il i Iji flliilii;: "'li 111 iiiii: Jklli!,llH!i.ln|j,j|p,iji:, ^'liiiiili!:: lliiil .(^y^ ., FORTHE PEOPLE FOR EDVCATION FOR SCIENCE LIBRARY OF THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY i 'Mk ^ r;.' i?b'Q ESTABLISHED 1876. THE ORNITHOLOGIST AND OOLOGIST. VOL. VII. 1882. BIRDS: THEIR NESTS EGGS. JOSEPH M. WADE, ito.sToy. v.t.s.s. 'I- y/'^//- f'^^yy- DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF THE immortal \vilson, The Illustrious Audubon, ANn THE DEVOTP^D NUTTAL. OI^IsTITHIOLOG-IST J^ISTID OOLOC3-IST- CONTENTS OF VOL. VII-1882. ,11."), 168, ,9.S, Albino's Artists, Two Young. . . . Buzzaid, Rough-legged. Bittern, Least Bird, Snow Birds, Cedar Birds, Blue Blackbird, Rusty Birds, Rare in Nova Scotia Birds Nesting •- ^'^'i, Birds, Humming in Confinement Birds of New Brunswick Birds of Central N. Y Buzzard, Turkey Branting at Monomoy Botany and Ornithology Botany Black-cap, Wilson's Bobo -link Bull, Nut, Orn, Club Blackbirds, Crow Correction, 181, 1 00, Collector in Florida Crow, Clark's 105, 100, 107, Check-list, Coues 160, Chamberlain, M., in the Woods Collectors, Hints to 110, Cardinal, Cape Collectors' Movements. ._. 131, Climbers and Climbing, 158, 159, 143, 175, Cowbird 181, Contributions for O. and O Crow, Common Crows and Jays Crow, Albino Cuckoos Cormorants Deformed Duck, Gadwell, in R. I Dickinson, Death of Wm. B Duck, Black. Duck, Summer Duty on Knowledge Dove, Common 188, 181 140 1 1 ', > 110 111 111 112 119 12-2 152 126 132 132 141 149 156 IfO 162 173 180 188 144 103 113 108 108 117 119 140 176 164 172 174 181 LSI ,189 ,192 ,100 ,123 126 ,144 ,144 .172 181 Egg, To Measure an 98 Eggs, Rare K'O Eagle, Bald 1 UO Eggs, Hatching Hawk's 118 Eggs, Golden Eagle 131 Eggs, Petrified Nest and 1 3.) Eggs, Fine 14" Eagles in Ohio ' '- Egg, Cliff Hawk's 1-17 Eggs, Bluebird's 147 Egg, Bald Eagle's 1-48 Eagle and Goose 1 ••2 Eggs, Hummers Nest and 155 Egg Eaters 163 Eggs in a Set 182, 174, 167 Edwin Sheppard 180 Eagle's, Golden Nest 181 Egg Hog, Great American 183 Eggs, August 1 <">3, 1 84 Eggs, September 184 Egret, Great White 189 Fowler, H. Gilbert 108 Fowler, H. G., Death of 116 Finch, Purple 119, 173 Flycatcher, Traill's 1^8 Finds, Early 148 Flycatcher, Black Crested,. . .169, 170, 177, 178, 179 Fresh Work in an Old Field 173 Flycatcher, Olive-sided 1 .s9, 1 90 Goshawk ll>0 Gunn, Chas. W., in Florida 1 08 Gallinule, Purple 118 Grosbeak, Rose-breasted 131, 164 Crackle, Purple 144 Glass, Field 150, 157, 158 Goose and Eagle 152 Gleanings from Bendire's Letters 153 Galinule, Florida 154 Grosbeak, Cardinal 1 74 Hawk, Duck 101 Hawk, Sharp-shinned 1 08 Herons 118 Hawk Incubation 141 Hawk's Eggs, Hatching 118 Heronry,-Great Blue 147 Heron, Common F-uropean 1(10 Harmony 1 '4 Hmiiming Birds 174 Hiwk, Red-shouldered 189 Importing, Cost of 1 26 Jay, Canada 181 Jays and Crows 181 Lapwing l''y Malheur. Lake Oregon, 129, 130, 131, 137, 138 Notes by Two Sun Angels 101 Notes, Centre Lisle, N. Y 107 Notes, Florence Springs, M. T 107 Notes from St. John, N. B , 112, 119, 134 Neman's Land 135 Nesting Places, Curious. .163, 148, 138 183, 184 Notes from California 139 Notes from Shelter Island 141, 167 Nuttall's Works 1 48 Nest, Golden Eagle's 148 Nesting, Birds 152 Nesting, Late.- 15G Notes, Late 1-J6 Nest, Raven's 104 Notes from Colorado 191, 192 Owl, American Barn, 97, 109, 110, 166, 167 Owl, Spotted 99 Owl, Mottled Ill Owl, Monkey Headed Ill Owl, Snowy 1 IC, HIO, 168 Owl, Great Horned, Nest and Eggs 125 Owl, American Long-eared. . .126, 161, 162 Owl, Great-horned in Texas 142 Owl's Barred Nests 155 Owls, in Confinement 163 Owl, Great-horned 1 74 Osprey and Its Prey 123 Our Present Number 1 21 Ornithology in the Ark 139 Our Country 148 Ornithology and Botany 156 Ousel, Water 181 Orioles, Orchard 188 Orioles, Baltimore 188 Phalarope, Red Publications U>l, Il'1, 15i •Paper, Gummed Personal Prairie Hen — Its Nesting Habits. Piping Plover Pewees, Wood Robins Rail, Carolina Redstart, Curious Nest of Raven's Nest Rare Books 1 73, Ruff liathbun, S. F Sparrow, Chipping 100, Sparrow, Song 101, 108, Southwick and Jencks Science, Lost to Sparrow, Rufous Winged Sparrow, Swamp 134, Sparrow, Wood Strange Predicament Sparrow, Field ■ Sparrow, Savannah 156, Swallows, Bawk ■ Starling, European Songsters, California Winter 165, Standard of Value ,114, Thanks Thrush, Large-billed Water. .. Text, A Thrushes 1 63, 1 70, Thrush. Hermit Late-breeding ■ Thrush, Wilson's Thrushes, Wood of N. B. . . .185, 186, Titmouse, Tufted Volume VII 100, 116, Vertebrates of the Adirondacks Warbler, Black throated Green Warbler, Hooded Warbler, Blue Yellow-backed Warbler, Golden-winged Woodcock What Others Think of Us Warbler, The Caerulean 107, Woodpeckers, Red-headed 190, 191, 1 1 2, Woodpeckers, Black-backed JOO i:;6 .111 .119 . 1 50 , 155 .188 .111 .1 19 . 1 19 .164 188 .175 .181 181 188 . 1 08 .120 .121 181 .141 .147 .155 174 .162 .163 166 ,172 .100 145 .156 171 .171 .174 187 189 188 182 101 102 124 141 1 44 179 II I 141 143 -I3SriDE2S: TO CO:]SrTPlIBXJTOIR,S.- VOLUME VII-1882. Atkins, Dr. H. A 100, 119, 164, 189 Allen, Chas. A. 148, 181 Bendire, Chas. E., U. S. A.. . .Hit. 105, lOG, 107, li:;, 111, l-'l. 122, 12(1, 129, 130, l:!l, 137, 138, l,-.3, 151 Banks, J. W 108 Berry, H. A Ill, 112, 174 Barnum, Morgan K 147 Brand, Junius A 148 Coe, W. W 183, 184 Cooper, M. D., J. G 1 ose of collecting in every department of Natural History, but Mr. Gray's health had been poor for some time, and when he reached Femandina, Florida, it gave way, when he reluctantly returned home. M. Chamberlain, St. Johns, N. B.. has for some time been sanguine that he could again find the nest of the "White "Winged Cross Bill, and for that puiiiose has re- cently made an exjjedition into the wilds of N. B. He writes us as follows: "I did not find a Cross-Bill's nest, though I learned something of their habits, and shall try again. Birds of all kinds were scarce. But I enjoyed my ramble very much, and had many amusing and inter- esting and some exciting adventures. I was never before so impressed with the profound stillness of our forests in Win- ter, and for the first time I was lonely in the woods. It was not for long, but it was seveie. I foiuid myself alone on a large lake at night, the road to my camp a conundrum, the stars shut out by heavy leaden clouds, no matches to see my com- pass, no sound save the mournful sighing of the wind through the trees, the ther- mometer about ten degrees, and I very weary and hungry. There was too much to be ' done' just then to spend time in reverie." Song Sparrow. — Saw a specimen near Norwich, in fine condition. February 26th, 1882. Aj.ril, IS,s-A] AND UOLOCIST. 109 American Barn Owl. CONCLUDED. Slightly widening to the end -svliere it is quite commodious, being often as much as two feet in diameter. For some time it was a perplexing question to me as to lion- and b)j what these holes were excavated. After careful investigation, I am convinced that the owls themselves make many of them. A slight crevice or squirrel hole is selected, and, with their powerful claws, they hollow it out to proper dimensions. Both birds are frequently found occujjj-ing the cavity during the day, — the male to one side of the nest But the burrows are not always selected. Two nests were found in holes in o.ak trees, one was found in a barn by Master Ben- nie Field of Newhall, and in April, 1880, I found a pair occupying the deserted nest of a crow, which was placed about twenty feet from the groimd in a cottonwood. I visited this nest at two different times be- fore taking the eggs (five in niimber), and drove the female from the nest on each oc- casion.— As an interesting fact in this con- nection, I may add that, this season. I took from this j)articu]ar nest two sets of Long- eared Owl's eggs and one of the Common Crow, ( Coroi/.i J'nif/iuori/.s.) The use of a nest of this kind l)y the Barn Owl is very rare, I think : careful 8e.arch failed to discover a second instance of this kind. As stated above this owl be- gins nesting early in February, but in that vicinity a majority have not completed their sets before the first of March. On March 5, 1881, Mr. Fred Corey and I met with remarkable success with this owl's eggs. "We visited a deep baranca a few miles east of Santa Paula, where we knew them to be abundant. We arrived upon the groTind early in the morning, with spade and rope ready for a hard day's work, — and the number of sets we ob- tained was limited only by the time re- quired in digging for them. Our only way of getting at the nests was by tying one end of our long rojje to a stake driven se- curely in the groimd at some chstance from the edge of the baranca, tying the other end around our waist and letting ourself down to the hole. Then, after more or less pietty hard digging we were able to reach the eggs. We dug down to eleven nests altogether, from six of which we got forty- four er/f/s, ranging from six to ten eggs to the nest. One of the other nests contained nothing ; another, five eggs, one of which was pipped ; another with one young and six eggs ; still another with four eggs and five young : and yet another with five eggs and five young. The young varied gi-eatly in size, some were scarcely dry, others were a week or more old. From these and sub- sequent oliservatious, I am led to think that the number of eggs varies horn /ire to ten, averaging about seven, which is the largest number I have seen mentioned by any other writer. Cones says " from three to six :" Baird, Brewer, and Eidgway, '• from three to four :" Maynard, " from three to ff>ur : " Gentry, " from three to four, very rarely more ;" and that veteran oologist, Capt. Bendire, in a letter to Mr. J. M. Wade, which I was kindly permitted to read, says : " Seven had been the great- est number I had heard this species credited with. " All of these figures seem far too low, yet it may be that the number of eggs • depends upon the locality, as does the place of the nest. A word upon what different authorities s.ay regarding its nest, m.ay not be out of place. As to whether it constructs any nest seems to depend entirely where it nests ; if in holes in cliffs, trees, or walls, no lining is used : if in l)arns or houses, it constructs a nide nest of sticks or other rubbish easily brought together. Summing up what the various observers had written on this jioint, it equals the above, which is in harmony with my own observations. Prof. Gentry, in Life-Histories of Birds of Eastern Pennsylvania, says: "As soon 110 ORNITHOLOGIST [Vol. 7-No. 14. as the ^ggs are laid, which, on the average arnnunt to one a day, the female commences the tryiiiff duties of incubation. . . We hane never observed the male in the vicinity of the nest duri7ig the day-time. . The peri- od of incubation is about twenty- four days." Mr. Corey and I made daily observations of several nests of the Bam Owl with the view of detenuining these matters, with the following results: (1), The eggs in every case were laid on alternate days ; (2), incubation invariably began soon after the first e^g was deposited; and (3), in nearly every instance, both male and female were found occupying the nest-cavity, whether in the ground or in a hollow tree. Clods or stones thrown against the bank near the nest usually brought otit the male first, who was soon followed by the female, but often not until more clods had been thrown. Tliat incubation begins before the full nest-complement has been completed is evident to any one who removes the con tents from a full set of eggs and notices the various stages of development reached by the embryos. So true is this that it is impossible to blow a full set of these eggs with equally small holes. The same fact is also shown by the great difference in the sizes of the nestlings. The i)eriod of in- cubation is twentj'-two to twenty-four days. — B. W. Evermann, Blooniington, hid. ^ Least Bittern. In the O. and O. for February, 1882, Mr. Guy C. Rich asks the question : " Does the Least Bittern come as far north as forty- three degrees ? " I can answer this in the affirmative, for I have before me a male of that species taken in September, 1880, near the mouth of Black River, a small stream which empties into the Bay of Fundy, about eight miles east of St. John, and a little north of forty-five degrees. And this is not the only individual that has ventured thus far north, for between 1877 and 1881 some five were captured within ten miles of this city. — 31. Oham- berlain, St. Johns, N. /?. Hints to Collectors. Nests made wholly of Usnea or North- ern Hanging Lichen, if kept in a cellar, will mould and disintegrate — falling in pieces at a touch in two years' time. Remember and never neglect to rinse every specimen thoroughly vidth clean water when blowing eggs. It is part of the operation. I recently examined a box of seventeen quails' eggs, blowni in 1879 in the field, with no water near. Eveiy egg held insects, pupfe, and excre- tions, and much labor and trouble was the consequence of not using proper precau- tions at the, right time. The Prairie Warbler returns yearly to its nesting-place in a hazel-bush or in a hazel and blackberry patch in dry pastures. The Yellow Warljler uses no feathers, the Chestnut-sided Warbler not habitually, but the "'Prairies" always, if any are to be found. I had one nest beautifully trimmed with Quail's feathers, but alas, it is not ! Another hned with feathers of the Indigo Finch, but alas for this also ! — both de- voiu-ed by insects. Nests with sticks, leaves, grasses or cotton, can be preserved easily — and wool with a little care. Mosses fade and fall apart. But watchfulness does not always avail to keej) feathers from the ravages of insects. The hoiues of the Hinmdines are beautiful, but lousj'. If forgotten for a while, they are liable to be destroyed. The constant use of camphor and almost weekly baths of benzine or carbolic acid seem necessary. Hawks' eggs can be blown with care and patience even if well incubated. But small eggs should be left in the nest if incuba- tion has begun. Two sets of rare spar- rows, taken hiui-iedly in '81, proved to be well incubated, and though there were nine eggs in all, I have nothing to show now but the nests. Blue-Tellow-Backed War- bler's eggs are especially hard to blow if three days incubated. I have blown fifty fresh eggs of this Warbler without a mis- hap, but never succeeded in cleaning an April 1.SSl>.] A N 1 > ( »( )LOGLST. Ill incubated set. Hold tliem up to the lig-lit, brother collectors, and if cloudy pass theia by. The same fij'round can be cov(>r('d next year with (n'ery prospect of Kuccess. Not often do we find sets of Whijipoor- will's eggs, yet the birds are reasonalily common, and in some places abundant. For instance, while riding in the early evening of Saturday. June 4, '81, through Centre Groton. from Poiiuonnoc to Led- yard Centre, a distance oi four miles. I saw and heard eighteen of these Goat- suckers. Collectors will do well to take long rides or drives on country and sirrburban roads in Winter, while the trees are bare, and before snows and the late Winter winds have beaten down the nests. He will note the nesting-places of many birds, which will again be tenanted, and which it will "pay" to visit next season. In an after- noon drive near Norwich lately I marked down for future reference the homes of three •• Downies" a fine site Lii white birch stul)s for chickadees, and in Vnishy pastures by the wayside on cross-roads, nests of In- digo Bird, Prairie and Chestnut-sided Warblers. In three rows of roadside Ma- ples and Ashes, where last .July I sujjposed three or four pairs of Goldfinches were baffling me, can now be counted twenty perfect nests easily got at. Now one can work intelligently for them in '82. On one low limb of an elm was an Oriole's nest in fine conilition, an '80 nest well battered, and the shreds of the '7!) nest, all within three feet of each other. Will 82 add the fourth in the series ? Let not the nov- ice in oology suppose that a collector's field-work is all done in the breeding sea- son.— -A ^f. ^V., N'onrirh. Com). Brief Newsy Notes. Sxow Bn!D.— The 25th of -Tune. 1878, I found a nest of •Timoo hi/etjiniis in the side of a knoll with four eggs, nearly fresh, the l)ird flying off as I approached. I oc- casionally see the black snow bird all Sum- mer, but this was their first nest I ever found.— .1. L. Reed, Centre Lisle, X. Y. GuMMEi> Paper. — Mr C. W. Stnimberg, Galesliurg, 111., has sent us a specimen of gummed paper which he uses to mark eggs. It is first punched into a small wafer by a cartridge shell, then put over the hole. It can then be niunbered or lettered, and if necessary easily removed by wetting. It is often very difficult to remove the num- bers when made on the shell — especially of those that have a rough surface. Send ten cents for a large sheet. Red-he.\ded Woodpeckers have been quite common the present Fall about Providence, a number of both adults and young being taken. Usually we hear of but one or two specimens being taken in a year. — J^. T. J. Mottled Owl. — We have received a fine specimen just between the Red and Gray Plumage. It came from Birrington, R. I. Have had large quantities in past seasons, but none not readily attributable to Red or Gray.— .S'. & J. Red-headed Woodpecker. — On December 11, I saw an adult specimen, also a Winter Wren on the 4th, near Hartford. — •//. T. G. Sea Dove, (Alle nujric'inx.) November 30, 1881 — I received a fine specimen of tlie Sea Dove killed here on Detroit River, by one of our market hmiters. It was swimming among his Decoy Ducks. It proved to be a young female. How it got so far from salt-water is a question. — W. jr. Collins, Detroit, Mich. Cedar Birds and Robins. — A pail' of Ce- dar Birds nested in a tree in the yard of Edward Srtfford of this place who took the eggs. A few weeks later, on looking into the nest it was found to contain a set of Robins' eggs. Was not this unusual? — If. J}. Kiinjsle)/, Riithiiid. J'{:r)no7it. MoNKEv Headed Owl. — These Owls are not Barn Owls, as you suppose. Their eyes are not larger than a hawks : their faces have a queer Monkey like apjjearance. The l)ill, feet, size and plumage agree quite well with the Barn Owl. There is a pair of them, and they are quite tame and will eat 112 ORNITHOLOGIST [Vol. 7-No. 14. fresh meat from the hand. The price for them is twenty dollars. — //. A. JScrri/. Macon, Ga. ^ Notes from St. John, N. B. Mr. James W. Banks of this city has very kindly placed in my hamls his Oologi- cal note-book for 1881, from which to make extracts for the edification of onr mutual friends the readers of the O. and O. On May 10 be took his first nest of the season, the domicile of that much maligned and wily bird the Common Crow, Corvus fruglvorus, and had to cHmb some forty feet wj} a spruce tree for it. The structure was composed exteriorly of cedar twigs and lined with moss. It contained five fresh eggs. June 5. — A Kingfisher, Ceri/le alci/on, was seen going into a hole in a sand-liank and Banks followed him. After a hard dig of about five feet he came to the nest and took out six fresh eggs. On the day following he found the nest of a Snowbird, {Junco hyemalis,) under the shadow of a large stone in a shady nook. There were four eggs in it partially incu- bated. About fifty yards further on another Junco had built a home but so far had put only two eggs in it. comjileting the com- j)lement of four however within the two following days. June 10. — Flushed a Hermit Thrush, Jli/locichla unalascce pallasi. Between you and I, Mr. Editor, do you think it is a square deal to give this innocent bird such a name ? Don't you think if that bird had to sign his name often, say as president of a silver mining company with well watered stock, don't you think he would — dash Mr. Eidgway and tri-nominals ? O con- fess to a strong desire to cling to the " Txirdus" of other days, but I suppose I must display my accpiaintance with t)ie " new nomenclature" or, like the fellow who the gr.xve digger in Hamlet condemns for not having been at court, I shall be "surely damned" in the eves of your sci- entific readers. Well, this long named party got uji off three eggs laid in a nest on the ground mider the protecting shade of a low bending limb of a spruce tree. A visit to the nest two days after determined the fact that it had been deserted, and Mr. Banks says "I have observed that this spe- cies of bird frequently deserts a nest after it has been discovered." June 1.5. — A Red-headed Woodpecker 3/el(i»erpes en/t/irocep?uiIiis v,-a,fi discovered looking out from a hole in a birch stub about eight feet from the ground. An in- vestigation disclosed young birds about ready to leave home. June 23. — He found a nest of the Ruby- crowned Kinglet, (Reguliis calendula,) in a dense fir thicket placed on the limb of a tree close to the trunk, and about twelve feet from the ground. In it were four young vrith wings almost fit for flight. On the same er is placed, which is composed of diy grasses, vegetable fibres, hypnum moss, and the fine inner bark of the western juniper {Juniperus occidentn- lis.) These various materials are well in- corjjorated together and fastened to the branch and pine needles on which it is placed, and makes a warm and comfortable structm-e. The outer diameter of the only nest measured by me (that is, the compact portion of it) was eight and one-half inches ; inner diameter, four and one-half inches ; depth inside, three and one-half inches: outside, five inches. As a rule the nests were well concealed from view below, and almost invariably placed on or near the ex- tremity of a live limb at various heights from the ground. Isolated clumps of pine trees growing near the edges of the forests or mountain valleys, as well as among juniper or moun- tain mahogany groves, seemed to be the favorite localities frequented by these birds during the breeding season ; in fact, I have scarcely ever noticed them any distance in the forest unless there were frequent open- ings, small valleys, etc., interspersed with timlier. These birds api>ear to raise but one bi'ood during the season, although they commence breeding early enough to raise two or even three nests easily enoiigh, and in the vicinity of Fort Harney they disappear about the end of May or early in June, gathering about that time in con- siderable flocks, and are not seen again till about October. They probably spend the Summer months in the higher mountain regions in the vicinity. At all other times a social, inquisitive and exceedingly noisy bird, the Clarke's Crow during the breeding season is ex- actly the reverse. In vain one may watch and listen to hear their usual and by no means musical call note, " chaar, chaar, " which so easily betrays their presence at other times. I have listened in vain and been disappointed. Theii' whole character seems to have undergone a sudden radical transformation. They remain perfectly si- lent, seem to hide and would scarcely be noticed, even where comparatively abun- dant, unless closely looked after. They are certainly most devoted parents, sometimes even allowing themselves to be captured rather than leave the nest. Their habits otherwise are sufficiently well known, and I have nothing new to add thereto. Large-billed ^A^ate^ Thrush. l\Iy private collection contains not only my best work and the finest specimens I can procure, but also those which have associations connected with them that I wish to remember. A pair of this species ( Sixrus motacilln) holds all the above hon- ors. May 11, '77, while five miles west of Providence, in a place known as the Snake Dens, I saw a pair of Water Thrushes run- ning around on the stones in the bed of a pretty brook that nishes between rockj' banks. On a nearer approach they flew to the top of the opposite bank, giving at in- tervals their sharp chip. I shot one from the top of a large rock, and going to the place found no bird, but just back of where it had been was a crevice loosely filled with leaves. I pulled out a lot and finding no bird arose to leave, but imme- diately decided not to give up so quickly and returned to work, and took out all the leaves I could reach, and among the last the bird, which I dropped mto ray basket without putting into a paper contrary to my usual custom. After tramping about two hours and ha^^ng several birds, I sat down to put them in papers. Had made a cornucopia and tipped the bird's head back preparatory to sliding him in, when for the first time I noticed what I had. I had made the acquaintance of this species at Mt. Cnnnel, 111., when collecting there with E. \V. Nelson in '75, but had thought un- May, 1882.] AND OOLOGIST. 115 til that moment it was the common kind. A\'ithout delay I returned to the plaot? of capture, but the other was not there. Go- ing up stream I looked carefully through a small piece of swampy woods, and, fortu- nately, started and killed the other. They proved to be a pair. While in "West Greenwich, R. I., May 2d, I heard a loud ringing song which I could not recall, and after a stealthy approach espied the songster about twenty feet from the ground on the branch of a sapling. At short ijitervals he lifted his head, giving his melodious song with as much ^•ivacity as his cousin, the Golden Crowned Thrush. This was obtained and another heard, which, after about an hour's chase was also secured. May, 1880, niunber three from this locality was added. All of these specimens were taken along rushing streams in which trout are to be found, coiu'sing through heavily wooded rocky coiuitry. This is the most wary small bird I am acquainted witli, and the past Spring at "UTieatland, Ind., and Mt. Carmel,"Ill., en- abled me to get well acquainted with it, as it was plentiful thi-oughout the bottoms. The song bears a resemblance to that of the Indigo Bird, and is as often delivered from high up in a tree as from the groimd. The tipping motion is constantly noticea- ble as in the common species. The first nest was found May 22d, in a hollow be- side an Tiptunied root by a brook. It con- tained five young just hatched. About June 1st, young were abundant. Their chip and motion was precisely like the old ones, and although half-fledged and bob-tailed, they were hard to distin- guish from adults at a short distance. At this time, June 1st, when I had given up all hopes of finding a set of eggs, I was walking and pausing, looking carefully up into the foUage, when, happening to stop about fifteen feet from a large tree, a bu-d im- mediately fluttered from its base, toppling over first on one side, then on the othei", stopping occasionally to kick spasmodical- ly. This performance was kept up in a circular course for fully fifty yards, excel- ling any bird I ever saw in this manoeuvre. At the end of this feint it flew on to a limb close by, giving its usual chip. From where I stood I could look into the nest and see the five eggs. The situation was in such dense and heavy growth of trees as to nearly stoj) undergrowth. The nest was placed in the niche caused by the tree slightly sj)reading towards the roots, and no attempt whatever was made toward concealment. The nest was a damp mat- ted mass of rotten leaves, and lined with fine roots and partly rotted stems of plants, and had to be dried in the oven before being fit to pack. The hollow was slight, and the eggs resemble rather small, very round and evenly spotted Chat's eggs — those with large blotches and not thickly spotted.— i^. T. Jencks, Prov., R. I. ^ Albinos. — Mr. J. Calhoim writes from Illinois that a white Blue Jay came with others to feed on the soaked bread fed to his chickens. Noticing its peculiar color he secured it on Jan. 30th, and is having it carefully mounted. He writes that he also saw a 'Ulute Crow feeding on the car- cass of a dead horse, but was not able to secure it. At a later date Mr. C. writes : '• We have been having fine, balmy weather for ten days. Most of the Spring birds are here. They came from one to two weeks earlier than last year. The Mead- ow Larks came Feb. 3d, Blue Birds Gth, Robins 9th. The Brant, Geese, and Ducks came by the hundreds, the latter on the 11th and 12th. The sportsmen re- port all kinds of Water Fowl very plenty on the prairies, in the sloughs and jionds. I saw a great many Wild Pigeons on the 3d inst. flying in all directions. William E. Hart and George Hunt killed an Owl with a steel trap to his leg the 5th inst. It measured four feet from tip to tip of wings, and was spotted. t^^ Speak a good word for the Ornithol- ogist to your correspondents. 116 ORNITHOLOGIST [Vol. 7-No. 15 ORNITHOLOGIST —AND— OOLOGIST. A MONTHLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OF BIRDS, THEIH NESTS AND EOaS. JOS. M. W.4DE, Kditnr. With the ci-operation of ahle Ornithological Writers and ColleotorB. Subscription — SI. 00 per annum. Foreign sub- scription $1 25— inchiding postage. Speci- men Copies Ten Cents. JOK. M. WADE. Norwiclii Conn. EDITORIAL. Vol. tii. — Judging from the expression of satisfaction sent lis, our readers, botli old and new, must be well pleased with our mag- azine. Tliis is very gratifying to us. but our list of subscribers is not large enough to pay cost even as now published. If all of our readers would devote one tenth part of the time we do gi-atuitously. they would increase our list enough to warrant improvements and save us from pecuniary loss — which prevents us from doing as well as we otherwise might. Let each of our readers try and send us one or more sub- scribers— our magazine will ahoays be worth its cost. Snowy Owl. — We have recently pur- chased a Snowy Owl that was mounted. We complained of its neck being stretched out too much, when the following explana- tion was sent to us : •' You speak of the neck of the owl being too long. The fact is, when this bird is perched on a mound on the gi-ound watching for its prey, its neck is stretched out much longer than this one, and remains so for an hour or more at a time. They are not like other owls in that respect. They also feed more in the daj' time than other owls." The gentle- man who sends the above has had a large experience with this owl for many Winters and should know their natural position. Few of our taxidermists have ever studied this bird in life. Death of H. G. Fowler. It is with exceeding sadness that we an- nounce the death of our brother naturalist, H. Gilbert Fowler. The greater part of Mr. Fowler's life was closely identified with the study of nature in nearly all her forms, but particu- larly in that of Ornithology. Bom at Au- burn, N. Y., about the year 1850, at an early age he evinced a special fondness for the study of Ornithology, which was pur- sued almost entirely in the field with an earnest, sincere spirit that bore fruits in the reliable accuracj' and conscientious simplicity of all his notes and memoranda. In 1874 he published in the " Forest and Stream," (newspaper) a list entitled: "The Birds of Central New York." In the fol- lowing year this was republished in an Auburn. N. Y., paper by Frank R. Rath- bun, with several additions. He was also one of the authors of the " Revised List of Birds of Central New York." It was the longing desire to study the feathered creatures of our Southern States in their native haunts that allured him into those malarious districts that proved so fatal to one of his peciiliar temperament. Mr. Fowler had been on the Sunflower river. Miss., but little more than a week when he deemed it advisable to depart, owing to the illness of his companion. They then took steamer for Cedar Keys, Fla., via. New Orleans, La. Early contracts ing malarial fevers while in Florida, in Mr. Fowler's case, it resulted in typhoid fever ; and, eventually, caused his death at Savan- nali, Ga., while on his way home. The circumstances attending his death, so far from home and among entu-e stran- gers, was peculiarly sad. From an appar- ent desire not to distress his many friends and relations : although sick nearly two weeks, news of his perfect good health, his sickness and of his death followed one after the other so swiftly as to be almost simultaneous. May, 1882.] AND OOLOGIST. 117 Thus passed from this life on the 11th day of February, 1882, one more useful member of our fraternity, whose exceeding kindness to all, whose scrupulous honesty, and trusting confidence in the integrity of his fellow men, closely approximated a fault. Mr. Fowler was interred at the Fort HUl cemetery at Aubiu'n, N. Y., on the 19th day of Feb., 1882.— J^. S. W. <& S. F. R. ^ Hints to Collectors. Why do you collect eggs ? Do you live in the heart of one of o\ir great cities, with few chances afield, and collect through the mails by purchase and exchange ? Do you heap eggs together as curiosities or ornaments to show to friends, or to equal or eclipse the collections of A and B ? If you are influenced by these motives, or sit- uated as above indicated, stop where you are ! Trouble the birds no longer and turn your attention to bric-a-brac. You are on a lower plane than the crows, grackles and jays who destroy eggs through inherited instinct and appetite. But if you take the field yourself, in search of ruddy health, with a passionate love for your pursuit, 'vAW\ no love of notoriety, and wth out ever a thought of rivalry, then we may not condemn you. Furthermore, if you hope by comparison of sets and by obser- vations on obscure breeding habits to ad/«» vive for eggs, and it is well thus early to sound the note of alarm. Here again I have a personal axe to grind in the loss through him last season of clutches of Yellow- throated Vireo and Great-crested Fly- catcher. Shoot him on sight, my friends. The other fur bearing animals which are enemies to breeding birds, such as the skunk, 'coon, mink, fox, grey-squirrel, etc., are diligently hunted for their pelts. But the mischievous chicaree with his useless red jacket and morsel of flesh is consid- ered beneath the notice of himters and trappers. From many visits to nests of unfledged hawks I find that our Buteos render us inestimable service in keeping down the number of these rodents. The last week in February. Purple 118 ORNITHOLOGIST [Vol 7-No. 15 Finches were daily singing in our garden on Broadway. Later, the mating of these Finches is a common and interesting phase of oiu- Spring birdJife. In a newly ploughed fiirrow, with the brown earth for a background, I have seen seven males dragging their crimson coats in a circle around one bewildered female. At this season both sexes have a pretty habit at sunrise of soaring vertically a few yards above the tree-tops and hovering in the rays of the rising sun, in singing ecstasy. March 1st, I had a Woodcock for din- ner, caught by a fanner's cat. Last year I had one under the same conditions, but it was not quite so early an arrival. Lynch, a farmer on the Poquetannoc road, told me that his cat also brought a Wood- cock into the house alive. Now, here appears a new element of destructiveness to game birds not commonly taken into consideration, and against which it is use- less to legislate. — J. M. IF., Normch, Ct. Hatching Hawk's Eggs. Friend Wade : Agreeable to your re- quest, I send you my experience in hatch- ing eggs of our Eapacia. The result has not been very satisfactory thus far, but enough so to satisfy me that some of our Oologists who are very positive in their statements are mistaken (18 to 22 days). Mr. E. M. Jerome, of Plum Island, who has watched the nests of the Fish Hawk for years, says the period of incubation of this bird is about twenty-eight days. (See Familiar Science for June, 1880). From my observations I am satisfied that this is the time occupied by all oiu- Hawks. In my articles published in Familiar Science, I stated that I lielieved twenty-one days was the period of incubation of all our diurnal birds of prey. This statement I made on the assertions of my collectors. May 2d, 1879, 1 put two Eed-shoitldered Hawk's eggs under a lien May 20th, I took the eggs and broke them, expecting to find dead birds, as it was several days past the time of incubation given by any of our Oologists (27 days), but judge of my surprise on finding two lively Hawks, evidently just ready to hatch. In 1880, through the kindness of " J. M. W," I received eggs of the Barred Owl, Cooper's and Eed-shonldered Hawk. The Baired Owl's eggs were so thin-shelled that they were broken before two weeks had expired. On the 26th day the hen accidentally got shut out from her nest, and I did not find it out until the eggs were cold. On breaking them, two well developed chicks of the Cooper's Hawk were found dead. The Eedshoiddered egg was addled. The jjast season, through the politeness of W. W. Coe, I received four eggs of the Marsh Hawk and one of the Eed-shouldered. On the 30th day I examined the eggs and found two chicks of the Marsh Hawk had cracked the shell, but had been unable to extricate them- selves. The other eggs were addled. From the above I am satisfied that the period of incubation of our Hawks is from twenty-eight to thirty days. I have made arrangements the coming season to test the matter with an incubator. If those inter- ested in this subject will send me fresh eggs of our Eapacia, I hope to be able to settle positively this question. — • William Wood, Emt Wiiidxor Hill, Conn. Brief Newsy Notes. Herons.— On the 4th of Augiist, 1879, I saw an adult Little Blue Heron ( Florida C'jerulea) at Mount Sinai Harbor, L. I., ac- companied by a flock of eighteen or twenty Snowy Heron ( Garzetta eandidissiina). One of the Snowy Herons I secured, which proved to be a young male. — A. 11. Ilelme, Miller's Place, N. Y. Purple G.^llinitle, (Jonornis )nnrti)tica.) A specimen was shot near a small pond in Middle Island in the Summer of 1879 by Mr. F. Edwards, who stUl has the bird in his possession. — A. H. Helme. N". Y. May, 1882.] AND OOLOGIST. 119 Cape Cardinal. — Mr. Emerson, of Hay- wards, Cal., writes us as follows : " I have got a bird new to this jjlace. Our Indian boy shot a Cape Cardinal ( (Jdnfhiiilis igneus) which is found on Cape Saint Lucas and in Soiithem Arizona. The only difference is the bill is thicker, and the black in front of the forehead does not run across like Cardinalis virginiamts. It is a fine specimen in good plumage." Rough Legged Buzzard. — I had a fine hunt a few days ago, and shot three Rough Legs in one afternoon. They are very wild, and I have to hunt them with a team. Have seen twenty in one day and six or seven in sight at one time, and two and three at once in the same tree. — FMos Hutch. Oak Centre, Wis. Rusty Blackbird. — A male Rusty Black- bird was shot here Feb. 5, wliich is the first capture recorded in Winter for this State.—// A. Atkins, M. D.. Locke. Mich. Purple Fixch. — How early in the season does the Purple Finch begin to sing '? This morning (Felx 25th) we heard one in our door yard in nearly full song. Our earliest date previously is March 15th. — Jno. II. Sage, Portland. Conn. Carolina Rail.— On Dec. 29th, 1881. a male Carolina Rail was shot on the mead- ows north of Hartford, Conn. The bird is now in my jsossession. Rather late; in fact, latest I have seen recorded ? — //. 7'. G. Curious Nest of the Redstart. — 'NMien passing through clumps of woods or bushes, collecting nests and eggs, I follow the practice of removing any old nest in reach that I may see, so that on some future trip it may not lead me out of my course. On June 10th. 1880, 1 had lowered a branch, attached to which was an old Red-eyed Vii-eo's nest. Upon looking in- to it, I was surprised to find four spotted eggs, entirely different from those of tlie Vireo ; so replacing the branch and retreat- ing a short distance, I awaited develop- ments. Soon a female Redstart (Setojiha- f/ti rittici/la) alighted near the nest and after a few moments settled down into it. The little occupant had relined the old weatherbeaten nest with fine grasses, thus covering tlie thin places, making the oth- erwise untenantable nest a comfortable home. — -i. K. Fisher, M. D., Sing Sing. Personal. — Mr. J. A. Allen, Editor of the Bull. Nutt. Orn. Cluh. who has been in poor health for some time, has gone to Colorado Springs. He left March 6th, and will arrive there in time to see the Spiing open and his feathered friends return from their Winter sojournings. It is reported that Wm. Brewster is to join him. Notes from St. John, N. B. July 8. — Mr. Banks discovered the nest of the Song Sparrow, (Mdospiza fasciata.) the foiu-th he has found this season, all were buUt in shrubbery from eighteen to thirty-six inches from the ground. There were three young in this last one, just pre- paring to leave the nest. My own note book has a record of young birds of this species, taken while fljing on June 20th. Jidy 5 — He saw this day the nest of a Black-throated Green Warbler. {I>eudneca. cirens.) which was built on a horizontal limb of a small spruce. It was very neatly made though composed entirely of dried grass, the hning being of the same material as the exterior, but of finer pieces. It was about five feet from the ground and con tained four eggs partially incubated. On the same day he found two nests of Black and yellow Warblers, (Dcnthmca Macido.'ia) both built in small firs three and four feet from the ground and containing four eggs partially incubated. July 20. — Found two nests of the Snow- bird, or Ivory-billed Bhie-liird, as the na- tives here call them, but known to the liook-men as Junco hyemalis. Each nest contained four freshly laid eggs. Mr. Banks reports finding a pair of Yellow-rumps, (Dendreeca voronata.) and a pair of Jfenda niigratorin. building on a 120 ORNITHOLOGIST [Yol. 7-No. 15. small spnice tree about fourteen feet high- The Robin's nest was about seven feet from the ground and the Warblere about twelve feet. Both nests contained eggs. Mr. Banks also reports finding a Robin's nest built on a rock partially sheltered by shrubbery. A few days ago I was shown by Mr. J. W. Mon-ison the nest, or nests rather of a pair of Robins, Merula niujratorinit. (new version.) built on a window cap under the peak of the roof of a house. Mr. Mon-ison says that on May 28th the first brood of young were hatched and the parents at once began to build a new nest immedi- ately above the first. A second comple- ment of e^%» were deposited and hatched out, and for the third time the birds pro- ceeded to build, selecting for the site of their new home an adjacent tree. The nest was completed here, but the old birds were so bothered by their youngsters that they finally aljandoned this nest in the tree and returned to their old stand imder the peak and put their fourth nest on the top of the two already there, and from this third story they broiight out their brood. — Montague Chamberlain, Saint Johns, K B. Lost to Science. What a vast amount of assistance comes to the aid of science sometimes from a humble and unexpected source, and the collector who is the recipient thereof how fortunate to become the medium of commu- nication for such imj)ortant revelations. The scientific world jirobably never heard of " Chet. Brooks" but everybody in Mid- dlesex County has, and most people that have been much in the street here have probably met him with barehead and bare- feet, a snapping turtle in one hand and a gun in the other. He has shot a great many niuskrats. and once killed twenty-four atone shot. "You don't believe it "said he. " Oh, certainly," said I. " Well," he said, he '• would swear to the fact and would explain to me how." They were on a long log which was drifting down the river. He got them in range and killed them all at a shot. Going bareheaded in the hot sun had tanned his complexion badly and made the great mat of hair on his head decided- ly kinky, though he boasted a descent from King Philip. He heard that I was fond of collecting rare and curious birds and eggs, and he had foimd a nest and eggs of one of the rarest birds in the United States. It was called a "Pincalo." He had never seen but two or three of them in his life, and he had travelled a great deal. It was a beautiful bird, the top of its head was red, its neck and back were beautifully marked with blue and black, its wings and tail the same, only tipped with white, and its l)reast was white beautifully spotted with black. He had also found its nest and the eggs were the handsomest he ever saw, and the nest, the most singular of all, consisted of a large heap of seaweed and debris from the shore, and the eggs were laid in the heap as it was piled up, trusting to the fei-mentation to hatch them. He had saved a whole set of the eggs at his house, eight in number, what would I give him for them ? Five dollars, and veiy much want the bird also, and would con sider myself exceedingly fortiuiate in bringing such an important discovery to the attention of the scientific world. Welh he would get the bird, which he could easi- ly do and bring them all up to-morrow. And would I be willing to pay him now ? Well, no, hardly, for fear he might forget to bring them up to-moiTow. Oh, he would never forget nor fail, lint he was going to the store and would like a little if it were only ten cents. He would surely bring them to-morrow, eggs and l)irds, and lie would swear to that. And I, Oh, I lost that chance, and the scientific world may never have another, to introduce into the fauna of New England as a Summer resi- dent and breeding that remarkable and lieautiful bird, the Pincalo.—./. N. Clark. ORNITHOLOGIST — AND — OOLOGIST. $1.00 per ADnam. Joseph M. Wade, Editor and rublisber. EBtablished, Marcli, 1875. Single Copy, 10 Cents. VOL. VII. NORWICH, CONN., MAY 15, 1882. NO. 16. The Rufous-winged Sparrow. CAPT. CHAS. E. BENDIRE, D. S. A. This little sparrow, tirst clescrihed in tlie American Nafiira/ist in 1873, Page 322, by Dr. Coues as I'euccea carpalis, is a common resident in the vicinity of Tucson, Aiizona Territory, where I found it abun- dant both Summer and Winter. Its range extends, in all probability, throughout the southern border of New Mexico and Aii- zona Territories. I have no positive in- formation as yet that it has been taken in any other locality than the one above men- tioned. It is strange that stich a common species should have been overlooked by the naturalists of the southwestern boun- dary survey, but such was the case, and it was left for me to add this bii-d to om- avi- faima. I took my first specimens on June 10, 1872, and after spending many hours in vain in trj-ing to locate them, my orni- thological library, consisting at the time of but a single volume, the Text of the Birds of North America, by Baird, Cassin and Lawrence, I of coutee failed to find the bu'd in that work, as it was an undescribed species, nothing was left for me to do but to try and make a few skins to send East for identification. I believe this was one of my first attempts in this line, at least on so small a bird. I managed to strip the hide oiF in some way, perhaps most of the readers of the O. and O. have tried it themselves, and know exactly how it works, and my skins after they were done looked as if a dog had chewed them for a short time ; still there was enough of the origi- nal bird left to construct a new species out of it. I omit giving a detailed description of the bird as it can be fomid in Mr. W. H. Henshaw's report to Lieut. George N. Wheeler, Vol. 5 United States Geographi- cal Surveys, West of 100th Meridian, 1875, Page 291. I found these birds very common on the ridges bordering Rillitto Creek, a little back from the creek bottom proper, but seldom any great distance from the latter in the dry and arid cactus covered plains. The Rufous-winged SpaiTow seemed to be particularly partial to a strip of country scarcely a mile in length by four himdred yards wide running parallel to the creek and near the present site of Camp Lowell. This piece of ground was then covered with good sized mesquite trees interspersed with sage and thorn hushes, small imder- growth and bunches of tall vye and mes- quite grasses. In this comparatively small space I found not less than forty-three of their nests with eggs and a still larger number of those of the Black-throated Sparrow which were still more common, besides a number of nests containing young birds in various stages of growth. The nest is usualh- placed in low bushes preferably small mesquite bushes, from six inches to five feet from the ground, most frequently, however, about eighteen inches high, and no especial attempt is made at concealment. It is firmly fixed into a fork or crotch of the bush in which it is built, and is a conqjact stnicture, composed ex- ternally of coarse grasses and lined with the fine tops of the mesquite grass, and not unfrequently a few horse hairs when such are obtainable. These nests are 122 ORNITHOLOGIST [Vol. 7-No. 16 slightly larger than those of the Black- throated Sparrow — about two inches wide by three inches deep in the inside, so deep in fact that nothing but the tip of the tail of the bird is visible when setting. The first eggs of this species I found about June 14, 1872, although I believe these birds commence to breed about a month earlier, their nests having been pre- viously overlooked by me. The number of eggs to a set is from four to five : thej^ are of a very delicate pale green color and unspotted, often very pointed at the smaller end, and the average measiu-ement of twenty-six specimens now before me is 0.76x0.57 inches. The largest egg in this lot measiu-es 0.79x0.58 and the small- est 0.73x0.54 inches. The nest appears to be one of the most favored by the Dwarf Cowbird as the re- cipient of its eggs, about one-half of the nests found containing one or more of the parasitic eggs. In a number of instances where I found such parasitic eggs with those of the rightful owner of the nest one or more of the latter's eggs were found to have the shell minutely punctured in one or more jilaces. I presume this injury would prevent these eggs from hatching, and I firmly believe it was done by the Cowbirds for this very purjiose, as among more than fifty of the latter's eggs taken by me during the same season I cannot recall or find a single one that was so punctured. I believe this to be a fact not heretofore noticed by oologists ; at any rate I cannot find any such record in any of the ornithological works at present ac- cessible to me. Its song is according to my estimation rather weak and monotonous. During the breeding season the male makes frequent attempts at singing either while perched on the top of a low bush or while hovering a few feet in the air, generally in close prox- imity'to the bush' in'which'its nest is sit- uated. Its usual call note is a lisping "tzip," "tzip," frecjuently repeated. It spends a great deal of its time on the ground and seems to feed principally on various kinds of small seeds. It seems to be sociable and gregarious at all times. In the Winter it is found in small flocks among the Black-throated and Chipping Sparrows, the various Finches and the White-winged Blackbirds. I believe these birds rear from two to three broods a year, as I have found fresh eggs as late as Sept. 1, 1872. Rare Birds in Nova Scotia. The Arctic current flowing from Hud- sons and Bafiins Bays, divided by New- foundland, part coming down the Straits of Belle Isle and part by the eastern coast of Newfoundland, but uniting in one stream at the south, passes along the Nova Scotia shore. The circular storms commencing in the Gulf of Mexico or on the Florida shores, the cii'cle gradually en- larging during then- progress past the southern shores of Nova Scotia on their way across the Atlantic. It is owing to these two causes that rare birds are found in Nova Scotia almost after every storm. The Ai'ctic sj)ecies, strictly jaelagic, follow their prey along the current till they get far south. On meeting the circular storm, usually passing on their northeast and east circles, they fly west to avoid it, and come to this Province. Thus, after the storm, Oct 4, 1879, (called the Saxby storm, after his prediction), a paii-«of Pomarine Jaegers were seen in Digby Basin, one of which was shot. The broad band of clay-blue below the black leg and knee, mentioned by Audubon was very marked. In July, 1881. Wm. S. Gilpin shot a Shearwater, or PuffiiiKs major. This pelagic species, com- mon on the banks, had evidently been blown in. To these causes I attribute Mr. Downs obtaining in the year 1850, three specimens of the Labrador Duck, the last ones seen here : nor have I seen any men- tion in any periodical of them smce, though common in Wilsons time and known bv May 15, 1882.] AND OOLOGIST. 123 the gunners of Rhode Island in 1830. De- cember 11, 1871, 1 saw in a Halifax market three fine males in perfect pliunage of the King Eider, and never since : and liere may be mentioned, though certainly not owing to Arctic curi'ents, that about twelve or fifteen years ago a specimen of the Great extinct Auk was discovered by the late Lord Bishop of Newfoundland and pre- sented to a gentleman in Halifax. It had been dead a long time and was only feathers, skin and bones, and was found buried under guano at the Funk Islands by the Bishop himself. I think this to be the last speci- men noted. Of the more Southern spe- cies, which, caught in the circles of the Southern cyclones, are whirled down upon us, may be added a Purple Galinule, shot at Hiilifax, February, 1870, a few days after the cyclone in which the City of Boston perished, and Her Majesty's transport, Oronte, sm-vived, on the banks of New- foundland. The Florida Galinule was also taken near Halifax, May 23, 1880, after po recorded storm. After a heavy storm, Nov. 15, 1876, was taken near Halifax, and mounted by Mr. Downs, a Frigate Pelican or JIau-of-War Bird, and again after a fu- rious gale, September, 1870, which de- stroyed numbers of shipping and boats, was shot far in the interior of the Prov- ince, a Tropic Bird, this rosy favorite of a tropical sun, with its scarlet beak and long red tail, must have found but a poor rest among the spruce firs of Nova Scotia. To these may be added a female Cardinal Grosbeak, shot February, 1871, at Hali fax — thermometer 14 degrees below zero — very fat and lively, a Blue Grosbeak mounted by Mr. Downs, and a small tlock of Red- wing Blackbirds, yoimg males and females, on Devil's Island, near Halifax, in Novem- ber, after the storm of Oct. 12. 1871. This ends my list of personally observed l)irds, but as tliere has been some commiuiica- tions lately upon the matter, I may add that tlie ^\^lite-winged Crossbill (C. leu- coptfi-d) is known to hatch in February. the female setting upon her eggs, with the the snow all around her, were seen in the pine woods of the Dutch village near Halifax in February. Chief Justice Sir William Ritchie assured me that he had seen them in his own woods, near St. John, breeding in February, our coldest month. — jr. Bernard Gilpin, Halifax, JV. /S'. The Osprey and its Prey. We were sitting upon the piazza facing south, about 3 o'clock in the afternoon. The river runs past the house at about eighty yards distance. Suddenly I heard a wild scream of exultation. I thought it was an eagle, but, looking up, there over the river was a flock of crows who were attending a convention in a neighboring grove. Passing through this noisy flock I saw, rising heavily, a large bird weighed down by something which he bore in his talons. After rising above the crows, he passed directly over our heads, bearing away aci'oss the rice fields towards the dis- tant wood. Then I recognized, with a shout of satisfaction, a magnificent Osprey. bearing in his grasp a giant cat fish, the fisli appearing even longer than the bird, and it was a hard tug for even her power- ful wings. I could plainly see the feelers projecting from the cat's jaws, and recog- nized the shape of his head — while the plumage of the beautiful bird was glisten- ing plainly in the sunlight. It was a grand sight ! I think the Osprey was a female — it being too large, it seemed, for a male, for, as you well know, "the mare is the best horse," " the wife wears the breeches," in this case — the female being the more powerful and beautiful bird in the raptores generally. — Jiev. J. Bachman Ifafikell. White Hall, S. C. G.\ DWELL Duck in R. I. — A collector brought to us a fine Female Gadwell Duck which he shot at Newport, Sunday, Feb. 26. It is the first capture in this State as far as I am aware. — Fred. T. Jetirk.i. I'ror.. R. I. 124 ORNITHOLOGIST [V0I7-N0. 16 ORNITHOLOGIST OOLOGIST. A MONTHLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OP BIRDS, THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. JOS. M. WADE, EDITOR, With the co-operation of able Ornithological Writers and Collectora. Subscription— $1.00 per annum. Foreign subscrip- tion $1.2.5 — includinq postage. Specimen Copies Ten Cents. JOS. M. WADE, Norwich, Conn. EDITORIAL. Our Present TsTumber is dated May 15th and is an extra. During the year another will be sent out. The volume will then close with the year and prevent confusion. For want of room much newsy and valuable matter is left over each month. An enlarge- ment or a semi-monthly issue is very desir- able. Our thanks are tendered to those who have sent us additional subscribers. Publications. "Forest and Stream," Bird Notes. An index and summary of all the ornithologi- cal matter contained in " Forest and Stream," Vols. I to Xn. Compiled by H. B. Baily. Forest and Stream Publishing Co., N. Y., 1881. Price not given. The above is a very valuable work for students in ornithology who have access to a full file of Forest and Stream. The "siunma ry" is valuable of itself, but the title "Bird Notes" is misleading. The name of the author is a sufficient guarantee that the- work is well done. "Birds Nesting. A hand book of in- struction in gathering and preserving the Nests and Eggs of Birds for the purpose of study, by Ernest IngorsoU, Salem. Geo. A. Bates, 1882." Price conditional — from 90 cents to $1.25. We have read this work with much interest and some profit. Mr. Ingorsoll has written the book in a plain, straightforward manner that all can under- stand and appreciate. It is not by any means above criticism, but Mr. Ingorsoll has done so well that we have not the inch- nation to criticise, even if we had the room. Every collector should get a copj' for it is well worth the low price asked for it. Blue Yellow-backed ^Al^arble^. ITS SUMMER HOME. The long, pendulous tree moss, so- called, in which the Blue Yellow-backed Warbler builds its nest and breeds, is a lichen of the genus Usnea ( U. barbata, var. hirta) and ( U. triohodea). The filamen- tous thallus of the latter is coarser and longer than the former, specimens often measuring more than two feet in length. Both species are often found in the same nest, V. barbata, or the finer parts of U. trlchodea, being used for the nest proper. Of the nine species recognized by Nylander three are European and six are possessed by us. U. barbata. var. Flori- da is very common in our woods, but is hardly pendulous enough for the purposes of the Warbler in question. It may be readily distinguished by its numerous peltate apothecia, with radiate margins and whitish faces. The longer species mentioned above {var. hirta), is found on juniper or savins in exposed localities on our highest hills ; old scraggy trees, partly dead, furnish the greatest supply. I have found none on young trees. The filaments of this lichen are very fine and hair-Uke. The finest specimens of U. trichodea are found in our densest swamps on the white cedar {Ciqyresstis thijoides) and on other swamp trees. In appearance these lichens are related to our northern cedar swamjjs very much as the Spanish or black moss ( Tillandsia usetioides) is to the southern ; though the latter is not a lichen, belonging as it does to the pineapple family, it is nevertheless an epiphyte. Lichens are all hardy air plants and simply require a foothold, when they are able to thrive mider the most May 15, 1882.] AND OOLOGIST. 125 adverse conditions of temperature. In one of these swamps I was shown my first Blue Yellow-back's ne.st, by an en- thusiasti(' worker hereabouts, who had the kindness to guide me through the Swamp- tangled labyrinths for the space of an hour or more to my great profit and delight. The beautiful Calla palustres and the pitcher plant (S. purpurea) were in blossom under the shade of the trees, and the spagnurn under foot, several feet in thickness, was as soft as a bed of down. Botanically considered, the spot was a per- fect treasure house. I visited the place again during the Winter of 1880, when the ice assisted me greatly in getting about. — G. li. C, Norwich, Conn. Great Horned Owls' Nests and Eggs. W. "W. Coe, of Portland, Conn., secured still another set in his long series of Great Homed Owls, Feb. 27th, his earliest record being Feb. 22d. March 12th, I startled a Bubo from an old nest under which I had been twice in February and seen no sign. Fragments of shells and a wad of wet feathers were on the ground, and the nest held one Owl but a few hours fi-om the shell. There was no quarry or food in the nest and the parent, which flew swiftly out of range, was a bird of the small dark male tj-jje. Now, if the period of incubation of /?. vir- ginimius is as given by writers ("all guess work" says Dr. Wood), or if it ajoproaches in duration the long incubation of the JButeos, of which I have some data, then the egg which produced this chick must have been laid at an earlier date than any present record of the breeding of this species in Conn. — ./. M. IF., Xonrich, Ct. I have been serenaded all winter by the harmonious sub-bass of a pair of Great Horned Owls from Cedar Swamp, some three-fourths of a mile away, and as I list- ened I whispered to myself, " just you wait till next February and then see. " They waited till about the middle of Fel)- ruary, when the serenading suddenly ceased, and I listened for it in vain night after night. And right here let me ask the question of those acquainted with this bird's habits, if they do not cease " hoot- ing" for a time after they commence to breed"? I have observed this same omi- nous sOence through the latter part of February before. After listening in vain night after night till into March, I gave them up, remarking to a friend that my great expectations had turned to disap- pointment, when the suggestive question above was put to me, and sure enough one evening my ear was saluted again by the old serenade all the evening long, and the next morning it was continued until 8 o'clock. When night came again, the ser- enade again commenced, and I started ofif in the twOight to trace them out. Reach- ing the limit of my intended trip. I heard the Owl, apparently about a mile further on. I listened as it repeated its note and at each repetition it seemed nearer, till pi'esently it resounded from a grove quite near me and I heard a strange noise, a rapidly repeated ha-ha-ha-hey-e-e coming liaek, and my inference was that the male was treating his mate to a supiaer. It was only a little grove, but I well knew of an old Cooper's Hawk's nest built two years ago in it, and there, when I paid a visit by daylight, were the erect horns and a par- tial glimpse of the great eyes staring down at me. A smart rap on the tree started her off and I arranged for a climb. It was not a difficult tree — a maple forty- seven feet from the ground to the nest — and I soon had the much prized set in mj- hands — two pure white eggs very nearly round. Incubation had proceeded prob- ably about a week or ten days. I do not think the Owls had added any building materials to the nest, but the setting bird m\ist have nearly denuded her breast of feathers for lining, as the inside was well matted with them. This was on I\Iarch 13th. and incubation was unusuallv late 126 ORNITHOLOGIST [Vol. 7-No. 16 with them. Last season I found a set on the 1.5th, with young just ready to leave the shell, and once before on the 18th the same ; all these were in old Cooper's Hawks' nests. I never found them in a hollow tree, but I once found a set in a broad crotch of a large chestnut, where four branches converged from the same point ; but there was no nest, not even a leaf. — J. N. Clark, Old Saybrook, Conn. (Junius A. Brand, of this city, came to our office March 19th, and reported find- ing a Great Horned Owl's nest a few miles out, which contained two yoiuig, from one week to ten days old. The nest was in an immense pine, some fifty feet up. Mr. B. has harried this pair for three years in succession, but always too late, each season finding young in the nest. — Ed. ) Cost or Impobtino. — As many of our readers have made enquiries in regard to cost of importing natural history speci- mens, we give the following statement of actual cost : It appears that there is no duty on such specimens. This package contained the skin of one Eagle Owl (Bubo maximiis) and three sets of eggs, and came from Wilham Schliiter, Halle on Saale, Germany. Freight and charges to New York, $2.47 ; custom house fees, $1.00: cartage, .7.5; insurance, .15; Stor- age, .4.5 ; custom house brokerage. $.3.00 ; total $7.82, or $2.47 for carrying the package from Germany to New York, and $5. .35 for getting the package from the ship to the express office in New York. So much for the beautiful workings of our custom house system. American Long-eared Owl. — Average measurement of thirty-seven specimens of the eggs of Asia amerioanus {Sharpe), all I can get at present average 1.59x1.30 inches. The three largest eggs measure respectively 1.68x1.31. 1.60x1.38, 1.63 X 1.34, the two smallest 1.52x1.32 and 1.57 Xl.25 inches — see page 81, Vol. VI. — Chas. E. Bendire, U. S. A. Death of William B. Dickinson. This j'oung and enthusiastic natiu'alist contracted a fever while collecting speci- mens in the ^-ilds of Florida which termi- nated fatally at Palatka, Dee. 19, 1881. Young Mr. Dickinson gave early indication of a taste for natural science, and found in his father not only an able instructor, but that encouragement which an enthusi- ast in liis profession can give, so that at the early age of twenty-three years, the time of his death, he ranked among the first artists in his line of profession. Be- ing of a genial disposition and a good marksman, he had naturally won many friends who will hear of his death with re- gret. His relatives and friends, who were anxiously awaiting the Spring to welcome him home, feel their loss keenly, as he was highly esteemed in his native place and had won the respect of all who knew him. Humming Birds in Confinement. One of the most wonderful of nature's beautiful works is the "hummer," its breast covered with irredisent plumage, its wings of gauze, hovering hither and thither over the bright blossoms, in search of sweets hidden in the depths of each corolla. When the cup is drained, with a quick dart he is away to other fields. I had often wished to coiupanionize them, and was so favored this past Spring April 14th. AMiile my son and myself were out collecting, he found a nest of the Allen hummer, (tSelasphorus alleni,) the young just about to fiy. I carried them home and fed them with sugar. After three or four days taught them to thrust their long wiry bills into a small glass vase filled with white sugar syrup, which they ate with a rapid thrusting of their long thread-like white tongues, similar to the lappings of a cat drinking milk. They very soon learned to go to their cage and feed themselves Thev were allowed to flv May 15, 1882.] AND OOLOGIST. 127 about the rooms through the day, as screens at the doors and windows kept them from escaping, although they did not attempt to get out or fly against the wmdows as wild birds usually do. I soon taught them to come at my call and feed from my lips, or rest on my breast while at my painting, and that recalls an amusing incident that happened to one of my pets. Being '• ferociously" hixngry he made a dash at a mass of chrome-yellow on my pallette which stuck to his bill, and as I was hurrying to finish my day's work I did not notice the mishap until his plain- tive peep, and fluttering before my face, called my attention. Upon relieving the poor little " Omoline Ortesi" of his super- abundance of chrome-yellow, he uttered bis thanks and made a hurried dart after a fly. I have often seen both making quick, short turns and not stopping until one or the other had made a captive of a house fly. They would perch themselves upon the rounds of my chair, chirping with a squeaky, unmusical note, as if to let me know of their presence. 'N^Tien their food was gone they would poise themselves in the air close to my mouth, thrust their bills between my lips, then fly to their cup, then back to my mouth, and repeat it until I answered their demands. J. G. Cooper remarked, while watching their flight through the rooms, that he had never known of the hummers having been taught to gather honey from flowers only by the parent bird, and I de- cided to make the experiment, gathering some scarlet geraniums and verbenas, pla- cing them in a vase on the table, holding up my briish, I called my pets to me. I placed them in front of the flowers. They did not take any notice of them. I then put a drop of syi-up in the centre of each blossom, putting the bills on the drops of sugar, which they sipped from every flower, hovering in the air as we see them out of doors ; they did not need a second lesson nor (lid they ever forget their instruction. When fresh flowers were brought in, there was a gleaning without delay. I no- ticed the scarlet blossoms received atten- tion first, and they would perch upon my arm and hover about me with evidently pure delight, when I wore a scarlet jacket, showing a preference for bright colors. I had my pets two weeks when I noticed one of them on a rug where the sun shone, fluttering its wings as if wishing for a bath. I gave it a dish of water. Its foot was so small and the dish so slippery, that it could not stand. On placing a bit of moss in the dish and putting the wee one on it, it began to flutter its wings, sending the wa- ter in tiny showers, calling its mate to join in the glee. After washing they perched themselves on the centre cross-bar of the window, in the sunshine, dressing their feathers, stretching themselves over on their sides, acting as though quite well taught, all from bird intuition as they had not known a mother since leaving the nest. I found them very apt in learaing and fond of caresses, allowing me to stroke them, turning their heads to one side as if listen- ing to my words. My pets were three months and a half old when a friend came to visit me. As we sat chatting, the smaller and brighter of the two alighted on her hand, sitting for some five minutes, appealing as content as bird could be. I called it, and as it flew to my lips for sugar, finding none, hastened to its cage. As it was alighting, its com- panion who was at the cup, gave it a sharp peck on the head, which stunned the poor thing, felling it to the floor. I picked it up and placed it on its perch by the food. It would not eat and seemed dazed like, dying on the following day. The remaining one went uneasily from room to room, calling most pitifully for its mate, and after the second day it refused to eat and died. Indeed I cannot tell you how we missed our pets, for every day we had learned something new and strange in the habits and peculiarities of the hum- 128 ORNITHOLOGIST [Vol. 7-No. 16 mers. Their happy, chirpy notes, quick flights, sporting with each other, their morning bath and winsome ways, were as a golden ray of sunshine that brightened the every day cares of Hfe ; and here let me add the more one \nll encourage tliem- selves in gleaning a little here and gather- ing there, in a few months they would be astonished at the amount of information gained from Nature's never ceasing won- ders which lie all around us or near oiu' reach if we will but seek and gather. — 3Irs. C. 31. Crowell, Hayieards, Cal. Traill's Flycatcher. ITS NESTING HABITS IN OHIO. Traill's Flycatcher, (Empidonaxjnisillris trailU), arrives in Ohio the last of April or the first of May, passing northward along the margm of the streams. So far as I have observed, it seems to be more shy and restless than others of the genus. Its presence is made known by its short and pevish notes, uttered at intervals as it flits from bush to bush or across a stream. About the latter part of May they re- tire to their favorite breeding resorts, which are always in low grounds, and are especially fond of thick willows and alders along the banks of running streams. These localities seem to be characteristic of this species ; at least I have never found them elsewhere during the breeding season. In the vicinity of Columbus they are, appar- ently, a common Summer resident, breed- ing abundantly. The bird was not known to breed in Ohio until its nest was discov- ered by Dr. J. M. Wheaton, in June, 1874. in this vicinity. In 1879 I obtained four nests with eggs; in 1880, six nests with eggs; in 1881, between May 28 and June 17, I obtained eighteen nests containing eggs. The locality was in a thick growth of alders bordering a canal, three miles north of the city. None of these nests were placed higher than eight feet from the ground, and iu most eases from two to four. In nearlv all instances thev were built in an upright fork, the small twigs that suiTounded them were made available to secure them firmly in their place by being encii-cled with stringy fibres. Ten nests before me have a strong re- semblance to the usual structure of the Yellow Warbler, (Dendrceca cestiva,) but probably lack in compactness and neatness. The external or greater jjortion of the nest is composed of hempen fibres, internally lined in true Flycatcher stjde with fine grasses. In some, however, there is a slight lining of horse-hair, and of the downi from the milk-weed or thistles. A typical nest measures as follows : Height, two and a half inches ; diameter, three in- ches. The carity is an inch and a half in diameter, and two inches in dejith. In nearly all cases these nests contained but three eggs ; rarely four, and a great many in vai-ying stages of incubation. A nest was often found with one fresh egg and two others partly incubated, showing that the eggs were, in some cases, laid on alter- nate days, and sometimes as late as a week after the first was deposited, as is often the case with our Cuckoos. The ground color of these eggs is extremely variable. In some it is of a cream color, in others approaching buif. In four sets before me there is a striking variation in the distribu- tion of the markings. They are usually marked chiefly at the larger end with large blotches of red and reddish-brown. This, however, is only characteristic in one of these sets, while in the others the markings are simply very small dots, sparingly sprinkled over the surface, and iu some these dottings are scarcely visible, giving them the ai^pearance of an almost unspot- ted surface. Six eggs measiu'e respective- ly 72 X 5.5, 70 X 53, 70 x 52, 64 x 53. 69 x 52, 70 X 53. There is scarcely any perceptible difference between the eggs of Trailli and those of Ac/idiciis. The western eggs of Tra'dli probably have a darker ground, and the spots are more vivid, but I do not believe any one can tell them apart with certaintv. — Oliver Davie, Columbus, Ohio. OllNTTHOLOGlST — AND — ()()J.()GIST. $1.00 per Annum. Joseph M. Wade, Editor and Publisher. Established, March, 1H75. Single Copy, 10 Cents. VOL. VII. NORWICH, CONN., JUNE, 1882. NO. 17. Malheur Lake, Oregon. BY OAPT. CHASt. E. BENDIBE, U. S. A. Ajiril 14. 1S75, the writor witli a party of friends started from Camp Harney to Mal- heur Lake (both of whieh places are loca ted in Grant County, in the southeastern portion of Oregon), the lake about twenty five miles south of the post. The ostensi- ble objects of the trip were. (1st.) to hunt water fowl, thousands of which were to be found at that season of the year on the shores of the lake, which was a favorite resting place for them, a sort of half way house on their migrations to and from their breeding places in the northern regions ; and also to try the sailing qualities of a good-sized boat, which a joint stock com- pany of us had constructed during the j^re- vious Winter, and which was to be launched on the lake for the first time. The ice hav- ing only broken up a few days previously, and occasional patches of snow were still to be seen in places on the plain interven- ing between the lake and the post, so that the idea of possibly finding eggs so early in the season never once eiitered my head, and I made no preparations whatever for their care. However, early as it was I found that several species had commenced nesting already, among these the American White Pelican, {-Felecnnus erythrorhyn- I'/niK, (jrincL). whose eggs were still rave in most collections, and well prepared speei mens especial desiderata. We made our first camp on Sylvies River, a large triV)utarv of the lake, some sixteen miles from the post, and from which point it looker! simple cnono-h to get into the lake — till we tried it. A thick belt of heavy tules about a mile \vide intervened between the i^oint where the stream ceased to be navigable and the open waters of the lake, which we found to be nowhere more than a few feet deep. It took us till noon of the 10th to find a channel which finally al- lowed us to float, our }>o.it on the lake proper. We were well repaid, however, for all our labor Swan. Geese and Ducks were to l)e seen in all directions, and sev- eral low. narrow islands near the eastern end of the lake seemed to be literally, cov- ered with water fowl of various kinds. On landing on the nearest island I found it was occupied by quite a colony of the American White Pelican, the Great Blue Heron and the Double-crested Cormorant, besides various species of Ducks and a few C.inada Geese. There are five of these islands, separated from each other by nar- row channels. The two largest are each about six hundred yards long and not over a hundred yards wide at any place, gener- ally less : the central portion, forming a sort of a ridge, is covered with a heavy growth of a species of grease wood, extending in a strip from ten to fifteen feet wide the whole of their length. Close to the east- ern edge of this strip of grease wood, on a dry sandy slope which was well sheltered from the wind, I found my first Pelican's eggs, and not more than ten feet from them was quite a patch of snow. The nests, if tliey can be called such, consisted simply of rubbish scraped up by th<' birds in the inunediate vicinity, to keep the eggs from rolling about, the eggs themselves laying on the bai'e sand. About one-fourth of 130 ORNITHOLOGIST [Vol. 7-No. 17 the nests contained two eggs, the remain- der but a single one, the birds having evi- dently just begun to lay. Almost all the grease wood bushes on the island con- tained a nest of the Great Blue Heron, but very few of these had commenced to lay yet. I was determined to pay these islands several visits in the near future, looking at them as perfect oological bonan- zas from a collector's standpoint. I brought away but comparatively few eggs, but some of the members of the party having more faith in their gastronomic qualities than myself, loaded themselves down with as man}- as thej' could conveniently carry, hoping thereby to add an extra course con- sisting of a fine "omelet au naturel" to our prospective supper of broiled Teal Duck and Swan chowder. The said ome- let was dulj' and artistically prepared, but, alas ! it was not a success. As I did not taste the dish I cannot describe its partic- ular flavor, but I well remember the re- mark made to me by our chef de cuisine : " Captain, I don't hanker after any more Pelican egg om'let ; you can take all the rest of the eggs, they taste too fishy ; if I have to eat iish I prefer to take them straight." April 22d, I made another trip to Mal- heur Lake, and remained there till the 28th, exploring in the meantime all the islands and the southern shores of the lake thoroughly. On this and subsequent visits I could, with little trouble, have loaded a wagon with eggs, I found them so plenty, that literally every foot of ground down to the water's edge was covere.l with nests. Each of these contained generally two eggs, although three and four to a nest were by no means rare, and occasionally I found as many as five, all evidently laid by the same bird. Two eggs seems to be the usual number laid, however. These are dull, chalky white ru color, rough to the touch, caused by a calcareous deposit on them, and always more or less blood stained. In some specimens the white ground color was nearly hidden so they looked almost a chocolate brown. The shell of these eggs, thick as it is, ajid par- ticularly if the eggs have been washed, is very brittle, soft and easily broken. Their average size is about 3.45 X 2.30 in- ches. Measurements of a few selected specimens are as follows: 4.08 X 2.15, 4.04x2.20, 4.01x2.19, 3.99x2.20, 3.72 X 2.40. 3.86x2.55, 3.87x2.32, 3.62x2.40, .3.60x2.40, 3.57x2.35, 3.20x2.51, 3.17X 2.23, 3.20x2.21; two rant eggs, 2.69 X 1.88 and 2.46 X 1-73. As will be seen there is considerable variation, but it must also be remembered that these eggs were selected out of several thousand. The various dis- crepancies in the plumage of these birds at different periods of the year is now well understood. On being disturbed at their lireeding places they would quietly fly out a short distance into the lake and remain there imtil the intruders had left or hidden themselves. A protracted stay on the islands was anj'thing but pleasant, the whole place being alive with fleas, and the stench from decaying fish was almost un- bearable. The young, none of which seemed to be more than a week or so old, were perfectly naked, not a sign of a feather being visible, and they certainly could not be called attractive creatures. Eggs placed under a domestic hen hatched in twenty- nine dsiys, and the injured and disgusted look of that poor bird at the result of her lengthy and protracted setting haiiuts me still. Although awkward on the laud, these birds are by no means ungraceful on the water as well as on the wing, and they pre- sent a pretty sight coming and going in long single files from their breeding places. They are a sedate and silent bird, showing a great deal of tact and good sense com- bined with considerable activity on their fishing excursions. It has been my good fortune to observe them closely while so engaged. Some twelve miles to the south- west of the islands where they breed is their principal and favorite fishing ground. lum^ 1882.] AND OOLOGIST. 131 Here a number of large sprino's break out from tlie shore, tins being the only place on the whole lake, so far as I know, where the water is sweet and palatable, that in the lake projjer being always more or less brackish. Dense masses of tules grow up to the shore on each side of this spring, leaving a clear sheet of water run- ning directly into the lake about a hundred yards wide and some four feet deep. The bottom for some two hundred yards out is grivelly, and forms, I presume, the only suitable spawning ground for certain spe- cies of fish found in the waters of this lake. At the time I visited this lake a spe- cies of Catostomiis, a red-sided sucker, from twelve to eighteen inches long, was to be found here in countless numbers. My cami)ing at the head of this spring kept the l)irds away daring the day time, but shortly after sundown tliey commenced to come in. first by tens, then by fifties, so that in less than half an hour a perfect col- umn some one lumdred and fifty yards long and from four to six l)irds deep might be seen swimming about on the open water a h\indred yards or so below where my boat was tied up. Gradually they ventured nearer, and one immense old fellow, evi- dently their leader, swam several times cpiite close to the boat and then back again to the main body, which kept moving uneasily back and forth, apparently not satisfied with the looks of things near the shore. Finally several birds, bolder than the rest, detached themselves from the main body and moved up somewhat closer but still not quite up to the boat. The leader, far more courageous than the rest. swam nearly around it, and after fully sat- isfying himself with his inspection seemed to imjjly to the rest of the birds by his looks to " come along, everything is all right." [CONCLFDED NEXT MONTH.] Collector's Movements. — "We shall be pleased to place on record the movements of collectors when made known to us. Golden Eagle's Eggs. — While in camp at Fort Bridger, Wyoming Territory, in 1871, one of our party brought in from the mountain in his saddle bag an egg of the Golden Eagle. He found the nest on a ledge of rock on the side of a nioun- tain. It was composed of a mass of sticks, in the center of which was a young eaglet nearly neady to fly, and this egg which he brought to me showed no signs of being incubated, and I was only sorry the other egg had hatched out, for I wanted a full set. The old bird showed no alarm, but flew about over head just out of gvmshot however. The egg is globular in shape, being nearly as large one way a.s the other. Ground color of a dirty white, covered with blotclies of what I supp(ised was dirt, but on my rubbing it with soaj) and water and a brush, it refused to come off. Ming- led with these stains as it were, are shell spots of lilac and purple. So the egg is much d irker than any other eagle's egg I have seen. Shell smooth, but not polished. Size, 2.84x2.34. Collected June. 1871, at au elevation of over eight thousand feet, our camp being nearly that height, and the egg was taken at a much greater height. Other sets containing two eggs are in the collectioa of Geo. H. Ready, Santa Cruz, Cal., and J. G. Cooper, of Hay wards, Cal. Also, Capt. Chas. E. Bendire, Fort Walla Walla, W. T., and Edwin Dickinson, Springfield, Mass. Mr. Cooper also has an egg of the Cali- fornia Vultiu'e in his collection, which is the only one I know off, tliough he may have added others since I heard from him. — S»i>irtf(tii JLxrland, J^^cirpart. R. I. ^ llosE-BRE.^STED Grosbeak. — As far as my experience goes, this bird lays three eggs- I have occasionally found them with four, and last spring found one with five eggs. Is not this unusual f — (We never found but three eggs until last sju-ing, when we received a set of five from Jerome Trom- bley, Petersburg, Mich. This was the first record of five known to us. — En.) 132 ORNITHOLOGIST [Vol. 7-No. 17 ORNITHOLOGIST —AND— OOLOGIST. A MONTIILT MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OF BIRDS, THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. JOH. M. WADE, EDITOR, With the co-operation of ahle Ornithological Writers and CoUectors. Subscription — $].Oti per anjiuvi. Foreign ftubucrip' tion $1.25 — inchviinq pofitage. Specimen Copies Ten Cents. JOS. M. WADE, Norwich., Conn. EDITORIAL. " Birds of New Brunswick. Away clown eastiu the Province of N. B., wi^li its head centre at Saint John, is prob- ably the HveUest natiuMl history society on this continent at the present time. There are earnest workers in every department, but ornitholoo^ is especially favored by an able set of men who seem devoted to the science in its familial' form. The leader of this band, Montague Chamberlain, seems cut ont by nature as a teacher. AVliile realiz- ing the full value of science, he also knows that bird life, pure and simjsle, as depicted by Wilson and Audubon, is what wins over to science the young and would be or nithologists. The back pages of this mag- azine bear evidence of the industry and careful observation made by the members of this society which has just issued its first volume of transaction, entitled Bttlle- tin of the Natxral Tlhtorij Society of JVeir Urunswick. It is a valuable document of 72 pages devoted to the doings of the so- ciety and natural history generally, but what interests us most is the list of 2()9 birds (by M. Chamberlain) found in that Province. This is not offered as a perfect list, but as an " installment," and bears ev- idence on its face that the day is not far distant when the Birds of New Brunswick will be thoroughly catalogued. "Whether this BHlletln will be offered for sale or not we do not know — but it should be in the hands of every progressive ornithologist. Birds of Central New York. ADDENDUM TO REVISED LIST. " The Eevised List of the Birds of Cen- tral New York," as it appeared from the press in April, 1879, was a work based on the field observations of H. G. Fowler, Frank S. Wright and Samuel F. Rathbun, of Auburn, N. Y., and collated for the jjrese by Frank R. Rathbun. A continuation of the work, since the publication of the list, has resulted in adding fourteen species to the record from this section, beside many notes of interest. This makes the number of perfectly authenticated species 250. which have come under the actual obser- vation of Messre. Fowler, Wright and S. F. Rathbun, three of the authors of the " Eevised List." The nomenclature as contained in the "Bidletin of the IT. S. National Museum," is observed in the addendum ; the style and numbering as in the Revised List. 237. Mocking Bird. — {Mimus polyqlot- iux.) (Linn.) Boie. A specimen of this bird, an adult male in full breeding i)lumage, was taken during the month of May, 1881, by John :M. Manro at Throopsville, N. Y., a few miles from Aubum. This bird, now in liis cabinet, was undoubtedly in its wild state, as it showed no traces of confine- ment. 238. Orange-ckowned Warbler. — {Ilel- minthophaga cehita.) (Say.) Baird. Rare. But one individual on record, an adult female, taken September 15th, 1880. by F. S. Wright from a migratory flock of small species, while collecting in a tamarack swamp in Wolcott. Wayne Co., N. Y. 230. Northern Waxwing. — {.Inipelis i/iirriilii.i.) (Vieill.) Ridgw. Not a rare migrant. An adult female taken at Owasco Lake. N. Y.. Sept. 15tli. 1879. and a second female taken in the same locahty October 5th. 1879. 243. Baird's S.\ndpiper. — (Act.odromas bdirdi.) (Cones.) Regular migrant. Sep- tember 17th, '78. Samuel F. Rathbun. October 5th. '79. Charles F. Wright. Lo- cality, Fair Haven. N. Y. Generally found as individuals in company with other Sand- pipers : never observed in flocks. 244. BrFF-BREASTED Sandpiper. — ( 7''V/«- gites riifescens.) (Vieill.) Caban. One specimen taken from a flock of Sandpipers on the shore of Lake Ontario, Wayne Co.. N. Y.. in August, 1880. by Samuel F. Rath- bun. \ vear later, durinsf the month of September, two more were taken by John M. Mauro in the same locality and iden- tified by Mr. Rathbim. 245. Red Phalarope. — {Phiilin-opus fu- /irm-inii.) (Linn.) Bp. Rare. September, 1880. Charles F. Wright, of Auburn. N. Y., captured a fine plumaged male on the shore of Lake Ontario, Wayne Co., N. Y., dm-ing a severe storm. The bird was swim- ming in the lake at the time : now in the cil)inet of F. S. Wright, and identified by Mr. Fred T. Jencks, of Providence, R. I. 246. Clapper Rail. — {R'la- iict.ta eel retina.) (Cass.) Baird. A common spring and autumn migrant : a few winter. Inadvertently omitted from " The Revised List. " 250. Laughing Gull. — Lams atririlla.) Linn. One specimen in immature plumage was taken on Caj-uga Lake. N. Y.. October, 1879, by Wni. A. Demont, and identified at Anl)nrn. 134 ORNITHOLOGIST [Vol. 7-No. 17 Notes from St. John, N. B. During the Winter of 1879, '80, the Ce- dar Bird {Atnpelis oedrorum) weathered the rigors of our climate as late as the middle of January. Durmg the same "Win- ter I also observed a Golden-winged Wood- pecker {Colaptes ai/1'atus) several mornings in succession feeding on the berries of the mountain ash. Large numbers of Robins, ( Tiirdits mi- gratoria), remained here during the whole Winter. The latter bird I have frequently observed here during the Winter, but never before or since have I seen or heard of the Cedar Bird remaining in the Prov- ince later than September, which is their usual time for migrating south. I give a few causes that may be attribu- ted to these birds remainingwith us through this jjarticular Winter, not that it was milder than usual, or more broken ; rather the reverse, for several days the mercury reached the cypher. The abundance of food the Cedar Birds found in the berries of the Mountain Ash was a great attraction for them, for on these they fed sumptous- ly ; in fact, gorging themselves to such an extent that they would apparently become stupid, and when in this state allow them- selves to be captured by means of a wire noose attached to a fishing rod. If the wire happened to touch them before you succeeded in placing it over their heads, it would not alarm them in the least. They would pick at it, turn their heads and ex- amine it, as though it were quite a curiosi- ty. When one was captured the balance of the flock would fly away in great alarm. I kept several of these birds in confine- ment that I had captured in this way ; they, however, proved themselves such very uninteresting pets that I afterwards gave them their liberty. The abundance of food they found in the berries must have been a great attrac- tion to them, for when the supply was ex- hausted, and they had entirely stripped the trees, they disappeared, and did not again put in an appearance until Jime, which is their usual time of arriving from the south. None of the specimens that I captured had the usual waxen appendages on the secondaries, and were mostly young birds which had probably bred farther north and were only then moving south as scarcity of foal and severity of weather compelled them ; but why does not this occur every year ? The berries upon which they fed have since been as abun- dant and no Cedar Birds have appeared at this late season. Their appearance may then be attributed to an erratic migration on the part of these birds. I was quite disajipointed on first discovering them to find they were not the Bohemian Wax- wing, (Ampelis garrula), for which bird I have kept a sharp lookout, but have not as yet succeeded in securing a single speci- men. The Golden-winged Woodpecker may have been a wounded bird and unable to perform its usual migration, although he appeared perfectly strong on the wing, and particularly wild. Several instances have been recorded of Woodcock having been shot in the month of December, but they have invariably proved to be wounded birds, which have been unable to migrate to their southern feeding grounds, and which by the succour of an open Sjjring have been enabled to eke out an existence till this late season of the year. — Harold Gilbert. The Swamp Sparrow Arrives here, (Saratoga Springs), about April 1st and dejiarts, if it does at all, about the first week of October. I have seen it here March 22d. 1879. and Feb. 27th, 1880. It is a pleasing songster, but less voluble than its friend and ally, M. melodia. It is not at all shy, and when on the nest can be approached quite close, when it will fly up with a startling whirr and an angry chirp, and after flying a short distance, will alight and run like a June, 1882.] AND OOLOGIST. 135 Sandpiper among' the l)oo^8. and >in.] ORNITHOLOGIST — AND — ()() LOCUST. •■?1.0n per Annnni. Joseph M. Wade, Editor and Publisher. Established, March, 1875. SiiiRle '^opy, 10 Cents. VOL. VII. NORWICH, CONN., JULY, 1882. NO. 18. Malheur Lake, Oregon. BY CAPT. CH.iS. E. BENDIEE. U. S. A. Diiriiif,' these maneuvers I was laying in some tall grass, on a little elevation close to the shore, and watching the birds with a strong night-glass. After a little further hesitation, the main Ijody came up, and for such a number of birds — there must have Ijeen at least five liundred of them, the}' kept smgularly (juiet, an occasional guttural grunt, resembling the word dooe, dooe, was all I could hear. Their distrust apparently quieted, they now commenced to divide themselves into parties of about thirty birds each, who acted in concert, forming a semi-circle, grailually closing in towards the sliore, anil driving large nniu bers of fish with them into the shallow water, and then they commenced their fish ing operations in earaest. Such a splash ing as took place is impossible to describe : it must be seen to form an idea of it. Each fish was grasped in the middle, thi-own up a foot or so in the air. caught in the descent, and swallowed head fore- most. I think that from three to four large fish were ont a day old. Cooper's Hawk occupied twenty-seven days in incubation. My experience woidd indicate that hawks occupy froni~ twenty- six to twenty-eight (hiys for incul)ation. — F. H. Cdrpi-nter. liihobatli, Mass. Notes from Shelter Island. — The Lit- tle Blue Herons must have been unusu ally numerous along our coast last Summer. A gunner brought one to me on Aug. 16th. and said he saw two. May they not have been stragglers from the same flock mentioned by Mr. J. N. Clark, in the September number of O. and O. ? My specimen corresjionds exactly with his description. k very prolific English sparrow inhab ited one of my bird boxes last Spring. Her first set was six eggs, the last one laid being rather light colored. I took these, and she immediately Ijegun and laid another set of six, the last &gg being very pale. I took these, and she laid one almost pure white egg and gave up the contest. May 23, 1881. I went to a well-known lireeding place after a few sets of Bank Swallow's eggs. As I neared the jdace in a small sailboat. I thought it very curious that I saw no swallows flying about the blufl's as they usually do : but on landing and beginning to dig, I soon saw the reason. The previous two weeks of con- tinual rainy weather had totally extermina ted the entire colonj". Most of the burrows contained from three to eight. and from one burrow I removed ten dead swallows and two eggs, one of which is a trifle larger than usual, while the other is smaller than a Ruby-thioated Humming Bird's.— ir. W. W<,rthii,,,t,,„. TuKKKY Buzzard. — Olivei- G. Brown, of North Stonington, Conn., shot a Turkey Buzzard. April 20th. that measured six feet from tip to tip of its wings. It was shot on the ground while feeding on the dead body of a hen. There were no other Buzzards about. It was mounted l)y A. M. Taft, of Westerly, R. I., and is now in the possession of George D. Brown, of Stonington. Conn. Golden-winged 'Wakbler. — We have just handled a beautiful Golden-winged War bier {IL'hiihitluipltafiu c/in/sojyffrii). shot this morning at Higganum, Conn,, by Mr. Harry W. Flint oi Deep River. This is one of the rarer Warblers. We have seen but five here (Portland), during the last eight years. May 19, 1875. vihen watch- ing some other Warblers in a small p)iece of woods, one of this species, with out- spread wings, suddenly dropped beside our feet. It was very much excited and must have been chased by a Hawk. — J. II. Sar,^. I'ln-tland, Cland States. The male has a pretty little song, in which it indulges cjuite freely during its Spring so- journ with us. If well cared for they thrive in confinement, and the wiiter has kn'•!■ L. Willard, Chicago, III. Eagles in Ohio. In Central Ohio Eagles appear to be more numerous in mild Winters. This is probably due (as is usually the case in other localities), to the severity of the weather farther north, where the ponds and rivers are closed with ice and the woodlands are covered with snow, placing food beyond their reach. The following is taken from my memorandum and given in rotation just as the dead birds were received from various counties of the State : 1878 — '79 —Mild. Dec. 2, Bald Eagle from Dela- ware County: Dec. 4, Bald Eagle from Marion Co. : Dec. 18, Bald Eagle from Union Co. ; .Jan. 4. Bald Eagle from Lick- ing Co. ; Jan. 12. Bald Eagle from Union Co. ; Feb. 9, Golden Eagle from Franklin Co. : Feb. 20, Bald Eagle from Union Co. 1879 — '80 — Severe in January and February. Dec. 10, Bald Eagle from Franklin County : Dec. 13, Bald Eagle from Union Co. : Jan. 2, Bald Eagle from Franklin Co. 1880— '81— Severe. Oct. 4. Bald Eagle from Hocking County; Dec. 12. Bald Eagle from Delaware Co. : Jan. 23, Bald Eagle from Madison Co. 1881— '82— Mild. Dec. 12, Bald Eagle from Fairfield County ; Dee. 13, Golden Eagle from Franklin Co. : Dec. Ifi. Bald Eagle from Montgomery Co. ; Dec. 20, Bald Eagle from Morrow Co. ; Jan. 9, Bald Eagle from FrankUn Co. ; Jan. 12, Bald Eagle from Union Co. : Jan. 22, Bald Eagle from Morrow Co. ; Jan. 24, Bald Eagle from Franklin Co. : Feb. 23, Bald Eagle from Franklin Co. The last speci- men of Golden Eagle {Aqtiila chrysactKs) was killed a few miles west of Columbus. It was said to have killed several young calves in the neighborhood, which the bird was seen feasting upon. A number of the Bald Eagles in the above list were young birds, lacking the white head and tad, and for the most part were Idlled with rifles, a few with shot guns, and two by the use of sti-ychnine upon a dead carcass. — Oliver Davie, Columbus, Ohio. [Mr. Davie writes that he hae omitted three from the aljnve list, taken during the Winters of 1878— '79. They will probably be given in a future lipt.— Ed.] ^ The Great-horned Owl in Texas. This Owl is very abundant in Maverick county, and the nest easily found. They are built in the open forks of the mes- quite, at a lieight of from eight to twelve feet from the ground, and are constructed of large dead sticks, with generally no lining, except the sticks are somewhat smaller and finer on the inside, though sometimes there is qitite an extensive lining of fur, feathers and litter, made by the birds skinning their prey in the nest. The nests average two feet in diameter by about eighteen inches high, and are very slightly hollowed. They nearly always build a new nest, though sometimes repair the nest of the previous year, and occa- sionally they use the nest of some other species. One set of two was taken March 9th, from the nest of a Caracara Buzzard, from which a set of three eggs was taken last year. An entire new nest was found built directly on top of the old nest. The upper one contained a set of two, fresh, and the lower one an addled egg, prol)ably of last year, but in a good state of ])resprvation. Out of about twenty Illl\- I SS2.] AND ( )( »L( XIIST. 14.". nests examined, fom- had three eggs eueh. This year they began nesting two weeks earher than last, the first nest being found Feb. 11th, with one egg. The local ity generally chosen is a low mesquite, on high ground, from which the Owl when on the nest can see in every direc- tion for some distance. They are very alert while setting, and will fly from the nest before one gets within fifty yards, though in some cases they sat closer. The mate was always to be found close by. in nearly every case, in the nearest tree. Most of the sets of fresh eggs are foiuid in the last week of February. Deserted nests of the Great-horned Owl are often occupied by Hawks, instead of the Owls using the old Hawks' nests, as in the North. — Eihjiir A. Small, Ilaf/erstinni. Jfif. p. S. — My collector reports a set of four freph eggs, found March 9th. This nest was built of sticks, as usual, and lined with litter. It was in a mesquite, twelve feet high. The bird sat very close, did not leave the nes*t until my friend was nearly under it. Black-backed Woodpecker. I notice in the O. and O. for March, page 101. a note to the efiect that there are but two instances known of the Black- backed Woodjiecker (P. orctifux) being taken in ^Michigan. It maybe of interest. therefore, for me to state that I jjrocured a male specimen of this species on the south branch of the Pine River, Mich., in 187!) : the exact date of capture I do not remem- ber, as the specimen has been disposed of in my exchanges to Mr. George AVoolsey of New Haven, Conn., but it was some- where between the 17th and 22d of No- vember. I have every reason to believe that this bii'd is not a rare Winter resident of the "pineries" of that State. With us this Woodpecker is r ire. I have, however, taken several specimens in different parts of the State and know of its being taken in the immediate ricinity of Bangor. On June 16, 1881, 1 met with a pair- on Alliga- tor Stream. Hancock County, which, judg- insf from their actions, had a nest near bv : but, as we were lost in the woods at the time, our camp was the only nesting place I had any desire of finding. — .Y ./. Eihly. litiii