■v^ f^^: ^%m ^^^ % m Tk :-^0 ^^^ ,jf^ \ s "' #^ '^^.«SF- J--* V ^ iF'^m^fuA, Jx^j^ a^ * ■'^' *'., _ \} la >^J^ W^^: :.^ ^X ^.ii^sj^yife.... ^^tA... ^^ '^ili^ivnx^ ESTABLISHED 1875. I THE ORNITHOLOGIST AND OOLOGIST. \()L. XI\'.. 1SS9. BIRDS: THEIR NESTS AND EGGS, P.OSTOX, MASS.: FKA^Hv B. WEB8TEE. 188!-). ORNITHOLOGIST AND OOLOGIST. INDEX TO VOL. XIV., 1889. Acanthis linaria, 113 Accidents to birds, 72 Accipiter ai.ricapillus, 99, 163 " atricapillus striatuhis, 7 " cooperi, " velox, Actitis iiiacularia, Agelaiiis plioeniceus, " tricolor, .fEfiialitis vocifera, Aix sponsa. Albatross, Wandering, eggs of Albino :\Iessenger, Alpataochee. a day in American Museum of natural history, bulletin of American Ornithologists T^nion, new check list of 62, 78 Ammodranius australis. 60 " savannarum passerinus, 20, 113, 122, 150 , 18 99, 103 , 17, 99, 103 1 ",99 20, 101, r 148 148 •,99 97 ■•sof 78 172 103 170 Ampelis cedrorum, 20, 114 " garrulus, 114 Anas boschas. 97 " carolinensis, 97 " discors, 97 " obscura. 97 " penelope. 97 Anthus pcnusylvanicus, 129 Antrostomus carolinensis, 116, 158 " vociferus. 19, 100 Aphelocoma floridana. 134 " woodhousei. 147 Aquila chrysaetos, 8 18 99 164 Archibuteo ferrugineus, 8, 164 " lagopus sancti-johan nis , 8 99, 164 Ardea candidissima, 98 " caerulea, 17 " herodias. r •,98 " egretta. 28,98 " virescens, 1 7,98 Arsenical soap. 47 Asio accipitrinus. 66, 164 " wilsonlanus. 06 99, 104 Audubon monument. 47 " Ornithological club, 96 Auk, great 77 Aythya aftinis , 98 "" americana. 97 '• marila neartica. 98 Bachman, John, biography 63 Bartamia longicauda. 98, 150 Bergtold's birds of Buffalo 64 Bird law legislation. 2f ,31 " life. 56 " migration blanks, 29 " Rock 124 Birds for millinery. 159 Bittern, American 17 98, 120 Bittern, Least 143 Blackbird, a white 71 " Brewer's 148 " Red-winged -'0, 101, 148 " Rusty 77, 113, 148 " tricolored 148 " Yellow-headed 101, 148 Bluebird, 130 " remarkable runt egg of 175 Bobolink, 101, 150 " AVestern 148 Bobwhite, 17, 93, 99, 124, 163 " how many eggs can it cover , 51 Bonasa umbellus. 17 99, 163 Botaurus lentiginosus. 17 98, 120 Bowler, E. S., death of 46 Branta canadensis, 98 Brooklyn, L. I., winter birds in vicinity of 106 Bubo virginianus 18 99 Ifrl " virginianus arcticus 67 " virginianus subarcticus 67, 164 Bunting, Black-throated, in Worcester Co., Mass., 174 " Indigo 111 150 Buteo borealis. 18 99 164 " borealis calurus, 7 164 " borealis krideri, 164 " harlani. 7 1G4 " latissimus. 18 ,99 164 " liueatus, 99 164 " swainsoni, 7 164 20, 28, 57, 20, 28, 57. 22, 130, 17 17.99, Buzzard Island, a trip to " Turkey Cahoon, John C. California Ornithological club. Cape Cod, addition to shore birds of Cardinal, Cardinalis cardinalis, Carjjodacus cassini, " frontalis, " purpureiis. Catbird, Cathartes atrata, " aura, Centrocercus urophasianus, Ceophlceus pileatus, 19 Certhia familiaris americana, 22, Ceryle alcyon, 18, 67, 100, Charitonetta albeola, Chat, Yellow-breasted 21, Cha-tura pelasgiea 19, Chelidon erythrogaster, Chester County, Fa , birds of 97, 113, 129, 158, Chickadee, 22, " Carolina Chordeiles virginianus, 19, " virginianus henryi, Chuck-will's-widow, a series of eggs of " at Raleigh, N.C.. Circus hudsonius, 7, 17, 99, Cistothorus i)atustris, 39, Climbs, difficult Clivicola riparia, 20. Coccothrostes vespertina, Coccvzus americanus. 18, 67, 100, 151, " erythropthalmus, 18, 100, Colaptes'auratus, 19, 100, " auratus hybridus, " caler, 100, Cold, destruction of birds by Colinus virginianus, "l7, 99, Collecting experience with (ireat Horned Owls, etc., Colorailo Biological Association, " birds of 6, Columba fasciata, Columbigallina passerina palles- cens, Colymbus auritus, '' holbcellii, " nigricoUis californicus, Compsothlypis americana, 21, Contopus borealis, 19. 100, " pertinax, " richardsonii. " virens, 19, Ccmurus carolinensis, 67, Cooke's bird migration, Coot, American Cormorant, Florida, nesting of Cornwall, Yermont, notes on a few nests collected at Corvus americanus, " corax sinuatus " cryptoleucus, " o.ssifragus, Cowbird. " a list of birds in whose nests their eggs have been found. Crane, Crowned, anatomical structure of " Little Brown Creeper, Brown Crossbi.l, American 20, 113, " American, nesting of " Mexican " Fine, in Illinois " Red •' White-winged, 113, " White-winged, nesting of Crow, 20, 101, " eight eggs of, in one nest, " Fish Crows, Cuckoo, Albino " Black-billed 18, " Black-billed, eggs of 96, " Yellow-billed, 18, 67, 100, 150, 20, 101, 19, 63, 101, 21. 11.5, 85, 21, 115, 21, 11.5, 116, 21, 101, 18, j-6rz Curious nesting places, " " traits Cyanocephalus cyanocephalus, Cyanticitta cristata, 1!', 101, " stelleri macrolopha, Cypseloides niger Dalila acuta. Dark side of collecting, Davie, Oliver, nests and eggs, 15, Dendragapus obscurus, Dendroica sestiva, 21, " blackburnia", 21, " caerulea, " cajrulescens, " castanfa, " chrysoparia, " coronata, " discolor, " dominica, " maculosa, " palmarum, " Jteiinsylvanica, " pinus," " striata, " vigorsii, " virens, Dickcissel, Dolichonyx oryzivorus, '• oryzivorus albinucha. Dove, Mexican Ground, eggs of " Mourning 6, 17, 99, " White-winged, Downs, Andrew, birds of Xova Scotia, Dream, a Drive into the country, Dryobates pubescens, 18, " pubescens fumidus " pubescens gairdnerii, " villosus, " villosus auduboni, " villosus harrisii. Duck, American (iolden-eye, " American Scaup, " Black " Buffle-head Canvasback " Labrador " Lesser Scaup " Mallard " Fintail " Readhead " Ruddv " Woo(f " "Wood, raising Dutcher's bird notes fro)u Little (iuU Island, X.Y., Eagle, " Bald 18, 65, 78, 99, " Bald, a series of Florida eggs of " Golden 8, 18, 29, 78, 99, " Golden, in Montana " (iolden, terrier carried oft" by Easter Hawk's Eggs, Ectopistes migratorius. Eggs, a hunt in the rain, " easy way of blowing " retentio'n of " spherical Egret, American " American, in Maine Elanoides forttcatus Elanus leucurus, Empidonax acadicus, " difflcilis, " flaviventris, " liammondi, " minimus, " obscurus, " pusillus, Erisraatura rubida. Exchanging eggs, Falco coiumbarius, " mexicanus, " peregrinus anatum, " richardsoni, " sparverius. Falcon, Frairie Fall migratitfs larolinensis, 22, 130, 173 (!allin:igf 176 Kildeer, 14,17,28,72,99 " remarkable flight of 44 Killed hv an engine, .57 Kingbird, 10, 100, 146 " Arkansas 146 " Cassiii's 14<> Kingfisher, lielted 18, 67, 100, 165 Kinglet, golden-crowned 22, 130 " (iolden-crowned, nesting of 93, 95,111 " Ruby-crowned 130 " Ruby-crowned, nesting of 93 Kite, Miss"issipi>i 163 " Swallow-tailed 22, 29, 163 " Swallow-tailed, at Say- brook, Conn., " 123 " Swallow-tailed, nesting of in Texas, 83 " White-tailed, nesting of 90 Lac-qui-parle Co., Minn., a col- lecting trip to 1.51, 167 Ltmgspur, Chestnut-collared. nesting of 185 Lagojius rupestris, .39 Lanius horealis, 26, 115 " ludovicianus excubitorides, 150 Leucosticte, (irav-crowned 149 " Hei)burn's" 149 " tephrocotis, 29, 149 " tephrotis littoralis, 149 Loon, 97 Loon, the 79 Lophodytes cucullatiis, 9 7 Loxia curvirostra minor, 20, 11.3, 149 " curvirostra stricrklandi 149 " leucoptera, 113, 149 Magi)ie, American 147 Mar.-h Wren, Long-billed, curi- ous set of eggs of 92 Martin. Purple 20, 114. 127 Massachusetts, commissioner of fish and game, 123 " flsh and game laws, 78 " Ornithologists' League of no " Ploughman 79 " protection of birds in 124 Mavnard's contributions to science 63, 1.59, 160 " nests and eggs 14 Meadow Lark 20, 101 " Lark, Western 143, 148 Megascops asio ]S. 66, 09, 164 " asio maxwellia>, 60 Melaneri)es carolinus, lo, 145 Melaneri)es ervthrocephalus, 10, 100, 145 " torquatus, 145 Meleagris gallopavo, 17, 16.'! .Meldjielia leucoptera, 7 Mclo.-.piza lasciata, 113 " georgiana, 113 " lincolni, 113 Merganser, American 97 '• americanus, 97 " Hooded 97 " Red-breasted 97 " serrator 97 Merlin, Richardson's a5, 104 Merula migratoria, 23, 1.30, 172, 174 Merriam's report, 112 Micropus melauoleucus, 145 Mimus polvgiottus, 22, 129 Mniotilta varia, 21, 115 .M.ickiiigliird, 22, 126, 129, 144 Moldtlirus ater, 101, 148 Mviarcl.us cinerascens, 14<> "" crinitus, 10. loo, i:;5 Mystery solved, 144 Nebraska birds, notes on 163 Nest, a queer 116 Nests that perislied in the storm, 109 New sub-siiecies, 80 New York Acadeniy of Sciences, tran.-actions of 79, 176 Night Hawk. 10. KM), 127 Hawk, Western, 145 North Carolina birds, local names of 108 Nutcracker, Clarke's 147 Nuthatch, Brown-headed, i)refer- ence of for a nesting site near water, 1.56 " Red-breasted 22, 1.30, 1.50, 160 " White-brea^ted 22, i:iO Nvctala acadica, 66, 77, 1.55, 164 " nyctea, 67, 1(H), 1(;4 Nvcticorax nycticorax na-vitis, 98 Oid(;ame, * 160 Olor coltimbarius, ! 8 Ontario, report of entomological society of 112 Oologi^ts' exchange, 79 Ojiorornis forniosa, 104 Oriole, Baltimore 20, 101, 148 " Baltimore, curious ne^t of !.4 " liullock's 14S " Bullock's, curious nest of 144 " Orchard 20, 101, 148 Ornithological jiocm, 112 Osjirey, American 18, 06, 99, 164 Otocoris ali)e.'»tris arenicola, 147 alpestris leucoloenia, 147 " alpestris praticohi, HO, 87, 1.50 Oven bird, 21, 120 " nesting of 92 Overland journey — Texas to the Pacific," ■ 161 Owl, Acadian 29 " Acadian, capture of 77 " Acailian, nesting of 1.55 " American Long-eared .57, 66, 99, 1(4 " Barn 99, 164 " ISarred 18, 57, 98, 164 " Barred, nesting of .54.132 " Barred, unusual nund)ers of 13 " Burrowing 67, 164 " Flammulated Screech cii " Florida Burrowing, nesting of .33, 128, 160 " Great Gray 2.5, .57, CC '• (Jreat Horned 18, 29, .53, 57, 99, 164 " Great Hornetl, attacked by .54 " (Sreat Horned, cai)ture of ' 90 " Great Horned, eggs of 62 " Great Horned, nesting of .54 " Hawk 100 " Pygmy (;7 " Richardson's 30 " Rocky Mountain Screech 66 " Saw-whet GO, 164 " Screech 18, .30, 57, 60, 99. 164 " Short-eared 6(i, 164 " Snowy .57, 67, 100, 1(^, 176, 187 " Si)Otted 66 " Western Horned 67, 164 Pacific coast ornithologists, 46 Pandion halia'tus carolinensis, 18, 66, 99, 164 Parakeets, 51 Parcxjuet, Carroekt<>n Heights, 102 Petroclielidon hmifrnns. 114 Pets, my two 182 Pewee, " 10 " Wood 10, 100 " AVesteni Wood 14G Phalacrocorax diloiihus tloridanus, ir4 Phahvoiitilus nuttali. 145 I'lialarojie. Northern 100 Philohela minor. 17. 98. 150, IGt) Phoplie. 10, 100 '• Say's 14ti Picoidesamericanns dorsalis, 07 Pifreon, Hand-tailt d G " Passenger 00. 100, 103 Pica jiica Imdsonica, 147 Picicorvus columhianus, 147 I'inicola enucleator, 113, 149 Pintail, 47, 97 Pipilo erythropthalmns, 20, 114 I'ipir, Anierican 129 Piranf^a erythromelas, 20, 114 '• rubra "20 Plectroi)henax nivalis, 113 Podilymlius podiceps. 97, 138 Polioptila cserulea. 23, 130 PoociVtes jjramincus, 20,113 I'oor Will, 145 Porzana Carolina, 98, 140 " janiaicensis, 17 Pr lirie Hen, 1G3 " Lesser 103 Prisoner from prreediness, 109 Profine suliis, 20, 114 Protonotaria citrea, 115 Ptarmigan, Rock 39 Pumi)kin IJock and its summer residents, 90 (^lail, Hlue 30 (Juerquedula cyan<)i)tera, 77 h 25,0.3,111,114,124, •' Field 20. 113, " Fox " Gambel's " Gras.-hopper " (Jrasshopper, observations on, in Hale Co., Ala., " Lincoln's " Slate-colored " Song 113, " Southern Yellow-wingtd " Swamp " Tree " Tree, nesting of " Vesper "20, " White-crowned " White-throated 29, " White-throated, nesting ot " Yellow-winged 20, 113, Spatula clyi)eata, Speotyto c'unicularia hypogcea, 67, Si)hyrapicus thryoideu •■" varius, " varius nuchalis, Spinus pinus, " tristis, Spiza ainericana, .•^pizella monticola, pusilla, " socialis, Squirrel in trouble, Stelgidopteryx serripennis, Sterna fosteri, " hirumlo. Stomachs, contents of, in birds collected in Brevard Co., Florida, Storm, effect of on birds Strix pratincola, Sturnella magna, magna neglecta. Subscribers, views of Sula coryi, Surnia iilula caparoch, Swallow, Hank " Cliff " Cliff, iloiible set of eggs of " Rough-winged 20. " Tree " White-beilied, nest of Swan, Whistling Swift, iJlack Chimney " Wliite-tliroated Sylvaiiia canadensis, mitrata, •' pusilla, .•^yrniuin nebulosum. occiilentale. Tables turned, Tachycineta bicolor, Tanager, Scarlet " Summer Taylor's playtime of naturalists. Teal, Blue- winged Cinnamon, nesting of '• (ireen- winged Telmatodvtes palustris. Tern, Black 97,111, '• Captured by Quahaug, " Common " Forster's, at Cape Cod, Mass Thrasher, Bendire's, a series of eggs of " Brown 22, 1.30, Thrush, Bicknell's " European " Hermit " Olive-backed 130, " Wilson's 23, 130, " Wilson's. Spotted eggs of " Wood 23, 1.30, 19, 20, 20, 11.3, 20, 113, 20, 20, 99, 20, 19, 22 '2l! 18. 99, 20, 115 , G4 150 , 75 175 113 150 130 156 169 171 98 113 69 98 , 79 126 125 150 114 172 20 122 113 113 143 00 114 113 121 113 113 113 184 150 97 1G4 08 KM) 08 113 113 114 121 1.50 11» 70 114 28 97 139 :« 104 101 148 175 40 100 114 114 88 114 114 111 98 145 100 145 129 129 129 1G4 00 52 114 114 20 64 90 Taryothorus bewickii 22 " ludovicianus. 22,70 130 Titmouse, Tufted 22 130 Totanus tlavipes. 98 " nielanoleucus. 98 " solitarius, 98 Towhee, 20 114 Trochilus alexandri, 14G " colubris. 19, KK) " platycercus, 146 " rufus. 29, 146 Troglodytes aidon, 130 " hyemalis, 22, 130 Trumbull, Gurdon, names and portraits of birds, 14 Turdidw, the familv, in Orleans Co., N.Y. 173 Turdus alicia' bicknelli. 23 " aonala-sk* pallasi. 1.30, 173 " fuscescens. 23, i:30. 173 " mustelinus, '£i, 130. 173 " pilaris. 44 " ustulatus swainsoni 1.30, 173 Turkey, Wild 17, 103 Tyiiipanuchus americanus 163 ' " pallidicinctus. 103 Tyrannus tyraunus. 19, KX), 146 '• veracalis, 146 " vocilerans. 146 Ulula cinerea. 25 ,66 I'rinator imber, 97 Vireo, Blue-headed 115 •• tiavifrous. 20, 115 •• gilvus. 20, 115 *• Mountain Solitary 20 " noveboracensis. 21, 115 " olivaceus. 20, 115 " Red-eyed 20, 115 " solitarius. 115 " solitarius alticola. 2C , 37 " Warbling 20, 115 " White-eyed 21, 115 " Y'ellow-throated 20, 115, 128 Vulture, Black 17 •• Turkey , 1" , 99, 163 Wanderings, 11, 55, 75, 101, 13C kVarbler, Bay-breasted 115 Blackl.urnian, 21, 9.5, 116 Blackburnian at home, 34 Black-poll, 116 Black and White 21, 115 Black-throated Blue 21, 115 Black-tliroated Blue, nest- ing of 170 Black-throated U reen, 21, 29, 116 Blue-winged 21, 115, 124 Blue-winged, nesting of i;J8 Canadian 22, 129 Cai>e May 160 Cerulean 115 Cerulean, nesting of 117 Chestnut-sided 21, 115, 150 Connecticut, nesting of 49 (ioldeii-cheeked, a series of eggs of C8 Golden-winged 21, 115 Hooded 21,129 Kentucky 21, 02, 129 Kentucky, nesting of in Chester Co., Pa., Lawrence's Magnolia Mourniiif^ Mourning, Myrtle Na>hville Parula nesting of 104 44 115 129 4 115 115 21, 115 " Parula, curious set of eggs of ,88 " Pine 21. 116 " Pine, a series of eggs of l.'JO " Pine, nesting 157 " Prairie, 129 " Prairie, nesting of, in Fair- fax Co., Va. 85 " Prothonotary 115 " ProthonotarV, nesting of 37 '• Red-poll ' 129 " Tennessee 115 " White-throated at Say- brook. Conn. 119 " Wilson's 129 " Worm-eating 21, 115 " Y'ellow 21, 115 " Y'ellow-rumped 77 '• Yellow-throated 21, 116 Yellow-throated, nesting of 151 Water Thrush, 21, 129 Tllru^h, Louisiana 21, 129 " Thrush, Louisiana, nesting of. at Raleigh, N.C. 169 Waxwiiifi, Bohemian " Cedar 20, " Northern, in Illinois AVest American Scientist, What the birds tliink, Whip-poor-will, 19, Widgeon, Wilson, Alexander, a visit to a relative of Wolverine Naturalist, Woodcock, American 17, 98, " American, Albino " American, early nesting of " American, a series of eggs of Woodcock, American, nesting of, in North Carolina, 169 Woodpecker, Alpine Three-toed C7 Downy 19, 100 Gairdner's (J7 Hairy 18, 100 Harris' 67 Lewis' lis Pileated 19, 68 Red-bellied 19, 145 Red-headed 19, 100, 146 Smoky 58 Southern Hairy 19 Woodpeckers, notes on 56 Wren, Bewick's 22 Wren, Carolina 22, 76, 130 " House 130 " Long-billed Marsh, nest- ing of 39, 130 " Winter 22, 130 XanthocephaUis xanthocephalus, 101.148 Yellow-legs, 94, 98 " (Greater 98 Yellow-throat, Maryland 21, 129, 150 Zcnaidura hkk loura, 6, 17,99, 163 Zoiiotrichia albicollis, 113 " gambeli, 172 " leucophrys, 113 o ORNITHOLOGIST — AND- OOLOGIST. $1.00 per Annum. PUBLISHED BY FRANK B. WEBSTER. Established, March, 1875. Single Copy 10 cents. Vol. XIV. BOSTON, MASS., JANUARY, 1889. No. I. A Trip to Seven-Mile Beach, New Jersey. The birds are being rapidly driven from the chain of island beaches which extend along the Atlantic coast of lower New Jersey. These islands have one by one been converted into pleasure grounds for the summer visitor, and all the beauties of wildest Nature, here so prodi- gally bestowed, have been completely obliter- ated to make way for the demands of a latter day civilization. Noble cedars, red-berried holly, grand pines, most of which have endured the gales of a century, are forced to give way before the woodman's relentless axe. The towering sand hills are lowered and used to lill in the marsh and meadow lands on the south side of the beaclies, and what was once consid- ered matchless ground for collecting is now the site of permanent and summer cities. To the one island which has resisted the ad- vance of society, and which with the excep- tion of a new settlement on the northern end, is still in a i^rimitive state of wild disorder, I made two visits this past season to become familiar with the habits and manners of the birds, and make some needed additions in series of eggs for my cjUection. The American Osprey {Pandion IiKllaeiuH cur- (dinenHtx) was the noblest of the birds. Of these species there was probably breeding at the time of my first visit about fifty pairs. Their nests are the most conspicuous of all objects, some of them having evidently been tenanted for many years, and with their annual addi- tions of material are enormous, and the con- tents difficult of access. The nest trees are generally dead, though not invariably, and I am satisfied that the ordure and garbage which the birds drop all over and around the trees have nothing whatever to do with killing them. One pair of birds who were robbed on my first visit, and nest torn down, immedi- ately went to building on a neighboring tree which had been dead for years. Besides this, the place abounds in dead trees, and being either l^ine or cedar become well seasoned with saline matter and salt air, so that the dead trees are as strong as the living ones, and I think tlie Os- prey selects them in preference to the others. A fisherman who lives on this place assured me that one particular living tree from which I took a handsome clutch of three eggs on May 2:^, had been occupied by the same pair of birds for at least ten years to his certain knowl- edge, and the tree is as green and prosperous now as ever. Old birds build higher in the trees than young ones, and often select larger and more difficult trees to climb. The largest nests, I reasoned, belong to the older birds, who have added to their fagot homes for years, and such nests in- variably contained sets of three heavily marked eggs. The small and new nests were always occupied by a youthful pair, and were built either on low trees or on some portion of up- rooted trunks, of which there are a great many. When I saw one of these low, small nests, I thought to myself, here is a lightly marked set of two, and such proved to be the case always. " Lookout nest," the most magnificent eyrie of the entire colony was built on the top of a mammoth pine exactly ninety feet from the ground, on a piece of higher land than the surrounding meadows and beach, and I was well repaid for a bruising and tiresome climb by a peerless set of four fresh eggs of the brightest red hue, as well as the commanding view of ocean and woodland for miles around. Nests so situated are rare, and the oologist will find most nests easy to reach, though sets of four sometimes come high, and of a large and striking series of eggs taken this was the only set of that number. An inexperienced set of Ospreys had built their nest upon an overturned tree upon a por- tion of the meadow land very difficult of ac- Copyright, 18S9, by Frank B. Webster. OKNITHOLOGIST [Yol. 14-Xo. 1 cess by reason of the creeks which encircled the little plat on all sides. I knew full well the nest contained a lightly marked set, because of its lowly nature and undersize, aiid so after having undressed and crossed the water I was not surprised to find a set of two, one of which is pure white unmarked, in shape oblong oval ; the other richly marked about the greater end with umber, the Tuajor portion of this specimen being also unmarked, and well rounded in shape. These birds will not always lay a second clutch after having been robbed of the first. This was a point to which I paid especial at- tention, making note and sketches of trees con- taining nests robbed in May, and on being re- visited late in June it was determined that just thirteen per cent, of the birds had laid second sets, and they were in every case the younger birds. Some of the eggs of the second layings were wonderfully colored. One set of undersized eggs were almost devoid of any marking, presenting a washed out appear- ance. Another set contained one egg in which lilac was the predominating color. An egg in another set bears a close resemblance to an ex- ample of Ked-tailed Hawk (Buteo horealis) be- ing well rounded and white, the ground color sparingly splashed with reddish-brown blot- ches. The majority of the previously robbed nests had, at the time of my second visit, been filled up with rubbish, dung, sods, etc., so that the top of the nests were heaped up just as they would be in the Fall before leaving for the south, thus conclusively proving that they did not intend raising a brood for this season. I shall not soon forget my first introduction to the heronry on this island. It was on the first bright day we had after three days of heavy northeast storm, and the fourth day of my visit, that I started out from the miserable hut in which I had found shelter for the night, with my men, to explore a portion of the tract hitherto neglected by us. Immediately in the lee of the sand-hill is a stagnant pool of dank,bad -smelling water, may- be one half mile long by from one hundred to five hundred feet in width. From out this lake grows a tall, nodding green plant, and on its bank the holly and cedar grow in all their na- tive luxuriance ; the former trees are used ex- clusively by the Green Heron (Butorideft vi- rescens) for their nests. Everything was covered with moisture and the early morning sun shining over the sand-hill tops reflected a mil- lion gems from every moss-decked tree. Taken V ith other surroundings I came to believe a heronry not such a dismal, filthy place after all. Probably two liundred and fifty pairs of this species were breeding on this groun< r.rejyitans). A furious northeast storm prevailed for eight days in the latter part of May, causing unprecedented high tides, and flooding the beach and mead- ows alike as they had not been before in the .spring for years. This caused great destruc- tion to the ground breeders and my man and I picked up scores of broken egg shells of the Kails which had been washed to high water mark. Three eggs of the Piping Plover were shown me by a fisherman which had been thrown up high on the beach and cracked. These plovers are very abundant and I spent an entire morn- ing on my second visit in trying to mark down a nest. It was only after lying fiat on the burning- sandy beach tor a quarter of an hour that I noticed one alight, and after a series of short runs finally settle down on its nest and con- tents. This was the only nest I foimd. The Clapper Rails build in the high grass along the creeks on south side of the island. The surrounding meadows are so frequently overflowed that progression and search for tl.eir nests is extremely laborious on account of the yielding nature of the black muddy soil. The grass is always somewhat twisted about di- rectly over their nests and this is how the na- tives find their eggs, which are highly esteemed as an article of diet. It is surprising to one who, after having tramped over the salt meadows all day without having seen a single Rail, will go after sundown to some outlying secluded spot to hear their clapping all over the marshes on every side. The Seaside Sparrow {Ammodramus mariti- miis) and Sharp-tailed Sparrow (A. caudac.utt(ti) both breed abundantly all over the place in suit- able spots, and I saw a series of twenty-three sets of the former and seven of the latter which had been taken on contiguous meadow. I failed to find a set of the latter, but of the for- mer took some fresh clutches on May 24, of four and five eggs. These birds are so easily flushed that when the collector is yet fifty yards distant they will rise and fiy quietly away, and the young man who took the large series above referred to told me that the only way he could find their nest was to wear a pair of ruliber boots and creep stealthily and noiselessly along the beach paths, thus surpris- ing the birds on the nest and readily finding the eggs. The nests of a Seaside Finch are well and strongly made of the salt marsh grass and reeds and are placed on the ground above reach of high water. In every dead tree in which there is an open- ing or cavity, one may safely expect to find the nest of the White-bellied iiwaWo^ {TocJtycineta Mcolor). On my visit I examined a great many nests and five eggs seem to be the comple- ment. These beautiful little swallows are so playful and confiding that one hates to demol- ish the tree in which they have their homes and rob the nest. Upon hitting the base of the tree in which they are supposed to have nests, the female, if at home, will thrust her head just out the ajierture above and calmly look around, then drop back in the nest. I caught one of them in my hand, so tame are they, or rather slow to leave their eggs. The Barn Swallow (Chelidonerythrogaster) and Cliff Swal- low {Petrochelidonlunifrons) are sole tenants of the one dilapidated barn and some cattle and boat sheds of which the island boasts. The Kingbird {Tyrannus carolinends) is dis- tributed about one pair to every furlong of wooded land and their nests are beautiful, being almost wholly made of usnea moss, placed on the lower limbs of trees near the trunk (gen- erally some of the evergreens), thus being es- sentially different from their mode of placing them in orchards at home. I took several fresh sets of these eggs as well as the nests June W. The Parula Warbler (Compsothlypis amer- icana) builds and breeds there in great numbers, I am sure, as they are encountered on every side in that part of the island where the moss covers the trees and limbs, but the mosquitoes are a dreadful drawback in securing their eggs, their ORNITHOLOGIST [Yol. 14-N(). 1 nests being found, so far as I am aware, only by watchino- the birds. The Wood Pewee {Contoptts virenx), dented Flycatcher {Myiarr.1iu.0 pairs of these birds flying about overhead directly over a large pile of shells which had in some unaccountable way been made just above the shingle of the beach. On closer examination I found a number of sets of eggs all around the base of the pile, in no case more than two eggs in a set, and frequently one, well set on. No two sets are alike in primary color and they make a beautiful se- ries. To be taken fresh they should be col- lected about June 10. The Laughing (4ull (Larus atriciUd) builds its nest on the meadows where it is difficult for man to venture, generally depositing three eggs, and although I did not take my sets my- self I had a dozen sets sent to me by a man I had employed to look them up after my de- parture. Tlie Common Tern {Sterna hhnmdo) is abundant and nests side by side with the Least Terns. The Roseate Tern {S. dongalU) formerly lived here in numbers but have been driven away by the persistent persecution of gunners. This island is a very rich one in bird life now, but its future history is easily predicted, and be- fore many years its rich collecting ground will be the scene of recreation and revelry, and its avian fauna transferred to other shores. n. A. B. A Visit to a Relative of Alexander Wilson. About a mile from the little village of South Lyon, Oakland County, Michigan, in a fine farming country, stands the residence of James Duncan, the cmly surviving son of Alexander Duncan, who was a nephew of Alexander Wil- son, the great ornithologist, and who is often spoken of in his biography. AYe found Mr. Duncan at home, who gave us a hearty wel- come. He is tall and slim in stature, with long curly hair that hangs upon his shoulders, and a keen piercing eye, like that of his noted an- cestor. He has a large farm of eight hundred acres of good farming land, beside a beautiful body of water known as Silver Lake, which abounds in fish, and on its bank he keeps a tent fitted up with a stove, cooking utensils, fishing tackle, etc., for the accommodation of his friends, who come to visit him. He is a fine cook, and if some of my ornithological friends could be at his camp and eat some of the fish that he cooks himself, they would need no other proof. His father and mother are buried on a little spot of ground, laid out for that pur- pose on the farm, and, having no wife or chil- dren, he hires all of his domestic help, for like Wilson, he is a bachelor. He does not seem to be overly interested in birds, but he is a noted hunter, and keeps a bountiful supply of guns and dogs, and makes liis annual tour to the northern woods of Michigan in pursuit of deer, which is his favorite game. Believing that a great majority of the orni- thologists and oologists of America are not aware of the existence of a relative of the great Alexander Wilson, and feeling that it might be interesting, I was prompted to write , this little sketch. Javies B. Piirdy. Nesting of the Mourning W^arbler. About the year 1877, in the early days of June, as I was nest-hunting in a piece of swampy woods near the railway track, about a mile south of this town, and while I was cau- tiously moving through a clump of low. second growth underwood, chiefly composed of swamp maple, my attention was arrested by a series of sharp chipping bird notes, and, gazing in the direction from whence the sounds came, I saw that the author was a small bird, whose plumage I then took to be of a uniform dusty brown hue. A little more re- search discovered that the cause of her solici- tude was a partly composed nest, placed on the horizontal branch of a small cedar, a little over a foot off the ground. Her notes of displeasure soon brought her mate on the scene, and he, fiitting among the newly acquired foliage of the shrubbery, added his notes \\\ sympathy with hers, but from the glimpses that I then got of both birds, I did not discover any varia- tion in their plumage. Jan. 1889.] AWD OOLOGIST. I soon withdrew, leaving them to settle their little business, but intending to return in the course of a week or so, which I did, and on my approach, saw the bird seated on her nest, from which she Hushed, and I found that it con- tained four eggs. These, with the nest, I re- moved, but on my way homeward threw the latter away, not knowing the prize I had in hand. These eggs have since remained in my collection, and, until lately, were labelled " Dusty Warbler." l!ef erring to some notes, which I soon afterwards made, I find the following regarding this species: Its color is a dusty brown hue, with an olive tinge. Its common notes are a simple "chip," pecul- iar, too, and varying but little in the warblers. Its habitat is the outskirts of soft-wood timber lands, where there is low, thick underwood, in some thicket of which, sometimes on the branch of a small cedar or other evergreen, the nest is placed. This complicated structure is formed of dry stalks, fine strips of bark, and other woody matter, lined with fine hair. Tlie eggs (four to the set) are white, with a sprinkling of reddish spots towards the large end. Years passed away, and I saw no more of this species, or its nest; but during the season of 1887 some more links were added to the chain of my knowledge regarding it, and finally to its identity. On the ;^lst of May, of that year, I noticed coming out from among the willows, and other soft underwood, that grew on some low land adjoining my farm, the peculiar song notes of some small bird, which I did not remember to have previously heard. Desirous of becoming more acquainted with the little stranger, I approached in order tt) have a nearer interview. But the active little fellow, suspicious of my intentions, rapidly flitted from bush to bush, keeping liimself well concealed among the leaves, near the tops of the underwoods, all the while, however, emitting his " Whit-a-dee, whit-a^dee, whit-a- dee" song. At length I got a good view of his plumage, and especially noticed his browm coat, yellow vest, and black throat. I hunted in the vicinity for some time, but failed to discover any others of the species, or any appearance of a nest, except an old one that had been occupied the previous year, and may have belonged to this species. Some days afterwards I again searched the vicinity where my new found friend was still warbling his ditty, but failed to discover any nest, and as other work was pressing, I soon abandoned nest-seeking for the season, but almost daily, when near that vicinity, I heard the little song- ster until the hay-making was in jjrogress. On the 4th of October, of the same season, when on my way to the Falls of Niagara, I called on Mr. Thomas Mcllwraith, in the city of Hamilton, and among other specimens of mounted warblers in that gentleman's splendid collection, I noticed one which he informed me was the Mourning Warbler {Geothly pin Phil- adelphia). Afterwards referring to my notes, and reading the description of this species in his work, The Blrdi< of Ontario, I became cer- tain that the strange bird noted in the early summer was the Mourning Warbler, and that the nest above noted belonged to that species, and this conclusion has been confirmed by my observation of this species during the past sea- son. Now, viewing the set of eggs in my collec- tion, I note that the gi-ound color is a clearer white, and that the dotting over the surface and the coloration towards the larger end is more of a brownish hue than the coloring of the eggs of the more familiar Black and White Warbler {Mnlotllta carta), but in size and form there is scarcely any difference. Early in May, of the past year, some pairs of this species made their appearance in some low places on " Wildwood," and for some days their pleasing songs, intermingled with those of the Water Thrushes and other warblers, en- livened the vicinity, but as June advanced their shifting about from place to place showed that they had not settled dow^l to nesting, and towards the middle of the month they disappeared altogether. jniUam L. Kella. Listowel, Ontario. Occurrence of the Evening Grosbeak, Pine Crossbill, and Northern Waxwing in Illinois. Among the birds whose habits are shifting and uncertain in any locality are, most notable, the Evening Grosbeak(7/e.s/>m7J/(OHa veapertina), Pine Crossbill {Loxla ciirvirostra americana), and Northern Waxwing {Ampelift (jarruli(s), and while there are other stragglers from the north which are driven down by severe weather, their occurrence is more or less regular. For many years past the Crossbills have visited this locality in greater or less numbers each year. In 1886 they were excessively common, being first noted in mid-winter, about the middle of .January. They remained in large numbers as 6 OE:^^ITHOLOGTST [Vol. 14-^o. 1 late as the first of April, after which date no more were seen until August, when small numbers were observed flying overhead and well identified by their manner of flying and peculiar sharp note, something like that of a young chicken in fright. Early in the spring of 1887 a single speci- men in the flesh was handed me by a friend, who found it dead. This specimen (a male in very poor plumage) proved to be the only record for 1887. This winter there will doubt- less be an abundance of them as I have already seen a number of small flocks of from eight to a dozen. Out of a large series which I have collected or examined, all the specimens from this state are much brighter, especially the red phase, than those received from the east. I wish also to record the occurrence in this state and the northern Missouri of the Even- ing Grosbeak. This species has been reported from neighboring States, Iowa, Missouri, and Kentucky in the winter of 1887, and it is there- fore not surprising that it should have oc- curred here. I found them in some numbers at that time in the eastern suburbs of this city and just across the river in Missouri where several small flocks remained for some time. Specimens of this species in the flesh were brought me from other neighboring localities, and most of them proved to be females. The Northern Waxwing has not been person- ally known to occvir here, but a friend of mine, a German taxidermist of many years' experi- ence, in the year 1870, shot and mounted several dozens of them. Large flocks re- mained during the winter in the bottoms and fed on a small red berry which grows abun- dantly in all the lower lands and below the city. 0th o ('. Poliiu/. Quincy, 111. The Retention of Eggs. The reason that the bird whose nest is invaded by the Cowbird goes to brooding as soon as ever the Cowbird' s egg is laid is because the Cow- bird's egg being large fills up the nest and makes the laying bird feel that she has her usual com- plement. As to what becomes of the rest of the eggs in the ovary, they turn black, and slough off, and if anybody in dissecting an old hen finds some rough uneven substances floating around loose in the abdominal cavity he may set them down as blasted embryo eggs that had all or part of the yolk formed and there stopped. Any egg that has once entered the oviduct and has the shell partly formed will be laid some- time. It is laid as a soft-shelled egg. and the hen eats it. Hens do not want food for three days, gener- ally, after they begin to set. This doing without food helps to dry up the egg supply on hand, and to keep others from forming. As to the bird that only raises one brood, being deprived of her eggs and then laying again, it is in- stinct, pure instinct, she is built that way and cannot help it. She has a feeling that her race of birds will soon be extinct if she does not exert herself, so she eats some hot berries or peppery worms (this, too, by instinct) and goes to laying again in a week or ten days. As to Walter Hoxie's old hen in the tub with the hard egg in her for a week, I would like to ask him how he knows that was the same hard egg that she laid when she escaped from her owner's coop? She most probal)ly laid the hard egg that the little Irish boy felt and ate and matuied another after that, the food supply being cut oft', the other lacking nutriment, would slough off and go to waste. And I, too, think it often happens that one egg is laid after the Cowbird' s egg is deposited. If it was already in the oviduct it is sure to be either as a hard-shelled egg when it is hatched with the rest, or a soft-shell, when it is thrown out of the nest or eaten. These are my thoughts. Mahala B. Chaddnck. Vermont, Fulton fo., II). A List of the Birds of Colorado. [All Rights Rescrveil.] 101. Colihiihii /((.sridta (Say.). Band-tailed pigeon. A rare summer visitant in extreme western portion of the state. Most abundant in the southwestern part, in districts covered with a growth of scrub-oak, feeding princi- pally upon acorns, which are swallowed whole. The nest is placed upon the ground, or in the oak bushes in high altitudes, but lower down where reptiles are abundant, it breeds from 12 to 80 feet from the ground. One egg is most commonly found, but two are sometimes de- posited. They are pure glossy white, averaging 1.0:5 by 1.09. According to Drew it breeds from 5,000 up to 8,000 feet. I find no record of E. migratorius occurring in the state. 102. Zenuidura marrnura (Linn.). ^louming Dove. Very abundant summer visitant. Breeds everywhere, upon the ground or in bushes and trees. Eggs, two, sometimes three. Jan. 18S9.] a:n^d oologist. 7 10;}. Melopelia leucoptera (Linn.). Wliite- winfjed Dove. Sninmer visitant; not common. There is no record of its nest and e<;pHH .sdnrfi-jofninui.s (Gmel.). Reported by Drew and Antlumy as a winter visitant, and by Brenninger as a resi- dent. This is no doubt a mistake, and further notes from Brenninger would be acceptable. However, it might be found as a resident in mountainous districts. It is supposed to breed north of the United States. I have seen it in late summer in Wyoming, but this is no evi- dence of its breeding. Nest of sticks, twigs, etc., in high trees or on ledges of almost in- accessible cliffs. Eggs, three, of dull white to creamy, sometimes plain, but when marked are blotched with several shades of brown, with now and then nearly obsolete spots or blotches of purplish. 114. Archihuteo ferrucjineufi (Licht.). Ferru- gineus Rough-leg. Reported by Brenninger as " i-esident" ; common. Habits somewhat simi- lar to the preceding, but moie a bird of the plains, preferring the ledges of the deep "wash-outs" to the high cliffs of the moun- tains. Nesting similar, but the eggs pass through even more variation of coloring than the preceding. Eggs, three, sometimes four, and seldom two. 11.0. Aqu'ila chrysaetos (Linn.). Golden Eagle. Resident. It seems to be rare in some portions, but from the number of quotations and my own experience, I .should judge it tol- erably common, as it surely is on the western slope of the mountains. I have taken four sets of its eggs in different localities in the I^a Plata mountains. This species may build its nests in trees in California, but not in the region of the Rocky Mountains. In Colorado it chooses ledges and niches of tlic rugged and perpendicular cliffs, and the taking of its eggs is a very dangerous undertaking, and in many cases nearly impossible. The same nest is used year after year. I know of one nest that has been used ten consecutive years. The old nest is added to, in such cases, until it often assumes enormous proportions, nearly filling tlie large niches in the lime-stone cliffs and towering high in air when placed on ledges. The eggs are no longer a rarity, a large num- ber of the eggs now in collections coming from California. Found on the plains in winter, though a few breed on the ledges of the largest "wash-outs" of the prairie in bot'i Colorado and Nebraska. Tlie nest spoken of above as having been occupied ten years is in Clear Creek Canyon, Wyoming, near F(')rt McKinney. The taking of two young from this nest nearly cost me my life in '84. I could not reach the nest from the bottom of the cliff, so took a detail of five soldiers mounted on good horses, with plenty of rope and a windlass. By making a detour of a few miles south of tlie canyon, I reached the top of the cliff', and spent the afternoon in shipping my windlass ready for use the follow- ing morning. Winding up my rope to the end, I built what a sailor calls a "bos'ns brig," that is, a triangular affair of boards, upon which I sat and lashedS a small bucket for the eggs; my gun I slung over my shoulder. At suiuise I sent one man round to the bottom of the cliff with my horse, and when he reached there I was ready to be lowered to the nest. I had rope enough to reach to the bottom, and instead of being drawn back to the top (as it would be impossible to make a land,) I cal- culated to be lowered to the bottom. I reached tlie nest safely and, instead of eggs, fovmd two very fierce-looking young, who re- sented my intrusion upon their domain in a very ugly manner. The old birds also caused me quite an amount of anxiety, as they came into by far too close quarters. I finally shot tlie female or rather winged her and, falling U* the ground below% made things very lively for my comijanion awaiting me there. I finally succeeded in dislodging the young and sent them to the ground and, giving the signal to "lower away," I was soon on my way Jan. 1889.] AiSD OOLOGIST. 9 to terra firma myself, which I reached in a very unceremonious manner. I hart not calcu- lated rightly upon the weij^ht of my rope and the result was that when I liad got witliin about thirty feet or more of the ground the rope broke of its own weight. Luckily for me the cliff was of sandstone and the rains and .snows of year.s had washed the sand off so that, instead of striking a rocky flat bottom, I found myself suddenly shot from the high sandy bank (upon wliicli I sat so hard) out nearly at right angles witli the cliff, and after performing many unheard of acrobatic per- formances, I finally dro^jped softly (?) into a pile of rocks, and knew — nothing. Clear Creek was not far away, and my friend soon brought me to ray senses, and I awoke to see my young eagles "lariated" out to stakes, while Jim, my companion, was busy rubbing my wrists and performing all the things known by him to bring a person stunned to their sen.ses. Every bt)ne in my body was sore, but none broken, and after several weeks I was once more on my feet. However, I lost the best of the collecting season that year, and I seldom climb a high tree or ledge that I do not think of two young eagles and a sand- stone cliff', in Clear Creek Canyon. (To 1)6 continued.) Charlex F. Morrif]d, 25tli, 27th, 20th, 31st, .June 3d, .oth. Total, 13. Hen Xo. .5, May l.")th, 17th, I'ltli, 21st, 24th, 2.'Jth, 27th, 2Vlth, 31st, .June 2d, 4th, 7th, Otli. Total, 13. Hen Xo. (i, May lOth, 18th, 20th, 22d, 24th, 2fith, 28th, 3;)th, June 1st, 3d, f)th. Total. 11. All the ahove eggs have pei-fect shells, while last year, out of nineteen eggs from tliree hens, I had two which had imperfect shells, and they had not the full thickness. I have learned among other things the proper food required for the formation of perfect shells. I do not, however, in the present article, intend to com- municate tht results of my experimental in- vestigations in the matter of feeding. It is knowledge which lias been the result of hard work, and, in simple justice to myself, I think I am riglit in reserving, at least for the pres- ent, the information for which I have toiled. ]V((t.s(>7i Bi.s/iop. [Two sets of eggs of this species are now before me. They were both laid, in captivity, by two of Mr. Bishop's birds, and may be thus described : Set I. Ijaid by hen Xo. 2, on May 3, 7, 12, 17, 19, 21, 23, and June 3, 1888. Eight eggs, ovate in .shape; ground color hazel, speckled and spotted with chestnut. On most of the eggs there are spots of a lighter tint than the ground color, as if a portion of tlie latter had been rubbed oil in these places: 1.74x1.24; l.(iSxl.22; 1.64x1.24; 1.74x1.25; 1.04x1.27; 1.73x1.2'); 1.7.">xl.23; 1.72x1.2.5. Set II. Laid by hen Xo. 4, on May 9, 12. 14, 16, 18, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, 31, .June 3, and 5. Thirteen eggs, ovate, but less pointed tlian SetXo. I. Ground color vinaceous-cinnamon, spotted with chestnut: l.()(ixl.24; l..">9xl.28; l.(ilxl.2'); 1.6)xl.21: 1.. 58x1. 2."); 1.60x1.25; 1.60x1.27; J.65xl.:^>2, 1.65x1.23; 1.60x1.27; 1.71x1.22; 1.69x1.25; 1.6ixl.l6. What makes tliis .set especially interesting is the fact that Bishop marked each egg in the order that they were laid, as he removed them; and egg Xo. 1 has the fewest markings on it, while the spots gradually increase in number and size on the others, so that egg Xo. 13 is the most heav- ily marked of all. Xow, this is directly in op- position to the geneially received theory that the first hxid eggs in a set have the heaviest markings, while the last are tlie lightest marked. But theories must yield to facts. Mr. Bishop is to be congratulated on his wonderful success in getting these birds tt) lay in captivity. His experiment would seem to lead to tlie conclusion that they could be easily domesticated. — J. P. N.] Wanderings. It was my good fortune, in the latter part of February last, to spend a few days in the sparsely populated section of Plymouth county, Mass., my object being a raid upon the nests of the Great Horned Owl. The trip proved unsuccessful, although a set of eggs was taken two weeks later by my camarade au pied, from one of the nests visited, but from obser- vations taken then, I was led to believe that tlie locality would prove fruitful later on, when the small birds made their appearance. Accordingly, about the first of June, in com- pany with my friend, Mr. E. A. Lewis, I vis- ited the place again, and spent about ten days in thoroughly exploring the locality. We made our headquarters with Mr. M. V. B. Douglass, at a farm-house, w^hich is situ- ated on the banks of Half-way Pond, the source of the Agawam River; and to his kind- ness and advice, as to the lay of the land, was due much of our success, although Mr. Lewis was quite well acquainted. This pond, fed principally by springs, is lo- cated nearly on the water-.shed between the Atlantic Ocean and the Vineyard Sound. The country about it, from its geological position, being tlie end of the glacial territory of Massa- chusetts, is much diversified by hills and val- leys, water courses, and small ponds, and sit- uated as it is, eleven miles from the railroad terminus at Plymouth Rock, is very little set- tled, and affords fine opportunity for the nest- ing places of such birds as tend to avoid the presence of man. In fact, the absence of the more common birds, like the Brown Thrushes, Blackbirds, etc., was particularly noticeable, and but one or two Robins were seen during the trip, their place being occupied by tlie rarer Warblers, the Hawks, and the Owls. The principal objects of search were the nests of the Blue yellow-back Warblers {Par- tda americana), which are rarely, if ever, taken within twenty-five miles of Boston, and it was here that my first nest of this bird was seen. It was in the morning of our first trip, as we were pushing our way througli the thick scrub on a hillside, at the foot of wliich fiowed tlie 12 ORNITHOLOGIST [Vol. 14-No. 1 liver; suddenly, one of tliese birds attracted my attention, and, as I stood watching- her motions, I saw what seemed to be an unusual looking clump of the long moss which hangs upon nearly every dead tree, and many of the live ones near by. Examination disclosed a nest about five feet above the ground, appar- ently hollowed out of the moss, with the en- trance on the side, and containing four fresh, beautifully marked eggs. The nest was de- void of lining, which was true of every nest found, with the exception of one, which bore a few horse hairs. We continued our course down the river, and while examining some promising look- ing clumps of bushes, I heard my friend's ''lohonjiee,'" and, approaching, found liim bend- ing over a curious specimen of "bird eccen- tricity." A pair of Chickadees {Pariis atrirapilbis) had taken, as a home, a hole in a decayed stump, which was not over 18 inches high, and in a cleft in the very top of the stump, about a foot deep, lay the nest, composed, as usual, of rabbits' hair, swamp moss, and feath- ers, with its full complement of six young. Neither of us had ever seen nor heard of such a nest, and I have not since been able to hear of a parallel case, and we felt fully repaid for our trip by this one "find." A little farther on we discovered the hole of a Kingfisher, in the bank of a pit used to "sand a bog," and the bugle notes of the male as he flew over our heads betokened that madam was at home. Procuring a long- handled shovel from the "boggers"' camp near by, we soon had the orifice sufficiently enlarged to see its occupants, and were dis- gusted to find that it contained seven gaping young, and the "old lady" was huddled away in the fartliest corner of the burrow. It would hardly be polite to quote what was said. Such is life. We next went to Fawn Pond, a beautiful sheet of water three-fourths of a mile in diam- eter, and while quencliing our thirst with its sparkling contents a shadow struck the water, and directly over our heads appeared a fine adult specimen of the Bald Eagle, with its pure white head and tail glistening in the svuilight, not fifty feet away. He was truly "monarch of all he surveyed, " for my gun was at the farm-house, five miles away. We then retraced our steps, arriving just in time to sit down to a dinner sucli as only our hostess can produce. The afternoon was spent in a tramp around Half-way Pond, finding no eggs of any partic- ular note. We saw some Parula and Pine- creeping Warblers, but failed to locate their nests. Upon a strip of high woodland between Half-way and Long ponds, the trees fairly teemed with Vireos, but it was too early for their eggs, as we found after climbing several trees. Long Pond, mentioned above, presents a rather peculiar state of affairs. It is over a mile long, and about one-half a mile wide, completely surrounded I)y land, without any visible outlet, except an artificial canal, or rather tunnel, built to flood a cranberry bog, connecting it with Hilf-way Pond, which is only about 900 feet distant, and whose waters are about 9 feet lower than those of I^ong P(md. The next day was of litth; moment, as little was done, my friend being called away upon business, and I did little but explore the woods near by. liut upon the following day we started in the morning to explore an island which is located in the middle of Half-way Pond. This island is thickly wooded, not having been cut off for many years, and pro- tected from the forest fires which have burned oft' so much of the surrounding country. Here, bird life i-eigned sujjreme. Parulas, Red- starts, Downy Woodpeckers, Vireos, etc., were in abundance, and we found the nest of a Coopers Hawk with two eggs, which were then left for a complete set. (We visited it again in three days, but no more eggs having been laid in the meantime, we appropriated them.) After spending three hours here, we started for White Island Pond, about 7 miles away. Here there were Parulas "galore," and we found several nests, one set seen being very peculiar in shape, which was almost pyri- form, like some of the sea-birds. A Barred Owl was started from his meal of fish here. While descending a steep bluff to the water's edge, and clinging with both hands and fee^, to keep from "going by the run," a small bird started from directly beneath my feet, and disappeared in the thick underbrush be- fore I could get a good look at her. Not dar- ing to move, I called Mr. Lewis to try and identify it, bvit no bird was in sight; however, we found the nest just under my uplifted foot, built under the arch of a root, and containing a set of eggs, referable to the Black and White Creeper. We went away for a short distance, and busied ourselves for a time, and upon returning found our suspicions con- Jan. 1889.] AXl) OOLOGIST. firmed, for Mrs. Creeper sat upon the nest. Tliis was tlie first time we had ever found one, and only a "crank"' can imaojine our feelinos. We readied home about dark, after a 25-mile tramp over sandy roads and through scrub oaks and underbrush. O! how good that sup- per tasted, after an enforced fast of over eleven hours. We propose to revisit this lo- cality next year, and expect to find new things of which our readers may expect to be informed. Fr<()ik A. Bates. Unusual Numbers of Goshawks and Barred Owls. The rxoshawk is considered a somewhat rare winter visitor for this section, and I had not seen one for over a dozen years until this fall, when our taxidermist called me in to see a "new species of hawk." This was about the first of November, and, in about two weeks' time, four more specimens in fine plumage were brought to the same place. I also shot one in Nelson county, Dakota, about the iOth of October. Four specimens of the Barred Owl have also been brought in. This is also an unusual number, as only one specimen has been received here in the last six years. Mr. Pierson, the taxidermist above mentioned, and myself being the only 'dermists in town, all work of this kind would come to our notice. We have just set up a splendid specimen of the " Snowy Owl "' — rather early in the season for these northern visitors. //. L. Sh- nihni. Janesville, Wis., Dec. 18, 1SS8. Editorial. The O. & O. is mailed each issue to every paid sub- scriber. If you fail to receive it, notify us. " Well, here we are again, witli ink on our pen hardly dry from closing Vol. XIII, we open Vol. XIV. As we glance back over our five years' connection with the O. & O., for the in- stant, it barely seems more than that between the two issues, but when we contemplate the changes, we are more fully impressed with the reality. Should any of the early subscribers who ceased their interest when the control fell to our lot, take a copy of to-day and scan its pages, what would most forcibly rivet their at- tention would be the absence of the familiar names of those who used to contribute, and the question would arise, where are they? A number have joined the ranks with the immortal Audubon, Wilson, and Nuttall. They were not widely known,but were dear to many of us. Each star, no matter how faintly It twinkles in far off space, Is a part of a great constellation, No other can All its place. Others have retired from the field, as the pressure of business has fastened its iron grip upon them, — for such we feel a pity. We be- lieve the time devoted to the study as a recre- ation would more than compensate. Others have outgrown the O. ct O., soared to a more ethereal atmosphere, and are wearing crowns of glory in the scientific strata. A few remain firm and their kind words are received with pleasure. But the sinews of war are found in the young, and the O. & O. looks for its principal support to those who are entering upon the field. The position thatitoccui)ies, which is second to none, and in which it will continue, is due to its representing their interests. Controlled by no special organizations, its columns open to all, it is more general than it would otherwise be. We have repeatedly called the attention of its readers to the desirability of increasing the regular svibscription list (the spasmodic circulation is luxuriant). We are continually called upon to furnish names of ornithologists of various sections, when systematic observa- tions are to be made, or there are important announcements; then it is that the regular list is of utmost importance. To-day there is no medium through which hardly more than a cor- pnraV H (juardof our working ornithologists can he regularly reached! Let our readers consider the matter and make an eft"ort to increase the circulation. We do not ask it from a selfish motive, but from a firm belief that a great ben- efit may be derived. Unhinge Those Gates. It is a pitiful sight to see men, who believe themselves to be in the full enjoyment of American liberties, crawl on their hands and knees under a gate to board a train on the Old Colony Railroad. We hope that the public will take steps to put an end to this nuis- ance. Volume XIV., O. & O., will be printed by Randall & I^angley, projjrietors of the Hyde Park (Mass.) Times. 14 ORNITHOLOGIST [Vol. 14-No. 1 Brief Notes. A set of two eggs of the Canada (ioose was taken about the last of April at Lexington, Mass. The geese were noticed flying every morning at break of day, reg- ularly, to a certain locality, which attracted attention. Upon investigation the goose was discovered on a nest, which was a hollow, at the foot of a large pine, about four feet from the water, and about live rods from an ice-house, on the land of Henry Sinionds. The finder placed the eggs under a hen, but they failed to hatch. The geese disappeared after the nest was disturbed. C. G. Soniers reports a "White Owl at North Wey- mouth, Mass., about December 15. " The Killdeers are fljing around yet, but not quite so plentiful as they were after the hard storm. You could see them most anywhere. I have not seen any before since I was a boy (about 35 years) ; then they used to be here all summer, and were found in pairs. They nested in the old mossy field."— U. S. YoiXG, Chatham, Mass., December 17, 18H8. A Killdeer Plover shot December 25, on Charles River, just out of Boston, by W. P. Coues. Harry Austen shot a Night Heron in young plumage ; also received a Florida (iallinule that some boys killed with stones, both at Halifax, N. S., about November 18. He also received from a friend in Kentville, an A]l)ino Woodcock. No use, Canada must be annexed. A $ Mallard was shot at Chatham. Mass., December 14, by Rufus F. Nickerson. A correspondent asks : " AVhere do the Gulls roost at night, that come uj) the Delaware River?" Captain N. E. Gould, whose notes are occasionally seen in the O. & O., it may be interesting to tmr readers to know, has charge of the Life .Saving station at Chatham. This we believe to be one of the most dan- gerous localities on the coast. After any severe storm we are sure to see accounts of vessels in distress, under Chatham locals. Capt. Tuttle, of Monomoy Island sta- tion, is in the same locality. We have kind remem- brances of his acts of courtesy extended to us during our visit to the island last seastm. Should any of our readers ever have the misfortune to be shipwrecked, our best wishes would be that they would fall into the hands of such men. We may be permitted to suggest that a Western pub- lisher of a "Petite Journal" appears a trifle fresh when he denounces other publishers because they run their own affairs. We notice that others, besides our correspondents, are not quite satisfied with Mr. Ballard's patronizing ])uffs. Recently, in the afternoon of one of our pleasant early December days, a garrulous Bluejay flew into a house through an open door, undoubtedly tempted to the un- heard of proceeding by the sight of a mounted Short- eared Owl on a stand in the centre of the ro(jm. The jay made a great outcry, quickly receiving answering screams from his mates outside. He flew at the owl, but was wary about getting too close. The apjiearance of a person in the room caused a hasty exit of the highly excited bird, or it would be hard to tell what the result would have been. Kalamazoo, Mich. We understand that Mr. George 6. Cantwell of Min- neapolis, Minn., is desirous of obtaining a list of all Minnesota ornithologists for the purpose of preparing a list of birds of that state. We recommend him to the tender mercies of our subscribers. What is it? At Washington, recently, John Hezelton found a partridge nearly eaten, which had been caught in a trap. He reset the trap and returning in a short tinie found a large bird of the hawk species caught by the toes. The bird was dilferent from anything he hail ever seen. It had red eyes and a plumage of various color,-, red, blue, green, etc., and is quite a curiosity of the feathered tribe.— [Manchester (N. H.) Uniccui)ying ten plates, carefully drawn on stone by the author and colored by hand. Mr. Maynard's well known experience in oology, extending over a period of thirty years, during which time he has not only collected largely, but in his former capacity as a dealer has had many thousands of specimens pass through his bauds, is a guarantee io\ the ac- curacy of the work. The work is advertised to appear in eight parts, one or two plates to accompany each part, three parts now being ready and the entire work to be completed by the first of May, 1889. Names and Portraits of Binls, by Gurdon Trumbull, a recent publication of IIari)er tt Brothers, is a work that is especially intended to benefit the local gunner and enable s])ortsmen from different sections to understandingly dis- cuss the merits of their favorite groxmds. Jan. 1839.] AND OOLOGIST. 15 That our game birds are endowed with a kalei- doscopic nomenclature, to an extent that in a visit to a new field one finds great dilficulty in obtaining intelligible information from the natives, is admitted, and it is high time that this was remedied. That no successful effort in this direction has been made by our leading sporting publications is by no means liattering to them as being of practical benefit to tlieir readers, and it is hoped that they may yet turn their attention to it. The work in question is a good step in the right direction. The author, to use his own words, has pre- sented "Those birds which particularly interest gunners, including, however, only those species whicli are found in the eastern half of the United States, and again only those birds wliicli bear aliases to a confusing degree." Be- ginning with the Goose, followed by the Ducks, Hails, Grouse, and ending with the Snipe and Bay birds, each individual is numbered, and scientific name given, then a brief practical description. Xext the common name (accepted) and as many locals as the writer has been able to obtain, and to crown all a fine illustration which we can endorse by again quoting from the author, "^ good picture is worth more for the purpose of identification than all the descrip- tions ever written.'''' In some instances we seem hardly better off than the aborigines. Under the head of Xo. 31, Erismatura ruMda, Ruddy Duck, Mr. Trum- bull finds it known as "Blue-bill, Broad-bill, Broad-bill Dipper, Hard-headed Broad-bill, Sleepy Broad-bill, Dij^per, Dopper, Dapper, Mud Dipper, Bumblebee Coot, Creek Coot, Coot, Spoon-bill, Spoon-billed Butter-ball, Butter- ball, Butter-duck, Butter-bowle, Batter-scoot, Blather-scoot, Blatherskite, Bladder-scoot, Sleepy-head, Sleepy-duck, Sleepy Coot, Sleepy Brother, Fool-duck, Deaf-duck, Shot-pouch, Bull-neck, Stub-and-twist, Daub-duck, Goose Widgeon, Widgeon Coot, Widgeon, Hard-head, Tough-head, Booby, Booby Coot, Salt water Teal. Brown Diving Teal, Stiff-tail, Quill-tail Coot, Pin-tail, Bristle-tail, Heavy-tailed Diu'k, Stick-tail, Spine-tail, Dip-tail Diver, Dun Diver, Ruddy Diver, Dun bird. Hick- ory-head, Greaser, Water-partridge, Steel- head, Rook, Paddy, Xoddy, Light-wood Knot, Paddy-whxck, Dinkey, Dickey, Leather-back, Dumpling-duck, and Hard-tack." With such a bewildering array, and each as much a matter of fact in its locality as the scientific name to the student, the value of this work of reference can be readily compre- hended. Mr. Oliver Davie's new edition of Nests and ^(/fff^ of North American Birds, will soon be ready, we have received the advance sheets for examination. Mr. Davie has adopted the A. O. U. nomenclature, and mucli has been added to the general description of nestings, localities, and measurements. We should judge that it will be about double the size of the previous edition, and shows a marked advance. In this edition Mr. Davie has received valuable assist- I ance from J. Parker Norris, Esq., Oological I editor of the O. & O., which insures great care in the details of its make-up. This is Mr. Davie's third revision and undoubtedly by the time this is exhausted there will be still further information to be incorporated. We suggest that when any fact is noted at variance with, or that has been overlooked, Mr. Davie's at- tention be called to it, which will aid him in his efforts to supply us with the very latest. We are in receipt of a copy of Eberhart's Key to the Families of Insects. This work fills a long vacant space in entomological bib- liography and deserves the support of every student of this science. It is especially adapts ed to the beginner, being both comprehensive and complete. Key to the Families of Insects, by Noble M. Eberhart, B. S., 8 pp., with plate. Popular Publishing Co., Chicago Lawn, 111. We have received the first number of W. H. Foote's (Pittsfield, Mass.) publication. It is a fifty-page semi-annual, devoted to ornithology and oology. In typographical appearance it is excellent. We wish Mr. Foote success in his undertaking, but regret that he should have selected a name that is of confusing re- semblance to the one that we have used for many years. Correspondence. Editor O. & O.: Have just returned from South Florida. If you have any friends tell them never to go there till after mosquito time. They are just a holy terror, and that about half expresses it. Found quite a bvuich of O. & Os. awaiting me at tlie Ijost-office. But I had a lovely time in the interior north of Okeechobee, and send you a specimen of Seminole ornithological lingo that may be in- teresting. I did not find the language very hard to learn, and can jabber it quite fluently. The grammai-, when you get the hang of it, is 16 ORNITHOLOGIST [Yol. 14-:No. 1 quite easy, and the numerals simply perfection, for one hundred is "Tillipalilin palilin tillipah- lin hurnkin," that is, nine tens, nine and one. I shall have lots of interesting material for your pages this winter if I can only get time to write up my notes. Very truly yours, Walter Iloxie. SKMINOLE NAMES OF 15IKDS. Opah', Barred Owl. Suck hah', Bed-. 'shouldered Ifitwk. C'ha ham is'kali, Toiohee. Tsan tso ka wa'. Bed-bellied Woodpecker: Talpa na'ni, Golden-ioin(jed Woodpecker. Tas ko'ka, Bed Cockaded Woodpecker. Fas ta no'ki, Bed-poll Warhler. Yo his'ka. Bluebird. Tash'ka, Bluejay. Quo a chay', Quail. Tap lako chee', Hou.-ie Wren. Han at' See lo', Meadow Lark. Chu lee go wa', Sjtarrow Hawk. Puz zi la nee', Parakeet. Kas 6 pa ko', Loygerhead SImke. Ossihawa', Common Crow. Wat a la', Whoopiwj Crane. Piune wa', Turkey. So lay', Black Vulture. Chu lee', Turkey Vulture. Fo tihow'. Black Duck. Fositka', White Heron. Fo sit ka chee', Snowy Heron. Tee chee'. Brown-headed Nuthatch. Huftkee Hadkt. Editor of O. & O.: I have intended wi-iting you for some time, but the evenings in camp are so noisy and we are all having such a boisterous time that one hardly knows which end he is standing on. I came direct to Portland, Oregon, and stopped there a week, then cametoFarmington and took mule teams to our camp on the west side of the mountains. We are on the east side now, in a secluded valley called Cougar Springs. Plenty of game here. We see Deer every day, Cougar, and Bear occasionally. We, Bob Cook and I, followed up an immense trail of a big buck we have seen around here, but we did not get liim, but will try again soon. Next month is the dandy month for shooting here. We saw four deer near camp yesterday. We changed camps last week; snowed all day, and we did not get up the last two tents until after 7 p.m., and then had to shovel out the snow. Immense forest here below timber line. I will send you notes soon and will write again. I would be greatly pleased if you would send me the last two or three months of the O. & O., I have not seen any since I was in Boston that day before I came out. I expect to make some great finds in the spring. Raptores in abundance out here, Oregon Juncos, Kinglets, (4rouse, Prairie Hens, Cranes, Eagles, Warblers, big Woodpeck- ers, Pileated and some I don' t know. At tlie lake three miles from us Ducks, (leese. Pelicans breed. I must close, as Tom is tuning up his banjo. We have had cold weather here and snow besides. With best \vishes, I am, yours sincerely, F. W. A. A Dream. He sat in his study smokinp;, And scratched his old bald head ; On pet themes fondly thinkinfi, While the rest were all in bed. The clock it ticked (iiiite loudly, And the lifiht it p;rew niore dim, His mind it wandered lidHourbon and his case of sti'ffed f>WLS. XX. ORNITHOLOGIST — AND- OOLOGIST. $1.00 per Annum. PUBLISHED BY FRANK B. WEBSTKR. Established, March, 1875. Single Copy 10 cents. Vol. XIV. BOSTON, MASS., FEBRUARY, 1889. No. 2. The Summer Birds of Buncombe County, North Carolina. Botaumx lentiffinoHUft. American Bittern. Have taken specimens every moiitli from April until October. Have never found it breeding. Ardea herodiaa. Great Blue Heron. Have never found their nests, but I tliink they breed here, as the young are common in .June and .July along the French Broad Itiver. It goes by tiie name of Blue Crane. Ardea ccBndea. Little Blue Heron. Tlie young are very common in June and July in the white plumage. It is called the White Crane. Ardea virei^cens. Green Heron. Breeds in pairs, generally erecting tlieir domicile in a cluster of thick pines. Rallus eleyanft. King Rail. Specimen shot and another one seen on .Inly 8. Porzana jamaicpn.sis. Black Rail. Summer visitor. From what I can learn from the farm- ers tills bird is frequently seen in their meadows. A nest and four eggs was brought tj me about the middle of July, 1887. It was found in a smxll swimp, located near a heavy growth of timber. It was placed in a large bunch of grass, and was composed of rushes and coarse grasses, and was about four inches above the water. The bird was flushed from the nest, but would not fly more than a few feet at a time. PJdlohela minor. American Woodcock. Resi- dent, and common; but oftener heard than seen. Breeds early in April. Artdtis murnlaria. Spotted Sandpiper. Rare in summer. Have never found their nests. ^^lialltif> vocifera. Killdeer. Seen occasion- ally in summer. Breeds. CoUnuH virginianu.'i. Bob-white. An abun- dant resident. Two and three broods are r.tised each season. I have frequently caught young birds as late as the flfteenth of October. Both male and female assist in incubation; in fact, I believe the male does the most of it, as I have found them on the nest a great deal more than I have the female. Bonasa wnhellus. Ruffed Grouse. Rare in this vicinity, but common on the higher moun- tains. I found it very abundant among the firs on Black Mountain last September. Breeds from two thousand feet upward, and usually in May. Meleagris gallopavo. Wild Turkey. Com- mon, and resident on the mountains. Birds shot on the Black and Craggy Mountains seem to be larger and darker colored than those found in the valleys. They breed from the first of May until the middle of June. Eight to twelve eggs are the usual number. Zenaidura macroura. Mourning Dove. Resi- dent, and common. Breeds anywhere. I have found their nests fully fifty feet up in a tree, and again not twelve inches from the ground. Cathartes aura. Turkey Vulture. Resident, and abundant. Breeds in May and .June, usually in a cliff of rocks. This bird gets the name of being very filthy while breeding. Such has not been my experience. Have examined a number of nests and have always found them very clean. However, such may not be the case when the nests contain young birds, as I have never had the pleasure of examining them then. CatharMa atrata. Black Vulture. Very irregular and uncertain in its occurrence. Sometimes seen in large flocks and again not seen for months. Have never found their nests. Elanoidefi forfiratus. Swallow-tailed Kite. Seen occasionally in August. Circun hudsnniufi. Marsh Hawk. Seen occa- sionally along the valley of the French Broad River. Have never heard of their nesting here. Accipiter velox. Sharp-shinned Hawk. Resi- dent, but rather rare. A few breed here, usually appropriating an old crow's nest. Four Copyright, 1889, by FRANK B. Webster. 18 ORNITHOLOGIST [Yol. 14-No. 2 eg-gs are the usual number. Called Sparrow Hawk. Breeds from the fifteenth of May until the twentieth of June. Accipiter coopcn. Cooper's Hawk. Resi- dent, and common. Breeds usually early in May. They are very wild and wary, building their nests in the tops of the tallest trees. Called Blue-tailed Hen Hawk. Buteo borealis. Red-tailed Hawk. Com- mon, and -resident, breeding from the fifteenth of March until the end of April. Have never found over two eggs in a nest. Called Moun- tain Hawk. Buteo latinftintiis. Broad- winged Hawk. Sum- mer visitor; common. Arrive here about the end of March, and commence to build their nests usually the fifteenth of April. Three eggs are the usual number, although 1 have found four, and sometimes only two are found. The average height of their nests found in this vicinity has been forty feet; twenty-five feet has been the lowest, and sixty feet the highest. This is one of the most unsuspecting of hawks, and is shot on every occasion by the farmers, as all the depredation done in the poultry yard by Cooper's Hawk is laid at its door. Aqidla chrymHoH. Golden Eagle. Seen oc- casionally on the higher mountains. While camping on Black Mountain September 12, 1886, a splendid bird of this species was ob- served perched on the top of a dead tree, with- in a few yards of our camp. My companion seized a Remingtcm, and fired, but unfortu- nately the sight of an eagle was too much for his nerves, or else his conscien(;e must have pricked him for shooting on Sunday. At any rate the bullet went wide of the mark, and away went our eagle. Of course, it was the rifle's favilt. Halifeetm leucorephalm. Bald Eagle. Resi- dent; rare. It formerly nested on several of the mountains near here, and I have examined quite a number of old nests. The last record I can find is, that a nest and two young birds were found about twenty miles from here, in Henderson County, and brought to Asheville in June, 188(5. Falco pereiirhiux (uiaUim. Duck Hawk. Seen occasionally during the summer months. The only one seen this year was near Asheville on June 10th, and it will be some time before I forget the scrape I got into over it. I had stopped in front of a house, and had been watching it for nearly half an hour, when the bird suddenly swooped down and carried off a chicken. Out came the lady of the house in a great rage, and, as the hawk was out of sight by that time, she turned the full force of her wrath on me, and demanded if I had nothing else to do but stand there and watch that "Hen Hawk" carry oft" her chickens. I tried to get out of it the best way I could, and told her that it was a rare hawk that I liad been watching, and that it was not a Chicken Hawk, but a Buck Hawk. This only made things worse, for she screamed out at the top of her voice, "Do you call that a Duck Hawk you fool, you f Do you call that a duck it carried off?*' That was the last time that I have stopped at that house, and am always in a hurry when I pass there. Falco sparverhis. Sparrow Hawk. Resident; common. Breeds in April and ]\Iay. Four or five eggs are the usual number. Pandion hidketus rarolinen.nH. American Osprey. Seen occasionally during the sum- mer, but have never found them breeding. Symiwn nebulosun. Barred Owl. Resident; rare. Breeds here, but I never found but one nest. It was in a large hollow tree, and con- tained three young birds. Meijanrops (txio. Screech Owl. Resident: common. Breeds in April. Bubo vinjinuotuK. Great Horned Owl. Resi- dent; common. Breeds from the fifteentli of January until the end of February. Its nests are very hard to find, as there are so many hollow trees in this locality. Coccyzuff ammramot. Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Summer visitor; abundant. IJreeds from the middle of May until .June and July. Strange as it may seem this bird was very rare until the past two years. Since then it has been one of our most common summer birds. Tlie aver- age height of their nests, which I have found during the past two years, has been eight feet. Corcyzus erytlirophthahnuH. Black - billed Cuckoo. Summer visitor; common. The same may be said about it as the Yellow-billed species, though it has not appeared in such numbers. One nest found last year contained one fresh egg, one egg nearly ready to hatch, and a good sized young bird. Ceryle alcyon. Belted Kingfisher. Rare; summer visitor. Breeds in May. Bryobates vlllosua. Hairy Woodpecker. Seen occasionally on the higher mountains. Breeds on Craggy Mountain. Dryobates rillosux (tuduhonii. Southern Hairy Woodpecker. Resident; common on the lower mountains. Breeds in April. Dryobaten pubcsfPtiN. Downy Woodpecker. Resident; common. Breeds later in the sea- son than D. riUnsiis. Feb. 1889.] AXD OOLOGIST. 19 Sphyrapicus varius. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Resident; common amongst the heavy timber. Breeds in April. t'eopldwufi pileatus. Pileated Woodpecker. Common in the mountains. Very wild and waiy. Breeds in April, but the collector soon finds out that finding a nest and obtaining the eggs are two very different things, at least such has been my experience, and I have only discovered one nest from which I could get the eggs, and I might add that I nearly broke my neck over them. Melnnerpf-ii prythrorepltnliis. Red- lieaded Woodpecker. Resident; common. Breeds in May. Mel'UK'rpf'x ciiroUnnf<. Red - bellied Wood- l^ecker. Resident; common. Breeds o\\ Craggy Mountain; nesting in May. I found them in the valleys in winter. ColnpteH aurnlnx. Flicker. Resident; com- mon. Breeds from tlie end of May until the end of .Tune. From one nest I took twelve eggs during the past season. Aiitrosf (Hints I'ocifei-us. Whip- poor- Will. >Su7nmer visitor: common in suitable localities. It seems to prefer a growth of mixed timber. It arrives here about the first of April. Have taken their eggs as early as tlie twenty-third of that month, but that is an exception, as about the fifteenth of May is their usual time to breed. Their eggs are generally placed in a clear place in the woods. Two eggs, sometimes only one. (Jhordciloi ririjlnUnnifi. Xight Hawk. Summer resident. Common, but not as numerous as the Whip-poor-will. Very abundant in .July and August. Breeds at the same time as the former. Chfefiirn pelaxiicn. Chimney Swift. Summer visitor; common. Breeds in the chimney, but I think it also breeds in hollow trees, as I have frequently observed them passing in and out of lioles in the trees, although I never could find their eggs in such places. They arrive early in April and stay until the middle of October. Trnchilns rolubrix. Ruby-throated Hummer. Summer visitor; very common. Arrives usually about the twentieth of April, and begins to breed about May loth. Nests are very easily found by watching the bird. I think the males depart for the south in July, as they are rarely seen after that date, although the females and young fairly swarm from then until the middle of September. Ranges over the tops of the liighest moun- tains. Tyrannus tyrannus. King Bird. Summer resident; common. It has always been a mys- tery to me why this bird was called King Bird, for I have seen the little Ruby-throated Hummer in full chase of him often. Somehow I never thought much of this bird, and they always seem to me to be trying to show oft" all the time, and to put on airs. Myiarchufi crinitus. Crested Flycatcher. Summer visitor; common. Arrives generally the fourth or fifth of April. Breeds rather later than the King Bird. This species has always been a favorite of mine, and his jolly whistle does not seem to have anything stuck up about it, like the predecessor. Sayornls p/iwhf. Phoebe or Pewee. Resi- dent; common. Returns each year to its for- mer nesting place, no matter what the diffi- culties ai'e. No matter where you go, you will always find this little bird there, waiting to give you a welcome. I have found them at the highest point of the Black Mountains. Contopus horealis. Olive-sided Flycatcher. Rare in summer. Have seen but a few speci- mens; one on Craggy Mountain, and one was shot about half way up the Black Mountain. ContopuH virpuft. Wood Pewee. Summer visitor; very common. Arrives very late in the season. Breeds in June. Eiupidonax acadicus. Acadian Flycatcher. Summer visitor; abundant. Breeds in May and June. Have never found over three eggs in a ne.st. Eiupidonax mhuimis. Least Flycatcher. Summer visitor; rare. I have seen but one pair, and found their nest. It was placed in the fork of a Persimmon tree, twenty feet from the ground, and was composed of fibres, etc., neatly put together. It contained four fresh eggs. Cyanociffa n'isfitta. Blue Jay. Resident: common. A noisy, restless fellow. Breeds in April. Corvus corax sinnatui^. American Raven. A few pairs are seen each season on the movin- tains. Have never found their nests, but I think they must bi-eed during the latter pai't of March, as the young are on the wing early in May. I once thought I was fortunate, for a mountaineer living in the Black Mountains in- formed me that eagles, hawks, owls and ravens nested abundantly in the cliffs near where he lived. Of course I engaged his ser- vices at once for the coming season, and when the time came around I was loaded down with cartridges and empty boxes to hold the eggs I was to get. I started, but not an e^g did I 20 ORNITHOLOGIST [Yol. 14-iS^o. 2 obtain, and the old saying, that "there's many a slip between the cup and the lip," came painfully true. Cormis americamis. American Crow. Resi- dent; abundant. Shot on every occasion by the farmers, and their nest destroyed. Still Corvus seems to hold his own, and rapidly in- creases. I can't say that I have much sym- pathy for him, either, for I have frequently caught him in the act of eating young birds and eggs. Afjela'ms phaaiirem^. Red-winged Blackbird. Nearly a resident. Common along tlie French Broad River. Sturnella macfna. Meadow Lark. Rare in summer. Have observed but one pair during the last five years. They were nesting in a small meadow. The nest contained four eggs. Icterus spurius. Orchard Oriole. Summer visitor; rather rare. Breeds, returning each year to its old nesting site. Icterus fjdlhula. Baltimore Oriole. Summer visitor. Common in Asheville and vicinity. A few pairs breed in Weaverville. Quiscalus qiiiscula. Purple Grackle. I ob- served what I took to be young birds of this species on June 5th, 1888, near Asheville. Loxia curvirostra minor. American Crossbill. Resident. I found them at Black Mountain in summer. Spinus tnstis. American (ioldlincli. Resi- dent; abundant. Breeds in July and August. Spinus pinus. Pine Siskin. Resident; com- mon on Black Mountains in summer. Pooccetes tiramineus. Vesper Sparrow. Resi- dent; common. Usually found on higli pasture land. Commences to breed tlie fifteenth of April. Aninindrainus sdvcinnarum jjasserinn.s. (irass- hopper Sparrow. Yellow-winged Sparrow. Summer visitor; rather rare. A friend was telling me about a peculiar sparrow's nest that he had found. Thinking it might be of this species, I requested him to take me to it. On going there, 1 found that the bird liad de- serted the nest, but I had no doubt that it be- longed to the Yellow-wing. Two weeks later I found another nest near where the first one had been built, and secured the bird. Spizelln socinlis. (Shipping Sparrow. Very common. On June 1st I counted eight ten- anted nests placed in the trees along our mill race, all within the distance of a stone's throw. Spizelln pusiUa. Field Sparrow. Resident; common. Breeds from the first of May until August. Jiinro Jn/enutUxrarolineuslK. Carolina .luneo. Resident; abundant on the higher mountains in summer. Breeds from early April until August. Have found nests under logs, rocks, sometimes in a bush, and frequently the nest is placed on tlie vertical side of a clitt", after the manner of a Pewee's. A great favorite of mine, as there is something in its clear, metal- lic voice that sounds very sweet. Pipilo erythropIithalmuH. Towliee. Resident; common. Breeds from the middle of April until the end of June. Cardinalis cardinnlis. Cardinal. Resident; common. Breeds from the end of May initil August, and I once found a nest on the twen- ty-fifth of September. Hubid ludoriciana. Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Summer visitor. Common from 4,000 feet up- wards. Breeds in May. Have found four nests, one in a small bush, forty inches from the ground ; one in a Haw tree, twenty feet up, and tlie other two were placed in saplings, one seven feet and one nine feet up. One nest con- tained two eggs, tlie second, third and the other two nests had four each. Incubation had commenced in all. Guiraca i-wrulea. Blue (irosbeak. One male seen June 10th, 1888. Passernia cyanea. Indigo Bunting, Summer visitor; common. The latest breeder we have. Ranges over (5,000 feet on the mountains. Piranf/a ein/thrtnnelas. Scarlet Tanager. Sum- mer visitor; rather comnum. It frequents the lower mountains, being rarely found in the valleys. Breeds in May. Piran,.500 feet. Departs for the south in August. Breeds in May and June. Dendroira ppnnsj/lvanira. Chestnut- sided Warbler. Summer visitor; uncommon. I have found but one nest; May 25th, 1887, on Craggy Mountain. Dendnnm blackhurnUe. Blackburnian War- bler. Summer visitor; rare. Have taken the young, but could never find their eggs. Have never observed them higher than 3,500 feet. Dendroica dominica. Yellow-throated War- bler. Summer visitor; more common than the preceding. Have found several nests contain- ing young birds. Ranges about 2,500 feet up. Usually nests in a pine tree. Dendroica cmrtileftcens. Black-throated War- bler. Summer visitor; common on Black Mountain. I found it as low as 3,000 feet. Strange as it may seem, I have never observed it on Craggy Mountain. Breeds in May, as I found the yovnig birds very common on June 24th, 1887. Found one nest with young birds nearly ready to fly on the same date. Dendroica virens. Black - throated Green Warbler. I found this Warbler very abundant while going up the north side of Mount Mitch- els on June 23d, 1887. The first seen must have been as low as 3,500 feet. It was some time before I could identify this Warbler, as it frequented the tops of the tallest trees, and I had to fire several shots before I secured a specimen. I found the young birds very plen- tiful on the edge of the firs on Black Mountain. Dendroica mgorsii. Pine Warbler. Resi- dent; rather common. Frequents the old pine grown fields. Breeds early in May. Seiurun aurocapillus. Oven Bird. Summer visitor; very common in woodland. Ranges up to 0,000 feet on Craggy Mountain. Breeds in May and June. Seiurus noveboracensis. Water Thrush. Rare at all times. Specimens taken early in August, 1886. Seiuriix motacilla. Louisiana Water Thrush. Nearly every small stream has its pair of birds. Found them nearly at the tops of the Black Mountains. A pair have nested each year in succession for the last five years within fifty feet of where I work every day. How many times I have hunted in vain for their nest I am ashamed to say. At any rate, I have had to give it up, so far, though it seemed to me that I must have moved every leaf on the hillside. Geothlypis forniosa. Kentucky Warbler. Common on the lower mountains. Have never found it over 4,000 feet up. The only nest I ever found was on June 15th, 1886. It was placed in a small open glade on the side of a steep mountain, and contained four fresh eggs. The nest was composed chiefly of strips of grape-vine bark, and lined with fine black root- lets. It was eight inches from the ground. Geothlypis trirhaH. Maryland Yellow-throat. Very common in the meadows and along the smaller streams. Breeds in May and June. Irteria virens. Yellow-breasted C^liat. Nearly every brier patch has its pair. Breeds in May and June. Arrives early in April, and departs in August. Called Mockingbird here. Sylvania mitrata. Hooded Warbler. Com- mon along the streams in the woodland. Arrives the first of April. Breeds from the 22 ORNTTHOLOGTST [Vol. 14-No. 2 tenth of May until the end of June. Average height of nests has been four feet. Have never found over four eggs in a nest. Sylvania canadensis. Canadian Warbler. Very common on the Black Mountains. Ranges fully 6,000 feet up. Have never taken their eggs, but have found several nests with young birds. Setophaga ruticilla. American Redstart. Summer visitor; rare. Breeds sparingly on the French Broad River. Mlmiis poli/fjlottns. Mocking-Bird. Sum- mer visitor; not comnnm. Have seen eight or ten pairs in Asheville, and one pair nested in Weaverville. Gale.nscoptes cnrolinensis. Catbird. Very common; arrives here usually by the middle of Apiil and stays until October. Range over fi,()00 feet. JIdrpttrhj/nrhiixriifiis. Brown Thrasher. Sum- mer visitor: common. Arrives here generally on the third or fourth of April, nesting in that month. Called Mocking-bird by tlie farmers. A great many are shot each spring by the farmers who say that they pull up theiV corn. Catbirds and Towhees also share the same fate. Thryotlinrus JK'wickii. Bewick's Wren. Com- mon in tlie mountains, also in the towns. I found it abundant on f^raggy Mountain wliere it ranges over the highest points. Have never found it as high on the Black Mountain. Ar- rives usually on fifteenth or sixteenth of March. Nests early in April. Builds under logs, in hollow stumps and barns and old houses. Thn/otJiorus Indoi'lrianus. Carolina Wren. Resident, very common up to 400 feet. Nests from Api'il until July, sometimes later than that, as I once flushed a bird from her nest f)n the ninth of October. Where all the young that are hatched go, 1 could never tell, for the birds are very prolific. A i)air have nested in our barn the past three summers. In 18S(5 they raised fifteen young ones, seventeen in 1SS7, and sixteen in 1SS8, but still there are only the one pair there. Troglodytes Iiicmdlis. Winter Wren. Res- ident, on Black Mountains in summer. Certhia familiaris ainencfina. Brown Creep- er. Resident, and common, on the higher mountains in summer. Breeds usually iii May, nesting in knot holes and natural cavities. Five and six eggs are tlie usual ininiber found in this locality. Sittn carolinensis. White - breasted Nut- I hatch. Resident; very common. Nests early in April. Range r),000 feet on Craggy Moun- I tains, but does not range so high on the Black Mountains. Sitta canadensis. Red-breasted Nut-liatcli Resident; common on Black Mountains. Have found but two nests of this bird, one in 1886 on the 10th of May and the other on the loth of May, 1885. The first was in a dead stub 20 feet up, and the other was in a stump six feet up. Each nest contained four fresh eggs. They were much more heavily marked than those of the White-breasted Nuthatch. PdDis hirolor. Tufted Titmouse. Resident; comnnm in this vicinity, 'i'his is one of my favorities and I have spent a great deal of time studying their habits, and have found out a great many curious things about them. Usu- ally about the middle of April they begin to hunt for a nesting site, and scmietimes they are very liard to please. When the tree has been chosen the female begins at once to clean it out and to gather material for the nest. Leaves, moss and hair form the main ])art of the nest. The fonale does all the building, while the male provides the food. A very peculiar trait they have is to carry nesting material to the nest after the female has been incubating. I have observed them on several occasicms carrying moss and hair into their nests and on examination I found that incub- ation was well along. If their eggs are disturbed they will at once remove them. The eggs are always ne.atly cov- ered up, and they aie quite skilful in the art of hiding them. Often have 1 had a liard climb up some old giant of the forest only to find a few acorn shells in the bottom of the cavity, nor could I find the eggs even when I knew they were near. 'i'he usual number of eggs found in a set has been five and six although sometimes seven and eight are found. The average height taking from one liundred nests has been nearly thirty- five feet. The lowest was five feet up and the highest sixty-seven feet. Pdvns nfrirnpiUiis. Chickadee. Resident, common on Black Mountains above .^.000 feet. Pants <-(ir<)liue»sis. Carolina Chickadee. Resident; abundant up to (5,000 feet on Craggy Mountain. I have never found it above the line of firs on the Black Mountain. Breeds early in May. six and seven eggs are the usual number. Begulns satrapa. G(dden-crowned Kinglet. Resident; common. Black Mountains in sum- mer. I found young just out of the nest on June 24th, 1887. Feb. 1889.] AXD OOLOGIST. 2.3 Polioptila cceridea. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. Summer visitor; common. Xest from the fif- teenth of May until the end of June. Ari-ives usiuilly the first or second of April. Turdux tmistplinuH. Wood Thrush. Sum- mer visitor; common. Arrives early in April. Nests usually the 1st or 2d week in May. Range about 5,000 feet up. TiirduH fuHcei^renK. Wilson's Thrush. Sum- mer visitor; common al)ove M,r)00 feet. Xests early in May. Tiirdtis alicke hirknclU. Bicknell's Thrush. Specimen shot at Black Mountain in August 1.S85 or ISSO; am not sure as I can not find the date. Mfrnla nn(/rntorta. American Robin. Res- ident; breeds abundantly on the higher moun- tains. Sialin siaU.'i. Bluebird. Resident; abundant. Range (),000 feet, on Craggy Mountain. Xests as early as the fifteenth <)f March. John S. Cairns. A Series of Eggs of Bendire's Thrasher. The eggs of Bendire's Thrasher {Ilarj/nrhyn- rlnis hendirei) are very odd in their coloring, and the only species whose eggs they resemble is the St. Lucas Thrasher (//. rinrrpus). It is believed that the present series, now before me, exhibits all the variations in size and markings to which tliey are subject: Set I. June 4th, 1S8S. Tucson, Arizona. Collected by Herbert Brown. Nest in Tasaca, on the Rillito, near Fort Lowell. Three eggs, fresh, greenish-white, spotted witli ecru drab: l.OJx.To; l.OOx.TC): 1.0l'x.7"). Set II. June 4th, ISSS. Tucson, Arizona. Collected by Herbert Brown. Nest in Tasaca, lined with fibrous roots and wool. Three eggs, fresh, greenish-white, marked all over with very faint spots of ecru drab: 1.04 x. 74: 1.0;) x.7r»; 1.0:^x.76. Set III. May 2i)th, 1S87. Tucson, Arizona. Collected by Herbert Brown. Nest in cholla, east of Tucson. Three eggs, greenish-white, marked with longitudinal spots of ecru drab: 1.01 X. 78: 1.04X.71; 1.0:5 x. 72. Set IV. March 27th, ISSfi. Pima Indian Agency, Pinal County, Arizona. Collected for R. S. Wheeler. Nest a layer of twigs, etc., lined with coarse grasses, placed in a cholla cactus, about four feet from the giound. Three eggs, fresh, greenish-white, marked all over with longitudinal spots of ecru drab: 1.01 x.76: .08x.71: .98x.fi9. Set v. June 1st, 1888. Tucson, Arizona. Collected by Herbert Brown. Nest taken from estecila on the Rillito, three miles north of Tucson. Three eggs, incubation slight, green- nisli-white, spotted with ecru drab. On one of the eggs the markings are all over the surface, but on the other two they are principally grouped near the larger ends: 1.04 x. 74; 1.08- X. 75;. 98 X. 73. Set VI. April 5th, 1885. Near Tucson, Ari- zona. Collected by Herbert Brown. Nest in low bushy cholla near the Fort Lowell road, about one mile east of Tucson. Three eggs, greenish-white, spotted with ecru drab: .95- X.74; .96X.75; .99x.74. SetVII. April :]d, 188(5. Pima Indian Agen- cy, Pinal County, Arizona. Collected by Ros- well S. Wheeler. Nest a large platform of twigs, lined with grasses, placed in a thicket, about four feet from the ground. Three eggs, fresli, greenish-white, marked with longitu- dinal spots of ecru drab: l.l;5x.77; 1.08 x. 78; l.OOx.79. Set V^III. June 7th, 1872. Tucson, Arizona. This set possesses peculiar interest as it was collected by Captain Charles E. Bendire, U. S. A., who discovered this Thrasher, and after whom it was named by Dr. Cones. I copy from the data accompanying the set, which is in Captain Bendire's handwriting: "Nest placed in a thick mesquite bush, about two and a half feet from the ground, near Rillito Creek, Tucson, Arizona, June 7tli, 1872. The nest resembles those of the balance of Harpor- hynrhi, and is large for the size of the bird. The egg of //. cinereus (Xantus) from Cape St. Lucas resembles these. Three eggs are the usual number found in a nest. This set has been sat on for a week or ten days. Found by myself."' Creenish- white, marked with small longitudinal spots of ecru drab: .99x.72: 1.08X.78; 1.08 x .78. Set IX. March 25th, 1888. On Mesa east of Tucson, Arizona. Collected by Herbert Brown. Nest in Tasaca cholla, four feet from ground. External diameter of top seven inches, depth four inches. Cavity, top three and a half inches, bottom two and a half inches, depth two and a half inches. Three eggs, incubation partial. (Treenish-white, spotted with ecru drab, and a few traces of lavender-gray : . 97 x . 78 ; .92 x . 70 : .98X.71. Set X. April 22d, 1888. Tucson, Arizona. Collected by Herbert Brown. Xest in Tasaca cholla three and a half feet above the ground. Made of twigs, and lined with dried grass. Out.side, top five and three quarter inches, 24 ORXTTHOLOGTST [Yol. 14-No. 2 depth five inches. Inside, top three and a half inches, depth three and a quarter inches. Bottom rounded. Four eggs, incubation slight. Greenish-white, spotted with ecru drab and fawn color. The spots are much closer and heavier near the larger ends : 1.0.5x.74; 1.07 X.74; 1.06 X. 74; 1.02 x. 7:5. Set XI. April 2d, 1888. Tucson, Arizona. Collected by Herbert Brown. Nest in top of cholla, two feet above the ground. Made of dried grass, lined with bark. Four eggs, fresh, greenish- white, si)otted with ecru drab: 1.0(i x.7(); 1.04X.75; 1.07 x. 70; 1.07 x. 70. Set XII. May 12th, 1888. Tucscm, Arizona. Collected by Herbert Brown. Xest placed in Tasaca cholla, forty inches from ground. Dia- meter across top seven inches, depth six inches. Top of cavity three and three-ijuarter inches, bottom three inches. Lined with grass, hair and wool. Four eggs, fresh, greenish-white, marked witli large spots (fen- this species.) Tlie markings are of ecru drab and fawn color and are mucli furtlier apart tlian usual on eggs of this bird: 1.04x.77: 1.02x.7(i: l.o;!x.70; 1.02X.76. Set XIII. .lune 4th, 1888. Tucson, Arizona, f Collected by Herbert Brown. Nest in Tasaca, on the north side of Killitt), four miles from Fort Ijowell. Made of sticks, lined with grass. Three eggs, incubation partial. Greenish- white, spotted with lavender-gray, ecru drab, and fawn color. Two of the eggs are much more heavily marked than the tliird: I.O.")x.78: 1.0.-) X. 77; 1.07 X. 70. Set XIV. Marcli 25th, 1888. Tiu^son. Ari- zona. Nest in Tasaca, three and a half feet from the ground. Made of sticks, lined with grass and hair. Two eggs, incnbatioii partial. Greenish-white, spotted with ecru drab and fawn color: 1.02 x .70; .98 x .7:5. Set XV. May 27th, 1888. Tucson, Arizona. Collected by Herbert Brown. Nest in Tasaca, «m plain east of Tucscm. (This nest is now in the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., to which it was presented by Mr. Brown.) Four eggs, incubation slight. Greenisji-white, spot- ted (almost at the larger ends) with fawn color and lavender-gray. The ground color of this set is of a much deeper tint of greenish white than that of any other eggs in tlie series: .i)0x.75; .90X.70: .94x.78: .92x.70 (a short, blunt, set). Set XVI. April 20th, 188S. Tucson. Ari- zona. Collected by Herbert Brown. Nest taken from the south side of cholla. Better made than common, the twigs used in its con- struction being of uniform length. Four eggs. incubation light. Greenish-white (a much more decided greenish than common for this species), spotted with fawn color and lavender-gray: 1.07 X .78; 1.09 x .78; l.O.") x .77; 1.09 x .77. (Next to set XV these eggs have the greenest ground color of any in the series.) Set XVII. May 21st, 1887. Near Tucson, Arizona. f'oUected by Herbert Brown. Nest in Tasaca, about seven miles north of Tucson. Po(nly constructed. Three eggs, greenish- white, spotted with ecru drab: 1.0;^x.78: 1.04 X.78; 1.00 x. 79. Set XVIII. March 18th, 1888. Tucson, Ari- zona. Collected by Herbert Brown. Nest in Tasaca. Outside made of .lediondia twigs, lined with feathers, horse hair, and grass. Three eggs, fresh, greenish-white, spotted with ecru drab, fawn color, and lavender-gray. 1.02 X. 70; 1.01 X.76; 1.03x.7r). Set XIX. March 18th, 1888. Tucson, Ari- zona. Collected by Herbert Brown. Nest in Tasaca; made of dead thorn twigs, lined with grass, etc. Tliree eggs, incubation light, (xreenish-wliite. sj)otted with lavender-gray, ecru drab, and fawn color: I.OC) x .77; l.or) x .77; I.OOx .79. Set XX. April 10th, 1887. Tucson, Arizona. Collected by Herbert Brown. Nest in red cholla. Made of coarse tliorn twigs and lined with grass, and one hawk's feather in the bot- tom. Three eggs, partly incubated, (iretnish- white, marked with large longitudinal spots of lavender-gray and fawn color. There is more lavender-gray on this set of eggs than any on others of the series, and the spots are larger: 1.01 x.74; 1.01 x.74; .99x.72. Set XXI. March 27th, 1880. Pima Indian Agency, Pinal County, Arizona. ('oUected for R. S. Wheeler. Nest a mass of twigs forming a platform in a cholla cactus, about four feet from the ground, and lined with grasses, etc. Two eggs, greenish-white, s])otted with lav- ender-gray and fawn color: .97 x. 7"); 1.02 x.74. Set XXll. April 2d, 1888. Tucson, Ari- zona. Collected by Herbert Brown, Nest in cholla four feet from the ground Made of dead twigs and dried grass. External diameter, top six inches, depth five inches. Inside cav- ity, top three and a half inches, depth two and a lialf inches. Three eggs, greenish-white, heavily spotted (for this species) with lavejider- gray, fawn color and russet: 1.07 x. 70; l.Ofix .75; 1.00 X .7-'"). Set XXll I. April 20th, 1888. Tucson, Ari- zona. Collected by Herbert Brown. Nest on limb of mesciuite tree, about eight feet from the grountl. Made of thr)x.78; 1.0()x.77. Set XXY. March IHth. 1880. Pima Indian Agency, Pinal County, Arizona. Collected by Kosswell S. Wheeler. Nest of twigs and grasses, lined with hair, situated in a cholla cactus. Two eggs, greenish-wliite, but the ground color is almost wholly obscured with the mark- ings, which are of lavender-gray and fawn «'olor: 1. 1 1 X .75; 1.00 x .75. Set XXVI. Miy 12th, 1888. Tucson, Ari- zona. Collected by IIeil)ert Hrown. Xest fragile in construction. Made of weeds and lined with fibrous bark. Four eggs, incubation light. (Treenish-white, very heavily marked with longitudinal spots of lavender-gray and fawn color. On some of the eggs the markings are very peculiar, the lines almost appearing as if they were drawn with a pen: .U7 x .74; .99 X.74; .!)<)x.71: 1.0!x.72. Set XXVII. Marcli Otb. 18cS0. Sacaton, Pinal County, Arizona. Collected for li. S. Wheeler. Xest in a p \lo verde tree about six feet from the ground. Composed of twigs, lined witli grass and hair. Three eggs, fresh, greenish-white, spotted (so heavily as to ob- scure the ground color) with fawn color: 1.10 X.75; 1.08 X. 71; 1.07 x. 7:1 Set XXVIII. xMay 15th, 1887. Tucson, Arizona. Collected by Herbert Hrown. Nest in cbolli, three feet from the ground. Made of coarse twigs and lined with drietl grass. Three eggs, incubation slight, rireenish-white, heavily spotted, principally at the larger ends, with lavender-gray, and fawn color: .98 x.75; l.o:)x.77; .97x.78. Set XXIX. April 10th, 1887. Tucson, Ari- zona. Collected by Herbert Brown. Nest in cholla, two feet from the ground. Made of •lediondia twigs, and lined with fibrous bark of dead cholla. Three eggs, fresh, greenish- white, heavily spotted with lavender-gray and russet: l.OOx.78: 1.04x78: 1.0:', x. 78. ,/. P. N. English Sparrow. That little enemy of eastern bird life, the English sparrow, has made its appearance in the Zenith City, a single pair surviving an j unusually low temperature, even for Duluth, last winter, and this winter finds a small colony contentedly domiciled in the cornices of a business block, attesting to the hardiness of the little adventurers, who must have passed through nearly 100 miles of uninhabited wil- derness before reaching here, although the trip was doubtless made via rail in grain cars where they do considerable foraging after seeds, etc. , and are often accidentally entrapped and transported. It will be interesting to note from year to year what effect this vigorous climate has upon the little colony. Frank S. Dn{/;)ptt. Diiliitli, Minn. Golden Eagle in Montana. A (xolden Eagle {Aqulla rlirysnetoH [Linn.]) ,was shot here on Dec. 8th by one of our own Indian scouts. This bird had raptured and killed a good sized Black- tail Deer, and was shot while sitting upon its body, although un- able to "^2/ to its eyrie ! " with its heavy prey. I think this case comes as near the wonder- ful stories of this bird's powers as lies within the bounds of truth. The skin was ruined in skinning, the scout laying it upon its back and slashing the skin off in much the way he would that of the deer. The entii-e skin was thickly lined with fat, showing that it had not wanted for food this winter. Considerable dis- cussion took place in the post trader's store as to the "kind of eagle," but as it was feathered to the toes there was no doubt in the mind of an ornithologist. C. F. MorriKcm. Addition to the Bristol County List. A gentleman residing at Taunton, Mass., shot in the outskirts of the city an Owl, which from his description conforms exactly to that of the Great Cray Owl {Ulxda cinerea) in size, shape and coloration. It is impossible to mistake the (ireat Gray for the Barred or Great Horned Owl, as this gentleman has shot a num- ber of each of the last two. Unfortunately the owl was not considered rare and he did not have it preserved. John C. Cahoon. 26 ORNITHOLOGIST [Yol. 14-Xo. 2 The Food Habits of the Shrikes. The Lanhi-'< horeali^ is the true bird of tlie north wind. With the thermometer two fig- ures below zero I have found liim on the Illi- nois prairies perched on the topmost twig of some low tree facing the keen north wind, the very picture of daring, hardihood and energy. He fears nothing that wears wings, and will give battle to any feathered intruder that dares to come near his haunts. Even man he scarcely avoids, and seems rather to seek his presence than otherwise. As a winter resident in Central Illinois his food is small birds and mice, and he exhibits the utmost daring and intrepidity in the pursuit of them. Of late winters they have commended themselves to the good graces of many persons by entering the towns and preying upon that intolerable nuisance, the English sparrow. Nature seems to have provided every living thing witli an enemy or parasite to prevent its overproduction, and it has fondly been hoped that the Great Northern Shrike would solve the problem of the English Sparrow, but alas! their number would have to be legion. One warm day in Feb. 18SS, from a window in my office I was watching a Shrike dasliing riglit and left after some Englisli Sparrows that were in the bushes of the back yard. Tatcliing sight of a cage containing canaries in an open win- dow near by it made a dasli for it, and did its utmost to get at the birds, clinging to the side of the cage, and leaving very reluctantly when the mistress of the Iiouse came to the rescue of her pets. The window was closed and the cage hung against it on the inside, when the Shrike again returned and flew against the window with much force. A few days ago I saw one in hot pursuit of a Song Sparrow. Around and around through the thick brush and trees they went, the spar- row turning, twisting and doubling in its ef- f(n-ts to shake off its relentless pursuer but without avail. Finally it dashed into a brush pile almost at my horse's feet. But even here the Shrike witli open mouth and flashing eye regardless of my presence still pursued it, and in a few moments they passed out on the other side and disappeared in the woods. Tlie appearance and every action of the bird strongly reminded me of a Cooper's Hawk get- ting down into the grass and weeds to flush a concealed quail. Not long since a young farmer invited me out to his field near town where he was husk- ing shock corn, to see a "Mouse Hawk." as he called it, catch mice. On coming to where he wa^s at work I looked about for the Shrike but did not see it until he pointed to a tree two hundred yards away where it sat on the top- most twig. Pretty soon a mouse ran from the shock, when it came almost with the rapidity of an arrow, and seizing the mouse in its bill flew away with it to the woods across the river, but in a short time it was back again at its perch on the tree where it did not remain long until another mouse ran out from the shock. In order to test the bird's boldness 1 pur- sued this mouse, but undaunted it flew almost between my feet and secured it, and apparently not liking its hold it alighted a few rods away and hammered tlie mouse on the frozen ground, and then tossing it in the air caught it by the throat as it came down. He then again flew off to the woods. Tins proceeding the farmer assured me would be repeated many times in the course of the day, and that every mouse would be carried to the strip of woods just over the river. Subsequently a chopper told me that he had found a honey locust tree in this woods that liad mice stuck all over it on tlie thorns. The White-rumped Shrike is preeminently a summer resident and it leaves for the south as soon as the leaves begin to fall. It dif- fers from the horeaUx in being almost exclu- sively insectivorous in its habits. Beetles and grasshoppers it is especially fond of, and liun- dreds of these insects can be seen sticking on the hedge thorns and barbed wire fences of tlie prairies. They have a strong affection for their young and remain with them after leaving the nest, luintingas a family. It is a very interesting sight indeed to see live or six chubby little fellows perched along a fence or hedge taking lessons from their parents in grasshopper catching. I have written this article f)n the Shrikes to follow H. G. Smith's excellent article on the same subject in the Nov. (). & O. This sub- ject might be ])rorttably continued if some ob- server in the far soutli woidd describe the food habits, etc. of tlie Logger-head Shrike. 11'. .S. Strode. IJeiuailotte, 111. \A^hat the Birds Think. One sunny day in January I walked down to the river for the purpose of seeing some of my friends, the birds. The fields seemed everywhere thronged with sparrows, while flocks of carolling blackbii'ds Feb. 1889.] AND OOLOGIST. 27 in the ti-ees by the road-side vied with the meadow larks in joyful songs of praise for the beautiful day. After a brisk walk of twenty minutes I reach- ed the river, the King's^liiver it is called, and finding a grassy nook in the sunliglit by the bank, I rested. It was a pleasant place to be: no sounds save the rippling murmur of the stream and the multifarious noises of the bird world. I fell to musing and soon was almost asleep when a queer sound struck my ear; it was like a fairy laugh, "Ho — ho — ho! ha, ha, ha, hal" "Who are you,*' I said, as I glanced around me in astonishment. "A Dfuilriiira" answered the voice, and I perceived a tiny, yellow bird skii)j)ing about among the willow twigs. " I have just arrived from Boston," continued the bird, (for such it proved to be); "they used to call me Yellow Warbler, but they say I am one of the Westerners now,"" and again I heard that silvery, mocking laugh. This is truly astounding. I thought, as I rubbed my eyes. .Just then a hummingbird buzzed over my head, flew around for a few seconds and settled on a limb to my right. It was followed by another hummer which alighted close by. I had no more than noticed this when, wonder- ful to relate, the two began talking: " I)(m"t you look at me,"" said the first comer sharply, ■■ you're not what you pretend to be, you're a Kufous, and you know it and you've got a notch in your tail which prores it. You said you behmged to an old Allen family. I'll just get a divorce I"" and she Haunted out of sight, while the poor pseudo-oWeH/ darted off in the opposite direction. Before 1 could recover from the amazement in which this last occur- rence had left me I noticed a shrike, staring at me curiously from a tree near by, and pretty so(m he ruffled up his feathers and said, ••Are you an ornithologist'?"' "Amateur," said 1, timidly. "Oh, it's all right then, you won't know me; I"m traveling iHroyH/^o, visit- ing some of the excitbitoridefi. They don't speak to us now, since Mr. Kidgway said we were dif- ferent, .so I have to pretend I'm one of them. I suppose you would call me the White-rumped, the amateurs nearly all do; in fact Tve layed six sets of eggs under that name, but now I'm tiie California .Shrike." " Caw, caw I" cried a harsh voice in a cyca- more behind me, "and I'm the California Crow, ho, ho, ho,!" and lie fla]iped his wings derisively and flew away. By this time I concluded it would be well to start for home, and I, picking up my cane, hurried away through the woods, meditating of the glad time when I might hope to be some- thing more than an amateur myself, when I might, in fact, be able to cause dissension among the Western Meadow Larks or per- chance divide or re-name the Blinking Burrow- ing Owls. H. R. Taylor. Notes on the Anatomical Structure of the Crowned Crane. In dissecting the body of a Crowned Crane, kindly given to me by Mr. Frank B. Webster, I was somewhat surprised to find the trachea pei-fectly straight, thus differing greatly from many sjjecies in the family to which the bird in hand belongs. Usually the anterior por- tion of the keel of the sternum is projected foreward, widened and hollowed to receive a fold of the trachea, which is thus bent t»n it- self in being pushed into this cavity. As the inferior larynx is simple, being provided with two pairs f)f vocal muscles only, the ster- no-trachialis, and bronchialis, this latter mus- cle in most species being redviced to a mere strip which is nearly functionless, and as there are only a single pair of vibratory membranes, the tympaniforms, the loud cries emitted by the majority of Cranes is produced by the bent trachea, aided of coui'se by the muscles men- tioned. The Crowned Crane, therefore, with- out being absolutely voiceless, could not pi-o- duce the resonant cries given by many others of the family. Another peculiarity observed in the specimen which I have, is seen in the terminal portion of the intestine, immediately preceding the coeca. Here the intestine has made a bend directly upon itself for at least two inches, and as one of the coeca is laid di- rectly across this fold and is fastened to the intestine by tissues, the bend is permanent. In all probability, this peculiarity, which I have never seen before, is wholly individual, yet it clearly points to the origin of a coecum, which could have become evolved from some similar accidental, partial obstruction of the course of the partly digested matter in the intestine, which by increasing the length of the digestive surface would lie beneficial to the animal. C ./. Maynanl. Xewtonville, Mass., Dec, 1888. X. B. — For a figure of this singular modifica- tion see No. 2, Vol. 1, Maynard's Contributions to Science. 28 ORNITHOLOGIST [Vol. 14-:No. 2 Cardinal Grosbeak. A Cardinal Grosbeak {Cardinalis cardinnlis) was shot in Wellesley, Mass., Nov. 4, 1888, by R. W. Denton. The bird, which is now in my pos- session, is an adnlt male. The feathers of the wings and tail are in good condition, not being worn as Avonld likely be the case were the bird an escaped specimen from some cage. It was shy and with some difficulty was ap- proached near enough to be shot. This is the first instance so far as I know of the Cardinal Grosbeak having been taken in Wellesley, al- though one was seen a few years ago by a lo- cal collector. .S. W. Denton. Occurrence of Forster's Tern ( Sterna forsteri ) on Cape Cod^ Mass. While examining a number of terns col- lected on Monomoy island, Mass., Oct. 2d, 1888, the peculiar plumage of one at once at- tracted my attention, and I laid it aside with the intention of examining it more carefviUy when I had the time to spare. I have recently examined this bird and find it to be without doubt a Forster's Tern {Sterna forstert) in the young plumage. It was shot in company with .'^. ftirundo and S. doiif/nlli. Jolin C Calinon. The American Egret in Maine. A specimen of the American Egret {Ardea et/rettn) was shot at Matinicus Island, Maine, during the latter part of June or first of July of the past year, 1888. I have paid sub- scriber. If vou fail to receive it, notify us. We call the attention of the gunners on the Cape to the attempt of the town of Chatham, under the inspiring spirit of a few local schem- ers, to interfere with their rights. By their town reports they intend to get control to the exclusion of all others and again repeat their (■lain (jrah f/anie. Let the people of Harwich, Dennis, and neighboring localities watch. Also let the state legislature have their eyes open to any petition that may be presented. There are others outside of Chatham who have rights. The state laws are for the benefit of all citizens, and the state legislature are in duty bound, and will consider the interests of all. Gentlemen of Chatham will understand that we are informed of their intention. We propose to publish full detail of the proceed- ings against John C. Cahoon, including an at- tempt to force liim to jxty dividends a year since. Perhaps the sheritt' would like to make statement why he discontinued the case, if so we will gladly give him space. We think their reference to the case now before the court, in bad taste, but believe it will have little in- fluence on men of average common sense. The purpose of the O. & O. is to publish the records of collectors, both old and ijoun;/, and such facts as come to the notice of ornitholo- gists, the editorial duties being confined to presenting the communications with as little change as possible, consistent with producing them in a legible form. While there is a gen- eral supervision to prevent errors it is not pro- posed to devote our entire time in investiga- tions. Each article being given with the au- thor's name and address, facility is afiorded to those who desire to. Our columns are always open to inquiry, sug- gestions and correction, when made with a view of obtaining and giving information. We especially wish to encourage the young, and the publication of their efforts often leads to important development. We know of sev- eral instances where the development has been such that influence has been brought to bear to induce our correspondents to transfer their donations to another publication. In fact, one writer told us personally that he " had received orders to discontinue." The O. & O. sliould at least receive the credit of affording a good for- aging ground. The management expects that its correspondents will exercise great care to be ac- curate and believes that they do. They have our sympathy in the fineness of some points that they have to contend with. The coiuse that has been adopte OOLOGIST. 31 six weeks, one could drive for miles and hardly see a fence. The bugs and other insects that hide under logs, and in bark and decayed stnmps, have a good, thick blanket. Methinks that a Shrike, to dine off snch grub in this county, must pro- vide itself with a snow shovel and entomolo- gist's chisel. The Shrike's motto probably is, hunt shrike or die, for I cannot believe that it ever roots through two or three feet of snow to get under a log, or digs into an old dead tree that is frozen hard. My theory (slight proof), that how the Shrike obtains what few insects and worms they may get in winter (not in October, for in this month they might get plenty of insect food in freshly plowed fields), is this: During the winter months farmers are engaged, more or less, cutting wood and chopping down useless fruit trees. The woods are thinned out so much that dying or dead trees are used mostly. In cutting and splitting such timljer, the grubs and beetles are exposed. I agree with Mr. Gaboon that Tern draw up their feet when flying. I have noticed it in two species of Tern, and more particularly with the Herring Gull. During cold snaps they hover over the river, oftentimes clearing the bridges by less than thirty feet. If Mr. Arthur H. Howell will refer to the Laws of State of New York, 1886, page (JO!), chapter 427, he will gain the desired informa- t\yn\ regarding a permit. Most respectfully, B. D. Stone. Oswego, N. Y. P. S. — Let me ask Mr. Edward Tennant a question, — Sept. 1888, O. & (). — Why do crows, when pulling corn, almost invariably take the soft kernel of corn, if they are only after cut- worms, etc.'? D I). SfdHf. Editor of O. n or per- sons having the power to grant said certifi- cates, written testimonials from two well- known scientific men, certifying to the good character and fitness of said applicant to be in- trusted with such privilege," etc. It is thus evident that your correspondent is laboring under a misapprehension as to just what tlie provisions of the law are in respect to granting permits for collecting birds for scien- tific purposes. I heartily sympathize with your correspondent in respect to the age limit re- quired by the law, as the other provisions of the law amply guard against permits falling into the hands of improper persons. I enclose herewith a copy of the New York law, entitled "An Act for the Preservation of Song and Wild Eiids." pa^^cd May ^0. 1S86. Very truly yours, New York, X.Y. -J- -l- Allen. THE NEW YORK LAW. (ha]). 427. AX ACl' Folt THE PitESERVATIOS OF SOXG AND WILD lilUDS. Passed May 20, 1886; three-flltlis being present: with- out the approval of the (Jovernor.* The People of the State oj New York, repre- sented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows : Section 1. Xo per.son in any of the counties of this State, shall kill, wound, trap, net, snare, catch, with bird lime, or with any similar substance, poison or drug' any bird of song or any linnet, blue bird, yellow ham- mer, yellow bird, thrush, woodpecker, cat bird, pewee, swallow, martin, bluejay, oriole, kildee, snow bird, grass bird, gross beak, bobolink, phoebe bird, humming bird, wren, robin, meadow lark or starling, or any wild bird, othjr than a game bird. Nor shall any per.'ion * Not returned by the (iovernor within ten tlays after it was presented to him, and became a law without his signature. [Art. iV. Sec. !i. Constitution of the State of NeW|York.] purchase, or have in possession, or expose for sale any such song or wild bird, or any part thereof, after the same has been killed. For the purposes of this act the following only shall be considered game birds : the Anatidfe, commonly known as swans, geese, brant, and river and sea ducks; the Rail Ida', commonly known as rails, coots, mud-hens and gallinules ; the Limicohp, commonly known as shore birds, plovers, surf-birds, snipe, woodcock, sand pipers, tatlers, and curlews ; the Gallinae, commonly known as wild turkeys, grouse, prairie-chickens, pheasants, partridges and (juails. § 2. No per>on shall take or needlessly destroy the nest or eggs of any song or wild bird. § 3. Sections one and two of tliis act shall not apply to any person holding a certificate giving the right to take birds, and their nests and eggs, for scientific pur- j)oses, as provideil for in section four of this act. § 4. Certificates may be granted by any incorporated society of natural history in the State, through such jier- sons or officers as said society may designate, to any properly accredited i)erson of the age of eighteen years or upward, permitting the holder thereof to collect birds, their nests or eggs, for strictly scientific i)urposes only. In order to obtain such certificate, the ajjplicant for the same must present to tlie person or persons having the power to grant said certificate, written tes- timonials from two well-known scientific men, certify- ing to the good character and fitness of said ajiplicant to be intrusted witli sucli privilege; must pay to said persons or officers one dollar to defray the necessary expen.-.es attending the granting of such certificates ; and must file with said jier.-ons or oHiccrs a i)roi)crly executed bond, in the svun of two hundrcil dollars, signed by two responsible citizens of the State as sure- ties. Tliis bontl shall be forfeited to the State, and the certificate become void, upon proof that tlie holder <»f such a certificate has killed any bird, or taken the nest or eggs of any bird, for other than the purpo:5es named in sections three and four of this act, and sliall be fur- ther subject for each such offense to the jjenalties pro- vided tlierelor in section^ one and two of this act. § 5. The certificates authorized by this act .'-hall Le in force for one year only from the date of their is^ue, and shal (.not be traiir-ftrable. § 6. The Englich or European hou^e-sparrow (Passer domesticus) is not included among the birds protected by this act. § 7. Any pe^^on or per.sons violating any of the pro- visions of this act shall lie deemed guilty of a uiisde- meanor, p>niishable by imprisonment in the county .ia 1 or penitentiary, of not less than five or more than thirty days, or to a fine of not less than ten or more than fifty dollars, or both, at the discretion of the court. § 8. In all actions for the recovery of penalties under this act, one-half of the recovery shall belong to the plaintitt', and the remainder ^ hall be paid to the county treasurer of the county where the ottense is committed, except if tlie offense be committed in the city and county of New York, the remaining one-half shall be paid to the chamberlain of said city. § 9. All acts or parts of acts inconsistent with, or contrary to the prf)visions of this act, are hereby re- pealed. § 10. This act shall take effect immediately. Statk of New Yt)KK, | Office of the Secretary of State, ) *'*'■ • 1 have compared the preceding with the orig'nal law on file in this office, antl do hereby certify that the same is a correct transcript therefrom and of the whole of said original law. Fkedkuick Cook, Secretary of State. ORNITHOLOGIST — AND- OOLOGIST. i;i.oo per Annum. PUBLISHED BY FRANK B. WEBSTER. Established, March, 1875. Single Copy 10 cents. Vol. XIV. BOSTON, MASS., MARCH, 1889. No. 3. Nesting of the Florida Burrowing Owl. Late in the fall of 1888 it was my good for- tune to find the owl towns in the great i^rairie which stretches away northward from Lake Okeechobee. Good fortune I say, but it was not an ordinary every day bit of good luck. Ten days I had been tramping over the seem- ingly endless prairie before I found my first owl burrow, and it was over two weeks before I secured the first specimen of the bird, which was about the only reward for my long and fatiguing trip. Before going out I made diligent inquiries among the "cow boys" regarding the habits and locations of these interesting birds. All had seen them, and could describe vividly their looks, note, and actions, but all failed to locate any of their towns. This seemed to be due to two causes: First, because no one really cared where the owls lived, and second, when hunt- ing or cattle-driving, there was too much else to look after, to make any accurate examina- tion of the spot where the birds were seen. So it went out of mind at once. But, after I met witli some of the Seminoles, the case was en- tirely different. Nothing escapes their obser- vation. They have names for even the small- est and most insignificant looking birds and plants, and their confidence once gained, they will tell you anything you want to know, pro- vided, of course, you can understand their very peculiar language. They told me that "the owls had all gone from the prairie." This I found almost liter- ally true. Town after town was visited, and every burrow that showed any signs of having been recently inhabited was grubbed out from end to end, until at last, after two weeks of patient work, the coveted specimen was seen. Now the fun began in earnest. That bird I was bound to have, but he seemed to know the exact range of a gun. Not only that, but he flushed in a ziz-zag sort of a fashion before he took a straight course, and it seemed to be a part of his plan to pitch down on the opposite side of some muddy slough or water course. Hours passed, so did miles, but at last my owl fell a victim to his own wiles. I marked him down by the side of a long narrow slough, and, being sure that he would cross it when he rose, I advanced up the margin until I thought he would soon rise, and then ran for him at full speed. As he rose, I fired, still running, and, when fairly over the water, gave him the second barrel with success. As he di'opped, I sat down and took time to feel how tired I was. It is a pity we have no genius in the world yet who can invent an ac- curate " tired-nometer." I think I could have used one that day over a yard long, and strained it to its utmost capacity. Although in the West the Burrowing Owl usually inhabits the deserted domicile of some animal, this does not seem to be the case with the Florida Burrowing Owl {Speotyto cunicu- larin fioridana). There are no animals in the country whicli the latter bird inhabits to make such holes as they require, and I am assured that every hole is occupied by a pair of owls in the spring. When one is caved in by cattle or horses, its occupants at once proceed to exca- vate a new one. The Indians say that they use their feet for this purpose, and dig pretty fast, too. All the burrows that I examined contained the remnants of last year's nest, and many old dry "pellets," together with broken bits of insects. I could find no evidence that their food was anything but insectivorous, and this coincided with the testimony of the Indians. They also stated that the birds lay eight white eggs, and hatch them "between the new moon and the full." This, no doubt, means that the period of incubation is less than a month. Their imitation of the cry of the bird was very much like the notes of the Cuckoo, and Copyright, 1889, by Frank B. Webster. 34 ORNITHOLOGIST [Yol. 14-No. n not at all owl-like in its tone. As their render- ing of the voices of all the birds that I knew was remarkably correct, I have no doubt that they were equally true to nature in imitating this one. Where the Burrowing Owls go to, after the breeding season is over and the young birds able to fly, seems to be an unsolved problem. The " cow boys " did not seem to know of any such exodus, and when I talked with them about it, suggested "the scrub," or the "big saw grass." The Indians only said that they were away, and offered no explanation. N^either did the phenomenon find any place in their numerous and interesting bird myths and fables. My own opinion is that they are in the fall more arboreal, and perhaps, also, more nocturnal in their habits, and seek the wooded "islands" in the prairie and the swamps along the edges of the streams. The burrows are found either in the very higliest parts of the prairie, or in the thickest vegetation, but occupy a peculiar sort of sandy flat ground, which, however, is covered with a good tough turf. They are about five inches wide, and three and a half high, and extend underground on the average less than six feet. A few I found were eight feet and over. Only one was less than four feet. The superincum- bent soil is from eight inches to a foot thick, and the chamber at the extremity, in which the nest is placed, is quite circular, and not less than a foot in diameter. It is higher than the passage-way leading to it, and being likewise slightly domed, it brings the top quite near the surface of the ground. It is this part of the habitation which is most often caved in by the feet of passing cattle. The sand that is thrown out at the mouth of the hole makes quite a conspicuous mound in the open prairie, but in the "roughs." or those places that have not been burnt over for some years, the weeds and grass are rich and rank about it, being doubtless fertilized by the dropping and castings of the inhabitants. This hides the burrow pretty effectually from the casuil observer, but, after a little experience, these circular patches of richer vegetation were quite a valuable guide in my search. I found no very large towns, the usual num- ber of burrows being five or six. The largest number found together was eleven, and the smallest three. The holes open to all points of the compass, although one of the oldest set- tlers in the region assured me that tliey always extended south underground. They seldom make much of a turn. A moderately supple stick generally accommodates itself to any slight bends and reaches their end. When one hole was found, I always looked for others within at least a rod, and occasionally they were not more than a yard' apart. Walter Iloxie. The Blackburnian Warbler at Home. Having ever admired the lovely little crea- ture— the subject of my sketch — and never having become acquainted with him, save as a transient visitor, when he rested for a time on his long journeys, it was with keen delight that I followed him on his home-going in the spring of 1887. Often have I watched these charming birds, as they moved about quietly among the foliage in search of food; but very little of their real nature did they disclose to me ; never a note nor a chirp; silent and satisfied they soon hurried on. Occasionally they are ovei-taken by a sudden cold snap, and then their plight is pitiable. Once while traveling in northern Iowa, during the month of April, a bitter cold spell of weather came quickly upon the track of a warm bright time, and I remember that in the town of Clarion many small birds had drifted into the more sheltered localities to escape the biting blast that had met them while crossing those treeless prairies. Among them was a little Blackburnian Warbler, .so chilled that it did not object to being held in my warm hand. Perhaps it blessed me for the kindness; at any rate, I know that nothing in that eventful col- lecting tour gave me greater pleasure. The first time I saw this species was upon a fine spring morning at the old home near New- ton, Iowa, when a small flock o* male Black- burnians, with some Black - throated Green Warblers, spent a forenoon among the ever- greens and shrubberj' in my father's yard. They were very tame, permitting my sister and myself to approach within a few feet of them, where we watched their movements for a long time, charmed by their brilliant garb and dainty actions as they flitted here and there among the new leaves or the bloom-laden plum trees. Little did I then hope to see them in glad abandon, where tangled spruce and hemlock marches — which abound in the wooded lake region of northern Minnesota — offer them a perfect home. During May and early June the males were in constant song. Perched upon a dry and broken branch of some Mar. 1889.] A^D OOLOGIST. 35 tall, old hemlock, one of these dauntless fel- lows will sit for hours in the warm sunshine, pouring forth his matchless melody. But let another male intrude upon his domain, and in a twinkling the song ceases and the songster is transformed into as much fight as his little feathers will contain. As soon as his jaunty foe is driven away, the perch is resumed, and his victory is heralded forth in ecstatic strains. These thrilling notes of love-making are diffi- cult to represent, somewhat resembling the song of the Black-throated Green Warbler, but to my notion, richer and moi-e lively, and he is not at all afraid to come out and show himself. In fact he is a little vain of his flaming throat, and evident prowess in song. While thus a conspicuous object in these secluded wilds, his modest mate is gliding in and out among the thick foliage of the black spruce. One will start near the ground, and by hopping from branch to branch, soon gain the close, cone- clad top, from which it lightly falls to another tree, and so continues its search. In the lo- cality where I observed them, the black spruce (Abies niger) seemed to be their favorite; and a right good protection it is for the home- making, for when tliickly draped witli the long wands of pendant Usnea — "Old Man's Beard," — it is well nigh impossible to detect either the bird or nest. And it is only by watching the female, while carrying material, that one is likely to find the nest, and even then it is not an easy task. I spent many days before finding the first nest, and, at tlie time, tliere were two pairs building within a small radius, in a close set marsh. On the morning of May 20th, while waiting- near the corduroy road, which crosses this marsh at a certain point, a female Blackbur- nian Warbler flew to the middle of the road and began tugging away at some hairs, which were secured, and carried into tbe thick, young hemlocks. This it repeated often, and my most earnest eft'orts failed to detect where she went. Three consecutive days she continued at her task, leaving me as much in mystery as at first. Several days later, by chance, I esiiied the bird contentedly sitting upon her eggs, up in a hemlock tree. Shortly after I detected another pair building, and was more fortunate, for while standing silent at tlie edge of a small opening during a shower, a male Blackburnian came out on top of a black spruce, and after pluming himself, flew away, to return in the course of half an hour, when they both made their appearance. Soon both left sliortly to return again, the female carx-ying a long grass blade. The male stayed close by her. They went direct to the nest, thirty feet up in the far out tip of a branch of black spruce. I saw them go back and forth many times, the male simply keeping liis mate company. Tlie first nest was placed against the trunk, and upon a small branch which sprang from the tree at a height of twenty feet. The nest before me has a light platform of fine, dead twigs of the spruce. Into this is neatly woven a considerable quantity of Usnea, then a sufficient lining of finely shredded, inner bark of the bass wood, with a few long horse liairs, and a number of deer's hairs. The rim of the structure is Usnea, neatly matted and twined, holding all together. Then the exterior is flecked all over with fluft's of cottony spiders webbing. Altogether it is an elegant work of art. It measures three inches across by one and a half inches in depth, thus being quite shallow. The depression in this is very shallow and small. It contained two fresli eggs of the owner and one of the Cow Bird, and at the foot of the tree were fragments of two more eggs which had been crowded from the nest by this parasite. In the second nest the materials were simi- lar to those in the first with the addition of some soft grasses. It had been placed in the fork of a horizontal branch near the tip and five feet from the trunk, tliirty feet from the ground. Over tliis branch grew another, which lay close upon it, concealing the nest from every way. This set consisted of three eggs, with one of the inevitable Cow Bird. The fourth egg lay broken on the ground. The eggs when fresh are rich, much resembling those of the Chestnut-sided Warbler. Witli all the tugging and slipping I did in drawing myself up by means of those droojiing, rope-like branches, and witli all the jolting the tree had in consequence, the bird remained close, never uttering a protest. So gentle and l^atient was she, I came well-nigh leaving her in possession of her treasures. J. W. Preston. Baxter, Iowa. The Effect of a Storm on Birds. An incident that occurred in my experience during last season's collecting (1888) impressed upon my notice facts in connection with violent and extreme changes of weather, to which my attention had never before been so forcibly directed. During the middle of May 30 ORNITHOLOGIST [Yol. 14-:N"o. 3 last, there were two weeks of the most charm- ing of spring weather. Old Boreas had at last retired from the fields he had ruled so long, the sun shone out upon the glad earth in warmth and brightness, the trees so long bare burst into leaf and hastily donned their emer- ald robes, tlie many tinted flowers of spring spread their gay petals rejoicing in the light and heat and scenting the air witli their per- fume; birds sang on every spray, each hour bringing new arrivals full of life and full of song. The thrushes, the towhees, the robins, tlie sparrows, the bobolinks and warblers were chanting their songs of welcome, choosing their mates and building their nests. But a sudden change came over the face of nature, a driving north-east wind, cold as if direct from off the face of an iceberg swept over the scene, the fruit blooms were blasted before its icy breath, the flowers of yesterday so gay lay prostrated with blanched and bat- tered petals, but the birds, the poor little birds, but lately from tropical climes, how- fared they and how endured the pitiless pelt- ing of the cold storms that beat upon tliem without mercy day after day".' At last it was over, and tlie svui once more shed its welcome beams abroa