Camp Har- ney, Oregon, I found a nest of this Owl in a rather unusual position. This was an old Hawks’ nest which had been repaired. It was placed in a small and very open scraggy juniper bush, not over six feet from the ground, the bush standing by it- self a prominent mark on the point of a table-land, and there were no other trees or bushes within a mile of it. The nest was in plain view and could be seen several hundred yards off. It contained six eggs on the point of hatching. The usual number of eggs laid by the Long-eared Owl on the Pacific coast is five, although six in a set are by no means rare. When fresh, the eggs are of a bright white color. They are about equally rounded on both ends and rather globular in shape. They average about 1.60 inches in length by 1.32 inches wide, and vary considerable in size, but rarely in shape. The large series in my collection cannot be got at conveniently to give a number of measure- ‘ments. The Long-eared Owl commences laying during the first week in April, and I believe that they rear but a single brood ina season. They will lay a second and sometimes a third set after losing their first one, and will occupy the same nest. for sev- eral seasons, if not too often disturbed. The eggs are hatched in about sixteen days .and the young for the first two weeks are covered witha thick, grayish down. ‘Their food consists principally of mice and the smaller rodents, and I doubt if they are guilty of catching small birds. In the day- time, particularly on a bright, sunny day, the Long-eared Owl will allow itself to be closely approaehed, and when the iatruder is discovered by them, they appear to me small and long as possible, by pressing all their feathers, which usually are puffed out, as close to their body as practicable, sitting at the same time erect and still. They may, in such a position, be readily mistaken for a piece of a broken limb, par- ticularly if sitting on a larger one. At times they are gregarious. JI remember seeing some fifteen or more of these birds sitting on a single small mesquit tree in a dense thicket near my camp on Rillitto creek, Arizona, in the winter of 1872 and (873. Their call-note, as near as I can re- member, resembles that of the Screech Owl, and I think that they are constant res- idents wherever found. YELLOW OR RED-SHAFTED FLICKER, which ?—Some six years ago a German collector called at the store of John Wal- lace, N. Y., and exhibited a Woodpecker that was evenly divided down the centre of the back from the bill to the end of the tail, one-half being yellow-shafted and the other half red-shafted. The division was - perfect. Mr. Wallace examined the bird with great care to see that no trick was be- ing played, and he vouches for its being bona fide. The owner put too high a price on the bird. It was taken to Germany, but not finding a purchaser there it was brought back to New York, and finally to Lake Winnipeg, where the owner belonged. At the present time Mr. Wallace has a specimen that is yellow-shafted above and red-shafted under the wings; but the red has faded somewhat since the bird was mounted and exposed to the light. SSS FROM SHELTER ISLAND.—Oc- NOTES tober 25th, saw ten White-bellied Swal- lows and a Black-billed Cuckoo. Novem- ber 21st, saw a fine adult Bald Eagle fly over pursued as usual by a mob of Crows. November 23d, I heard a familiar bird-note, and on looking up saw, to my surprise, a White-bellied Swallow. — It was flying in an easterly direction. The Red-headed Woodpecker has also been common here since September. They are rare here in spring-time.—-AZoses B. Griffing. is January, 1882. | AND OOLOGIST. 83 Fork-tailed Flycatcher. A very common bird during five months of the year, from April to September, is the Fork-tailed Flycatcher, AZtluulus Ty- rannus (Linn), also called by the natives, ‘““Texan Bird of Paradise.” This beauti- ful member of the family 7Zvrannidae is very abundant during the breeding season in all suitable localities, especially in the prairies covered with mesquit bushes (Algarobia glandulosa.) They are also found common in the live oak “ dosguets”’ and on the edges of woods bordering the | prairies. The nest is usually built in the top of a mesquit bush, from six to twelve feet from the ground; but I discovered it often on the edges of woods in the top ota postoak (Quercus obtusiloba), about thirty to forty feet from the ground. All nests I found last season were built exteriorly of a small creeping downy plant (Gossypranthus tomentosus), mixed with cotton and a few cow hairs. ‘They were lined very soft and smooth with cotton, and some with a few fine plant fibres besides cotton. The eggs, | four to five in number, have a white cream- color ground and covered sparingly with thick blotches of dark brown. Some sets, however, are more densely spotted and blotched with a lighter shade of brown. These birds are in this locality very unsus- picious, breeding sometimes in close prox- imity to a dwelling and only a few feet from a very frequented road. In such in- stances the nest is built almost always in a mulberry tree. In the eastern part of Tex- as, in the coast region near Houston, it was very difficult to discover a nest of this magnificent bird. There they breed al- ways in trees densely covered with the long gray Spanish moss ( 77/andsia urneoi- des), where it is almost impossible to find anest. They arrive from their winter quarters late in March or in the first days of April. In the early part of September, these birds gather sometimes in large flocks, and by the last of that month all have de- parted for the south. Wehrling, FoRK-TAILED FLYCATCHER. 84 ORNITHOLOGIST — AND — OOLOGIST A MONTHLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OF BIRDS, THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. JOS. M. WADE, Editor, S. L. WILLARD, Assistant, With the co operation of able Ornithological Writers and Collectors. SUBSCRIPTION—$1.00 per annum. Foreign sub- scription $1.25—including postage. Spect- men Copies Ten Cents. JOS. M. WADE, Norwich, Conn. Entered at Norwich P.O. as Second Class matter. HDITORTIAL, Bird Surgery. During the present fall Mr. Benjamin Earle, of Providence, shot two birds, with broken legs, and both wounds carefully and thoroughly dressed with feathers. The first one taken, a “ Green-headed Plover,” had its leg broken, which it had carefully bandaged with feathers, as we are assured by Mr. Earle, the feathers being wrapped around the leg carefully. The second bird shot was a Woodcock, which was saved for the writer, the leg of which has been pre- served. It was broken below the knee, and thoroughly dressed with feathers, and the wound was healing nicely when the bird was again shot and the same leg again bad- ly broken above the old wound. This is no accidental dressing, but shows evidence of skill and understanding. Those Cuckoos. In another part of this magazine will ‘be found a very interesting article on the breeding of our two cuckoos in the same nest. The fortunate observer of this peculiar freak, Dr. H. A. Atkins, of Locke, Michigan, is one of the unpretending but thorough observers of our present time. Each trip to this nest cost him three miles of travel, and when a man past the middle age of life will take such trouble, it ORNITHOLOGIST * [Vol. 6-No. 11. shows that he is thoroughly in earnest and that his observations can be relied on. He is possessed of a large fund of knowledge of this kind, which we hope to draw on from time to time. ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK.—Our inter- esting pet commenced shedding his head feathers Nov. 24th, and at this writing, Dec. 16th, his head is two-thirds black, which change has been made almost impercepti- bly. He has not yet cast any of his larger feathers. It would be interesting to know if these birds make a complete moult in their winter home in the south as this bird has done in the cage for the past three winters. Publications. Dr. Cours’ New Cueck List.—At our request we have been furnished with ad- vance sheets of Dr. Coues’ New Check List of which we shall have something to say in our next issue. Diary or A Brrp.—We have received from Mr. Minott a copy of his “ Diary of a Bird” and have read it several times. Itis brief but interesting. The bird is made to tell the story, which it does in a very pleas- ing way, and a very observing bird he must have beev. The book contains matter that is interesting, and much food for thought. We always read. with interest anything from Mr. Minott’s pen, for he is an earnest, honest observer of nature. Birps Nestinc.—We have received a circular announcing the publication of a work, with the above title, by Ernest In- ‘gersoll, and published by Geo. A. Bates. We are informed that two numbers are al- ready issued but we have not seen them. We hope Mr. Ingersoll will make this work as accurate as he can make it interesting. ADDITION TO OUR COLLECTION.—We have received from Mr, Edgar A. Small an oil painting of a Sharp-shinned Hawk, and from Mr. S. L. Willard a water color drawing of a Chimney Swift. For want of room we defer notice to next number. January, 1882. | AND OOLOGIST. 85 Road-runner. Mr. E. A. Small’s mention of the Road- runner, in the November number of the O. and O,, reminds me that I have, since writing what I did in the March number, learned several things about that bird that I did not then know. At that time one season’s observation was the limit to my experience with it; but during the season of 1881, though not particularly fortunate n finding many nests myself, yet Mr. Fred. Corey, of Santa Paula, Cal., who was my almost constant companion on all oological tramps, was especially fortunate in finding numerous nests of Geococcyx. As many as eight nests were examined by us, and we were both greatly surprised to learn that the “sets” were so large. Five to six eggs seemed to be the usual number, but nests were found containing seven, eight, and in one case nine eggs. A majority of these nests were found before the bird had com- pleted oviposition, and in almost every in- stance the eggs were not taken until we were reasonably certain that laying was completed. By so doing we learned, first, that the eggs are deposited one on each al- ternate day; second, that the bird begins incubation soon after the first egg is laid— in every instance long before oviposition has ceased. When we came to blow the eggs we found them in all stages of incu- bation, from embryos nearly ready to leave the shell, down through various stages of embryotic change, to oneor two fresh or nearly fresh eggs. The facts stated by me in the March O. and O. as facts are facts. Whether the two much incubated eggs, found May 16th, were all that had been laid in that set, or whether a portion of the set had been de- stroyed, Iam unable tosay. The other set mentioned in the same article is as perplex- ing, How there happened to be two near- ly fully fledged young and two fresh eggs is hard to understand. In this connection I might mention a peculiar belief which obtains to some ex- tent among Californians, viz.; that the Weed canner soon after the young leave the shell, lays other eggs for them to feed upon. This belief proves at least one thing, that it is a common thing -to find both young and eggs in the same nest. In Baird, Brewer and Ridgway’s Birds of North America is the following: “‘ They (Road-runners) build a clumsy nest of mesquit twigs placed at some height on a bough or in a hollow tree, and lay from two to four pure white eggs.” Also, eggs were found near San Antonio, Texas, in April, May, and as late as the 23d of September. Several things in this need verifying slightly. First, the make-up of the nest depends of course upon locality; second, the position also depends upon the same. In the vicinity of Santa Paula,a vast ma- jority are built in bunches of cactus, usual- ly not over three to five feet from the ground. We found one nest in an orange tree, four feet up, and one in an alder bush, seven feet up. Third, none of the eggs were pure white, but all a dirty white. Taking all these facts into consideration, it would seem that the Road-runner is a very “uncertain quantity” as regards her breeding habits.—4. W Lverman. [Geo. B. Sennett, in his ornithology of the Rio Grande, gives a very lengthy de- scription of the nesting habits of this bird, which confirms the above statement as to the number of eggs and their condition during incubation, &c. In his report of the expedition of 1877, he states the color of eggs to be “pure white.’ Inthe report of 1878 he says: ‘‘ Their color ts opaque white.” We should be pleased to hear from Mr. Sennett and place on record his decision. of which statement is correct.—Ed. ] AuBuRN, N. Y.—We are happy to an- nounce to our ornithological friends that H. Gilbert Fowler, of Auburn, N. Y., has just started on a collecting trip to the lower Mississippi. His object is to collect gen- erally, but particularly that rare and beauti- ful species, the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. As Mr. Fowler makes a very fine skin, watch carefully for his return.—- 7, S. Wright. 86 Chaparral Cock. I am sorry that I appear to use conflict- ing terms in descriptions of the eggs of the Chaparral Cock. I have probably had as much experience with the eggs of this bird as any one and ought to know. I have over a hundred eggs in my collection and can send you samples for illustration, if de- sirable. Instead of clear white, I should have said dead white, or dull white, or im- maculate, to designate that they were un- spotted. Without gloss they certainly are and smooth, although occasionally there are chalky patches adhering, comparable to the eggs of the Brown Pelican, only not nearly so prominent nor so frequent. As to my second term, opaque white, I mean wholly in the sense of being not transpar- ent. The egg when fresh, addled or blown, has the same appearance, provided of course they are equally clean outside. By taking a tray full of Pelican’s eggs and a tray full of Road-ruaner’s in the same light, the latter are a little more dense or gray, but not enough of the gray, or ash, or light-blue tinge to be called tinted, and when not compared with chalk would be simply white. I have taken eggs of Brown Pelican and Chaparral Cock and exam- ined by holding alternately to strong day- light with the eye looking into the hole on the side and the small, dull yellow or buff is shown in both species. The color looks more vivid or intense in the Pelican’s egg, which I conjecture to be on account of the larger egg allowing more light into the inte- rior. Allowances must be made for my first paper, for it was my first effort to describe eggs, at best quite a difficult thing to do understandingly and clearly. Who shall say but color blindness causes much disagreement in describing colors of eggs? I have thought of giving quite a little arti- cle on this large Cuckoo and will gladly await the forthcoming article in the OoLo- Gist. As to. sets, I have two sets of nine each, three of eight, five or six of seven each and six each, and from that down. I have in alcohol the’ contents ORNITHOLOGIST [ Vol. 6—No. 11. of one nest as follows: Five birds and three eggs, the largest bird about three times the size of the smallest just out, and the freshest egg I think would take at least four days to hatch out. The parent I shot as she left the nest. With such irregularity is it any wonder that there exists such conflicting accounts of nid- ification?—Geo. B. Sennett, Meadville, Pa. P. SA word more in explanation of the eggs of the Chaparral Cock. I fear I may have been misled again in regard to the chalky blotches occasiona!ly on them. I have examined a still greater number than when I wrote you, and while a few have such splashes, yet they are so few that it ought scarcely to be taken into ac- count at all. So please don’t lay any stress upon that marking. I presume no other collector would notice it— Geo. B. Sennett. -——— #6 —___ House Sparrow IN Marine.—In a late number of the ORNITHOLOGIsST I spoke of the House Sparrow as breeding in this vi- cinity. By reference to the first part of the article it will be seen that I referred to the vicinity of Bangor and only to that locality. It is very. well understood that the first House Sparrows known to have _ been brought to this country were brought to Portland, Maine, in 1858, by a Mr. Deblois. They bred there and increased rapidly, and are now common in that city and vicinity, where they breed every year, as they do at other points in our State. They had not, however, previous to this year been sup- posed to breed in this locality, that is Bangor. I make this statement lest I may have been understood to refer to the State in general —/Y. Merrill, Bangor, Maine. MONKEY-HEADED OwL.—There is a pair of Owls here which are said to come from middle Texas and are known by the above name. ‘The owner says there are only sev- en known. The eyes are very small, with no tufts, and in every respect they look to me like a Barn Ow]; bill white and slender. Hoopep MERGANSER.—I have also seen a specimen of the above Duck in confine- ment, which is said to be rare.—Z. A. Berry. January, 1882. | AND OOLOGIST. 87 Mexican Goshawk., The little BLACK-BACKED JHREE-TOED Woop- PECKER (Pfcotdes arcticus.)\—Mr. Jason E. Nichols, of Lansing, Michigan, reports that | while out hunting in the northern part of | that State, in latitude 44, he captured a male of the above species of Woodpecker. ~ORNITHOLOGIST — Aa OOLOGIST. $1.00 per JOSEPH M. Wapk, Editor and Publisher. Sing'e Copy, Annum. Established, March, 1875 10 Cents. VOL. VI. NO. 12. NORWICH, CONN., FEBRUARY, 1882. Sharp Shinned Hawk. The true Falcons do rot often grace New London County with their royal presence. Not since April, 1878, has a Pigeon Hawk been shot here, and a single Sparrow Hawk’s egg is all I have to show locally for six years’ collecting. But the third of | the trio of small New England Hawks is | more abundant, and can be found in early | summer in sufficient numbers to stimulate | search for its lovely eggs. It is not the ob- ject of the present sketch to give a mono- graph of this little Accipiter, but to present an array of homely facts concerning its | breeding habits, some cf which may be fresh and of interest to our rising oologists. It seems to have been ordained that eve- ry male biped of the genus homo should at an early age get up a collection (?) but be- fore he makes war upon aught but common species, and before his movements are gov- erned by much intelligence, the same or- daining power wisely directs his young am- bition into newer channels and the embryo cabinet is banished to the garret or de- scends to the tender mercies ot the young- er brother just coming down with the fever. The Buteos and Owls get off scot free from’ these collectors, who are ignorant of the early breeding movement, but the luckless Sharp Shinned begins to lay when other Hawks are nearly through breeding and when the woods are swarming with school- boys. For these reasons this Hawk and its eggs are better known than any others to young observers, and the ommiferous boxes of sawdust and undetermined eggs can boast many a single end-blown specimen of this species. Six years ago, in June,a | site. | the trunk of the tree the nest is generally nesting place of this Hawk, on Laurel Hill, was discovered by these vandals, and fifteen eggs thus barbarously blown and scattered fourd their way into a round doz- en so-called “ collections.” A fuscus breeds in hemlock clumps and in pine groves, at times near hcuses, and nests in deciduous trees only when there are no evergreens near the favorite hunting- ground or local habitat—then a thick’and leafy white or yellow birch offers a favorite At the base of a limb, resting against placed. 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