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FOR THE PEOPLE
FOR EDVCATION
FOR SCIENCE
LIBRARY
OF
THE AMERICAN MUSEUM
OF
NATURAL HISTORY
The Oologist
— FOR THE-
<^ STUDENT OF BIRDS, ®>
Their Nests and Eggs.
Volume III.
ALBION, N. Y.: FRANK H. LATTIN, Publisher,
1886.
JOHN P. SMITH,
PRINTER AND BOOKBINDER, 76-84 STATE ST., ROCHESTER, N. Y,
THE OOLOGIST.
IIVOEX: TO ^OI.. III.
Page.
A. O. U. Check List, Review, &c 36
Bird Box, History of a 31
Bird, Strange 61
Birds, Manual of North Ainerican 48
Blowpipe, Water i3i 4'
Bluebird 40
Bunting, Black-throated 22
Bunting, Indigo 22
Bunting, Indigo, Spotted Eggs of 55
Buzzards, Turkey 46
Cabinet, Cheap and Convenient 6
Cabinet, How to Make 47
Cabinet, For a Large Collection 51
Cabinet, My 26
Chautauqua 47
Check List of N. A. Birds, a Review of, with
Special Reference to the New A. O. U. List.. 36
Checking List, Our New 48, 50
Chenango Co., From 29
Chester Co., Pa., Notes from 45
Chewink Nest in a Tree 49
Chicago Exposition, Our Exhibit 56
Chickadee. ... 34
Climbing Strap 20
Clutch II
Correspondence 26, 27, 40, 41
Cortland Co., N. Y., Birds of 2, 21
Coues' Wrong 23
Cowbird 41
Crane, Whooping 43
Cranes Nest, My first White 43
Creeper, Nest of the Black and White 7, 28, 46
Creeper. Nest of the Brown 25
Crossbill, Red 39
Crow, American 31;, 47
Crows, Two using one Nest 41
Cuckoo, Black-billed, laying with the Yellow- billed ;. 28
Cuckoo, Yellow-billed 28
Cuckoo's Egg in Wood Thrush Nest 52
Davie, An old letter from 27
Davie's Key to the Nest and Eggs of N. A.
Bird's 10, 12, 24, 30, 50
Eggs, A Large Sale of 48. 50
Eggs, Collect Single 54
Page
Fish Hawks, A Day among 49
Flycatcher, Great-crested 26, 60
Friendship, An Unusual 23
Goldfinch, American 59
Goldfinch, American, spotted eggs 60
Grakle, Bronzed 21
Grosbeak, Pine 39
Gronse, Ruffed 35
Guillemot, Pigeon 61
Hawk, Broad-winged 46
Hawk, A Cunning 30
Hawk Sparrow, A Moral Pair of 41
Hawk's Nest, A difficult climb after a Red-tailed 34
Heron, Nests of the Green 33
Hummingbird, Nest of the Ruby-throated 40
Illinois, Collector's Notes 57
Intelligence of Bird's 29
Iowa, Notes from 33
Jottings 8, 9, 10, 24, 36, 48, 56
Kentucky, Notes from 41
Kind Words, etc 14
Kinglet, Ruby-crowned 34
Lark, Horned 34
Long Island, A Day on 53
Loons, A Day with 55
Maine as a Field for the Ornithologist 41
Martins, Purple 31, 44
Michigan, Notes from 41
Minnesota, Notes from 40, 59
Missouri, Notes from 26
Nest, A Popular ! 21
Nest, warm place for 25
Nesting, Late ' ■ 26
Night Hawk 35
North Carolina, Notes from 22
Nuthatch, Brown-headed 55
Nuthatch, Pigmy 27
Oological and Ornithological 44
Oologist, Monthly 52
Oriole. Baltimore 53
Orioles, Intelligence of 29
Orioles, Not Foster-parents 41
Ornithologist, The Young. . . .• 50
Osprey 49
Owl, Great-Horned 19. 27
THE OOLOGIST.
Page.
Owl, Screech 6i
Pcnna., Jottings from 40
Pewee, A Plucky Wood 57
Quail, A Beheaded 26
Rail, Virginia 46
Robin 23
Set or Clutch, &c 40
Sparrow, An Albino 29
Sparrow, English 23, 31
Sparrow, Tree 32
Spoonbill, Rose te 51
Swift, Chimney 54
Tern Eggs, Hunt for 20
Texans Query 41
Thrasher, Brown 41
Thrasher, Brown, White Eggs of 50
Thrasher, Rufous-vented 41
Thrush, Bicknell's 31
Thrush, Golden- crowned 53
Thrush, Gray-che -ked 13
Thrush, Wilson's 13
Page.
Thrush, Wood 13, 26, 53
Vagary of a Collector 19
Warbler, Nest of Blue Yellow-backed 60
Warbler, Mourning 46
Warbler, Worm eating 46
Washington, D. C, Summer Birds of 10
Washington Co., N. Y., Notes from 35
Water Ouzel, American lo
Whip poor-will 23
Wisconsin, Notes from 40
Woodpecker, Hairy 33, 40
Woodpecker, Red-headed 44
Woodpecker, Red-headed, Canibalism of 29, 40
Wrens, One Day on Chester Island with the
Marsh i
Wren, Long-billed Marsh 28, 45, 57, ;8
Wren, Short-billed Marsh 58
Yates Co., N. Y., Notes from 60
Explanatory: — Volumes I. and II. of the Oologist were issued under the name Young Oologist.
QliiilJl. <
""'^^^ Bi-Monthly. ^^^f^ goc. per Year. ^^•
VA^
Vol. III. ALBION, N. Y., JAN. & FEB., 1886. No. 1.
PREMIUM LIST FOR OBTAINING
New Subscribers for the "Oologist."
For every new subscriber one of our present sub- ' scribers may send us, we will give twelve and one-half cents worth of anything we advertise, or offer for sale in The Oologist, our catalogue, or any circular we may send out. We trust our friends will obtain for us as many new subscribers as possible. We consider our premium list one of the largest and most varied ever sent by any publisher in America. Parties desiring to obtain a costly premium can send in their names, as fast as obtained and we will give them a check good for 12^ cents, in trade, when the required number of checks are obtained they may send to us and we will send the premium desired. Parties pre- ferring cash in place of the above will be allowed 10 cents on each subscribtion.
To be entitled to the above commission, you must (if not already a sub-;criber) send in your subscription for The Oologist with your first order. We can allow you no commission on your own name.
The Oologist's Prize Competition for Winter of 1886.
In addition to all other premiums offered, we will give to the persons sending us the greatest number of subscribers for the Oologist before March 20th, 1886 the following prizes :
First.— $5. 00 Cash.
Second and Third. — Each an egg of the Central American Occellated Turkey, val- ued at $5.00 each.
Fourth.— An egg of the South African Ostrich.
Fifth and Sixth. — Each one copy of Davie's Key to the INests and Eggs of North American Birds.
Seven to Ten. — Oologists Directory.
Ten to Fifteen. — Oologists Handbook.
Subscriptions must be mailed from your office not later than March 20th. Subscrip- tions mailed on the 20th will count. Pre- miums will be forwarded to the lucky winners on the 1st of April, and their names published in the following Oologist. Should two or more parties send the same number of subscribers, the highest prize will be awarded to the party whose list was sent earliest. Bon't delay, but commence work (it once. Address, FRANK H. LATTIN, Albion, N. Y.
The finest collection ever put up
FOR BEGIITNEES !
Contains twenty different and choice curiosities, worth over $2.00 at our regular prices ; but in order to reduce our stock we will send, prepaid, a collection containing the following curiosities, properly named, with locality, etc.,
FOR ONLY $1.10 !
Electric Stone> Sea URcmx, Star Fish, Sea Gopher,
Skai-e Egg, Shark Egg,
Chinese Coin, 100 Var. Foreign Stamps, Cringid Stem,
12 Black-Eyed Susans,
Sea Bean, 3 Handsome Cowry Shells,
Branch Coral. Arrowhead,
Back op Sand Crab, Razor Shell,
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(Transparent as water, surpassed only by the dia- mond ; will scratch glass.)
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Address,
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ALBION, N. Y.
THE OOLOGIST
The Young Oologist,
THK MOST POrULAH AND INSTRtJCTIVE MA(;AZINE,
Devoted to Birds, Their Nests and Eggs,
EVER PUBLISHED. -
Appreciating its value, the Publisher reserved a limited quantity of each issue to supply future demands. He now has. all told,
LESS THAN TWO HUNDRED COMPLETE SETS.
Collectors will readily see the advisability of completing their files or
IW OBTAINING A COMPLETE SET AT ONCE. ,^
Back numbers will soon be exceedingly rare and valuable and possibly not obtainable at any price.
sCJOIO-TIBi^TS:
The lollowing enumerates some of the principal articles in each issue and the price for which a copy may be obtained : —
The "short articles" are one column or less in length and of great value to the student.
Not mentioned in the list of contents : each issue contains one or two pages of "items," one column to two pages of exchange notices, and from three to eight pages of advertisements.
Nos. I, 2, 3, 4, 5, 12, and i2rt, each contain 16 pages.
Nos. 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, each contain 20 pages.
Nos. 13 and 14, each contain 32 pages: and No. 11, contains 36 pages.
No. I. — Instructions for Collecting Birds' Eggs, (3 pa- ges); Coue's Key, Twenty-four short articles. Price 10 cis. 'No. 2. — Instructions for Collecting Birds' Eggs, con- , eluded, (2 pages); Painted Buntings; Cala. Mot- tled Owl ; List of Birds Found at Montreal ; 24 short articles. 8 cts.
No. 3. — Maine Item- ; Yellow-headed Blackbird ; Orchard Oriole ; The Slip System ; Wilson's Thrush ; Hand-book of Agassiz Association ; 23 short articles. 8 cts.
No. 4. — Screech Owl ; Importance of Identification ; A La. Heronry; Cardinal Grosbeak; Eagle's Nest; How to Make ana Use Bird Lime; 14 short arti- cles. 7 cts.
No. 5. — Bird-nesting — To Collect Scientifically, i 3 pages) ; Cala. Birds ; From Wyoming ; 22 short articles. 8 cts
No. 6.— Bobolink, (2^ pages): Sea Birds of Maine; Eeging in a Cala. bwamp ; Old "Put" and the r.ird's Nest ; List of Wisconsin Birds ; 12 short articles. 6 cts.
No. 7. — Bronzed Grakle ; Singular Duel ; Fish Hawk; Spurred 'J'owhee and Least Tit ; "Old" Put and the Bird's Nest ; Bird Island ; 14 short articles. 6 cts.
No. 8. — The Alligator ; Collecting in Marshes ; Woodcock ; "Our Birds in Their Haunts ;" Iowa Notes; Redstart; Summer Redbird ; 18 ^horc ar- ticles. 8 <:/.f.
No. 9.— Baltimore Oriole ; Te.\as Jottings ; Sap- suckers ; Barn Owl ; American Ornithologists' Union, (3 pages) ; How to Handle a Gun ; Black- capped Titmouse ; Eag of the Moa. 10 cts.
No. 10. — Winter Wren; Cala. Duck-hunting; Screech Owl ; Davie's Egg Check List ; Peacock With Queer Tastes; White-bellied Nuthatch; Blue Jays , Spotted Robin Eggs ; 8 short articles, sets.
No. II. — Bank Swallow; Lnglish Sparrows; Study ot Birds; Gt. Horned Owl; Vellow-billed Cuckoo; Gambel's Quail ; Conn. Notes ; Intelligence of the Oriole ; Vellow-breast Chat : Maryland Yel- low-throat ; White-rumped Shrike ; List of Paci- fic Coast Birds ; Knights of Audubon ; Sample Data Blanks, (4 pages) ; 32 short articles. 12 cts.
No. 12. — Completes I'ol. I. Title cages for binding, with complete and exhaustive inde.v, (8 pages .
-LOCtS. _ . '
No. 12 rt. — Special edition for advertising purposes, same as No. 12, except being printed on lighter paper and the title pages being replaced with ad- vertising. 3 cts.
No. 13. — Bartram's Gardens ; South Carolina Obser- vations, (6 pages) ; Scientific Names ; Gt. Homed Owl ; Bank Swallows ; Knights of Audubon ; Hummingbird; R. 1. Notes; Texas Jottin-^s ; 30 short articles. 15 cts.
No. 14. — Americaii Crossbill ; Audubon's Birds of America; Illinois Notes; Destruction of Birds; Cuckoos ; Cala. Notes ; Wrens on the Warpath ; Golden-winged Warbler ; Fox Sparrow ; Our Winter Birds ; Snipe Creek ; Red-head ; Wiscon- sin Jottings ; Burrowing Owl, etc. ; A Florida Trip ; Horned Lark ; Queer Homes and Nesting Sites ; Brave Bird ; Ferruginous Rough Leg ; .Sparrows ; Pigmy Nuthatch ; 26 short articles. 12 cts.
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W'JiX BE MAILMD POSTPAID FOR O^LY $1.06.
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Address, FRANK H. LATTIN, Albion, N. Y.
iR
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Specimen Illustration from Davie's Egg Check List
Copyright iSSb.
PLATE I.
. ... z-f -si -. ty-" ,. ., 4 fe .->-'' -^^^;^>i^is^^^»S^'-=^'^^^''»fc^-r
American Water Ouzels and Nest.
( Cinclus ffiexicantts.)
See Description No. 19.
THE OOLOGIST.
Vol. 8, No. 1. ALBION, N. Y., JAN. & FEB., 1886.
\ Rl-MONTHLY.
'( 50c. Per Year.
One Day on Chester Island ■wri';h the Marsh Wrens.
Twelve miles below Philadelphia, in the Delaware River, is situated a mass of mud, reeds and dead vegetation, known as Ches- ter Island. This unintere.sting marsh is one mile in length by about one-quarter mile in width, and is uninhabited by man. Despised alike by inhabitants of l)oth States between which it lies, and b}^ mar- iners because of its obstruction to naviga- tion, it has few redeeming points, except for the naturalist. Tradition says that in the Revolutionary times a fine manor house stood here owned and tenanted by an Eng- lishman of wealth, in which hospitality was freely dispensed, and revelrj' reigned supreme. Such, however, is merely here- say, and to-day no evidences remain of former occupancy.
This spot, seldom visited by man, offers peculiar facilities'to the Long-billed Marsh Wren for niditication, being nearly covered with a rank and luxurious growth of reeds and splatterdocks. I had made a collect- ing trip here during June, 1874, a trip, too, replete with experiences, and the eleven years which have since elapsed have failed to efface some recollections thereof. I re- call how near a permanent fixture I be- came by sinking in the soft, deceptive mud, how tortured, too, by a species of fly with painful sting, which inhabits the reeds, and how now and then one of the rightful owners in the form of snake or muskrat appeared, as if to dispute my in- vasion of his domain. These and kindred reminders came before me when the thought of a second visit occurred, but finally I decided that some new points re- garding the habits of these wrens, some sets of their little chocolate colored eggs and the possibility of an encounter v.'ith the
short-billed species, would well repay me for the trouble and exertion.
At this season (June 15th) the reeds have attained their greatest height, (from 7 to 10 feet,) and are in their best color. A perfect wilderness of them, stretched out over the entire island, and growing thickly together, as they do, it becomes impossible to see more than ten feet distant, at any one time ; the fl.oor, so to speak, is only rendered solid enough to bear man's weight by reason of dead reeds and grasses of former years, which make a carpet suf- ticientlj^ soft and velvety to the tread, to suit the most fastidious; the highest of hip boots are not high enough to preserve dry feet, for here and there a muskrat hole or natural sluiceway appears, and without warning one is precipitated from an erect position to one of reclining horror. This is the favorite haunt of the Long-billed Marsh Wren, and for many years a vast colony of them have occupied the place as a summer resort. This season they are very numerous, probably not having been disturbed for many years, and their harsh, short, quickly uttered and not unpleasant note (to me) is heard without intermission all day, hundreds, aye thousands of nests presented themselves for inspection, and in a few hours, almost without being aware of it, I had taken nearly 100 sets of eggs. The well known habit this bird is said to possess, of building one or more duplicate nests, was abundantly corroborated on this occasion, as upon manj'^ previous ones, I observed that when one of these duplicate nests was found, the nest with the eggs was not more than ten feet distant. And such a wonderful home they make for their tiny infants to be born in, a number of matted reeds, of previous years growth are covered and worked with mud into a glob- ular ball not unlike a cocoanut in shape; this is securely fastened to the growing
THE OOLOGIST.
reeds about three or four feet from the ground, a small opening is left near the top, at one side, which is the entrance to a warm and snug inside, comfortably lined with the blossom of willow and cat-tail. I regfU'd a full average set as six, though many nests contained sets of five, as evi- denced by the advanced incubation, and from several nests I took seven and eight eggs respectively. In one case only did I find nine, which was without precedent in my personal experience. The eggs are spherical or oval, so uniformly covered with spots of brown, as to present a choc- olate color. One set of six were veritable albinos, and almost suggested the Short- billed Marsh Wren, but a diligent search of hours failed to reveal a single nest or bird of this species. The Long-billed and Short- billed do not breed in common, in this sec- tion at least; and I know of no authentic set of the latter ever having been taken here.
Toward evening, nearly overcome by thirst, and devoured by insects, a mud be- grimmed and thoroughly fatigued collector returned to land in quest of a much needed bath and refreshing sleep.
Harky G. Pariver.
Chester, Pa., June 24th, 1885.
BIRDS OF CORTLAND CO., N. Y.
The following list does not claim to be perfect or complete, as I have purposely refrained from naming any species but those that I have fully identfied, or that have been identified by those I considered competent authority.
Any information concerning species not in the list will be thankfully received by the Compiler, care Bennett & Dean, Cort- land, N. Y.
(Numbered after Ridgway's Nomenclature.)
No. 1. Hylocichla mustelina. (Gmel.) Baird. Wood Thrush. ' ' Flute bird, " ' ' Swamp Robin. " Common in swampy or wet woods. Breeds. Arrives about last week in April. Departs about first of Oc- tober.
No. 2. Hylocichla fusce.scens. (Steph.)
Baird. Wilson Thrush. "Veery." Not uncommon. Breeds. An-ives early in May. Departs about first of September.
No. 7. Merula migratori. (Linn.) Sw. & Rich. American Robin. Breeds. An extremely cojiimon summer resident. Ar- rives about middle of March. Departs in October, occasionally a few wintering here.
No. 12. Galeoscoptescarolinensis. (Linn) Caban. Cat-Bird. "Mocking-bird." Very common summer resident. Breeds. Arrives early in May. Departs about first of October.
No. 13. Harporhynchus rufus. (Linn.) Caban. Brown Thraser. Formerly very common. Noted in 1882 for the first time in about fifteen years.
No. 22. Sialia sialis. (Linn.) Haldem. Eastern Blue-bird. Abundant. Breeds. Arrives about first of March. Departs middle of November.
No. 33. Regulas satrapa. Light. Gol- den-crowned Ringlet. Migrant. Abund- ant during last of April and first of May. Again the last of October.
No. 41. Parus atricapiilus. Linn. Black-capped Titmouse or chickadee. Resident and abundant. Breeds.
No. 51. Sitta caroliuensis. Gmel. White-bellied Nuthatch. "Sap-Suck- er " Resident and abundant. Breeds.
No. 52. Sitta canadensis. Linn. Red- bellied Nuthatch. Regular migrant during Apiil and October.
No. 55. Certhia familiaris rufa. Brown Creeper. Abundant in Spring and Au- tumn.
No. 63. Troglodytes sedon. Vieill_ House Wren. "Jenny Wren." Com- mon summer resident. Breeds. Arrives early in May. Departs in October.
No. 67. Telmatodytes palustris. (Wils.) Baird. Long-billed Marsh Wren. I am informed that this and the following species breed in the marshes near Glen Haven, at the head of Skaneateles Lake.
No. 68. Cistothorus stellaris. (Licht.) Caban. Short-billed Marsh Wren.
THE OOLOGIST.
No. 74. Mniotiltavaria. (LiXN.) ViEiLL. Bi.ACK AND White Creeper. Regular migrant. Last of April or first of May, and in September.
No. 88. Parula americana. (Linn.) Bonaparte. Blue-Yellow-backed War- bler. A migrant. Noted in 1882, May 5th.
No. 93. Dendropca {estiva. (Gmel.) Baird. Summer YEi>Low-BrRD. "Yel- low Warbler." "Yellow Wren." Common summer resident. Breeds. Ar- rives last of April or first of May. Departs first of October.
No. 95. Dendropca coronata. (Linn.) Gray. Yellow-rumped Warbler. Not uncommon.
No. 97. Dendroeca maculosa. (Gmel.) Baird. Black and Yellow Warbler. Common spring and autumn migrant.
No. 99. Dendra?ca pennsylvanica. (Linn) Baird. Chestnut-sided W.\rbler. Some- what common. Breeds. Arrives about second week in May. Departs in Septem- ber.
No. 102. Dendroeca blackburnige. (Gm.) Baird. Blackburnian Warbler. Com- mon migrant. Arriving first week in Ma3^ Departing last of September.
No. 115. Siurus auricapillus. (Linn.) Swains. Golden-crowned Th'rush or Accentor. "Oven-bird." Summer resi- dent. Breeds. Arrives second week in May. Departs middle of September.
No. 122. Geothlpis trichas. (Linn.) Caban. ]\L\ryland Yellow-throat. Summer resident. Breeds. Arrives about middle of May. Departs latter part of Sep- tember.
No. 128. Setophaga ruticilla. Ameri- can Redstart. Common summer resi- dent. Breeds. Arrives first week in May. Departs in September.
No. 135. Vlreosylvia olivacea. (Linn.) Bonap. Red-eyed Vireo. Common summer resident. Breeds. Arrives second week in May. Departs in September.
No. 139. Vireosylvia gilva. (Vieill.) Cass. Warbling Vikeo. Summer resi-
dent. Breeds. Arrives about second week in May, Departs in September.
No. 140. Lanivireo flavlfrons. (Vieill.) Baird. Yellow-tiiroated Vireo. Sum- mer resident. Breeds. Arrives with the Red-eyed Vireo. Departs in September.
No, 149 a. Lanius ludovicianus excubi- torides. White-rumped Shrike. "Butch- er-bird." Not uncommon summer resi- dent. Breeds. Arrives last of March or first of April. Departs in October, usual- ly; though I find noted one specimen seen Nov. 12, 1884.
No. 151. Ampelis cedrorum. Carolina Waxwing. Ced.\r-bird. Cherry-bird. Resident; common in vdnter. Breeds.
No. 153. Petrochelidon lunifrons (Say.) Lawr. Eave Swallow. Cliff Swal- low. Abundant summer resident. Breeds. Arrives middle of April. Departs last of August or first of September.
No. 154. Hirundo erythrogastra. Bodd. Barn Swallow. Abundant summer resi- dent. Breeds. Arrives about middle of April. Departs in September.
No. 157. Cotile riparia. (Linn.) Boie. Bank Swali-ow. Common from first week in May to second week in September. Breeds.
jSTo. 161. Pyranga rubra. (Linn.) Vieill Scarlet T.\naoer. "Red-bird." Summ.er resident. Breeds. Arrives second week in May. Departs in September.
E. S. Passer domesticus. (Linn.) Koch. English Sparrow. Resident, and a nuisance.
No. 168. Carpodacus purpurus. (Gm.) Baird. Purple Finch. "Linnet." Sum- mer resident. Breeds. Arrives in March. Departs in October.
No. 172. Loxia curvirostra americana. (WiLS.) CouES. American Cross-bill. Occasional winter visitant.
No. 181. Astragalinus tristis. (Linn.) Caban. Am. Goldfinch. "Thistle Yel- low-bird." Abundant and resident. Breeds in July.
No. 186. Plectrophanes nivalis. (Linn. ) Meyer. Snow-bunting. "Snow-bird."
4
THE OOLOGIST.
Quite a regular winter visitor. Common from December to March.
No. 193 a. Passerculus sandwichensis savanna. (Wils.) Ridgw. Savannah Sparrow. Summer resident. Breeds. Ar- rives in April. Departs in October.
No. 197. Poaecetes gramineus. (Gm.) Baird. Grass Finch. "Bay-winged Bunting. Common summer resident. Breeds. Arrives first week in April. De- parts last of October.
No. 206. Zonotrichia leucophrys. (F'st.) Swains. White-crowned Sparrow. Mi- grant; last of April, middle of October.
No. 209. Zonotrichia albicollis. (Gm.) Bonaparte. White-throated Sparrow. Migrant; Middle of April, last of October.
No. 311. Spizella domestica. (Bartr.) CouES. Chipping Sparrow. "Chippie." Common summer resident. Breeds. Ar- rives middle of April. Departs early in October.
No. 214. Spizella pusilla. (Wils.) Bonaparte. Field Sparrow. Common summer resident. Breeds. Arrives in April. Departs last of October.
No. 217. Junco hyemalis. (Linn.) ScL. Black Snow-bird. "Rain-bird." Common spring and late autumn migrant, occasionally winters, rarely summers. Several cases of its breeding have been noted within the last two years, '83 and '84.
No. 231. Melospiza fasciata. (Gmel.) Scott. Song Sparrow. "Ground-bird." Very common summer resident. Breeds. Arrives first of March. Departs in Novem- ber.
No. 233. Melospiza palustris. (Wils.) Baird. Swamp Sparrow Summer resi- dent. Breeds. Arrives in April. Departs in October.
No. 244. Zamelodia ludoviciana. (Linn.) Coues. Rose-breasted Grosbeak. Sum- mer resident. Breeds. Arrives middle of May. Departs last of September.
No. 248. Passerina cyanea. (Linn.) Gray. Indigo Bunting. "Indigo-bird." Common summer resident. Breeds. Ar-
rives about first of May. Departs last of September.
No. 257. Dalichonyxoryzivorus. (Linn.) Swains. Bobolink. Skunk Black-bird. Very common summer resident. Breeds. Arrives early in May. Departs in August.
No. 258. Molothrus ater. (Bodd.) Gray. Cow Bunting. Cow-bird. Abund- ant. Occasionally winters.
No. 261. Agelseus phceniceus. (Linn.) Vieill. Red - and - buff-shouldered Black-bird. "Red-winged Black-bird." Extremely abundant. Breeds. Arrives middle of March. Departs in November.
No. 263. Sturnella magna. (Linn.) Swains. Meadow Lark. "Field Lark." Abundant summer resident. Breeds. Oc- casionally winters.
No. 271. Icterus galbula. (Linn.) Coues. Baltimore Oriole. "Golden Robin." "Firebird." "Hang-nest." Common summer resident. Breeds. Ar- rives early in May. Departs in September.
No. 278. Quiscalus purpureus. (Bartr.) Light. Purple Grackle. C!row Black- bird. Common summer resident. Breeds. Occasionally winters.
No. 282. Corvus frugivorus. Bartr. Common Crow. Common resident. Breeds.
No. 289. Cyanocitta cristata. (Linn.) Strickl. Blue Jay. Common in locali- ties, as Grade's Swamp, near Messenger- ville, etc. Breeds.
No. 300. Eremophila alpestris. (Forst.) Bgie. Shore Lark. "Horned Lark." Resident; most common in spring aud fall. Breeds.
No. 304. Tyrannus carolinensis. King- bird. "Bee Martin." Common sum- mer resident. Breeds. Arrives in May. Departs last of September.
No. 312. Myiarchus crinatus. (Linn.) Caban. Great-crested Flycatcher. Summer resident, not rare. Breeds. Ar- rives early in May. Departs in September.
No. 315. Sayoruis lusceus. (Gmel.) Baird Pewre. "Phoebe Bird." "Bridge-bird." Common summer resi-
THE OOLOGIST.
5
dent. Breeds. Arrives last of March. Departs first of October.
No. 320. Contopus virens. (Linn.) Caban. Wood Pewee. Not rare. Breeds. Arrives about middle of May.
No. 32(5. Empidona.x minimus. Baikd. Least Flycatciiek. Common summer resident. Breeds. Arrives first of Maj- or eai'lier. Departs last of September.
No. 335. Trochilus colubris. Linn.eus RuBY-THKOATED HuMMiNG-BiRD. Summer resident. Breeds. Arrives early in May. Departs in September.
No. 351. Ch;i?tura pelasgica. (Linn.) Baird. Chimney Swift. "Chimney Swallow." Abundant summer resident. Breeds. Arrives last of April. Departs middle of October. _
No. 357. Chordeiles popctue. (Vieill.) Baird. Night Hawk. "Bull Bat." Common summ r resident. Breeds.
No. 360. Picus villosus. Linnaeus. Hairy Wood hecker. Common resident. Breeds.
No. 361. Picas pubescens. Linn.eus. Downy Wood- PECKER. Common resident. Breeds.
No. 369. Sphyrapicus varius. (Linn.) Baird. Yellow-bellied Wood-pecker. Spring and autumn migrant. AiTives first week of April. Departs in October.
No. 375. Melanerpes erythrocephalus. Linn. Red-iie.\ded Wood-pecker. Com- mon resident. Breeds.
No. 378. Colaptes auratus. (Linn.) Sw. Yellow-shafted Flicker. "High- holder." "Golden- WINGED Wood-peck- er." "AVake-up." "Pigeon Wood- pecker." "Yellowhammer." "FlICIvER." "YucicER." "Yarup " "LIigh-hole." "Claype," etc., etc, etc. Abundant in summer, occasionally winters. Breeds. Arrives middle of April. Departs last of October.
No. 382. Ceryle alcyon. (Llnn.) Boie. Belted Kingfisher. Summer resident; occasionally winters. Breeds. Arrives early in April.
No. 387. Coccyzus americauus. (Linn.)
Bp. Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Summer resident. (Rarer than No. 388). Breeds. Arrives about first of May. Departs last of September.
No. 388. Coccyzus erythrophthalmus. (WiLS.) Baird. Black-billed Cuckoo. Common summer resident. Breeds. Ar- rives first of May. Departs last of Septem- ber.
No. 397. Strix nebulosa. Forst. Barred Owl. "Hoot Owl." Resident. Breeds.
No. 402. Scops asio. (Linn.) Bp. Little Screech Owl. Not uncommon.
No. 405. Bubo virginianus. (Gm.) BoNAP. Great Horned Owl. Resident. Breeds.
No. 406. Nyctea scandiaca. (Linn.) Newt. Snowt^ Owl. Irregular winter visitant.
No. 420. Tinnunculussparverius. (Linn.) Vieill. Sparrow Ha\vk. Summer resi- dent; rarely winters. Breeds.
No. 425. Pandion halisetus caroliuen- sis. (Gm.) Ridgw. American Osprey. Fish Hawk. Occurs regularly.
No. 430. Circus hudsonius. (Linn.) YiEiLL. ]*Iarsh H.\wk. Marsh Harrieb. Summer resident. Breeds.
No. 431. Accipiter cooperi. Bonap. Coopers HA^^^v. "Chicken Hawk." Not uncommon.
No. 432. Accipiter luscus. (Gmel.) Bp. Sharp-shinned Hawk. "Pigeon Hawk." Not uncommon.
No. 436. Buteo borealis. (Gm.) Vieill. Red-tailed Hawk. "Hen Hawk." Com- mon summer resident. Breeds.
No. 439. Buteo lineatus.C Gm.) Jard. Red-shocldered Hawk. "Hen Hawk." Common summer resident. Breeds.
No. 443. Buteo pennsylvanicus. (Wils.) Bp. Broad-winged Buzzard or Hawk. Rare.
No. 451. Halisetuslencocephalus. (Linn.) Savig. Bald Eagle. "Bird of Wash- ington." Not uncommon. Said to have formerly bred in this County.
THE OOLOGIST.
No. 459. Ectopistes migratoria. (Linn.) S"w. Passenger Pigeon. 'Wild Pigeon." Formerly very common during migrations: occurs semi-occasioually in small flocks.
No. 460. Zenaidura carolinensis. (Linn.) Bp. Mourning Dove. "Turtle Dove." Rare summer resident. Breeds.
No. 473. Bonasa umbellus. (Linn.) Stepu. Ruffed Grouse. 'Partridge." Common resident. Breeds.
No. 480. Ortyx virginiana. American Quail. "Bob-white." Rare resident. Breeds.
No. 487. Ardea herodias. Linn. Great Blue Heron. Common summer resident.
No. 494. Butorides virescens. (Linn.) Bp. Green Heron. "Shiice-poke." Common summer resident. Breeds.
No. 497. Botauruslentiginosus. (Montag) Stepii. American Bittern. Occurs oc- casionally.
No. 498. Ardetta exilis. (Gmel.) Gray. Least Bittern. Spec, secured in May, "82.
No. 516. Oxyechus vociferus. (Linn.) Reich. Killdeer. -'Ring-neck Plover." Common summer resident. Breeds.
No. 525. Philohela minor. (Gmel.) Gray. American Woodcock Common. Breeds.
No. 538. Actodromas minutilla. (Vieill) Bp. Least Sandpiper. Common spring and fall migrant.
No. 550. Rhyacophilussolitarius. (Wils) Cass. Solitary Tattler. Common mi- grant.
No. 555. Bartramialongicauda. (Bechst) Bartrams Sandpiper. "Field Plover." Specimens secured spring 1881.
No. 557. Tringoidcs macularius. (Linn.) Gray. Spotted Sandpiper. "Tip-up." Common summer resident. Breeds.
No. 571. Rallus longirostris crepitans. Gmel. Clapper Rail. Rare. Breeds.
No. 572. Rallus virginianus. Linn. Virginian Rail. Occurs rarely.
No. 574. Porzana Carolina. (Linn.) Baird. Sora R.\il. Occurs rarely ; two cases of its breedina; here noted.
No. 569. Gallinula galeata. (Light.) Bp. Florida Gallinule. Specimen secured in 1880.
No. 613. Aix sponsa. (Linn.) Bole. Wood Duck. "Summer Duck." Some- what common. Breeds.
No. 781. Podiceps holbolli. Reinh. Am. Red-necked Grebe. Live specimen brought me this spring, '85.
No. 732. Dytes auritus. (Linn.) Ridgw. Horned Grebe. Specimen brought to me in May, 1885.
No. 736. Colymbus torquatus. Brunn. Loon. "Hell Dh'^er." Occurs occasion- ally.
Compiled by M. D. M. Jr.,
FOR Bennett & Dean.
A Cheap and Convenient Cabinet.
Dear Editor: — As there are many col- lectors of Oology who cannot afford walnut cases for their collections, I will try and describe a method by which I keep mine free from dust, away from the light, packed away snugly, and yet in such a shape as to be arranged for exhibition in a few moments Should you deem it worthy of publication you can insert it, otherwise, consign it to the waste-basket. Select sev- eral empty cigar boxes about of one size, (as they pack away nicely if all of one size) put a partition through the center, length- wise, just enough lower than the sides to admit a window glass ; remove the bottom carefully, (so as to admit a fine saw), then cut one, two, three or four saw curfo, according to number of partitions wanted, which depends on size of egg, in both sides and also the middle partition; cut very light, as it does not require much depth; if you cut your cross partitions just the right length, replace the bottom, and for cross partitions cut pieces of tin the right length, to go from side to center and just high enough to be level with centre partition; this then makes a good rest for your glass. At almost -Any hardware store you can find plenty of pieces of glass large enough for such purpose which they will cut for you
THE OOLOGIST.
for about two cents apiece, or if you have a glass cutter, ■which are quite common now, you can cut them yourself just so as to fit inside of the box and rest on parti- tions ; put some cotton in each partition, arrange the eggs to suit you, place in the glass, close the lid and they are away from the light, which we all know fades them if left in the light; and so you can p/ick them awa}' as snug as a " brick." I have a great many boxes packed away, thus keeping the different varities of the same family in the same box, where one box will hold them, otherwise in two or as many as are required to do so ; and yet I can set them out, canted up a little on edge with lid turned back and make about as pretty a display for the number of eggs I have as any of them, I think. Hoping to hear from others in regard to how they manage their collections, 1 remain,
Fraternally j'ours,
R. D. Goss, New Sharon, la.
Nest of the Black and White Creeper.
This species, belonging to the family of the warblers, generally frequents the mar- gins of the woods, in low, swampy places, where from the crevices of the bark of trees it gleams its food of insects and their larvjB ; and from its peculiar manner of creeping or leaping up and around the trunks of standing timber, it has received the name^.of Creeper, though in other re- spects it has little relationship with the other species known as the "Brown Creeper." In gener-il it does not ascend high up the trees, like the brown species, and nuthatches, but usually pursues its food-hunting operations near the ground. Its common note is a sharp '"chip," and its song a repetition of a few simple notes, uttered in a low but pleasing warble. The plumage on the upper parts of the body consists of alternate bars of white and dusty black ; there is white on the throat and under parts, and the head of the male is marked with a yellow strip on the crown and over each eye ; in length it is over four
inches. It arrives in Canada about the middle of May, and nests toward the end of that month. On the 18th of June last, when putting up some fence on my farm, one of these birds flushed from my feet, darted through the rails of the fence and disappeared, without uttering a note or pau.sing to see what fate might befall its possession. I soon discovered the nest, which contained five young about a week old. It was placed on the ground among the leaves with a few twigs bending over it, and near to and under the shelter of a fence stake, over which was the spreading branches of a beech tree, and formed of leaves, rootlets and hair. A few feet off was a gap in the fence where cattle and sheep had daily passed, and where the fence had just been taken down and was being put up, and yet the nest had not been crushed nor the bird flushed, and not until the side of the nest had been actually trod- den upon had she left her charge. An hour or so afterwards I looked at the nest again. The mother bird was seated upon it, and although I was within arms length of her she did not leave, but her little black eyes twinkled as she looked up at me like stars on a frosty night. She had doubtless often seen me before and regarded me as a friend, although I was not aware of her existence or that of her nest. In the eve- ning when passing I noticed with regret that the cattle had trampled on the nest, and the brood were cold and dead.
This was the fourth nest of this species that I had observed in this locality, but the other three were in the roots of fallen trees, in a low, woody place. One of these also contained four young the other two, eggs, one a set of four, the other of five. Of the set of five eggs in my collec- tion, 1 note that they are a little larger than those of the yellow warbler, of a white hue, irregularly dotted toward the large end witn brown spots, two of them having the large end covered with brown. In my "notes" for this year I note that this species was first observed be my on the 13th of May. Wm. R. Keli,s,
Listowel, Canada.
THE OOLOGIST.
THE OOLOGIST.
EDITED AND PUBLISHED BI-MONTHLY
FRANK H. LATTIN, - ALBION, N. Y.
Correspondence and items of interest to the student of Birds, their Nests and b'.ggs, solicited from all.
Terms of Subscription.
Single Subscription, Sample Copies,
The above rates include postage and premium
50c per Annum. - 8c each.
Terms of Advertising,
Made known upon application. Send copy for estimate.
Remittances should be made by draft on New- York ; money order or postal note payable at Albion, N. \ ,, or by registered letter. Unused U. S. postage stamps of any denomination will be accepted for sums under one dollar. Make money orders and drafts payable and address all subscriptions and com- munications to,
FRANK H. LATTIN,
Albion, Orleans Co., N. Y.
JOTTINGS.
All copy for the next Oologist must reach us before March 1st.
We want our friends to send us in "lots" of intereslino; items for next issue.
All subscriptions commence Avith this number. When remitting, please state whether j'ou have a copy or not.
Collectors, the Oolooist is your jour- nal. Put your " shoulders to the wheel " and ?ielp the publishers make it a success.
Each issue of the Oologist will contain a one or two page list of curiosities and specimens, which we are bound to sell re- gardless of cost.
This month's Oologist has a verj'' ex- tensive circulati(m ; should you receive more than one copy, or not care for the copy you do receive, neither throw it away nor return it to us, but hand or send it to some friend Avhom it might interest. Two parties will then thank you for your trouble.
Amateur Printers Printing otjr Re- quest Advertisements. — After January 1st we will not pay any advertising bill un- less said bill is for advertising inserted by our written permission.
Collectors desiring to purchase or ex- change desirable specimens should try our exchange and want column. Many of its old patrons received from 25 to 100 an swers from a single notice.
Davie's new " Key to the Nests and Eggs of North American Birds" is simply im- mense. We will send it post-paid for only $1.00 ; if your old "Egg Check List" is in good condition we will allow you 85 cents for it in exchange.
Future issues will contain twelve pages of instructive and valuable matter, and eight pages of advertising. "Oar own horn " will be mostly if not exclusively blown on th" advertising pages.
Every Naturalist and Curiosity collector in America should subscribe for The Oolo- gist. We give more original and valuable reading matter for the money than any like periodical ever published. If you are not interested in ornithology and oology the bargains offered in our advertising col- umns will more than repaj' the subscrip- tion price.
TWO RARE eggs.
Among our Central American eggs of last fall's importation we find about fifty of the Groove-billed Crotophaga, worth $3.00 each, and forty of the new and rare Gau- mer's Swift, {Ghatura Oaumeri), worth any reasonable price a dealer may ask for them. We think the egg was never before offered by any dealer and doubt if one of our thousands of readers possess a specimen of this species. We have decided to give one of either the above named eggs to the first seventy-flve persons sending us $1.00 for the egg and The Oologist, one year. This offer is good until March 1st only.
THE OOLOGIST.
The famous Carryl collection of birds eggs has been in our possession for nearly two years. The collection will be catalogued in the next issue of the Oologist and offered for sale as a whole or in single sets. The collection consists of 450 species in sets with data, ( besides hundreds of dupli- cate sets.) The collection is valued at over $1,600.
We take the following from the Young Oologist of Aug., 1884:
"We have sent out 125 Yucatan Jay eggs as premiums with The Youxg Oolo- gist, and have no more to offer. ^Nlan}^ of our friends can contiratulate themselves for obtaining such a desirable and beauti- ful egg at so slight an expense."
Our Central American eggs, including less than 100 of Yucatan Jay and about the same number of each the other species, we offer as premiums, we imported last fall for the express purpose of offering to our friends as premiums. Only about 500 can have one of these eggs. '• First come, first served."
A Premium to Every Subscriber. — The publisher of The Oologist, in order to obtain a large circulation for his little journal, offers the follow;ing inducements, which have never been equaled by the pub- lisher of any journal devoted to the inter- ests of naturalists and curiosity collectors.
To any person sending us fifty cents for a year's subscription to The Oologist we will seno any one of llie following pre- miums :
A. The Oologist's Handbook.
B. " " Directory.
C. 100 Assorted Data Blanks.
D. Three of our Premium Rubber Initial
Stamps with Outfit.
E. A One-line Rubber Name Stamp with
Outfit (additional lines 5 cts. each).
F. Numbers 10, 11, 12 a, 13 and 14 of The
Young Oologist (126 pages of valu- able information).
G. Ten Choice, Showy Minerals.
H. 200 Foreign Stamps, over 100 varieties. 1. Ten named Fossils.
J. An egg of the Ground Dove. No. 465. K. " " American Eider " 627a.
L. " " Razor-billed Auk" 742
M. " " Common Pulfln " 743.
N. " " Com. Guillemot " 763.
O. " " Yucatan Jay.
P. " " Euphonia.
Q. " " Gular Oriole.
R. " " Gray's Thrush.
S. " " Graceful Mock'g Thrush
T. " " Golden - crowned Fly-
catcher. U. An egg of each the Shark and Skate. V. An Exchange or Want Notice of not exceeding thirty words in The Oolo- gist.
Our premiums are first-class in every re- spect and would cost our friends, were they to purchase, from 25 cents to $1.00 each. We will send any one of them from A to V inclusive, and The Oologist one year for only 50 cents.
Our Canadian friends desiring .any pre- mium excepting A. B, C, F, H and V must add 5 cents extra to pay one-half the postage. Premiums O to T are very de- sirable Central American Eggs and are generally retailed at .$1.00 each. We have sold lots of them at that price.
Natural History specimens are some- thing that cannot be manufactured, and must be obtained through collectors. Our offer will hold good only as long as our present supply lasts; therefore, to secure one of the premiums, we would advise our friends to send in their subscriptions hy re- turn mail, as our supply is limited.
As many collectors will desire more than one of our valuable premiums they can. when sending in their subscriptions, en- close 25 cents for each additional premium wanted, and we will forward by return mail. Premiums ordered at other times can be had at regular retail rates.
Many of our friends during the next few months will request us to publish The Oologist more frequent and to increase the number of pages. In reply the pub- lisher would say that both requests were
lO
THE OOLOGIST.
tried with The Young Oologist and that the publisher lost both his time and hun- dreds of dollars. Our time is valuable and money is scarce, consequently our "experience." must not be repeated ; but we would say to our friends that from the day our subscription list, numbers 2,000 paid subscribers The Oologist will be a monthly publication, and that if every reader of this item will send in his sub- scription, or if each one of our patrons will subscribe and send one other subscription at once, The Oologist will never again be sent out as a bi-monthly publication.
Special Notice to the subscribers of The Young Oologist. — We want to have each and every one of our old Y. O. friends enrolled on our new subscription book, and as we always endeavor to deal fairly with all, we will give, in addition to any premium oifered, to each of these old friends who subscribed or renewed their subscriptions for the Y. O between the dates of September 1st, 1884, and 'August 1st, 1885, who will now help us by sub- scribing for The Oologist before March 1st, an exchange notice of twenty-five or less words. As the value of this notice and the premium is over fifty cents, we are in one sense making you a present of The Oologist. This offer will never be re- peated and is good until March 1st only.
our engraving or rather the plate in this number of the Oologist, was not only loaned but one-half of the whole number ( 6,000 ) required for this edition was presented us, by one of the Oologist's best friends, Mr. Oliver Davie. This plate is one of those given in the second edition of his most valuable work, " Egg Check List and Key to the Nests and Eggs of N. A. Birds." The following description is also taken from that work :
No. 19. American Water Ouzel — cin- CLUS mexicanus. This interesting bird which has the aquatic habits of a duck and the tilting movements of a sandpiper, in- habits exclusively the mountainous portions of North America west of the Mississippi
from Alaska to Guatemala. It is never found near still water, frequenting only wild mountain streams, cascades, eddies and swift currents. Tlie nest is variously situated but always in a nook or crevice near water, or shelving rocks or roots of trees. It is a beautiful ball of soft green moss about as large as a man's head, dome- shaped, with a small round hole in one side for an entrance ; within it is strongly arched over and supported by twigs. Plate I., frontispiece, gives a faithful rep- resentation of one placed on a ledge of rock. The eggs are usually three in num- ber, dull white, unspotted, and measure 1.04 by .70.
If you wish to aid us in giving your or- ders and communications the earliest pos- sible attention, and to avoid making mis- takes, which sometimes will happen, care- fully read the following and when writing have each subject on a separate slip of paper.
1. Business or personal letters.
3. Queries ( either to be answered by mail or in the Oologist.)
3. Anything to be printed in the Oolo- gist, including "exchanges and wants," advertisements, etc., each must be on a separate slip and written on one side of the paper only.
4. Orders for bird's eggs.
5. " " minerals.
6. " " books, supplies, etc., etc.
7. " " rubber stamps.
8. Subscriptions for the Oologist.
Sign your name and address in full at the bottom or top of each slip. We always first attend to orders sent as above suggested, before trying to sort out " mixed-up " ones.
Sammer Birds About Washington, D.C.
As the bird life around this metropolis has interested me, it occurs to me that some of the readers of the Oologist might care for a few notes about them. I am struck with the absence of some which are common farther North, as well as with the presence of others not found there. The robin, for instance, is not at all common here during the breeding season. I have heard but one song from him, I think,
THI-: OO LOG I ST.
1 1
since my arrival about tlie middle of April ; and I have scarcely seen him above a half dozen times. The Song Sparrow I have neither seen nor heard during that time ; nor Wilson's Thrush, which is so common in Western New York.
One of the most common sotmds which reminds me of my change of latitude, is the hoarse croak of the Fish Crow ( V-n-vos ossifvagiis,) which .seems to be much more common than the Common Crow, and so near it in size and in general appearance as to be scarcely distinguishable from it except by its voice. The cheerful whistle of the Cardinal Grosbeak (C. Virginianous,) often sounding as if calling a dog — Prof, liidgeway has seen the dogs run after the iUusion — reminds me, too, that I am faj- ther South. But the gay Cardinal is very shy here, and scarcely lets one have a glimpse of him. In every woods and thicket the monotonous ditty of the Che- wink {P. eryihruplithalums,) almost wears out ones patience. A beautiful nest of five eggs, which I watched closely, was twelve days in hatching. The first plumage ol the young is a beautiful brown edged with lighter, the light breast being linely streaked with darker shades. The win- some song of the Prairie Warbler {D. Jiscolor,) given in the upward slide and bearing quite a resemblance to the song of the Coerulean, is quite common in the breeding .season. I have seen one fine male of the Summer Redbird ( P. aestim,) in a fine hardwood forest. The Catbird {Mineiis L'droUiiensis,) and the Brown Thrush ( Uurporhynchus rvfns,) are abun- dant and as musical as usual. The most common sparrow about the fields and pas- tures is the Yellow- winged ( Cote.niculus passeriniis.) Its song, so much like tht shrilling of an insect, is alniost constantly within hearing of the field laborer. A nest containing five eggs, very closely re- sembKug those of the Field or Bush Spar- row except that they were longer and more coarsely marked with reddish brown, was found the 28d of June. The frail nest of dried grasses was deeply sunken in a hole in the ground and incubation was well ad-
vanced. The Field Sparrow is also abun- dant, but the Baywing is rather scarce. The Quail seems quite common about the sub>irl)s of the cit3^ They are very fre- quently heard during the breeding season, and I saw a pair in my garden a few weeks since. I have been fortunate this season in being able to observe a Humming Bird's nest through incubation, which lasted fifteen (15) days. The nest was on a small limb of a pine tree in the woods, and some twenty-five feet from the ground.
A most noticeable species here is the Tur- key Buzzard ( Cathartes aura,) which climbs the sky in such numbers as to be an inseparable part of the landscape. The carcas of any dead animal is carefully watched till it becomes mellow, and then it soon disappears. J. H. Langille.
CLUTCH.
What is clutch ; how, and why is it used, and is it properly used ?
I have noticecT that many collectors use it, but have never been able to ascertain the correctness or origin of the word. AVill some fellow-oologist please enlighten me on this point '?
While speaking to a collector who does a great deal of foreign exchanging, on this subject, he said that "clutch" is used in England and Germany in the same manner, and instead of our ' ' set. " The etymology of the word in its present meaning is not very clear ; the meaning of clutch, as generally used, is to grasp, and this mean- ning used in an Oological sense would indicate the number of eggs taken from the nest, be they a full or but one thirtieth
of a complement.
An enterprising friend thinks that if we need a new word, which we do to use instesid of '•number of eggs taken from nest," that we should have ingenuity enough to manufacture one of our own instead of accepting a mongrel of European origin.
Would be glad to see some opinion in the next number of The Oologist, also some notes on cabinets, cabinet arrange- ments, and methods of work.
H. K. L.VNDis, Landis Valle3^ Pa.
12
THE (30LOGISr
Davie's Nfsts and Eggs of North American Birds.
One short eventful year has rolled around since we had the pleasure of examining the advance pages of the first edition of Davie's "Egg Check List of North American Birds." Our opinion at that time was given as follows in the Young Oologist of February last :
" Last December we received a letter from our friend, Mr. Oliver Davie of Columbus, O., in which he hinted (hat in a short time he would place before the oologists of America a work which would be as neces- sary and essential for thfm to have as "bread and butter," and, in fact, "they couldn't get along without it." Knowing Mr. D. to be a man of his word and not wishing to doubt his statements, we waited patiently to see "the elephant." About January 1st we received advance or sample pages of his new work. To say that we wei'e pleased would be putting it mildly. We were then and are now ready to en- dorse any of Friend D.'s statements bear- ing on the value and necessity of his work. The work stands alone in 'its chosen field, and thousands will be sold during the com- ing season. The book itself is a marvel of cheapness and beauty, and had Friend D. been one of the "Big Bird Doctors," the idea of sending out the work for less than $2.00 would have been absurd ; but w^e are happy to say that, for our good, Friend D. does not belong, as yet, to that fraternity. He has concluded to content himself with very small profit, and hns placed the price so low that every American collector will obtain a copy. We trust that the extensive sale of his work will more than reward him for his generosity. And we will say to the collectors obtaining a copj'^ from us, we will not only refund their money if not more than satisfied, but will send stamps sufficient to pay the return postage."
Only ten months has elapsed since the first copy of that edition was placed into liands of American collectors, and such a necessity was the work that not one dozen copies now remiiin in the po.ssession of deal- ers, and thousand of collectors now stand ready to attest to its value. Friend Davie writes us in letter dated Dec. 21, 1885: " Tott lutvi' Hold tJirce copies to one of all the other dealers combined." We have not had a single chance to refvmd money to a dis- satisfied purchaser.
To-day, Dec. 24th, '85, we are in receipt of advance pages of the second edition. Words cannot express our pleasure, and effuse as much as we may we cannot write Mr. Davie a worthy testimonial. Ever since February last he has been hard at work preparing for this new edition. Col- lectors throughout the land have been in- terested, and have made it their work; hun- dreds, yes, thousands of suggestions, cor- rections and additions have been sent to him. These valuable and original helps, with gleanings from all previous writings pertaining to oology, combined with his own no small knowledge on the subject, have been thoroughly and carefully sifted. The "chaff" has been cast aside and the "wheat" Friend D. presents to us in one of the most valuable works ever placed before the oological world. The work contains in the neighborhood of 200 pages, (nearlj' three times that of the first edition,) and is embelished with seven full page engravings by Theodore Jasper, A. M., M. D. These illustrations are true and careful delineations of the "American Water Ouzels and nest," "Least Tit and nest." " Traill's Flycatcher and nest, " "Burrow- ing Owl and nesting place," Swallow- tailed Kite and nest," "Wood Ducks and nesting place" and "Dabchicks and nest." This edition contains and gives the habital and breeding range of each species, syn- onyms— that is, all the known names of each bird, with complete descriptions of all the nests and eggs of ail North American Land and Water birds known to date — inclu'iing several species never before described in any work. The "Notes" in the first edition have been done away with and the whole contained in the body of the work, •s valuable improvement. So many and valuable have been the corrections, changes and additions throughout the work that the reader would hardly recognize it as a "second edition" of Davie's "Egg Check List." Friend Davie has prop- erly changed the title to the "Egg Check List and Key to the Nests and Eggs of North American Birds." The work will be ready for delivery January 15th, and
THE OOLOGIST.
13
will be sent post-paid to any address for only $1.00, or with The Oologist one year for $1.25. Any person obtaining a copy of us that is not more than pleased with his purchase can return the book in good condition and we will refund the amount paid with 25 cents additional to defray expenses. To show our readers more full}' its value and tiie greater amount of information given in this than the first edition, we give the first few descriptions in the new work :
"1. Wood Thrush — Hylocichla mus- TEijNA. Color, uniform deep blue, re- sembling the eggs of the Robin, but smaller. The number laid is usually four, and the average size is 1. by .75. The nest is built in low trees or bushes, and composed of leaves and grasses with a laj^er of mud; on this there is a lining of vegetable fibres. The bird is found chiefly in low, damp woods and in thickets. Breeds throughout every portion of United States between the jVIississippi River and the Atlantic, as far as Georgia on the south and Massachusetts on the north. Habitat: United States east of Missouri plains, south to Guatemala.
2. Wilson's Thrush — Hylocichla ftjs- CESCENS. Bluish-green, unspotted: four or five in number and average .87 by .63. The nest is usually placed on the ground or near it at the foot of a bush or tussock. It is composed of a mass of weeds, grasses, leaves and bark, lined with fine roots and hair. The nest and eggs are not distin- guishable with certainty from those of the Hermit Thrush. The Wilson's or Tawu}' Thrush breeds as far south as Pensylvania and Ohio and as far west as Uiah and occurs in the breeding season throughout Maine, New Brunswick, Xova Scotia and Canada. Habitat: Eastern North America, Colorado, Utah. »
3. Gray Cheeked Thrush — Hylocichla ALICIA. Deep-green, marked with spots of yellowish and russet brown. The eggs are usually four in number, and average .92 by .64. Nest, generally placed in low trees and made of dry grasses, strips of fine bark and decayed leaves, lined with finer fibrous material. Alice's Thrush is another name for this bird. Breeds in immense numbers between the mouths of the Mac- kenzie and Coppermine. Habitat: Eastern North America to shores of Arctic Ocean, and along the north coast from Labrador to Kodiak, west to Fort Yukon and Mis- souri River States.
'da. Bicknell's Thrush — Hylocichla ALiCLE BiCKNELLi. The Rcv. J. H. Laug- ille in the Auk for July, 1884, gives a de-
scription of the nidification of this Thrush recently identified in the Catskill and White Mountains and named in honor of its discoverer. He found them breeding on Mud and Seal Islands, off the coast of Nova Scotia, westward from the city of Yarmouth. The nests were all nearly alike in location, structure and materials; placed a few feet from the ground, against the trunk of an evergreen tree. They were composed of various kinds of mosses, a few fine sticks, weed-stems and rootlets and were lined with fine bleached grasses. The nest was as green as a bunch of fresh moss. The eggs were of a light bluish- gree:i speckled with brown; size .87bj^.63."
A Water Blow-Pipe.
1 have no doubt but that many of our readers of The Oologist, after a hard days march collecting eggs, feel pretty tired before they get even half through blowing their eggs, and wish, from the bottom of their watch-pocket that there was a safe way to blow eggs by steam or any other power. The way I am going to tell you now, I have used with perfect success for two or thi ee years, and I made it at the cost of 50 cents. All you need to make it is an empty tin can, holding about 2 quarts, one which has had apples in it I am using, about 10 feet of j^ rubber tubing, some glass tubing that will fit tight in the rubber pipe, and some string. The first thing to do is to clean the can thoroughly, then with a sharp pointed awl make a hole about i inch from the bottom of the can a little smaller than the pipe, so that you have to pinch and squeeze the pipe to get it in ; then make the glass tubing into bhnv pipes not more than two inches long, and of different sizes. To go to work, introduce the rubber tube into the hole in the can, and in the other end of the tube put one of the blow pipes. Take a small ring of any kind, about i inch in diameter, and then by bending over the end of the tube near the blow pipe put the ring over it to keep the water from going through when not in operation. Fill the can about one-half full of good clean water, and put the can on a book case about 10 feet from the floor. By this simple arrangement we have a blow pipe which does not take a bit of trouble to blow any number of eggs, and there is plenty of force to blow any e^g. The same time the egg is being blown, it is being rinsed, and all you have to do is to blow the water out when it is blown. Jas. ]\[. Andrews, Saratoga Springs, N. Y,
14
THE OOLOGIST.
Kind Words for the Oologists' Directory, etc., etc.
" Allow me to congratulate you in the originality and attractiveness of the work. You introduce us for the moi^t part, it would seem, to a new community of rising naturalists, and we are very happy to make their acquaintance."
Rev. J. H. Laxgille.
"I think the Directory has thrned out a grand success." Theo. Colemak,
Seaforth, Ont.
" Worth double the money."
E. R. Davis, Jr.,
Gainesville, Tex. " This volume is gotten up by the pub- lishers in a style that reflects great credit upon them. The book is well worth having and was an agreeable surprise to us."
Tidings from Natxtre.
" Your Oologists' Directory is immense." W. H. F., Pittsfield, Mass. '• It is a neat thing."
L. W. Stilwell,
Deadwood, D. T. ' ' The lot of eggs ordered of you came to hand all safe Saturday. I will say 1 am better pleased with the lot than any other order I have received this year out of orders aggregating over $16.00."
Respectfully yours, R. M. B. ,
Lacon, 111. "The instruments which I ordered of you arrived this morning. I had no idea of getting them so soon. Please accept of my thanks for your prompt attention and also for the satisfactory way in which you filled my order." Respectfully yours, B. W. S., Troy, N. Y. "I would rather pay 100 per cent, more and get good eggs, like you handle, than exchange for eggs that ' haint no good.'" G. P. E.,
fiercer. Pa.
"Your hand rubber stamp is the best we have found yet out of about a dozen other kinds we have had yet; also, please send us a few catalogues to give to our friends." J. & W. M.,
Plainfield, N. J.
"I received the eggs and checklist in good order, some time ago. The eggs were packed beautifully, and learned me a les- son in packing I shall never forget. The egg check list is a perfect treasure and I am delighted with it. Please send me as soon as convenient one of your new 32- page catalogues." C. B. R.,
Ft. Atkinson, Wis.
"I recently foimd a nest of the Rain Crow with six eggs in it. Is not this an unusual number? " G. H. W.
Crystal Springs, Miss. "Received books and instruments sent by you in good order, and am much pleased with them all, particularly the Davies Egg Check List and your Guide and Catalogue; they are valuable helps to the collector and to anvone interested in Natural History at all." " H. F. S.,
Jamaica, N. Y. " The blow-pipe and drill were duly re- ceived. The give the best of satisfaction." L. J., Grinnell, la. " Please accept my thanks for your kind information in regard to identity of eggs sent you." E. C. D.,
Gainesville, Tex. "Order of the 25th to the amount of $2.75 received in good order, all O. K. Please accept thanks for promptness, also for the catalogue. You may expect an- other order from me. Again thanking you, I remain, yours, C. H.,
Murfreesboro, Tenn. "You may expect many orders from us. Were very much pleased with curiosities received from you some time ago.
M. B., ElmiVa, K Y. " I will remember j'^ou as one whom, in all dealings with me, have been carried out to the very letter. Success to you ! " C. H., Murfreesboro, Teuu. " I have just received the cones and in- sect pins. Thej^ are O. K., better pins than I have had in a long time; just what I wanted. I should think you would always be out of stock ; your goods are so superior to those kept at other places, it seems you would sell your supply in a very short time. " A. G.,
Ft. Scott, Kan.
' ' Your eggs received. I am very well satisfied wtth them; think they are nice specimens." R. I. R.,
El Paso, 111.
"Drill received to-day all O. K. We are more than pleased with it. It is a perfect gem." F. D. & J. H. F.,
Tarborough, N. C.
' ' Received goods ordered of you on the l6th. Am pleased to say that none of the eggs were broken, and that the book is in- valuable to me in collecting eggs, in fact everything I ordered was much better than I expected and I shall take pains to recom- mend you to collectors in this vicinity. Hoping to be able to order other goods of you soon." W. N. H.,
Hermon, N. Y.
THE OOLOGIST.
BIRDS EGGS.
Our stock is the largest and most com- plete in America. Price-list 2 cents.
For the convenience of our younger collectors, we have arranged the following collections, which we believe to be unsur- passed for the price.
Collection Xo. 1 contains 10 species for 50 cents.
No. 2 contains 15 species for 75 cents.
20 25 50 75 100
$1.00.
1.50.
3.25.
5.00. 10.00.
12 species European 1.00.
20 " 2.00.
4 species Central Ameri-
7 8 9
10 can SI. 00.
No. 11 contains 10 species Central Ameri- can $3.00.
No. 12 contains 20 species Central Ameri- can flO.OO.
No. 13 contains $1.00 worth of second- class eggs, 35 cents.
No. 14 contains $2. 00 worth of second- class eggs, 60 cents.
No. 15 contains $4.00 worth of second- class eggs. $1.10.
No. 16 contains S8.00 worth of second- class eggs, S2.00.
No. 17 contains $25.00 worth of second- class eggs, $5.00.
No. 18 contains $10.00 worth of first- class eggs in sets, $6.00.
No. 19 contains $25.00 worth of first- class eggs in sets, $13!00
No. 20 contains $50.00 worth of first- class eggs in sets, $25.00.
For the more advanced collectors we have made up the following collections.
A contains 8 species of the Thrushes, worth $1.50, $1.00.
B contains 7 species of the Lark, Blue- birds and Gnatcatchers, worth $2.00, $1.50.
C contains 6 species of the Chickadees and Nuthatches, worth $3.50, $3.25.
Z> contains 7 species of the Wrens and Wagtails, worth $1.50, $1.00.
£" contains 9 species of the Warblers, •worth $5.50. $3.00.
F contains 7 species of the Vireos, Shrikes and Waxwings, worth $2.00, $1.25.
O contains 8 species of the Swallows and Tanagers, worth $2.50, $1.75.
//contains 25 species of the Finches, Buntings, Sparrows, etc., worth $7.00, $4.00.
/ (contains 13 species of the Starlings, worth $4.00, $2.50.
J contains 5 species of the Crows, ^Mag- pies and Jays, worth $1.50, $1.00.
/r contains 13 species of the Flycatchers, worth $6.00, $3.25.
L contains 4 species of the Humming Birds,Swifts and Goatsuckers. worth $3.00, $2.75.
il/ contains 7 species of the Woodpeckers, worth $3.50, $2.50.
N contains 4 species of the Cuckoos, worth $3.75. $2.00.
0 contains 6 species of Owls, worth $6.75, $5.00.
P contains 10 species of the Hawks, Vultures, etc., worth $10.00. $7.50.
Q contains 4 species of Pigeons, worth $1.75, $1.00.
R contains 8 species of the Guans, Grouse and Quail. Avorth $4.50, $3.25.
5 contains 7 species of the Herons and Ibis, worth $2.00, $1.50.
J" contains 9 species of the Oystercatch ers. Plovers and Stilts, worth $5.00. $3.75.
U contains 8 species of the Rails, worth $2.50, $1.75.
F contains 10 species of the Ducks, worth $6.00, $3.75.
TF contains 6 species of the Flammingoes, Pelicans and Cormorants, worth $5.00, $3.50.
X contains 7 species of the Gulls, worth. $4.50, $2.75.
Y contains 9 species of the Terns, worth $2.50, $2.00.
Z contains 5 species of the Petrels, Grebes, worth $2.50, $2.00.
<f- contains 5 species of the Auks, worth $1.75. $1.00.
XYZ contains the above 27 collections and 10 additional eggs, worth in all over $100.00, $60.00.
XLCR contains the eggs of 400 different North American Birds but few collections in this country can show as many species. It is truly the ' ' Excelsior " collection and we expect to place one or more of them in the cabinets of our wealthier patrons. Price, carefully packed and boxed, safe delivery guaranteed, $200.00 Satisfaction guaranteed. Address,
Fkank H. Lattin,
Albion, N. Y.
THE OOLOGIST.
Exchanges and Wants.
/■
Brief special announcements, " Wants," " Ex- changes," inserted in this department for 2"; cents per 25 words. Notices over 25 words charged at the rate of one-half cent per word. No notice inserted for les-. than 25 cents. Notices which are merely indirect methods of soliciting cash purchasers cannot be ad- mitted to these columns under any circumstances. Terms, cash with order.
Over 100 notices in these columns next issue £^uaratiitcd.
N.B. — Every offer or want in this number of The OoLOGiST is made by Frank H. Lattin, Albion, N. Y., to whom all correspondence offers should be addressed. Owing to the fact that we will receive thousands of letters dunng the next few months, we cannot reply to any except accepted offers, unless addressed postal is enclosed for reply.
Wanted. — In large or small quantities the follow- ing Birds eggs, must be first-class in every respect, or will be returned at senders e.xpense. AH packages must be plainly marked with senders name and address. Nos. 2, 41, 59a, 6ia, gg, 122, 128, 134, i3g, 15I1 i55i 157' 'fill '^^i 'QB''. 218, 237, 248, 257, 258, 263, 271, 278, 287, 300, 312 326, 335, 336, 338, 340, 351, 353, 354, 357, 362, 382, 387, 388, Owls and Hawks any species, 459, 473, 489, 4g2, 498, 516, 525, 526a' 555, 557, 572, 582, 583, 641 and 721 will give in exchange any of the following, at even rates, sent bj' mail or express, at your expenses, or one-half rates at my expenses. 12, 13, 13a, 22, 23, 36, 38, 42. 63, 67, 123, 152, 164, 170a, 182, 198, 204,204a, 206, 211, 231c. 242, 243, 244, 251, 254,2383,259,^69, 270, 274, 275, 286, 289, 301. 333, 390, 460, 463, 464, 465, 580, 585, 602, 618,. 627a, 663, 664, 66g, 685, 686, 732, 742, 743, and 763 ; the above offer is good until March ist only.
We will exchange Birds eggs for wholesale lots of good Foreign or U. S. Postage Stamps.
Wanted. — A choice trio of Brown Leghorn, Golden- penciled Hamburghs, and one or two good varieties of Bantams Fowls must not be over two years old, of a good strain, and must score at least 85 points, will give Birds Eggs in exchange.
Will exchange Birds Eggs for a good second-hand set of either the Peoples or Appletons Encyclopedias, or for a good Atlas of the world, late editon.
To reduce stock will exchange $5,000 of Birds Eggs for new and staple ar icles, Books, small Fruit Plants, Land, or anything useful or readily converted into cash.
No ice.- — I have Birds Eggs only for exchange, all other specimens, instruments, publications, <S;c., are cash articles.
We will exchange a copy of our 32 page illustrated catalogue to any collector for the names and addresses of ten boys or girls (o\d or young) where then known to be interested in our line of business.
Bicycle. — Oflers received for a Kangaroo Bicycle, cost $135.00 cash last July, is as good as new. The Kangaroo is acknowledged to be one of the best safety Bicycles in use.
Davie's " Egg Check List." — We want a few hundred good clean copies of this work, and will allow 35 cts. each in exchange for the same.
Wanted. — Curiosities or specimens of any kind in iarge quantities, will pay cash if price is 7'c>-y loiv Forced Sale goods especially desired.
Wanted. — 100 good Bahama Starfish at reasonable rates.
33 Fiue Specimens [or Only $1.00 !
Our mineral collection we guarantee to give equally as good, if not better satisfaction, than any $i.oo col- lection ever sent out by any dealer. The following choice specimens are
FOUND IN OUR COLLECTION:
Silver Ore, Lead Ore, Peacock Ore, Copper Ore, Iron Pyrites, Fluor Spar, Aiazooite, Moss Agate, Moss Jasper, Wood Jasper, Wood (Jpal, Chalcedony, Fortihcation Agate, Petrilied Cedar Wood, Crystal- ized Palm Wood, Quartz Crystal, Rose Quartz, Rock Crystal, Smoky Quartz, Forest Kock, Alabaster, Pink Satin Spar, White Satin Spar, Selenite, Rhomb Spar, Amazon Stone, Obsidian, Dogtooth and Pearl Spars, Wavellite, Tin Ore, Brown Mica, Tourmaline, etc.
The specimens in above are from the most noted localities, including Rocky .Mountains, Black Hills, Europe, Asia, etc.
Each Specimen Correctly Named and Labeled.
1 Collection, post-paid, $1.00. 6 Collections, $5.00.
Address, FRANK H. LATTIN, Albion, N. Y.
ONLY $2.50!
UNTIL MARCH 1st,
We will send the following invaluable aids to the young naturalist (or old one either) for
ONLY $2.50.
THIS collection CONSISTS OF
YOUNG OOLOGIST, Vol. 1& II, $1.00 OOLOGIST, and Premium, - .50
OOLOGIST'S HANDBOOK, - .25
Davie's Egg Check List and Key
to Nests and Eggs, - - 1.00 OOLOGISTS' DIRECTORY, - .30 100 Asstd. Data Blanks - - .25
As nearly two thousand Collectors now possess Vol. I. and II. of the
YOUNG OOLOGIST,
we will substitute in its place for those who prefer,
1 EMBRYO HOOK and 1 EGG DRILL!
Both are best nickel plate with handsomely en- graved handles.
FRANK H. LATTIN, ALBION, N. Y.
THE OOLOGIST.
-ID j^.. "v I e; ' s-
THE
EGG CHECK LIST
AND KKY IT) THE NESTS AND EGGS
OK
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS.
SECOND EDITION : Rc-,'ised and Enlarged.
Illustrated Witli Seven Full Page Engravings,
Jiij T/icodore Jasper, A. M., M. It.
This work has become indispensable to all students of Oology ; assisting them in identifying N ,5ts and Eggs while in the field, and has taken the place of those expensive works, usually beyond the reach of many collectors. The Xew E.lition contains
FULL AND ACCURATE DESCRIPTIONS
of all the Nests and Eggs of the Land and Water Birds of North America known to date, togethei with the breeding range and habitat of the species and ornith- ological synonyms. It contains in the neighborhood of 200 pages and is bound in heavy aniique, tinted papei .
PRICE, BY MAIL, $1.00.
Address all orders to
FRANK H.LATTIN,Gen'l Wholesale Agt.,
j^LBionsr, isr. ~sr.
IDExNTIFICATTON !
During the past few years we has'e cheerfully at- tempted to
IDENTIFY ALL SPECIMENS
our friends have sent us, and this without remunera- tion ; but owing to the fact that we are now receiving packages by the dozen for this purpose, and that our time is more than occupied with our regular business, in the future we shall be obliged to ch.arge our friends in addition to return postage the following
I^^^TE S =
Single or first Specimjn, Second to tenth Specimen, Eleventh Specimen and over,
10 (fts. 3 (its. each. 2 (Tts. "
The above rates for identifying we think verj' rea- sonable. We have spent several years in handling and studying specimens of various kinds, and have on hand a verj' large stock with which comparisons can' be made. We also have the leading works to use as reference. The advantage of having specimens properly identified is invaluable to collectors. Address,
FRANK H. LATTIN, Altion, N. Y.
CONTAINS
86 Pages of Valuable Information.
It gives our regular price list of oological specimens and supplies (the most complete ever sent out by any dealer). It gives the common and scientific names of all North American birds, arranged and numbered according to Kidgeway's(the Smithsonian) nomencla- ture of 1881 ; it gives the numbers used in Baird's check-list of 1859 and those used in Coue's of 1883 ; it gives the value of the eggs of over 500 species of North American birds, this fact alone making the catalogue invaluable to collectors as a basis of ex- change. It names the various families into which the birds of North America are divided, and enumerates the birds belonging to each family. It gives, approx- imately, the number of eggs in a clutch of every American bird. It tells how to prepare specimens for cabinet, how to pack them for transportation, with many other useful hints. A copy of our new hand- book and catalogue will be sent postpaid for
ONLY 25 CENTS.
or we can furnish the HANDBOOK bound in cloth and gilt for so cents.
ADDKESS
^'Tl.£iL.l<T1^ 131. Xj-A-TmiiT,
ALBION, Orleans Co., N. Y.
The Oologlsts' Directory
By DAVIS & BAKER.
Is now ready for delivery and contains the names and addresses of over four hundred collectors of Oologi- cal, Ornithological, and Taxidermal specimens, and twenty-one pages of advertisements of the leading dealers.
TMs Directory Is tlie Best and Ckapest
ever offered collectors, and is worth double the amount for which it sells.
It is printed in good, suitable type, on heavy tinted paper, and bound in antique Japanese covers.
PRICE, POSTPAID,
ONLY THIRTY CENTS.
WHOLESALE AGENT,
A.lbion., Netv York,
THE OOLOGIST.
THE NEW KEY TO
ITorth Axxiericazi Birds,
Contains a concise account of every species of living and Fossil Bird at present known on the Continent north of the boundary line between Mexico and the United States, including Greenland.
SECOND EDITION, REVISED TO DATE AND ENTIRELY REWRITTEN,
WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED
GENERAL ORNITHOLOGY— An outline of the structure and classifi- cation of birds ; and
FIELD ORNITHOLOGY — A manual of collecting, ])rep,aring and preserving birds.
By ELLIOTT COUES, M. A., M. D., Ph. D., Member of the National Academy of Science, ic. PROFUSELY ILLUSTRATED. The original edition of this Standard Text Book of Ornithology being entirely out of print, and still very much in demand, the publishers have spared neither pains nor expense in the preparation of " THE NEW KEY," in which the whole subject is carefully "brought down to date. Coue's " Key is to well known as a leading and authorative treatise to require remark, having for twelve years held its place as the standard work of Reference for Professional ornithologist, as well as for students and amateurs. For complete prospectus of this work see Young Oologist Vol. I.,. No. i, page 12. The work IS fully indexed with several thousand entries. Price complete in one stout volume.
Eoyal Octavo, Vellum Cloth, $10. Koyal Octavo, Library Sheep, $1] .50.
Eoyal Octavo, Half Morocco, Extra, $13.50.
FRANK H. LATTIN, Albion, N. Y.
OUR THIRTY-TWO PAGE
Illustrated Catalogue,
IT CONTAINS COMPLETE PRICE LIST OF
J\d[tn erals,
f^trcis' Kggs, Shells, Cvurtostttes ,
Naturalists', Taxidermists', Entomol- ogists', and Colonists'
INSTRUMENTS ^SUPPLIES
OF ALL KINDS.
IT SHOWS EI&HT STYES OF DATA BLANKS,
And Gives Over 30 Other Illustrations, WILL SEND IT, POST-PAID, FOR
or, if you will send us an order for any thing we ad- vertise, amounting to 2^ cents, and mention that you would like a copy, it will be sent you gratis. Address. FRANK H. LATTIN, Albion, N. Y,
MARINE CURIOSITIES
FOR ONLY
— S?!?^ CE]VTS I—
Owing to the fact that we recently obtained through our New York Agent severjl bushels of choice small shells and curiosities, we have put up the fol- lowing fine collection for our younger friends.
IT CONTAINS FIFTY SHELLS, ETC., of the following and other varieties :
White, Brown and Spotted Cowries,
Bloody Tooth,
Yellow, Blk. & White, & Silver Snail,
Clive, Rice, Horn, and
Claw, Screw, Sun Shells.
Guinea Peas, Sea Beans, Corals,
etc., etc., etc.
Over 50 Specimens in All I
and will be sent post-paid in a neat box, with list [of specimens printed on cover,
FOR ONLY 28 CENTS ! 6 Oolleotioxxs, 61. 50.
ADDRESS,
rEAHK H. LATTIN, ALBION, New York.
CUES iSIBSiiS,
Vol. IK. ALBION, N. Y., MARCH & APRIL, 1886. No. 2.
PREMIUM LIST FOR OBTAINING
New Subscribers for the " Oologist."
For everj' new subscriber one of our present sub- scribers may send us. we will give twelve and one-half cents worth of anything we advertise, or offer for sale in The Oologist, our catalogue, or any circular we may send out. We trust our friends will obtain for us as many new subscribers as possible. We consider our premium list one of the largest and most varied ever sent by any publisher in America. Parties desiring to obtain a costly premium can send in their names, as fast as obtained and we will give them a check good for 12}^ cents, in trade, when the required number of checks are obtained they may send to us and we will send the premium desired. Parties pre- ferring cash in place of the above will be allowed 10 cents on each subscribtion.
To be entitled to the above commission, you must (if not already a subscriber) send in your subscription for The Oologist with your first order. We can allow you no commission on your own name.
The Oologist's Prize Competition for Spring of 1886.
In addition to all other premiums offered, we will give to the persons sending us the greatest number of subscribers for the Oologist between March 21st, and June 20tli, 1886. inclusive, the following prizes :
First.— $5.00 Cash.
.Second and Third. — Each an egg of the Central American Occellated Turkey, val- ued at So. 00 each.
Fourth. — An egg of the South African Ostrich.
Fifth and Sixth. — Each one copy of Davie's Key to the Nests and Eggs of North American Birds.
Seven to Ten. — Oologists Directory.
Ten to Fifteen. — Oologists Handbook.
Subscriptions must be mailed from j'our otlice not later than June 20th. Subscrip- tions mailed on the 20th will count. Pre- miums will be forwarded to the lucky winners on the 1st of July, and their names published in the following Oologist. Should two or more parties send the same number of subscribers, the highest prize will be awarded to the party whose list was sent earliest. Don't delay, but commence work (it once.- Address, FKAXK H. LATTIN, Albiox, N. Y.
ONLY $2.50.
We will send the following invaluable aids to the young naturalist (or old one either) for
ONLY $2.50.
THIS COLLECTION CONSISTS OF
YOUNG OOLOGIST, Vol. I& II, $1.00 OOLOGIST, and Premium, - .50
OOLOGIST'S HANDBOOK, - .25
Davie's Egg Check List and Key
to Nests and Eggs, - - 1.00 OOLOGISTS' DIRECTORY, - .30 100 Asstd. Data Blanks - - .25
As nearly tivo thousand Collectors now possess Vol. I. and II. of the
■YOUNG OOLOGIST,-
we will substitute in its place for those who prefer,
1 EMBRYO HOOK and 1 EGG DRILL!
Both are best nickel plate with handsomely en- graved handles.
FRANK H. LATTIN, ALBION, N. Y.
EEXJXJIiT■C^^^-U■S X).A.XT-A.E.
A cast of this celebrated fos.sil, 30 cents. H. D. HILL, Morris, Ills.
*^* Headquarters for Mazan Creek Fossils. Finest in the world. Choice col- lections from $1.00 to $100.00. Samples, by mail, of Fossil Fern, &c., 25 cents.
THE OOLOGIST.
The Young Oologist,
THE MOST rOrULAR AND INSTRUCTfVE MAGAZINE,
Devoted to Birds, Their Nests and Eggs,
EYEK PUBLISIIEl).-
Appreeiating its value, the • Publisher reserved a limited quantity of each issue to supply future demands. He now has, all told,
LESS THAN TWO HUNDRED COMPLETE SETS.
Collectors will readily see the advisability of completing their files or OBTAINING A COMPLETE SET AT ONCE.
Back numbers will soon be exceedingly rare and valuable and possibly not obtainable at any price.
O O 3Xr T El 3Nr T s
The lollowing enumerates some of the principal articles in each issue and the price for which a copy may be obtained : —
The "short articles" are one column or less in length and of great value to the student.
Not mentioned in the list of contents ; each issue contains one or two pages of "items," one column to two pages of e,\change notices, and from three to eight pages of advertisements.
Nos. I, 2, ;, 4, 5, 12, and i2«, each contain 16 pages.
Nos. 6, 7, 8, y, and 10, each contain 20 pages.
Nos. 13 and 14, each contain 32 pages : and No. 11, contains 36 pages.
No. I. — Instructions for Collecting Birds' Eggs, (3 pa- ges); Cone's Key ; Twenty-four short articles. Price 10 cts.
No. 2. — Instructions for Collecting Birds' Eggs, con- cluded, (2 pages); Painted Buntings; Cala. Mot- tled Owl ; List of Birds Found at Montreal ; 24 short articles. 8 cis.
No. 3.^Maine Item>.; Yellow-headed Blackbird; Orchard Oriole ; The Slip System ; Wilson's Thrush ; Hand-book of Agassiz Association ; 23 short articles. 8 cts.
No. 4. — Screech Owl ; Importance of Identification ; A La. Heronry; Cardinal Grosbeak; Eagle's Nest; How to Make ana Use Bird Lime ; 14 short arti- cles. 7 cts.
No. 5. — Bird-nesting — To Collect Scientifically, ( 3 pages) ; Cala. Birds ; From Wyoming ; 22 short articles. 8 <r/.f
No. 6. — Bobolink, {2% pages): Sea Birds of Maine; Egging in a Cala. .Swamp ; Old "Put" and the Bird's Nest ; List of Wisconsin Birds ; 12 short articles. 6 cts.
No. 7. — Bronzed Grakle ; Singular Duel ; Fish Hawk; Spurred Towhee and Least Tit ; "Old" Put and the Bird's Nest ; Bird Island ; 14 short articles. 6 cts.
No. 8.— The Alligator ; Collecting in Marshes ; Woodcock ; "Our Birds in Their Haunts ;" Iowa Notes ; Redstart ; Summer Redbird ; 18 .■■hort ar- ticles. 8 cts. ,
No. g. — Baltimore Oriole; Texas Jottings-; Sap- suckers; Barn Owl; American Ornithologists' Union, (3 pages) ; How to Handle a Gun ; Black- capped Titmouse ; Eeg of the Moa. 10 cts.
No. 10.— Winter Wren; Cala. Duck-hunting; Screech Owl ; Da-i'ies Egg Check List ; Peacock With Queer Tastes ; White-bellied Nuthatch ; Blue Jays , Spotted Robin Eggs ; 8 short articles, ^cts.
No. II. — Bank Swallow ; English Sparrows ; Study of Birds; Gt. Horned Owl; Yellow-billed Cuckoo; Gambel's Quail ; Conn. Notes ; Intelligence of the Oriole ; Yellow-breast Chat : Maryland Yel- low-throat ; White-rumped Shrike ; List of Paci- fic Coast Birds ; Knights of Audubon ; Sample Data Blanks, (4 pages) ; 32 short articles. 12 cts.
No. 12. — CoDipletcs I'ol. I. Title pages for binding, with complete and exhaustive index, (8 pages . 10 cts.
No. \la. — Special edition for advertising purposes, same as No. 12, e.xcept being printed on lighter paper and the title pages being replaced with ad- .vertising. 3 cts.
No. 13. — Bartram's Gardens ; South Carolina Obser- vations, (6 pages) ; Scientific Names ; Gt. Horned Owl ; Bank Swallows ; Knights of Audubon ; Hummingbird ; R. I. Notes ; Texas Jottings ; 30 short articles. 15 cts.
No. 14. — American Crossbill ; Audubon's Birds of America; Illinois Notes; Destruction of Birds; Cuckoos ; Cala. Notes ; Wrens on the Warpath ; Golden-winged Warbler ; Fox Sparrow ; Our Winter Birds ; Snipe Creek ; Red-head; Wiscon- sin Jottings ; Burrowing Owl, etc. ; A Florida Trip ; Horned Lark ; Queer Homes and Nesting Sites ; Brave Bird ; Ferruginous Rough Leg ; . Sparrows ; Pigmy Nuthatch ; 26 short articles. 12 cts.
.m^" Vol. I., Complete (184 pages), will be sent post-paid for only 75 cts.
Vol. I. and II., Complete (248 pages), and "THE OOLOGISTS' HAND-BOOK"
W'JXX :BE MAILJSJD postpaid for ONIjT $1.06.
NOS. 10 AND via WILL BE SENT TO THOSE DESIRING SAMPLES FOR FIVE CENTS.
— Address, FRANK H. LATTIN, Albion, N. Y.
THE OOLOGIST.
Exchanges and Wants.
Brief special announcements, " Wants," " Ex- changes," inserted in this department for 25 cents per 25 words. Notices over 25 words charged at the rate of one-half cent per word. No notice inserted for less than 25 cents. Notices which are merely indirect methods of soliciting cash purchasers cannot be ad- mitted to these columns under any circumstances. Terms, cash with order.
Exchange. — A number of single eggs (some rare ones) to exchange for sets. Will allow 30 per cent, more than catalogue rates for sets. Blown with one small hole in side. R. I. BRASHER, 107 Sands St., Brooklyn, N. V.
Will exchange fine sets of eggs of local Raptores for American or foreign Bird Books. J. M. W., Box 1143, Norwich, Conn.
A little Model Printing Press and outfit, cost $6.50, for Books Relating to Ornithology, and a pair of climbing irons. F. L. BURNS, Berwyn, Pa.
Will exchange ancient Roman coins for birds eggs in sets with data, or for U. S. postage stamps (only rare ones wanted) or U. S. Department stamps. Duplicates taken. J. D. VAN SAUN, Box 283, Jersey City, N. J.
W. G. TAL. MADGE, Plymouth, Conn.— A Caxton Press and full assortment of Type, all in good condi- tion, for a small engine or electric motor of about one- half horse power. Write for information if you have anything to exchange. .Vo /'osia/s.
Two crinoid stems or one petrified shell for any of the following eggs : Nos. i, 41, 135, 155, 170, 312, 326, 4S0, 57Q_, 580, 735. D. T. MAY, Poland, Mahoning Co., Ohio.
Eggs .\nd Shells for Exchange, for first-class American eggs in sets with data. Address, with list of species for^exchange, T. H. JACKSON, Box 1668, West Chester, Pa.
Will exchange Coue's Key to N. A. Birds (new) cost $10.00, and Wilsons American Ornitholog^', popular edition, slightly worn, cost $7.50, for eggs in sets. Address SAM'L B. LADD, West Chester, Pa.
A collection of Soo stamps for best offer of eggs in sets. List of the number from each country on application. F. H. METCALF, Hoiyoke, Mass.
To Exchange. — A pair of No. 10}^ Nickel Plated, all clamp, Winslow Roller Skates, first-class condition, for best offer of first-class birds eggs. Sets preferred. WILL P. CHASE, Medina, N. Y.
I want to buy well authenticated single specimens of each of the following egg's : Nos. 76, 79, 85, 98, 103a, 120, 124, 127, 138, 199, 200, 226a., 234 392, 401, 426, 427, 453, 548, 549, sso, 575, 576, 615, 616, 638, and 737, for which I will pay a fair price in cash. Address R. M. BARNES, Lacon, 111.
Books, papers, magazines, coins, stamps, eggs in sets, &c , to exchange for stamps and eggs in sets. HARRY H. MILLER, Burlington, Coffey Co.. Kansas.
To Exchange, for Birds Eggs, a fi.shing outfit, con- sisting of a three-jointed pole, a good reel, fiity foot line, etc. Accepted offer answered. Box 2122, WILLARD J. MARRIS. West Chester, Pa.
GEO. S. LA RUE, 16 S. Main. Dayton, Ohio, has birds eggs in sets, with data, and single to exchange for eggs in sets, with data.
To Exchange — Eggs of No. 13, 63, 254, 260,278, 278b, 282, 315, 477, 495, 5S0, 601, and 690, in sets, with data, single eggs of Nos. 13, 22, 63, 93, 244, 237, 354, 258, 260, 274, 282, 312, 460, 408, 495, 566, 580, and 694, for those in sets. FRANK M. WOODROW, Box 51, Newton, Iowa.
To Exchange. ^First-class eggs at catalogue prices with any collector. Send for list to FRED. S. CRALL, Ashland, Ohio.
Bird skins and eggs, insects, and other natural history specimens, for bird skins and eggs. I especi- ally desire to exchange notes with other young orni- thologists. J. PERCY MOORE, 1931 Judson Place, Philadelphia, Pa.
To Exchange. ^A pair of all-clamp Vineyard roller skates, cost $5.00, good and new, lor good minerals or fossils. Address, FRED. S. ODLE, Lapeer, Mich.
Wanted. — To exchange first-class eggs, single or in sets, for the same. FRED. C. WAITE, Box 292, Hudson, Ohio.
To Exchange.' — Nos. 264, 270. 357a, 278b, 5,5, 349, 574 and others, for pair climbing irons, style No. 2. A. W. CHENEY, Huron, Dak.
To Exchange. — A rare collection of eggs, all in sets, with full data, for a banjo, cornet, or theatrical goods. Write for list. J. W. SHAFFER, Box 209, Newton, Iowa.
Wanted. — To exchange birds' eggs with collectors throughout the United States and Canada. PAUL HUDSON, Sherwo.-d, Cayuga Co., N. Y.
Minerals, shells, amateur papers, several hundred stamps, fossils, a -^2 calibre rifle, for birds' eggs, climbing irons, books on birds or Castlemon's works. G. B. H., Fernwood, Cook Co., 111.
Will exchange minerals for birds' eggs of kind?; I have not now. ISAAC S. KIRK, Fremont, Chester Co., Pa.
Bird's eggs in sets and single, and fresh-water shells, will exchange for first-class eggs in sets or single. Address, VERDI BURTCH, Branchport, Vates Co., N. Y.
One first-class and another .slightly imperfect egg of Ivory-billed Woodpecker, to exchange for first-class skins and eggs. Guaranteed genuine. Can furnish good reference. CARLTON GILBERT, 116 Wild- wood Ave., Jackson, Mich.
To Exchange. — One copy Oologist's Directory, eggs of 151 and 282 and Eagle cents, for first-class eggs. Please send lists. Address, CHAS. P. COL- LINS, Stratford, Vt.
I have about 25 varieties of eggs which I would like to exchange for others. Please address, W. E. BREWSTER, 202 S. Fitzhugh Street, Rochester, N. Y.
W.\NTED. — To exchange coins for eggs. Three V nickels (without the word 'cents") for best offer of eggs. A. HANAUER, 163 Fourth Street, Coving- ton, Ky.
Exchange. — Morse Telegraph Outfit, cost $7.50, new, operate 10 mi., for best offer of Shield or V nickles, or birds' eggs in sets with nest and data. CHAS. H. DICKINSON, Sharon, Wis.
First-class bird-skins and eggs to exchange for the same. T. S. PALMER, Berkeley, Alameda Co., Cal.
THE OOLOGIST.
Wanted.— Natural History specimens, curiosities, minerals, etc., for mineral paint mined in this town. Write. J. W. LOVETT, Brandon, Rutland Co.,Vt.
To Exchange. — One egg each of the B.arn Owl and Bullock's Oriole, for the first eight numbers Vol. i of the Young Oologist. Accepted order answered. Address, EDWARD G. MERWIN, 823 20th Street, Oakland. Alameda Co., Cal.
First-class California birds' eggs to exxhange for others. Send lists. JULIUS SCHNEIDER, Ana- heim, Cal.
I have for exchange Nos. 63a, 170a, i4qa, 93, 153' IS4, 204a, 207, 231b, 238a, 240b, 245, 272, 274, 267, 317' 323, 645, 646a, 664, 74:;, 763a, all in sets. Send lists- Exchange only for first-class sets or ornithologica' papers or books. W. OTTO EMERSON, Box 85. Hay wards, Alameda Co., Cal.
150,000 mixed U. S. Stamps, 600 Jackson Tokens. 1,000 War Tokens, 1,000 old State bills, 100 Colonial cents, 5,000 U. S. cents and large coppers, to exchange for U. S. coins in good to uncirculated condition. R. R. GAY, 30 Allen Street. RochesteTr, N. Y.
Wanted. — To exchange first-class birds' eggs for the same. Please send lists with prices to J. E. WAR- REN, 54 Piatt Street, Rochester, N. Y.
I have Nos. 204, 964, 286, 287, 300, 306, 325a, 408, 436b, and 477, all first-class, also 417 second-class, to exchange for others. W. S. BUCK, Lewiston, Idaho.
Will exchange the following nrst-class birds' eggs, even, at Catalogue rates: Nos. 22, 231, 237, 261, 278, 282, 361 and 378. JOHN S. APPLEtON, Needham, Mass.
To Exchange. — Indian relics, fossils, minerals, coins, ocean and war curiosities, books, novels, roller and ice skates, stamps, printing press, birds' eggs and nests, and Ruby-throated Humming-bird's nest for birds' eggs. FRANK GREENAWALT, 42S West Market Street, South Bend, Ind.
SCfEpFIGiyiPGAN
The most popular Weekly newspaper devoted to science, mechanics, engineering discoveries, in- ventions and patents ever published. Every num- ber illustrated with splendid engravings. This publication furnishes a most valuable encyclopedia of information which no person should be without. The popularity of the Scientific American is such that its circulation nearly equals that of all other papers of its class combined. Price, $3.20 a year. Discount to Clubs. Sold by all newsdealers. MUNN & CO., Publishers, No. 361Broadway, N. Y. Munn & Co. have also had Thirty- '• Eight years' ^ practice before I the Patent Office and have prepared Imore than One Hundred Thou- sand applications for patents in the 'United States and foreign countries. _ Caveats, Trade-Marks, Copy-ngbts, , Assignments, and all other papers for
securing to inventors their rights in the United States, Canada, Englnnd, 1 ranee, Germany and other foreign countries, pre- pared at'short notice and on reasonable terms. 1 Information as to obtaining patents cneer- fully given without charge. Hand-books of - 'information sent free. Patents obtained throu.^h Munn & Co. are noticed in the hcientifao American free. The advantage of such notice is well understood by all persons who wish to dis-
iiose of their patents. „
Address JIUNN & CO.. Office SCXENTITIC Amekican, 361 Broadway, New York.
Guide
Is a work of nearly 200 pages, colored plates, "l.onn Illustrations, with descriptions of the best Flowers and Vegetables, prices of Q'pi«*^C! and Plants, and how to get and grow wJJJMAJfiO them. Printed in English and German. Price only 10 cents, which may be deducted from the first order.
BUY only vice's SEEDS, AT HEADQUARTERS.
JAMES VICK. SEEDSPIAN. Rochester. N. Y.
Dealers, Collectors and Exchangers.
We have placed in our hands the remnants of a Dealers stock, consisting of, at retail prices, $65.00 worth of isl-class American Birds' Eggs ; $25.00 worth of 2d-class American eggs ; $5.00 worth of ist-class European eggs, $5.00 worth of Minerals ; also 50 good packing boxes. This collection will be carefully boxed and sent by Express to the first person enclos- ing only
Its a bonanza for a young dealer, exchange or city collectors, and if the "craze" is in their vicinity, they can realize at least $50.00 on this collection during the ensuing season. Catalogue of collection 2C. Address at once,
FRANK H. LATTIN,
Albion, N. Y.
The Audtibon Society.
A society taking its name after the great jjaturalist, J. J. .'\udubon, has been established for the purpose of fostering an interest for the protection of wild birds from destruction for millinery and other commercial purposes. The headquarters of the Society are at 40 Park Row, New York City. It invites the co-operation of persons in every part of the country.
The Water Blow-pipe
described on page 13 last Oologist has been pro- nounced a perfect success by all trying it. We can now by special arrangement send 10 feet of the rubber tubing by mail, post-paid, for 50 cents. Small lots 6 cents per foot ; 10 feet or over, 5 cents per foot. FRANK H. LATTIN,
Albion, N. Y.
20 King Couch and 10 Helmet Shells,
second quality, suitable for rockeries, mounds, aquariums, &c., will weigh about 3 pounds each. Will send the lot bj- freight for only $2.00.
FRANK H. LATTIN,
Albion, N. Y.
A Black Walnut Cabinet and collection of about 75 varieties of first-class American Eggs in sets and single for sale cheap. Terms Cash. All applicants enclosing 2c. stamp will receive full data. Cabinet will be sold separate from collection if desired.
W. C. TALMADGE,
Plymouth, Conn.
THE OOLOGIST.
Vol. 3, No. 2. ALBION, N. Y., MAR & APR, 1886.
j Bl-MONTHLV.
I 50c. Per Year.
VAGARY OF A COLLECTOR.
Great Horned Owls ; Climbing Strap.
I have had hard luck thus far aftei- the Bubos. The 20th of February I '^et down as the proper date to look after them, and before that time, for a week or two, I try to locate the birds as best I can, in order to save time when they are nesting. This year I was unusually busj^ and had but little time for earlj' locating. I knew of three pairs of birds in 1885 and reasonably counted on at least two of them keeping to their old localities this year.
On the 14th I was out and visited one of these locations and saw one bird. On the 19th I spent the whole day, tramped about fifteen miles, visited four woods where I had seen birds or heard of their being seen lately, including the woods visited on the 14th, but found nothing of nests, and no owls, except a single one in the same woods mentioned already. I felt convinced that its mate must be sitting close at hand, and gave a thorough search, pounding on all likely trees and exploring old Hawk's and Crow's nests, but without avail.
The nest found in this woods in 1885 was in a large decayed stub, the top of which had blown off, leaving a cavity without top two feet deep and eighteen inches in diameter. I carefully explored this tree without climbing it. It was at least 50 feet high, with no bark or limbs, and I have made it a rule never to climb to a nest without knowing it to be occupied. I hammered on the hard shell with my climbers, then with a club, and to make finally sure threw heavj^ stones against it as high up as I could, but to all appear- ances it was not occupied. Well, I was played out, tired out and disgusted. I had eaten a hasty breakfast at 6:30 a. ji., and after a cold tramp, with considerable
snow on the ground, I reached home with nothing to show for my trouble. However, I did justice to a good supper and .slept soundl3^
Sunday morning, the 21st, I concluded I would take a little stroll, so sauntered off to the nearest woods, about one-quarter of a mile from our village limits, and had not been m the woods ten minutes before 1 discovered on old Great Horned Owl seated in a last j^ears Crow's nest. Well, it was Sunday, but, fortunately, my "bringing up " does not interfere with mj^ staying home from church on occasions, so 1 post- ed back after my climbers, believing it safer to take the bird in hand than wait for Monday's two in the bush. At the first stroke of the climbers the old Owl left her nest and alighted 50 or more yards ofi" in woods, watched my ascent closely. As I ueared the nest she flew closer, bent for- ward on her perch, extended her wings nearly to full length, and with a low, quivering ho-o-o-o-o, described a circular motion with her body and head, keeping her grasp securely to the perch. In an in- stant her mate appeared from the far cor- ner of the woods, and together they eyed me savagly, but at a respectable distance. The climb was an easy one. The nest was about 70 feet up, on a small white oak near the top where the small limbs forked. The two eggs were almost buried in loose feathers of the owl. They proved to be quite fresh, probably laid not over five or six days. The next morning I was knocked flat to have an acquaintance come into the oflice and ask first the loan of my climbers and strap, and then my services to climb to a Great Horned Owl's nest that he had just found. I proft'ered the former, but emphatically declined the latter request. Upon inquiring I found his nest was in the identical tree where I had found the birds nesting in 1 885, and which I had so closely
20
THE OOLOGIST.
examined on the 19tb. of this month, as al- ready related. As he was no climber, he secured the services of a workman and took along an extensive ladder. Later he told me that after vain attempts to erect the ladder they gave it up, but by the use of the strap and irons, got one egg from the nest. That had been set on for a week or more. Of course I was glad for him that he was successful, but I would very much like to know why that Owl didn't fly out when I wanted her to. I wo'ider if col- lectors generally use a "strap" for heavy climbs? I never did until last year, al- though I often intended trying one. Mine is 15 feet long. If inches wide, by nearly 3-16th of an inch thick, made of good har- ness leather. It is really in two pieces, one piece has a heavy buckle at one end and a snap hook at the other; the second piece has holes to fasten in the buckle, and in the other end of it are secured four heavy rings, sewed in tight, at distance of six inches apart. By snapping hook to end ring and buckling up so as to draw the body close to the tree I am ready to start, not touching my hands to the tree at all, but grasping the strap which passes close under my arms and around the tree. As I climb I raise the strap, and when tired I can lean back in the strap and rest com- fortably, ^s the tree gets smaller I snap the hook mto a shorter ring to take up slack. In coming to a limb I tind it much easier to make use of the snap than to use a buckle. Ortyx.
Chester Co., Pa.
My First Hunt for Tern Eggs.
One warm, sultry day in the latter part of June, 1888, after loaf ing about the house and amusing myself in killing a lot of those pesky little insects, the musquito, and thinking what I should do to pass my time away in the afternoon, I was sudden- ly started by hearing somebody calling me, and almost before I could answer, I beheld the familiar form of my chum and playmate, George Whittington, standing before me. After talking to him for a few
moments, my father made his appearance and gladdened our hearts by telling us to be ready after dinner to make a trip to Gull Island. After getting a basket and a few necessary articles ready, we were called to dinner, but I was in such a flur- ry that very little dinner I ate. After din- ner we had a short walk of a quarter of a mile, to our boat, then everything was packed snugly away in the bow of our boat, sails were raised, my father took the rudder, and away we went sailing over the bright blue waters of the bay. After sail- ing for about an hour and a half we sud- denly rounded a bend in the inlet and Gull Island lay before us. And well may it be called Gull Island, for all at once large flocks of Com. Tern and Black Skimmers arose from the sand and filled the air with sweet music. It did not take us very long to make everything snug on board of our boat, and then we scampered off on a tour of inspection. This was the first time I had ever visited this island, which is noth- ing more than a sandbar, inhabited only by sea birds, sand-fleas, musquitoes and the different species of shells. I wish some of my readers had been here to see what a beautiful sight this small sandbar present- ed, for wherever the eye rested you were always sure to see a rude nest or hole in the sand containing from one to three eggs. We were kept busy in gathering the eggs, and my chum would cry out every once and awhile for me to come to him quick, to see what kind of an egg this one was, till I was greatly excited, and in my haste to pick up the eggs I missed a great many nests. After about haH' an hours work we were called by my father who said it was time to be getting under way, for the tide was rapidly falling, and we had to make for home or else get stuck on the sandbars or oyster beds, of which there are a great many in our bay. While sailing along we took account of stock, and found that be- tween the three of us we had collected 357 Common Tern, 74 Black Skimmer, 17 Herring Gull and 6 Laughing Gull, or a total of 454 eggs in half an hour, and I have no doubt some of them are in some of
THE OOLOGIST.
21
my readers' cabinets. Three years have ehipsed since this egg hunt took ph\ce. and tlie birds have not been molested since. This season I shall pay them another visit. C. S. Shick, Sea Isle City, N. J.
Birds of Cortland Co., N. Y.
To the Oologist :
Cortland County is, I believe, as favored as any inland county with bird life. It certainly has as many enthusiastic collec- tors and tine collections as one may see anj'where. I have examined all of them I could hear of, and have shot several birds in its limits. I vpas naturally much inter- ested in the list of Cortland birds, pub- lished in the first number of the Oologist for this year. jSI. D. M. Jr. has, I am sure, neglected to insert many of the birds that are not here. The list numbers 109, while the Onondaga county list just pub- lished contains 20^.
I have seen skins, not mentioned on the list, shot in Cortland county in 1885.
Myiodioctes canadensis, L. Canadian Fly-catching Warbler. Common.
Lanius borealis, \. Shrike or Butcher bird ter. Seen in January. April 7th.
Iridoproene bkolor. Coues. White-bel- lied Swallow. Specimen secured ^laj 12. May be rare.
Ceniurus Carolimis. L. Red. bellied Wood-pecker. Female shot January 1. Not very common : resident.
GdlMngo Wilsoni. Temm. Wilson's Snipe. Fine one secured April 10. Not rare in marshes.
Fdlco SpaTverius. L. Sparrow Hawk. Several brought to me. One preserved July 27. A handsome hawk.
Podilymbus podicipes. L. Pied-billed Orebe. April 14, The most common va- riety liere, I think.
In a<ldition there are about sixteen spe- cies which might be safely added to the list.
Shot May 28th.
Great Northern Common all win- Shot specimen
Pine Grosbeak and Redpoll. Pinicola ermcleator, L. and Aegiothus linnrin. L., of which I have seen winter flocks and Mr. Hendrick has specimens.
White-winged Cross-bill rare, specimen in Haight's.
Chewink, Pipio crythrophthalmus. L. I have heard two or three speak of shoot- ing them there.
Acadian Owl and Long-eared Owl are not uncommon, and I think I have seen one Short-eared Owl there mounted.
The Northern Goldtinch, Chryromitris pinus is common in winter, but I have no specimen secured in county limits.
Of water birds there is quite a list. Wild geese occasionally fly over. Old Wife or Long-tailed duck Harelda glacialis, L. , still found occasionally. Several specimens may be seen.
One Shoveller Dw-'k. Spotulaclypeata, L., was shot by an acquaintance in 1885.
Blue-winged Teal and Green-winged Teal are not uncommon.
Hooded Mergansers are rare, but the common Merganser, Mergus merganser, L., or fish-duck is common where there is open water.
At least one specimen of the large Avhite Gull was stranded there lately and stun »d.
A flock of small so-called Black-headed Gulls flew over there a few years ago, and I have seen one of them mounted. But for the fact of its not being mentioned, I should judge that the lady keeping it was M. D. M., Jr. This was, I suppose, the Chroicocephalus atridlla, L., or Laughing Gull. May good luck attend all bird lovers. F. W. Higgins, M. D.,
March 10, 1886. Chemung, N. Y.
A Popular Nest.
On May 5th, 1885, I took a set of six Bronzed Grackle's eggs from a nest in a small Cottonwood tree on the banks of a creek. Passing that way again on the 15th of May a Grackle flew off from the nest, and on climbing I found another set of five eggs. June 9th, while passing in under the tree I found a large blue egg on the
22
THE OOLOGIST.
ground unbroken, and the shell of another egg. Noticing that the nest had been al- tered some I climbed to it and found an- other egg. The bird, some variety of Heron, had merely laid a few sticks on the top of the nest and laid its eggs on so shal- low a platform that I did not wonder that they rolled off. Last, on July 3d I took a set of Mourning Dove's eggs from the same nest. Now, if any reader of the OoLOGisT ever took a greater number of eggs from one nest I would like to hear from them. C. \. Babcock,
Harper Co., Kan.sas. Summary : Four sets of eggs, of three different species, taken from the same nest inside of sixty days. Who can beat this ? —[Ed.
Davie Correct.
Will you please tell me the names of the following two kinds of birds' eggs, both being described as eggs of the Black Thi'oated Bunting. Wilson's Ornithology describes the egg of the Black Throated Bunting as a " white egg with spots and streaks of black," like an Oriole, and Da- vie's Egg Check List describes the egg as ligl,'^ blue, almost exactly like a Blue- birds." Which of the two descriptions is correct ?
June 23, 1885, while hunting, I found an Indigo Bunting's nest containing three eggs ; two were of the common color, while the third was exactly like the others in size and color, except on the larger end were dark, reddish brown spots. Is that not something unusual ■? W. S,.
Kewauee, 111.
From a North Carolina Collector.
Never having noticed any notes from collectors in this vicinity, in your valuable paper, the Oologist, I thought that a short report of my own work for last season might be interesting to some of your readers.
On June 16th I left Wilmington, N. C, for the mouth of the Cape Fear river on a collecting tour. Arriving there I secured
the assistance of two young boys and started for the beach. After some little walking, we succeeded in reaching the nesting ground of the sea birds of this locality. Upon our arrival dense clouds of Shearwater, Oyster birds. Tern, Gulls, Snipe, Plover, etc., arose, deafening our ears with their cries, but in spite of their great number it was some little time before I could lind any eggs, on account of their being so like the sand in color. We were very successful, getting numbers of set.'^ of all the above named varieties, besides a pair of the old birds of each variety, all of which now grace my collection. While collecting these eggs, I came iipon a speci- men of egg which has puzzled me greatly- It was about the size of a hen's egg, of light blue color, but was not perfect in shape., looking as though two eggs had pressed into each other, so that the four ends were perfectly distinguishable, and was evidently partly petrified, being as heavy as lead; it was in a freshly made nest with one other egg, that of the Shear- water. Can any of your readers give me any information on this? On June 11th I went on a collecting tour to a portion of Pamlico Sound, about ten miles from the city, where the Herons had their nesting- place in what are called The Hammocks. I succeeded in getting numerous sets of the small white and blue varieties. The nests were built in low trees, and were a flat mass of sticks out of which the eggs would roll upon the least disturbance. I also found a nest of the Marsh-hen or Coot, with eleven eggs, all fresh but two. The usual number of eggs in a Heron's nest was three; but I found two nests with four each. At night when the Herons come home to roost they completely cover the trees, making a beautiful sight. I shot a pair of blue and also a pair of the white ones.
The Fish Hawk is common here, there being four nests in one small pond close by the city, all of which are placed upon dead trees, from ten to twenty feet high, and standing in the water. The ' ' Shite- poke," (American Bittron) is very common.
THE OOLOGIST.
23
Among the birds I have seen liere in plenty are the following : Kingtisher, Catbird, Red-eyed Fly-catcher, Brown Thrush, Morning Dove, blocking Birds, Red- sht)uldered Hawk, Coots, Buzzards, Crows, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Robin, Shearwater, Cardinal Grosbeak, Yellow Hammer, Sea- chicken, Snipe, Cedar Bird, Cow Bird, 6ull Bats, and a great variety of Ducks. To me this seasons collecting has been very successful, as I have all of the above named birds as well as their eggs. I remain a constant reader of your splendid paper. E. G. Lewis, Wilmington, N. C.
«-♦-•
Whip-poor-will.
Comparatively rare in many localities the Whip-poor-will is, yet so Avell known by name, at least, that a few words in regard to him may not be amiss. His popular name is a torably accurate rendering of his note, which can be heard on a quiet spring evening for a long distance and prolonged in one unceasing series of repititious far into the night. He is a nocturnal bird, living on the insects that his sharp, owl- like eyes spy out in the darkness and gloom of the deep forest. In the dajiight he appears stupid and as if half blinded by the light. In breeding he selects rough, unfrequented woodland, and deposits his eggs, two in number, on the ground in a mere apology for a nest.
Last summer, Avhile passing through a strip of woodland thickly covered with undergrowth, a AVhip-poor-will suddenly flew up and alighted on a decaying tree- trunk a few feet from me, where she sat keenly alive to my every motion. AYhile flying, and at intervals, after perching on the tree, she gave utterance to a hissing- sound somewhat resembling the hiss of a snake. I at once began searching for the nest, which I soon found. The nest, a very slight depression in the ground in an exposed place, was lined with two dry leaves on which the eggs were deposited. The eggs, two in number, slightly incu- bated, measure l.:38-\.90, are a soiled white
color, spotted and blotched with gray and brown. There was no attempt whatever at concealment, but construction of the nest, color of the eggs and solitude of the locality were all so advantageous that any attempt at concealment would only have tended to les.sen the security. The parent, when she observed that I had found her nest, abruptly abandoned her vigil and again uttering that peculiar hissing sound rapidly disappeared through the thick foli- age of the intervening trees. I waited some time for her return, but in vain, and I do not think that she ever afterward visited the spot. H. A. Koch,
College Hill, O.
An Unusual Friendship.
June 11, 1884, I saw what I took to be a Robin's nest in a maple tree on a public avenue. Upon ascending, was surprised to see a Robin and an English Sparrow fly from the nest, which was like an ordi nary Robin's nest, except being thickly lined with feathers, which were well em- bedded in the cement of the outer nest. It contained three eggs of the Robin and six of the Sparrow, all evenly and highly incu- bated. The eggs were not intermingled, each kind being on a side in a slight de- pression, but not separated from one an- other. The feathers which lined the nest, except the small ones on the bottom, were stuck quill ends in the cement, and the tops or feather ends curved inward, so as to nearly conceal the eggs. The Robin and Sparrow had been setting side by side on their respective eggs.
It may be mentioned that these birds are usually enemies. L. P. B.
Queens Co., N. Y.
Coues' Wrong.
In Coue's Key to N. A. Birds, 1872 edi- tion, he says: "American Gold-finch — nest small, compact, downy, eggs four to five, icliite, speckled." I thought the eggs of the American Gold-finch were of a uni- form pale blue color. How is this?
J. C. W. Richmond, Ind.
24
THE OOLOGIST.
THE OOLOGIST.
SDITES AlTD PUBLISHES BI-M0^THL7
PRANK H. LATTIN, - ALBION, N. Y.
Correspondence and items of interest to the student of Birds, their Nests and Eggs, solicited from all.
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JOTTINGS.
All copy for the next Oologist must reach us before May first.
Remember the Oologist is now a Bi- Mouthly, and that if you do not receive the next issue until June 1st, it's on time.
Winter prize contest closes March 20th. We can almost safely say that not to ex- ceed ten names will take the first prize.
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We most heartily thank our friends for the liberal manner in which they have sent in their subscriptions and articles for the Oologist. We hardly want our friends to think we are "awful greedj^" but we do want 1,000 more subscribers and "lots" of interesting original bird-notes — notes on the more rare species preferred. With these two most essential requisites we can make the Oologist the best monthly bird-maga- zine ever published.
We regret to announce that the original plates intended for Davie's new "Check List," have been destroyed by fire at the olfice of the engravers, Crosscup & West, Philadelphia. The originals are now being duplicated, and we expect to be enabled to fill all orders bj^ April 1st. Being sole wholesale agent for this valuable work, it is needless to add that our patrons can de- pend upon receiving their coi^ies as soon as ssued.
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THE OOLOGIST.
advertisements, etc.. each must be on a separate slip and written on one side of the paper only.
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Sign your name and address in full at the bottom or top of each slip. We always first attend to orders sent as above suggested, before trying to sort out " mixed-up " ones.
A Warm Place for a Nest.
Last summer I was told by a little boy that wrens were in the habit of building in iarap-posts. I looked in every lamp-post that I came to after that andhave found five in the little ventilator on the top of the post. In several I have found eggs, and in one young ones. M. G. K.,
St. Thomas, Ont.
Nest of the Brown Creeper.
( Certhia favuUaris rufa. )
Near the centre of my farm — AVildwood — is a tract of low, swampy woodland, the principal timber of which is black ash, swamp elm, red maple, cedar and other soft woods. Until late in the season the ground is generally under water, and as the surface is littered with old logs and brush, and in some places there is a thick growth of young underwood, it will be noted that to oologize in such a place is a work ditfi- cult and unpleasant, as you have either to wade through the cold water or scramble through the bi-ush and jump from log to log. Yet there are reasons to induce the oologist and student of ornithology to scramble through such places, for since the premises came into my possession, some three years ago, I have seen in this wood and around its margin, nests of the follow- ing species : Crow, Robin, Hermit and Tawny Thrushes, Water Thrush, Cat- bird, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Song Chip- ping, White-throated Sparrows, Indigo Bird, Red-eyed Vireo, Goldfinch, Hou.se Wren, Golden Winged, Hairy Wood-
pecker, Kingbird, Cherry-bird, as well as old nests of the Chestnut-sides Yellow- rumped and Yellow Warblers and Wood Pewee. I have also reasons to believe that other species, including the Winter Wren, have also occasionally nested there. And among the many other bird-notes heard there in the early spring are those of the active little Brown Creeper. Its presence there at the period of nidification last spring led me to infer that it also nested there, so I determined, if possible, to dis- cover if such was the case. Being out in this wood on the 13th of May, I was exam- ining the trunk of an old ash tree, when the notes of a Creeper fell on my ear, and glancing upwards I saw the bird running up the trunk of a neighboring tree, v.'ith some white wooly-looking material in its bill. From this she flew direct to another old ash tree, Avhich 1 had just examined, without making anj" discovery ; going* back I found the commencement of a n<st under a piece of curled bark about eight feet from the root of the tree. Pleased with the dis- covery I determined to watch proceedings, and calculating that it would take about two weeks for the bird to complete the nest and deposit her full set of eggs, I did not visit it again until the 23d, when, bringing with me a short ladder and reach- ing the site, I raised the bark a little, and looking in saw in a cosy little nest three pretty eggs. As I supposed the full set would be about six I revisited the nest again on the 27th and found seven eggs in it ; as the Creeper was not at home and had evidently deposited that morning, I con- cluded that the set was not yet completed, so I took part of the eggs and returned again on the 29th, when'l found tliat an- other eg'^ had been added. I then removed the uestT and it is now with its full set of eight eggs in my collection, in addition to another set of five taken six years ago some twelve miles north of this place : the nest proper is about three inches in diame- ter by one in depth, and is chiefly com- posed of the fine fibres of cedar bark with some fine hair and small feathers, the foun- dation having been formed of rough pieces of bark and the nests of insects.
Wm. L. Ivells. Listowel, Canada.
26
THE OOLOGIST.
Correspondence.
FROM MISSOURI.
I send you a few extracts from my notes for January and Februaiy, 1885: Jan. 1st. — Some people where I am in the country have placed a wide board outside the win- dow on which they put crumlis and bran, and all the Mduter l)irds come and feed ; among them I notice, Downy, Hairy and Red-bellied Wood-peckers, Elack-capped Chickadees, Snow Buntings, Black Snow- birds, Blue Jays, Nut-hatches. Feb. 6. — In a twenty mile drive saw nothing new ex- cept a few Long-spurs. Feb. 8. — Saw the first Shore Lariis, a small flock ; saw a Rough-legged Hawk. Feb. 10. — Saw a flock of Goldfinches, the first this winter ; a Robin perched in a tree in the yard and sang as merry as if it was May. Feb. 13. — Bird life is at a standstill except that Shore Larks are getting plenty. Feb. 15. — Birds are getting noisy, Crows, Jays and Wood-peckers are making love ; heard one Blue-bird to-day. Feb. 20. — Blue-birds are plenty this morning. Shore Larks in flocks. Feb. 34. — Blue-birds have thinned out some, gone farther North probably. Saw the first Tit-mice, also a flock of (about 20) Cedar Wax-wings ; also five Passenger Pigeons. Wild Geese have been flying- north for the last few days ; weather warm and raining. M. C,
Wayland, Mo.
LATE KESTIXC4.
Following are a few examples of late nesting in this locality, Southwestern Ohio, season of 1885 :
Aug. 30 — Y. B. Cuckoo, 3 fre.sh eggs. Aug. 22 — Am. Goldfinch, 4 young, just hatched. Aug. 15. — Chewiuk, three fresh eggs ; Am. Goldfinch, 5 eggs ; Y. B. C'uckoo, 4 eggs. Aug. 7. — Lidigo Bird, 3 eggs ; Chewink, 2 eggs. Aug. 6. — Wood Pewee, 2 large young ; Indigo Bunting. 2 eggs. Aug. 5. — Cardinal Gros- beak, 2 young ; Bluebird, 4 fresh eggs. H. A. Koch.
MY CABINET.
I saw in the last number of the Oologist a communication from R. D. Goss, in i-e- gard to cabinets, and as that is a subject which has interested me a great deal I will take the liberty of describing mine, and should be glad to hear from anyone else that may have any suggestions to ofCer. M}^ cabinet is a thread case like the dry goods merchants keep spool thread in ; it has nine drawers, three 24x15 inches, and six 12x15 inches. I have them full of trays, small trays for sets of small eggs, and large trays for sets of large eggs. The
trays are lined with colored cotton, the printed name and number pasted on the inside, and then the egus put in the num- bers are arranged successively so that it is very easy to find any one that may be wanted ; then the data blanks are filled out to correspond and placed so I can get to them easil3^ Now, if anyone has any- thing better to offer let them come forward and help brother Goss and myself out. W. W. Westgate,
Houston, Texas.
A beheaded quail. While a friend of mine in Iowa was cut- ting his grain with a mowing machine he ran over a quail's nest without knowing it, and when the men who were raking came up they found the nest with the beheaded quail still sitting on her eggs. This goes to show the natural instinct of these birds to keep quiet even when a person is quite near their nest. AYill P. Chase,
Medina, N. Y.
NESTS OF GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER AND WOOD THRUSH.
While in the central-eastern part of New Jersey last June, as I was passing through an old apple orchard, I chanced to notice a round hole about four inches in diameter in one of the trees. Thinking it might contain some oological treasure I thrust m3'' hand in about ten inches and was agreea- bly surprised to feel two eggs. I then took one out and examined it. The ground work was almost buff and was pro- fusely marked with purplish-red and brown blotches. The nest consisted of some soft material and dried grass, and was nearly flat. As far as I could ascertain the bird appeared to be chiefly brown, and its head was ornamented with a quite conspicuous crest. The nest was so low that I could easily reach it from the ground.
One morning in the latter part of June, as my cousin and I were rambling through some swampy ground bent on the destruc- tion of some "chip iTiOnks " which had evaded us, I chanced to notice a nest, which was placed horizontally upon a tree which had in some way been bent over, and I climbed up the trunk and bent it down still farther so that my cousin could reach the nest. The bird allowed itself to be caught without any apparent fear. It Avas about the size of a cat-bird and was chiefly brown. Its breast was drab and was marked with round black dots, which were set at intervals upon it. Its head was nearly flat and the bill was about, three- quarters of an inch in length. The eggs were a bluish-green and were a little smaller than a robin's. There were four of
THE OOLOGIST.
27
them and iucubation was well advauced. The nest was somewlmt compact and was composed of diy grass, horse hair, etc. Will you please oblige me by telling me the name's ? H. S. Mallory,
Akron, Ohio. Your tirst nest described is that of the Great Crested Flycatcher ; second one, Wood Thru.sh. — [Ed.
pyraiY nuthatch. I notice in vol. II, p. 44, Y. O., an ac- count of the breeding of the Pj'gray Nut- hatch in South Carolina and Georgia. It is doubtless a mistake, for the Brown- headed Nuthatch, Sitta pvniUa, which is a common species through that region. Sitia pygmiva is strictly western in its distribu- tion. Chas. F. Batchelder, Caiubridge. ]Mass.
On January loth I found a uest of the Great Horned Owl, it was in a dead .snag about ten feet high, had two fresh eggs. The snow was then two feet deep, and a cold day. The old Owl could be plainly seen from the ground ; I had noticed her in the snag frequently but did not think of her laying any eggs so soon. Last season I found one nest of the Great Horned Owl, eight of the Red-tailed Hawk, and one Whip-poor-will. James C. Jat,
La Hoj't, la.
On February loth I saw a flock of about twelve or fifteen Cedar-birds. I knew from their size and manner of iiight that they were not Engli.«h Sparrows, and con- cluded they must be some other bird, and watched them until they had alighted and soon found out what they were. They are the first migratory birds that have been seen about here, to my knowledge, with the exception of a Red-headed Wood- pecker. One was seen here on February 2d, and, by the way, is the Red-headed Wood-pecker strictly migratory '(
F. W., Dowagiac, Mich.
I saw a Robin on the 21st of January this year. He was prubably brought here by the Avesterly wind and storm of a few days since. Fred. C. Test,
Richmond, Ind.
Yesterday while out walking (Jan. 28th) I saw five Bluebird's fiyiug around as if they had come to spend the rest of the winter with us. Is not this rather earlv for them? H. W.,'
Passaic, X. J.
W. E. Brewster, of Rochester, X. Y., says that he has seen several robins this winter, and others have been seen in differ- ent parts of the cit}'.
F. O. H., Grass Lake, Midi., wishes to know the number of Ijirds which are annu- ally slain for milliner}- purposes.
H. S. Meigham, Mamaroneck, N. Y.. re- ports first Blue-birds on St. Valentine's Day.
Is it onij- the males of the Rub3'-lhroated Humming-birds that have ruby throats '? Do the young males have the ruby throat until the .second season V. B. C,
Port Hope, Ont.
Ans. 1. Males only.
2. Young males are sometimes said to have some ruby on their throats the first season.
An Old Letter from "Davie."
My Dear Friend Lattin :
Allow me to congratulate you on the May number of your magazine. This num- ber makes it at once rank with any other publication of the kind in the country. I am ixirticularly pleased with Mr. Parker's article, and no doubt every young collector who reads the Young Oologist will de- vour every word in that of Mr. Chamber- lain's. On the whole it is " tip-top," and I do not think the quality of this number could be much improved on.
Your magazine occupies a place that no other one does, and it must succeed. I, at least, shall do all in my power to increase your list of .subscribers, and that is what will support a periodical longer than praise. I am hard at work on the second edition of my Check List.
Dr. J. C. Merrill, U. S. A., who is .sta- tioned here at present, is assisting me in the preparation of my M.S. With him, Mr. Brewster and Dr. Wheaton, I will have aljout as accurate and complete a work as can be issued. I regard Dr. Merrill as one of the best ornithologists in this country. He has made some rare discoveries in nests and eggs, and was Dr. Brewer's special correspondent when he was stationed in the extreme Southwest. He has given me some new and original notes, and is very much taken with my first effort. He says 1 "have got the field and I must keep it." I am yours truly,
Oluver Davie.
28
THE OO LOG I ST.
Black and White Creeper.
There seems to be a difference of opinion in regard to the nesting habits of this bird. Audubon states that it nests in holes in ti'ees ; but the universal opinion seems to be that it nests on the ground. The eggs are seldom found in this vicinity, (Queens county, N. Y.,) although the bird is quite common here.
A nest fovind a few years ago, containing three highly incubated eggs, was on the ground, at the base of a tree.
One found July 18, 1882, containing eight eggs was in a hole in a white birch tree. The hole contained an inner nest of soft stufis.
In May, 1885, I saw one of these birds excavating a hole in a dead cherry tree. I watched it at work for over a week, when a boy caught it and brought it to me. I am sure of identity. Will some of our kind bird friends state their experience in regard to this bird? L. P. B.
Queens Co., IST. Y.
Black-billed Cuckoo Depositing Eggs in a Yellow-billed Cuckoo's Nest.
On the afternoon of July 31, 1885, (about 6 p. M.) I found a Cuckoo's nest containing four eggs of a uniform size and color. The nest was placed in an apple tree and the bird frightened off was a Yellow-billed. Thf eggs appearing to be newly laid I left the nest, returning to it the next afternoon (Ang. 1), when, to my surprise, the nest contained six eggs, being cleai'ly an increase of two eggs in one day. As it is not prob- able that the bird would deposit an egg- after six o'clock of the evening of July 31, moreover one of the eggs was smaller, a darker green color and smoother shelled than the others, and seemed to be an egg of the Black-billed Cuckoo.
It is well known that the Cuckoo some- times deposits its eggs in the nests of such birds as the Robin, Cat-bird and Wood Thrush, but I never heard of one Cuckoo using the nest of another.
Later in the season I found another Cuckoo's nest, (I could not determine the
species for want of time) which contained six eggs, three of which were larger and lighter green colored than the others, thus dividing the contents into two sets each, of which were uniform in size, color, etc., and one of which appeared to belong to a Yellow-billed and the other to a Black- billed Cuckoo. To be sure the eggs of the two species are often indistinguishable and the eggs of the same species often vary in size from the same bird, so that in the latter case the eggs might possibly all have been from the same parent, though not, prob- ably, as the unusually large number of eggs and their distinct division into two sets seem to point to the other conclusion.
H. A. Kocn.
Long-billed Marsh Wren.
Ijarge numbers of these birds nest on the salt meadows of Long Island. They pre- fer a low bush, but sometimes build in the meadow grass. The nest, made of coarse sedges, etc., firmlj^ interwoven, cemented together, and lined with soft stuffs, is not exactly spherical, but longer in its perpen- dicular diameter. It is usually fastened to the bush or grasses firmly, about three feet from the grouftd or water, as the case may be. It has one hole in the side for entrance and exit, and usually does not have any preceptible projecting edge over the hole. Of more than three hundred nests exam- ined, not more than ten had the projecting edge; six were double, (i. e., one connected obove the other;) two had the holes in the side; and one had the hole in the top, all centaining eggs.
The usual number of eggs is four or five. Of over three hundred eggs collected, all were in sets of four or five, except one set of six, and two of three. When the eggs are laid they are covered with a bunch of fine grass, when the bird leaves the nest of her own accord. When she is in the nest the grass nearly fills the entrance.
They lay from the early part of June to the last of July and while some nests con- tain young birds others are not completed. L. P. B. Queens Co., N. Y.
THE OOLOGIST.
29
Intelligence of Birds.
Having read many interesting articles upon the intelligence of birds, I will relate an instance which came under my personal observation, and the nest now in my pos- session is proof positive to the most skep- tical.
An Oriole had woven her nest on the end of a very long limb of a maple — all was completed and the eggs laid, when a severe storm overturned the nest and broke the contents. She soon laid another clutch, which shared the fate of the first lot ; a third time she was equally unsuccessful. Seemingly, to examine the position, and de- termine', if possible, a remedy, she flew round the nest for several hours, hopping from branch to branch. About two feet to the right of the nest was a small branch ; the bird flew away, returning later with a quantity of string, which she wove round the branch, then carried the ends to the nest, weaving them in giving the nest the needed support ; laid her eggs and reared her birds, a monument to bird intelligence. — [We very much regret that the writer's name of the above has been mislaid and that we cannot give him due credit. — Ed.]
Canibalism of the Red-headed Wood- pecker.
I noticed two interesting incidents last spring connected with a Red-headed Wood- pecker, which may interest the readers of the OoLOGiST. Early iu May I found a nest of this bird containing six eggs, situa- ted in the dead branches of an oak thirty feet high. Near by a Crested Titmouse had industriously carved out his little home, in which he was feeding a nest full of young.
A few days after, having taken the Wood- pecker's eggs (I needed them for my collec- tion) I was watching the Titmouse's nest to see him feed his little ones, when suddenly the owner of the robbed nest flew down and lit near the entrance to the nest of its neigh- bor, and thrusting his head inside, he de- liberately drew out a young bird, carried it to a branch near by and ate it. He and
his mate repeated the same action until they had killed the whole brood. After which, having pulled out the lining of the nest, they flew away. This was very sur- prising to me, as I have never heard of AVoodpeckers indulging in canibalism be- fore. But I had not yet done with the ac- tions of the Woodpeckers. A week or so after, having broken up the Crested Tit- mice, I noticed the Red-heads repeatedly visiting the site of their old nest. This aroused my curiosity, and supposing they had decided to lay a new clutch I visited the cavity to see whether my supposition was true. What was my surprise to find that the hollow contained not eggs, but the decaying body of a Great Crested Fly- catcher. How it came there I know not; hut I am fully convinced that the Red- heads vtsited the spot for the purpose of devouring the vermin which infected the decaying flesh. Do you not think my birds are a clever pair, though rather cruel ? L. B. F. Augusta, Ga,
An Albino Sparro'w.
Not being very well acquainted with the various kinds of birds, their habits, etc., I write to know if you ever saw a white English Sparrow, and are they common ? Please answer through the columns of your paper. The one I saw has been for some time with a large flock of brown ones in the Court House park, and it is almost a pure white. H. C. B.,
Mexico, Mo.
From Chenango County.
Would like to know if usual for the Bal- timore Oriole to get material for building their own nests by robbing the nests of other birds that were building, as I saw one taking from a Chipping Sparrow as fast as they collected. There is a pair of House Wrens building in an old tea-kettle inverted on a post in the garden. Answer through 06iiOC4isT if worth it. J. D. S.
Guilford, N. Y.
THE OOLOGIST.
A Cunning Hawk.
A very interesting spectacle occurred here this winter. A farmer going out to his barn one morning saw a hawk flying high above him ; he graduallj' came down nearer to the ground. The farmer went to the house to get his gun, but when he came out again the hawk was nowhere to be seen. He waited for a little while and soon saw him cooly walking out of one of the pigeon holes in the barn with a pigeon in his claws. The farmer shot and killed him. He turned out to be a very fine .specimen of the Pigeon-hawk, Aesalon Columhanvs, and was as fat as he could be which proved that he had made previous visits to the barn. Frank L. Farley, St. Thomas, Ont.
Second Edition Davie's.
Dr. Theodore Jasper, the eminent bird and animal artist is engaged in making drawings for the second edition of Oliver Davie's work on the Nests and Eggs of the Birds of North America. Some of the plates already made exhibit the touch of his master hand for which he has so long been noted throughout the length and breadth of this country, and all over the world. The most interesting of the plates now finished are the nests of the American Flamingo, Wood Duck, Blue-gray Gnat- catcher, Baltimore Oriole, Burrowing Owl, Least Titmouse, and Traill's Flycatcher. The delineations of these beautiful nests with the birds and the simple scenery sur- rounding them will call forth universal ad- miration.
The first edition of Mr. Davie's work had been sold in February last, and he is hard at work on the second. This will contain four special plates of eggs exhibit- ing characteristic markings of the different orders of birds. The plates will be en- graved by the Crosscup and West Engrav- ing Co., of Philadelphia. — From a Colum- bus, 0., paper.
Send in your subscriptions — 50 cents each — ane we will give you a live paper.
A Premium to Evert Subscriber.— The publisher of The Oulogist, in order to obtain a large circulation for his little journal, offers the following inducements, which have never been equaled by the pub- lisher of any journal devoted tothe inter- ests of naturalists and curiosity collectors.
To any person sending us fifty cents for a year's subscription to The Oologist we will sena any one of the following pre- miums :
A. The Ooloc4ist's Handbook.
B. " " Directory.
C. 100 Assorted Data Blanks.
D. Three of our Premium Rubber Initial
Stamps with Outfit.
E. A One-line Rubber Name Stamp with
Outfit (additional lines 5 cts. each).
F. Numbers 10, 11, 12 a, 13 and 14 of The
Young Oologist (126 pages of valu- able information).
G. Ten Choice, Showj' ]Minerals.
H. 200 Foreign Stamps, over 100 varieties. 1. Two Chinese, and one Japanese coin. J. An (tgg of the Ground Dove, No. 465. K. " " American Eider " 627a.
L. " '• Razor-billed Auk" 742
M. •' " Common Pulfin " 743.
N. " " Com. Guillemot " 763.
O. " " Mexican Cardinal.
P. " " Euphonia.
Q. " " Gular Oriole.
R. " " Gray's Thrush.
S. " " Graceful Mock'g Thrush
T. " " Golden - crowned Fly-
catcher. U. An egg of each the Shark and Skate. V. An Exchange or Want Notice of not exceeding thirty words in The Oolo- gist.
Our premiums are first-class in every re- spect and would cost our friends, were they to purchase, from 25 cents to |1.00 each. We will send any one of them from A to V inclusive, and The Oologist one year for only 50 cents.
Our Canadian friends . desiring anj^ pre- mium excepting A, B, C, F, H and V must add 5 cents extra to pay one-half the postage. Premiums O to T are very de- sirable Central American Eggs and are generally retailed at $1.00 each. We have sold lots of them at that price.
To secure one of the premiums, we would advise our friends to send in their subscriptions by return mail, as our supply is limited.
As many collectors will desire more than one of our valuable premiums they can, when sending in their subscriptions, en- close 25 cents for each additional premium wanted, and we will forward by return mail. Premiums ordered at other times can be had at regular retail rates.
THE OO LOG 1ST.
" 3 |
" 20 |
" 4 |
25 |
" 5 |
' 50 |
' 6 |
75 |
' 7 |
' 100 |
' 8 |
12 |
' 9 " 10 |
' 20 |
BIRDS EGGS.
Our stock is the largest and most com- plete iu America. Price-list 2 cents.
For the convenience of our younger collectors, we have arranged the following collections, -which we believe to be unsur- passed for the price.
Collection No. 1 contains 10 species for 50 cents.
No. 2 contains 15 species for 75 cents.
!|1.00. 1.50. 3.25. 5.00. 10.00. 12 species European 1.00. 2.00. species Central Ameri- can $1.00.
No. 11 contains 10 species Central Ameri- can $3.00.
No. 12 contains 20 species Central Ameri- can $10.00.
No. 13 contains $1.00 worth of second- class eggs, 35 cents.
No. 14 contains $2.00 worth of second- class eggs, 60 cents.
No. 15 contains $4.00 worth of second- class eggs, $1.10.
No. 16 contains i^S.OO worth of second- class eggs, $2.00.
No. 17 contains $25.00 worth of second- class eggs, $5.00.
No. 18 contains $10.00 worth of first- class eggs in sets, $6.00.
No. 19 contains .$25.00 worth of first- class eggs in sets, $13.00
No. 20 contains $50.00 worth of first- class eggs in sets, $25.00.
For the more advanced collectors we have made up the following collections.
A contains 8 species of the Thrushes, worth $1.50, $1.00.
B contains 7 species of the Lark, Blue- birds and Gnatcatchers, worth $2.00, $1.50.
C contains 6 species of the Chickadees and Nuthatches, worth $3.50, $3.25.
Z> contains 7 species of the Wrens and Wagtails, w^orth $1.50, $1.00.
^contains 9 species of the Warblers, worth $5.50. $3.00.
J contains 5 species of the Crows, Mag- pies and Jays, worth $1.50, $1.00.
K contains 13 species of the Flycatchers, worth $0.00, $3.25.
L contains 4 species of the Humming Birds,Swifts and Goatsuckers, worth $3.00, $2.75.
3/coutains 7 species of the Woodpeckers, worth $3.50, $2.50.
]S~ contains 4 species of the Cuckoos, worth $3.75, $2.00.
0 contains 6 species of Owls, worth $6.75, $5.00.
P contains 10 species of the Hawks, Vultures, etc., worth $10.00, $7.50.
Q contains 4 species of Pigeons, worth $1.75, $1.00.
E contains 8 species of the Guans, Grouse and Quail, worth $4.50, $3.25.
S contains 7 species of the Herons and Ibis, worth $2.00, $1.50.
T contains 9 species of the Oystercatch ers, Plovers and Stilts, worth $5.00, $3.75.
U contains 8 species of the Rails, worth $2.50, $1.75.
F contains 10 species of the Ducks, worth $6.00, $3.75.
TT contains 6 species of the Flamingoes, Pelicans and Cormorants, worth $5.00, $3.50.
X contains 7 species of the Gulls, worth $4.50, $2.75.
F contains 9 species of the Terns, worth $2.50, $2.00.
Z contains 5 species of the Petrels, Grebes, worth $2.50. $2.00.
d- contains 5 species of the Auks, worth $1.75. $1.00.
XTZ contains the above 27 collections and 10 additional eggs, worth in all over . $100.00, $60.00.
XLCR contains the eggs of 400 different North American Birds, but few collections in this country can show as many species. It is truly the ' ' Excelsior " collection and we expect to place one or more of them in the cabinets of our wealthier patrons. Price, carefully packed and boxed, safe delivery guaranteed, $200.00 Satisfaction guaranteed. Address,
FiiANK H. Lattix,
Albion, N. Y.
THE OOLOGIST.
GLASS EYES.
FOR SALE BY
FRANK H. LATTIN,
ALBION, N. Y.
Please examine our prices before ordering elsewliere.
Elongated Pupils, 20 per cent, extra. Fish Eyes, - 10 " "
Special extra flue veined eyes at from 40 per cent, extra to double price. Write just what you want, and for what.
A small discount will be allowed on large orders.
These Prices are Net Cash.
Notice to Collectors.
COLORED.
SIZES.
BLACK.
! |
||||||
Per |
Per 5 |
No |
Per |
Per lo; Per 50 |
||
Pair. |
Pair. |
inch. |
Pair |
Pair. Pair. |
||
$0.02 |
$0.07 |
00 |
1-32 |
0.01 |
$0.02'$0.07 |
|
.m |
.07 |
0 |
2-32 |
.01 |
.02 |
.07 |
.02 |
.10 |
1 |
3-32 |
.01 |
.02 |
.10 |
.02 |
.10 |
2 |
4-32 |
.01 |
.02 |
.10 |
.03 |
.13 |
3 |
5-32 |
.01 |
.03 |
.13 |
.03 |
.13 |
4 |
6-32 |
.01 |
.03 |
.13 |
.04 |
.16 |
5 |
7-32 |
.01 |
.05 |
.20 |
.04 |
.17 |
6 |
8-32 |
.01 |
.05 |
.20 |
.04 |
.19 |
7 |
9-32 |
.01 |
.07 |
.33 |
.05 |
.20 |
8 |
10-32 |
.01 |
.07 |
.33 |
.06 |
.26 |
9 |
11-32 |
.02 |
.10 |
.46 |
.06 |
.27 |
10 |
13-32 |
.02 |
.10 |
.46 |
.08 |
.38 |
11 |
14-32 |
.02 |
.14 |
.66 |
.09 |
.40 |
12 |
15-32 |
.02 |
.14 |
.66 |
.12 |
.55 |
13 |
16-32 |
.02 |
.16 |
.77 |
.13 |
.60 |
14 |
17-32 |
.03 |
.19 |
.92 |
.14 |
.65 |
15 |
18-32 |
.03 |
.24 |
1.15 |
.15 |
.70 |
16 |
10-16 |
.04 |
.30 |
1.38 |
.17 |
.80 |
17 |
11-16 |
.05 |
.40 1.98 |
|
.18 |
.85 |
18 |
12-16 |
.05 |
.47! 3.31 |
|
.20 |
.95 |
19 |
18-16 |
.07 |
.60 2.97 |
|
.21 |
1.00 |
20 |
14-16 |
.08 |
.671 3.30 |
|
.24 |
1.15 |
21 |
15-16 ; |
.09 |
.80! 3.96 |
|
.25 |
1.25 |
22 |
1 1 |
.12 |
.94' 4.62 |
|
.28 |
1.35 |
23 |
1 2-16 |
.13 |
1.07 |
5.28 |
.31 |
1.50 |
24 |
1 3-161 |
.14 |
1.20 |
5.94 |
.35 |
1.70 |
25 |
1 4-16' |
.15 |
1.33 |
6.60 |
.37 |
1.80 |
26 |
1 5-16 |
.18 |
1.47 |
7.26 |
.41 |
2.00 |
27 |
1 6-16 |
.20 |
1.75 |
8.25 |
.54 |
2.60! |
28 |
1 1-2 |
.25 |
2.00 9.90 |
1.0,000 C-wiriosltles.
The famous collection of Coins. Curiosities, Natural History specimens, Ocean Curio, Birds, Eggs, ^Minerals, Fossils, Indi.^n Relics, etc., etc., etc., in the BELKNAP MUSEUM, Moore's Opera House, Lake Village, N. H., is for sale. Must be sold im- mediately. Fine opportunity for Colleges^ Dealers, Collectors, etc. Will be sold very cheap for cash. Write for lists, particulars, etc.
C. P. WILCOMB, Curator.
We have a Loon, nicely stuffed and mounted by an experienced ta.xidermist, which vie. will offer for sale or exchange for some good work on Birds. The specimen was taken on Cranberry Lake, St. Lawrence Co. Correspondence solicited. Send stamp for particulars.
FELL & ROBINSON, Hermon, St. Lawrence Co., N. Y.
ONE MILE SIGNAL WHISTLE
The loudest aad most piercingly shrill
whistle oi it-^ size made. tJan be heard up
to one mile. The exact size of a
60 calibre U. S. Goveriinieiit
Kifle Carlri<!ge. Mmle 01 bur-
n:i<>kc<l briisH »ith nieke!
bullet. Invaluable ::-
signal foi tea ni k t e r n,
farmers. 8port*iiEien
and all
attract atteutioli
a long distance
Call your
n«en t
dinner
with
it
tract- ive a little nuvclty that /^/ everv one who sees u wants it. You Bliould bave it. To introduce our full, expensive, and in- terenting cataloKue of „'unH. kii veH, noveItief><ai<d useful .irticles. we will send this whi tii an 1 nialoRue bv ni:iil, post- paid for onh 8.1 cents in stamps Ad- dress R E > N IE A A Mj SON MFG. CO., 785 Filbert Street, Philart.lohia. Penna^^
-I A DIFFERENT STAMP and price-li^t for a one cent stamp unused.
STEM PEL BROS.,
Ft. Madison, Iowa.
Breeder of Mottled laya Fowls & Red Polled Cattle.
Stock first-class. Write, enclosing stamp, for what you want. Eggs in season, S3 for 15, $■; for 30.
A collection of about one hundred stamps, including some very choice Ceylon & India stamps, arranged in one of Scolts cloth-bound stamp books. And also a number of Ceylon .shells. Address,
CHAS. S. HASTINGS,
P. O. Box 5oq. Hartford, Conn.
("CORRESPONDENCE desired with those wishing ^-' specimens from this section. .Send list, enclosing 2C. stamp for reply. 1883 nickels for sale.
W. W. OILMAN,
Stoughton, Wis.
MINERALS.
35 specimens ixi for $1.00 from Pennsylvania and Maryland; sent Post-paid ; printed labels ; name and locality ; no two alike. Price-list of large specimens free. Send money by Registered letter.
ISAAC S KIRK, Fremont, Chester Co., Pa.
OOLOGIST'S ATTENTION.
I will send, post-paid, id feet of first-class Rubber Tubing, with full directions for water blower, for 50 cents. This is the best blower for_ eggs, and these prices are cheaper than you can get it at your Drug Store. ( >rder at once. Send postal note.
FRED. M. DILLE, Greeley, Colo.
THE OOLOGIST.
-D^^^VIE'S-
TliE
EGG CHECK LIST
AND KEY TO THE NESTS AND EGGS
OF
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS.
SECOND EDITION: RcviseJ and £>i/ar^e<i.
Illustrated Willi Seven Full Page Eiigraviigs,
Jitj Theodore tTasper, A.. M., M. D.
This work has becoine indispensable to ali students of Oology ; assisting them in identifying N^sts and Eggs while in the field, and has taken the place of those expensive works, usually beyond the reach of many collectors. The New Edition contains
FULL AND ACCURATE DESCRIPTIONS
of all the Nests and Eggs of the Land and Water Birds of North America known to date, togethei with the breeding range and habitat of the species and ornith- ological synonyms. It contains in the neighborhood of 200 pages and is bound in heavy antique, tinted papei.
PRICE, BY MAIL, $1.00.
Address all orders to
FRANK H.LATTIN,Geii'l Wholesale Agt.,
IDENTIFICATTON !
During the past few years we have cheerfully at- tempted to
IDENTIFY ALL SPECIMENS
our friends have sent us, and this without remunera- tion ; but owing to the fact that we are now receiving packages by the dozen for this purpose, and that our time is more than occupied with our regular business, in the future we shall be obliged to charge our friends in addition to return postage the following
I?,.A.TE S :
Single or first Specimen, - 10 <i\s.
Second to tenth Specimen, - 3 (5ts. each. Eleventh Specimen and over, - 2 (5\s. "
The above rates for identifying we think very rea- sonable. We have spent several years in handling and studying specimens of various kinds, and have on hand a very large stock with which comparisons can be made. We also have the leading works to use as reference. The advantage of having specimens properly identified is invaluable to collectors. .\ddress,
FRANK H. LATTIN, Albion, N. Y.
CONTAINS
86 Pages of ValuaTole Information.
It gives our regular price list of oological specimens and supplies (the most complete ever sent out by any dealer). It gives the common and scientific names of all North American birds, arranged and numbered according to Kidgeway's (the Smithsonian) nomencla- ture of 1S81 ; it gives the numbers used in Baird's check-list of 1859 ^"d those used in Coue's of 1883 ; it gives the value of the eggs of over 500 species of North American birds, this fact alone making the catalogue invaluable to collectors as a basis of ex- change. It names the various families into which the birds of North America are divided, and enumerates the birds belonging to each family. It gives, approx- imately, the number of eggs in a clutch of every American bird. . It tells how to prepare specimens for cabinet, how to pack them for transportation, with many other useful hints. A copj' of our new hand- book and catalogue will be sent postpaid for
ONLY 25 CENTS.
or we can furnish the HANDBOOK bound in cloth and gilt for ,o cexts.
ADDPESS
ALBION, Orleans Co., N. Y.
The Oologists' Directory
By DAVIS & BAKER.
Is now ready for delivery and contains the names and addresses of over four hundred collectors of Oologi- cal, C>rnithological, and Taxidermal specimens, and twenty-one pages of advertisements of the leading
dealers.
TMs Directory is tlie Best and Clieapest
ever offered collectors, and is worth double the amount for which it sells.
It is printed in good, suitable type, on heavy tinted paper, and bound in antique Japanese covers.
PRICE, POSTPAID,
ONLY THIRTY CENTS.
WHOLESALE AGENT.
Albion, Xew York,
THE OOLOGIST.
THE NEW KEY TO
North. Axxierican Birds,
Contains a concise account of every species of living and Fossil Bird at present known on the Continent north of the boundary line between Mexico and theXlnited States, including Greenland.
SECOND EDITION, REVISED TO DATE AND ENTIRELY REWRITTEN,
WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED
GENERAL ORNITHOLOGY- cation of birds ; and
-An outline of the structure and classifi-
FIELD ORNITHOLOGY— A manual of collecting, preparing and preserving birds.
By ELLIOTT COUES, M. A., M. D., Ph. D., Member of the National Academy of Science, &c. PROFUSELY ILLUSTRATED. The original edition of this Standard Text Book of Ornithology being entirely out of print, and still very much in demand, the publishers have spared neither pains nor expense in the preparation of " THE NEW KEY," in which the whole subject is carefully brought down to date. Cone's " Key is to well known as a leading and authorative treatise to require remark, having for twelve years held its place as the standard work of Reference for Professional ornithologist, as well as for students and amateurs. For complete prospectus of this work see Young Oologist Vol, I., No. i, page 12. The work is fully indexed with several thousand entries. Price complete in one stout volume.
Koyal Octavo, Vellum Cloth, $10. Eoyal Octavo, Library Sheep, $1].50.
Eoyal Octavo, Half Morocco, Extra, $13.50.
FRANK H. LATTIN. Albion, N. Y.
OUR THIRTY-TWO PAGE
ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE,
CONTAINS COMPLETE I'RICE LIST OF
Minerals, BiMs' Eggs, Shells. Curiosities.
Naturalists', Taxidermists', Entomol- ogists', and Oologists'
INSTRUMENTS (^iSUPPUES
OF ALL KINDS.
IT SHOWS El&HT STYES OF DATA BLANKS,
And Gives Over 30 Other Illustrations, WILL SEND IT, POST-PAID, FOR
or, if you will send us an order for any thing we ad- vertise, amounting to 25 cents, and mention that you would like a copy, it will be sent you gratis. Address. FRANK H. LATTIN, Albion, N. Y,
We Don't Want the Earth,
But we do want all the People in it, who take even a passing interest in the interesting study of Natural History, to send for a free sample copy of
" The Youth's Visitor,"
z.senii-vionthly magazine, devoted to Natural History and other
Choice Literature
of all kinds A Serial is now running by Harry Harris, in which Natural History is happily combined with" adventure. Our Mtiseutn is the name of the Natural History Department, conducted by " Oriolo," an enthusiastic naturalist. All its reading matter is original. 50 cents a year. Address
GEO. G. PENDELL, Publisher. Waverly, N. Y.
SEWING MACHINE
HAS NO EQUAL.
PERFECT SATISFACTION
NewHomeSewiifflacliinBCo.
—ORANGE, MASS.—
30 Union Square, N. Y. Chicago, III. St. Louis, Mo. Atlanta, Ga. DailaSi TeXi San Francisco, Cai.
FOR SALE BY
THE
iMiiiai. <
Vol. III. ALBION, N. Y., MAY & JUNE, 1886. No. 3.
HOOSIER NATURALIST,
having enlarged to a 24 page magazine, and having also secured a number of prominent Ornithologists and Oologists as regular correspondents, is, with its beautiful illustrated articles, acknowledged to be the leading low priced journal of the kind published. Sample for seven one cent stamps.
ST-^3^^I=S.
R. B. TROUSLOT,
(Editor and Publisher) Valparaiso, Ind.,has information of prime importance to all interested in any branch of natural history, and if you will favor him with your address on a postal card, you will receive a "surprise party" by return mail.
IBEXjXjIiTTJISTJS X).^3^.<Si.3E.
A cast of this celebrated fossil, 30 cents. H. D. HILL, Morris, Ills.
*:^* Headquarters for Mazan Creek Fossils. Finest in the world. Choice col- lections from $1.00 to .$100.00. Samples, by mail, of Fossil Fern, &c., 2.5 cents.
COINS SENT ON APPROVAL.
Agents wanted for sale of rare stamps from sheets.
LIBE^RAIv CONIMISSION
W. F. GREANY,
827 Brannan St., San Francisco, Gal.
3 var. Siamese, . . - . 15c.
4 " Mexican, . _ . _ 5c.
Stamps for first-class eggs at one-half Lattin's rates. Remit by coin. .
J. D. SORNBORGER,^^ Guilford, Chenango Co., N. Y.
KRED ACHESON,
Collector and Dealer in
BIRD'S EGGS, SKINS, ETC.
Send for list to Emporia, Kansas.
DA VIES, TURNER & CO..
• 34 Broadway, New Yark.
Foreign Carriers to and from all parts of the World and Proprietors of Davies' European Express, Goods Consigned to us from Abroad, to be Cleared at the Custom House, or forwarded in Bond to Canada and the West, etc., promptly attended to. Parcels, Bonds, Valuables and Freight forwarded four times a week to Europe, &c., at reasonable rates.
A second-hand. 22 cal., 28 inch barrel, Stevens rifie in good condition, original price $21.00. Will sell it for $10.00.
GRAY LAWRENCE, Henderson, Mills Co., Iowa.
A COLLECTION FOR SALE At a Great Bargain.
I have a fine collection of first-class North American Birds Eggs, no duplicates, worth $25.00. I will sell the entire collection for $8.00 cash. Ad- dress at once,
CHARLEY JOSEY, In care of Lock Box 82, Albion, N. Y. *:).* — By permission I refer to the Publisher of this magazine as to my reliability, &c.
THE LITTLE SCRIPTO!
SOMETHING NEW. A DUPLICATE STAMP. Prints without Type. 50 copies in five minutes. Sample complete in neat box post-paid 40 cents. ^"AGENTS WANJED AT ONCE! nr SAMPLE CARDS wifh your name printed by ^0 the Little Scripto, post-paid, 10 cents. CD. Chichester, Manufacturer,
Geneseo, N. Y.
THE OOLOGIST.
CLOSING SALE.
IFOSSIXjS.
Every Lot is warranted to give best of satisfaction. Most of the fossils listed are fine fresh specimens and are generally retailed at from 50 to 500 per cent, above our prices. Collectors and Dealers are requested to examine our lists. Ten per cent- discount will be allowed on orders amounting to $10.00 or over.
If " Lots" ordered are not in stock, we reserve the right to substitute other lots equally desirable.
We have sold the following Lots of Fossils offered in January and February 1885 issues of The Young OoLOGlST. The balance are still for sale at 10 per cent, off advertised prices. Complete list for 2 cts. 119. — 20 to 23, 27, 29, 30, 32 to 37, 39 to 48, 51, 52,
57, 6g, 71, 72, 77, 79, 82, 83, 85, 8s, 89, 92. 98. 202. — 5. 61 8, 10 to iq, 25 to 27, 34, 36, 41, 61 to 64,
66, 71, 72, 75, 77. 85, 90, 91, 03 to 95, 300. — 8, 9, 12 to 14, 18, 22, 27 to 29, 32, 37, 46, 48,
4q, 51, 59, 60, 65, 66, 68, 75, 77 to 80. 82, 90,
91, 97. 99-
A choice lot from Lebanon, Ohio. When Fossils
are ordered by mail, the number of cents in second column must be added to pay postage.
400 Orthis biforata, var. lynx, very fine, - 20 2
401 2 O. lynx, - - - - - -10 3
402 Fossiliferous Limestone holding stro.
rhomboidalis, - - - - - 25 10
403 2 of No. 400, - - - - - 30 3
404 Slab of Zygospira modesta. - - 35 10
405 3 Othoceras duseri. - - - - 40 4
406 2 Streptelasma corniculum, - - 15 3
407 Leptaena cervicea, - - - - 20 6
408 6 Chaetetes Jamesi, - - - - 30 5
409 2 Chaetetes mammulata, - - - '5 3
410 Very fine spec, of Fossil Limestone, - 40 ai
411 7 Chaetetes dalei, - - - - 25 i
412 5 Protarea vetusta, - - - - 30 2
413 8 Chaetetes meeki, . - - - 30 2
414 10 Rhynchonella capax, - - - 30 3
415 2 Cyclora minuta, - - - - - 10 i
416 Chaetetes petropolitanus, - - 25 2
417 6 Ambonyclua radiata, - - - - 20 3
418 8 Orthis subquadrata, - - - 30 2
419 Murchisonia bicinta, - - - - 30 2
420 7 Cyclonema fluctuatum, - - - 40 2
421 5 Orthis laticostata, - - - 35 2
422 5 Orthis acutilirata, - - - - 30 2
423 6 Chaetetes quadratus, - - - - 25 2
424 Cyclora minuta, ----- 20 3
425 3 Orthis retrorsa, - - - - - 25 2
426 " " ----- 25 2
427 7 Spec, assorted, - - - - - 15 9
428 6 Bellerophon bilobatus, - - - 25 2
429 6 Streptorhynchus sulcatus, - - - 25 i
430 Strophomena rhomboidalis,
431 5 Cyclomena bilix, - _ - _ _
432 6 Orthis insculpta, - _ - .
433 9 Orthis emacerata, - - _ _
434 50 Z. modesta, - - . - -
435 9 Streptorhynchus subtentus,
436 5 IVIurchisonia bellacinta, . _ .
437 16 named species from Ills., - - _
438 Crinoid root, Waldron, Ind.,
439 Fossil shark vertebra. - _ . _
440 Same as 430, smaller, but much more
perfect, ------
. U. S. FRACTIONAL CURRENCY.
10 I
35 t
2'5 2
45 3
35 6
50 52
60 13
533
534
5.35
536
536a
537
538
539
540
541 542
IOC series 1863, new, - - - - 25 IOC, " " nearly new, _ - - 20
2SC. •' •'---.-. 30
25c. series 1874, new, _ _ _ . 35
25c. ""------ 30
50C. series 1862, postage currency, fine, 85
soc. Crawford, new, ----- 75
50c. Dexter, new, - _ - - 75
50C. fair, - - - . - - 60
25c. poor to good, each, _ _ . 28
Old time fractional currency, used when money was scarce, 75^d, ijd, and 3od, one of each, ------ 40
3 Old time fractional currency, used when money was scarce, ^y^A^ isd, and 3od, 10 a.ssorted bills, _ - _ _ 1.25
ONE MILE SICNAL WHISTLE
Th ' loudest and most pieroinely shrill
whistle of its size made. Can be heard up to cue mile. The e\aLt si/e of 50 calibre I'. *. Oo\eriiineiif Klfle Ciirtridjfc. .Maih ot bur- nished bruvH »itli nielvcl bullet. ln\aluubli' signal loi team^tei farmers, sportsmen v^^^ and all who wi^h 10 ,4^^ attract.itteution it
a long di^t moi
Call your
men t
dinner
with
it!
tract ive a 1 1 le novelty that \ cue who ants it. You should l>aTe It. To lutrodu full, expen-lve. and in- terestiiii; eataloeueof Kuns, kn \es, novelties, ."xid useful artleles. \»e will ^i-nd this i^tle .mci c-ll iloRue bv ni n' post- paid tor onlv 8.% eonts in st mip^ ^A- dress RE >N1E «fe AMvSON MFO. CO., 735 Filbert Street. Philadelohia. Pennn
FOR SALE CHEAP !
We have a few founts of second-hand type, in good condition, for sale cheap. Send stamp for list. A. M. EDDY,
Albion, N. Y.
Breeder of Mottled Java Fowls & Red Polled Cattle.
Stock first-class. Write, enclosing stamp, for what you want. Eggs in season, $3 for 15, $5 for 30.
1
THE OOLOGIST.
Exchanges and Wants.
Brief special announcements, " Want^,'" " Ex- changes," inserted in this department for 25 cents per 25 words. Notices over 25 words charged at the rate of one-half cent per word. No notice inserted for less than 25 cents. Notices which are merely indirect methods of soliciting cash purchasers cannot be ad- mitted to these columns under any circumstances. Terms, ca.sh with order.
Wanted. — A good second-hand bicycle, Columbia preferred. E. K. McCLAIN, Yorkville, S. C.
Will exchange a Remington Rifle, 22 caliber, good as new. Also Jointed Rod, with laiicewood tips, reel and line (cost $10.00) nearly new, for American Birds Eggs in sets. Rare Warblers and Raptores preferred"," THOS. H. JACKSON, Bo.x 1668, West Che.'ter, Pa.
A pair of good climbing irons of my own make, and eight dollars worth of eggs, including sets of numbers 402, 557, 485, 420, find 569, for a Steven's or Flobert Rifle in good condition ; also eggs to e.\change with other collectors. OLCOTT PAYNE, Little Neck, N. Y.
To Exchange. — Fine named eggs in sets from Texas and .Mass., for same. C. E. HOYLE, West Millbury, Mass.
Eggs For Exchange. — I desire to exchange with collectors American Bird Eggs in sets, Nos. 51, 5^, 360, 369, 396, ana A72 particulr-rly wanted. Address with list, THOMAS H. JACKSON, Box 1668, West Chester, Pa.
C. W. FORBES, Clyde, N. Y. A pair of Nicke' Plated Roller Skates, with bag and oil can, for a canvas tent or a canoe.
Exchange. — I wish to exchange a coUeciion of birds eggs (many rare) for a young puppy of some good breed. Address, G. H. WIIKINSON, Wharton, Te.xas.
Will exchange the following books for N. A. eggs in sets with data: Samuel's New England Birds, cost $5,00; Gentry's Birds of the U. S., cost $/c.oo; Adam's Familiar Birds, cost S3. 00 ; all new. Also a fine old Stradivarius Violin, with Bow and Box, cost complete $28.00. Address, with full list, SAM'L B. LAUD, West Chester, Pa.
F. C; LUSK, Holley, N. Y., will exchange first- class bird skins for the same ; twenty species of Warblers, Tanagers, Rose-breasted-Grosbeak, Wax- wings, &c.
To Exchange. — First-class birds eggs in sets and pairs, to exchange for first -class eggs in sets or books, or magazines of birds. Please sei.d list and receive mine in return. FRANK L. FARLEY, St. Thomas, Ontario.
AUSTRALIAN
BIRDS' EGGS.
Rare I Cheap ! Handsome !
Send stamp for catalogtie of American and Australian Birds' Eggs, for sale by S. W. DENTON,
Wellsley, Mass.
MARVELOUS PRICES!
B00KS::MILLI0N
Complete Novels and Other Works, by Famous Authors, Almost Given Away !
The following book.s are punlisheil in neat pamphlet form, many of them huiidMoniely Illustrated, ami all aro printed from (food type upon Kood puper. Then trout of a great variety of subjecta, and we think no one can ex- amine the li-it without finding therein many that he or i.he would like to possess. In cloth-bound form the;e hooks would cost 91-00 each. Each book is complete in itself.
The Widow Bedott Papers. This is tho bonk over which your grandmothers laughed till they cried, and it is just as funny to-day as it ever was.
Grimm's I'lilry Stories for the Tounjt. The finest collection of tairy stories c. er published. The child- ren will be delighted with l!h'?m.
The Lady of the Lake. By Sir Walter Scott. "The La.lyof the Lake" is a romance in ver.sc, and of all th> iTor'ns of .Scott none is more beautiful than thi<i.
Maniinl of Etiquette for Ladies and Gentlemen, a guile to politeness and good breeding, giving the tuits ol modern etiquette fer all occasions.
Thi* Staiudnrd Letter Writer for Ladies and Gentieuiea. a complete guide to correspondence, riving plain directions for the composition of letters of every kind, ■with innumerable forms and examples.
Winter Evcnins Keereallons, a larce collection of Acting Charades, Tableau.\-, Games, Puzzles, etc., for social gatherings, private theatricals, and evenings at home; illustrated.
DialoBues, Kccltatlons and Keadlnes, a Inrze and choice collection lor scnool e.vkibitiuus and public and pri\ iite entertainments.
Parlor Magic and Chemical Experiments, a bookwhich tells how to perform hundreds of amusiig tricks in magic and instructive experimems with simple agents.
The Home Cook Book and Family Phyal- clan, containing hundreds of e.xceilent eonking recipes and hints to housekeepers, also telling how to cure all cem- jion ailments by simple home remedies.
SI.Tteen Oomplets Stories by Popular AutVoi? embracing love, humorous and detective etories, stories ' society life, of adventure, of railway life, etc., all very -.n- teresting. .,
Called Back. A Novel. By Hugh Conway, author of ■ Dark Days, •• etc.
At the World's Mercy. A Novel. By Florence Warden, author of " The Huuse on the Marsh," etc.
Dark Days. A Novel. By Hugh Conway, author of ' Called Back, ' etc.
The Mystery of the Holly Tree. A Novel. By '.he author of " Dora Thome."
The Frozen Deep. A Novel. By Wilkie Collins, authirof "The Woman in White, ' etc.
Red Court Farm. A Novel. By Mrs. Henry Wood, a;nhor of " East Lyiiue," etc.
Back to the Old Home. A Novel. By Mary Cecil Hay, author of " Hidden Perils," etc.
Jolin Bowerbank's Wife. A Novel. By Miss V'ulock, author of ' John Haliia.x, Gentleman." etc.
Anne. A Novel. By .Mrs. Henry Wood, author of " East I.yntie."
Arao'* Barten. A Novel. Bv George Eliot, tiuthor ot "Adam Bele," " The Mill on the Floss." etc.
OUR UNEQUALED OFFERS
We will send any 4 of these books and our Catalogue containing prices of all leading papers and books, for] 8 et«- Any 8 books SO cts., the whole 20 for fiO cts, ■ 'avnps or Postal Note taken. Address at once FRANK. iLi:^ NEWS CO., PHILADELPHIA, PENNA^
The Water Blow-pipe
described on page 13 No. I Oologist has been pro- nounced a perfect success by all trying it. We can now by special arrangement send 10 feet of the rubber tubing by mail, post-paid, for 50 cents. Small lots 6 cents per foot ; 10 feet or over, 5 cents per foot. FRANK H. LATTIN,
Albion, N. Y.
At a very low Price. A very tine collection of 60 eggs in sets or in pairs, with data, for only $4.50. Send stamps for particulars. Write at once.
C. E. BRYANT,
Williston, Vt.
THE OOLOGIST.
GLASS EYES.
FOR SALE BY
FRANK H. LATTIN, ALBION", N. Y.
Please examine our prices before ordering elsewliere.
Elongated Pupils, 20 per cent, extra. Fish Eyes, - 10 " "
Special extra fine veined eyes at from 40 per cent, extra to double price. Write just what you want, and for what.
A small discount will be allowed on large orders.
These Prices are Het Cash.
COLORED.
SIZES.
BLACK.
Diam. |
1 |
i |
||||
Per |
Per 5 |
No. |
Per |
Per lo Per 50 |
||
Pair. |
Pair. |
inch. |
Pair |
Pair. 1 Pair. |
||
$0.02 |
$0.07 |
00 |
1-32 |
0.01 |
$0.03 $0.07 |
|
.02 |
.07 |
0 |
2-32 |
.01 |
.02 |
.07 |
.02 |
.10 |
1 |
3-32 |
.01 |
.02 |
.10 |
.03 |
.10 |
2 |
4-32 |
.01 |
.02 |
.10 |
.03 |
.13 |
3 |
5-32 |
.01 |
.03 |
.13 |
.03 |
.13 |
4 |
6-32 |
.01 |
.03 |
.13 |
.04 |
.16 |
5 |
7-32 |
.01 |
.05 |
.20 |
.04 |
.17 |
6 |
8-32 |
.01 |
.05 |
.20 |
.04 |
.19 |
7 |
9-32 |
.01 |
.07 |
.33 |
.05 |
.20 |
8 |
10-32 |
.01 |
.07 |
.33 |
.06 |
.26 |
9 |
11-32 |
.02 |
.10 |
.46 |
.06 |
.27 |
10 |
13-32 |
.02 |
.10 |
.46 |
.08 |
.38 |
11 |
14-32 |
.02 |
.14 |
.66 |
.09 |
.40 |
12 |
15-32 |
.02 |
.14 |
.66 |
.12 |
.55 |
13 |
16-32 |
.02 |
.16 |
.77 |
.13 |
.60 |
14 |
17-32 |
.03 |
.19 |
.92 |
.14 |
.65 |
15 |
18-32 |
.03 |
.24 |
1.15 |
.15 |
.70 |
16 |
10-16 |
.04 |
.30 |
1.38 |
.17 |
.80 |
17 |
11-16 |
.05 |
.40 |
1.98 |
.18 |
.85 |
18 |
12-16 |
.05 |
.47 |
2.31 |
.20 |
.95 |
19 |
13-16 |
.07 |
.60 |
2.97 |
.21 |
1.00 |
20 |
14-16 |
.08 |
.67 |
3.30 |
.24 |
1.15 |
21 |
15-16 |
.09 |
.80 |
3.96 |
.25 |
1.25 |
22 |
1 |
.12 |
.94 |
4.62 |
.28 |
1.35 |
23 |
12-16 |
.13 |
1.07 |
5.28 |
.31 |
1.50 |
24 |
1 3-16 |
.14 |
1.20 |
5.94 |
.35 |
1.70 |
25 |
1 4-16 |
.15 |
1.33 |
6.60 |
.37 |
1.80 |
26 |
1 5-16 |
.18 |
1.47 |
7.26 |
.41 |
2.00 |
27 |
1 6-16 |
.20 |
1.75 |
8.25 |
.54 |
2.60 |
28 |
1 1-2 |
.25 |
2.00 |
9.90 |
YCC I '° minerals ixi for 25c.; 10 2x5, 500 ; I Cy 1 Fossil i'erns, 10 to 50c.; Fossil Shells, loc. per doz.; Indian Pottery, 5c.; Sponges, 5c.; Birds Eggs, 3c. to $3.00. Send stamp for list. Good exchange given.
C. J. VAN VALKENBURG,
Manchester, Mich.
THE SECURITY
Mutual Benefit Society,
OK NEW YORK. 233 Broadway, - New Yotk.
President,
A. L. SOULARD.
Sec'jr a>td Treas.^
WM. D. CHANDLER.
I 'ice-Presidents,
E. A. QUINTARD, J. F. MORSE.
DIRECTORS, A. G. GOODALL,
President Am. Bank Note Co., Eew York. O. D. BALDWIN,
President Fourth National Bank, New York, R. CARMAN COMBES,
President Exchange Fire Ins. Co., New York, A. L. SOULARD,
President Sterling Fire Ins. Co., New York. E. A. QUINTARD,
President Citizens' Savings Bank, New York. WM. D. SNOW,
Secretary Am. Loan and Trust Co., New York. HENRY C. ROBINSON,
Of Porter Bros, i Co., New York. WM. B. FULLER,
With H. B. Claflin & Co., New York, HENRY B. PIERCE,
Of Hutchinson, Pierce & Co., New York, E. D. WHEELER, M. D.,
Medical Director, New York.
ONLY TWELVE ASSESSMENTS
have been levied from 18S1 to i3S6, averaging three a year, and making the cost for assessments to a man of 40 years less than Jive dolhirs a year for each $1,000 of insurance.
Send for Circulars, Agents Wanted.
Remunerative employment offered to energetic and reliable men.
SPECIAL OFFER TO TEACHERS.
THE OOLOGIST.
Vol. 3, No. 3. ALBION, N. Y., MAY & JUNE, 1886. \,^:f^rY^:,
The History of a Bird Box,
I have relieved the tedium of office hours, :and official duty many times in watching a "bird box, v^-hich a thrifty and bird-loving mechanic had placed on a pole in his little garden just across the road, and directly in front of the window of the room in which I spent a portion of ever}^ da}'. This box was in reality a miniature two-storied, porch encircled house, verj' pretty and hospitable to look upon, with its generously opened doors, gabled roof, and antique •chimneys, pleasing to the eye at any season, but much more so in the green of the year when tenanted by its noisy families of Martins. M}' I5rst introduction to it was on March 10th, 1872, when its builder and owner called me into his workshop one evening to see the result of his handiwork. I suggested that we have it painted, and knowing him to be in moderate circum- stances, offered to defray the expense of of having it decorated ia three colors; then the house was fastened on the top of an old telegraph pole and planted about twenty feet back from the walk in the little garden; thus it was that I became a partner in the iouse, and have been drawing interest from it ever since, a profitable investment for me, as the contemplation of it has helped to beguile many long and weary hours.
On April 10th of that year a solitarj^ Purple Martin alighted on this house and began to investigate its interior and sur- roundings. I made a note of his coming and watched him daily for a week, then two more males came, and amid much chattering and interchange of opinions, thej' continued to hover about this place, until April 20th, when five females arrived, — had they been members of the human family they would have been much criti- cized, and considered very inmodest to thus follow the males, but in the bird
etiquette it must be all right, as it is sanc- tioned by custom very generally. On April 22d two more males arrived, and one female, which was just one lady too many. It was very amusing to witness the bicker- ings and pugilistic encounters incident to mating. The extra female tinally left the neighborhood, and all became activ'e in preparing for nest building. I noticed that everj' morning the males and females left the locality and were absent during the gi'eater portion of the day, and even after the nests were finished, up to the time the females began sitting, this unaccountable absence continued. Upon returning to- wards evening they made the air resound with their loud and musical notes until bed time. The honeymoon passed very pleasantly and the nests were all readj- to receive their eggs by May 25th. The last female began sitting on J une 2d. Now it was that the male Martin .showed the great- est advantage in his rapid, graceful, and easily sustained tlight, paying devoted at- tention to his wife, bringing a choice wasp, bee or beetle to satisfy her hunger, and then S)>ending several minutes in arrang- ing his plumage, in caressing his partner, and bestowing all manner of endearments upon her. This every attention at this time was expressive of love, and so contin- ued until about the middle of the month, when we had unmistakable proofs that the young were born. Then he turned from the sentimental to the realities of married life, and both the parents were all anima- tion and activity in gathering sustenance for the clamorous infants. The latter left the nest by July 1st, and became an addi- tion to the little colony. A second brood was raised late in .July, and by August 20th both old and young had left for the South Matters went on in this way without change for four years, each season some Martins returning (presumably the same individu-
32
THE OOLOGIST.
als,) and in 1875 every one of the twelve apartments in the hovise was occupied. Bur a change came the next year. The English Sparrows came to town in 1876, and from the manner in which they possessed tliem- selves, from the first,. of the Martin house, it loolied as though they had come to stay. Early in January they could be seen going in and out of the doors, and we had fears that our friends, the Martins, would meet with a cold reception when they came North to summer with us again. So it proved. On April 8th, 1876, a lonely and fatigued male Martin flew down ou top of the house in which the Sparrows already had nests and eggs, only to be instantly bestiged and driven ofE by the outraged British. A day or two later a full dozen arrived and the war commenced in earnest. The Sparrows had probably never before seen a specimen of American pluck, and they entered the the fray with a confidence and decision of purpose which had served them well in their former meetings with the Bluebird and House-wren, but did not avail them here. The Martins opposed them right valiantly and would not yield their claim of priority, neither, of course, would the Sparrows sacrifice their homes so newly constructed, and so it happened that the house was tenanted that year by the Mar- tins and Sparrows in a common commun- ity. They seemed on the whole to get along well enough, though not infrequently I have been called to the window by their indignant cries, to see a sparrow pursued by several enraged Martins, or visa versa. Every season since 1876 the same state of afEairs has existed, both species occupying the tenement and breeding. This would possibly have gone on indefinitely had not a severe storm, which visited us late in 1885, blown the roof off, and in attempting to renew it we found the residence so foul and rotten, that we removed it, and now the bare pole (^vine clad in summer) stands the sole monument to a useful past.
I have calculated that during its exis- tence this box sheltered no less than 1,200 Martins, old and young, besides innumerable Sparrows, surely a very good record as re-
gards the former. In this primitive coun- try town there are many Martin boxes pro- vided, and so zealously are they guarded by their owners, that it is impossible for any one to obtain permission to rob them. I doubt if 30 sets of Martin's eggs have been taken here within as many years.
The nest is loosely put together, and con- sists of fine hay and straw, the leaves of either the silver maple or weeping willow, and a warm and soft feather lining. Some- times mud enters into the composition of tlie nest, but not always. These nests are so placed just within the openings as to block the doorway and thus form a partial barricade to the elements and the oijlogist. Twice only in fourteen years did I disturb . the eggs, one set in 1874, and in 1875 three sets. In all cases the nest complement was four eggs. I never found more than that number anywhere. These eggs were ob- tained by means of a tablespoon g<ntly in- serted, while standing on a long ladder. The birds show their disapproval of such housebreaking by fluttering j\ist above the intruder and emitting a low and plaintive cry.
Now that the career of this box is ended, we will probably raise another tenement before the coming season, for others be- side the writer ■would miss the graceful, beautiful birds, and summer would not be complete without them. Thus ends the history of one bird box.
tlATiPvY G. Parker, Jan. 30th, 1886. Chester, Penn.
The Tree Sparrow.
Of the same genus {Spizella) as the Social Sparrow, this bird is readily distinguished by the dark, circular spot in the middle of his breast. He is, in this locality, only a winter visitor, appearing in large flocks about the middle of October. I have seen a flock that must have numbered 150 or more. Nearly always, however, when feeding, they are widely scattered, and a careless passer-by thinks there are only dozens where there are scores. Nature has given them a garb almost completely con-
THE OOLOGIST.
33
j cealing them among the dead weeds and I stubble, or in the lower stories of woods, in which places they may always be seen. A favorite haunt is the weed}' bank of a small stream, uot far from woods. On alarming them they frequently fly to the tops of near trees, (whence the name), and one will sit there several minutes, uttering his metalic chip every few seconds, twitch- ing his tail nervously, and frequently turn- ing around.
Floundering through deep snowdrifts one winter day, 1 found a large flock scat- tered through a corn field where the stalks were standing. They were busily tugging at the seeds of weeds which the stalks had protected from the deep snows. All over the white surface were scattered the brown iind black seeds. These birds very often light in the wood road and tish up their food from the ground. They almost con- stantly keep up a sort of chattering which ':. sounds like the squeaking of dozens of \ pairs of scissors, but occasiouall}' in spring f; thej^ give a beautiful song, which entitles them to the rank of true bird-poets, for do not the truer poets sing more rarel}^ than the mere versifiers? The majority of the birds leave for a northern home in April, having, however, left behind a good many unfortunate brethren — victims to the terocity and greed of the Great Northern Shrike. S. L. Wiiitcomb,
Grinnell, la.
••♦-•
Nests of the Green Heron.
Last summer, while 1 was strolling leis- urely through an old orchard in the Wester Reserve in search of eggs, I espied a great heap of brush in the topmost part of an apple tree. Little thinking that ray eyes would .soon rest on a beautiful clutch of eggs, I climbed steadily up to make sure that it was uot an old nest. The limb on which the nest was placed was long and slanting, with hardl}^ a branch on it. After a hard climb I finallj^ came to the great structure, and peeping over, without the least expectation of seeing an Ciig. as it looked so old and clumsy. But
alas! I was agreeably surprised, as five large, greenish-blue eggs lay before me. They were Green Herons.
I i-apidly descended to look for more and I had not gone twenty feet, when 1 saw a similar structure. Up I went as I fast as I could go, and when within three feet of the nest, the old bird flew off. She was very large and the expanse of her wings must have measured three feet.
I watched the Heron as she darted through the branches and finally out into the clearing, also the peculiar way they fly, as they carry their neck, head and long bill in a straight line befoie their body, and their long legs in like manner stretched out behind. The bill of the bird is long, com- pressed and sharp; the tail short, but the legs and toes are long and slender. The wings are also long. Color, black, white and slate, finely blended.
Out of the four nests I found that after- noon, two contained five eggs and two four, all of which were about the same size, viz : 1.55 by 1.35. They were unspotted and elliptical.
The nests were placed about thirty-five feet from the ground and a short distance from a smaU creek. They were made large and flat, measuring between five and six feet in circumference, chiefly composed of apple twigs, some of which were half an inch thick. F. \\. C.
Cleveland, O.
Bird Notes From Iowa.
I saw a little action of a Hairy Wood- pecker this winter which is worthy of mention. As I was sawing wood in my back yard, a female Hairy came bounding up, and lit on a neighbor's fence-post. Eyeing me curiously for a moment, she then flew down to the back steps to the house and began vigorously tugging at something which I could not see. Stand- ing up straight, sounding every now and then a loud "chirp," and pulling with that powerful beak, she looked a' great deal like a robin tugging at a worm. After she had flown I found she had been pecking at
34
THE OOLOGIST.
some frozen meat, which had perhaps been thrown out for the dog. I accounted for the unusual boldness and the strange diet by the fact that there had been heavy sleet storms a few weeks before and the trees had been wholly, and still were par- tially, coated as with mail. The incident maj' strengthen the theory that the family of Woodpeckers are departing from their old habits and in time may follow the Yellow-hammer's example. It is not un- common to see the Hairj^ light on the ground.
I noticed a habit of the Horned Lark this spring which I had not seen before. A male was pursuing a female, uttering with more animation and frequencj^ than usual his " tsip, tsip." They flew close to the ground for about sixty feet, when the female suddenly lit. The male lit a few feet oif, expanded his wings and tail widely, and strutted around for a full half minute "tsiping" continually. He then flew to the female and immediately away, with a triumphant air, while the female kept on demurely feeding.
I have heard the real song of the Chick- adee a great many times this spring. Once, while a bird was singing, I pulled out my watch and counted thirty-two songs in two minutes. The bird nearly always erects his head, sways his body and pours forth the strain with a sweet pathetic intonation. One cloudy, chilly day in January I heard one sing several times from a bare maple spray. Soon after the sun came out, the snow was fast melting and the atmosphere was warm. The bird seemed to feel the warming touch before men did. But on April 8th I heard a var- iation or coda to this usual song which in- creased its effect a hundred per cent. It consisted of two notes at a little interval after the usual three, pitched lower, and uttered with the most delicate and pure tone. Going home and trying to reproduce the song on the flute, 1 found some idea of it might be given by the notes C, A, A, G and E, descending, in the natural key, and making the two A's eighth notes, the others quarter notes.
The Ruby-crowned Kinglet appeared in few numbers April 8th. This bird is quite- easily approached. The other day I was watching one among the bushes, and sev- eral times he let me get within arm i-each. At another time I stood within five feet of one, while he went through his whole toilet process, eyeing me with a gentle look of surprise and exposing his royal mark continually. His eyes have a wonderfully expressive look, and his plumage is simply elegant. He does not always stay so low down that it is easy to watch him, but when he does you see him quickly glide around the trees, every now and then making a little eliptical journey in pursuit of an insect, and with a very distinct snap- ping of his bill, or hovering, like a hawk moth, before an opening bud. I have not had the fortunft yet to have heard his song though I have waited patiently for it. It is said to be a hot-house of melody, rival ing even the Winter Wren's. The bird stands next to the Humming Bird in size,, being only about five inches long, and Bradford Torrey tells us that in Boston it, has been mistaken for the Humming Bird.. S. L. Whitcomb, Grinnell, la.
A Difficult Climb After a Red-Tailed Hawk's Nest.
I am a physician with a large country practice, located in a small town on Spoon river, in central Illinois, with a grand, prairie a few miles to the south and west of me, and every degree of brush and timber along the river and creeks.
I have since childhood taken a great deal of interest and delight in observing and studying the inhabitants of these woods, and prairies, especially the birds, their nests and eggs ; and, being so advantage- ously situated, I have had opportunities not vouclLsafed to every one to observe the birds and collect the eggs of the various .species that frequent the timber lands, prairies and water courses. I know of no- class of men that have opportunities equal to that of a physician with a country prac-
THE OOLOGIST.
35
tice for collecting birds' eggs and securing birds, rare or otherwise, for taxiderniic skill.
On my return trips, after visiting tlie sick in the county, I am never in such a haste during the collecting season but that the sight of a nest in a tree, bush* hedge or bunch of grass will cause me to alight from my buggy or saddle and investigate, and the superb beauties that adorn my cabinet as a result, are the admiration and delight of all who see them.
But it was in my mind when I com- menced this article to tell something about my experience in capturing the egg of the Red-tailed Hawk. In one of my rides, about the 9th of April, I discovered a very large nest in the top of a tree, a quarter of a mile from the highway, and riding through the wood to the tree I found it to be the large Red-tailed Hawk's nest, the nest being occupied, but seemingly in an unattainable position, for it was fully ninety feet from the ground, and from the ground to the lower limbs of the tree was at least twenty-five feet. Returning to the village I related my discovery and the apparent inaccessible position of the nest. A number of the young fellows at once volunteered their assistance and set to re- lating their wonderful feats of climbing for nests, young squirrels, etc.
Not possessing climbing irons, I next day repaired to the tree with five or six of these fellows, determined to put their skill as climbers to a test. But a sight of the tree and the great height of the nest, the tree being on a side hill, at once struck a chill over their enthusiasm. None would attempt to climb the body of the tree, so chopping a tall sapling that grew near we managed to so direct its fall that it lodged against the lower limbs of the tree. One young fellow plucked up courage enough to ascend this till he reached the lower limbs, and then seeing how far it was to the ground on the down hill side he became nervous and made haste to reach terra firma.
Our expedition for the Red-tailed Hawk's eggs now seemed in a fair w^ay to become a failure, unless the " Dr." himself came to the front, and though being nearly forty j'ears old I knew that I could largely dis- count the younger fellows in the climbing business. Divesting myself of outside
apparel I immediately set to work, and in a very few minutes I was at the nest, which was as large as a bushel basket, but I was much chagrined to find two of the three eggs were partly hatched and worth- less. With the third t^-gg I reached the ground in safety, and tjy careful drilling, cutting and extracting, secured for my cabinet one good .specimen, which, I con sidered, amply repaid me for all the risk and labor expended to obtain it. The egg was as large as a turkey's egg, white mottled and clouded with chocolate.
On our return we obtained several tine sets of crows' eggs, the nests being in low trees, my young companions climbing these without hesitation.
Dr. W. S. Strode, Bernadotte, 111.
From Washington County, N, Y.
NIGHT HAWK.
Common summer resident here. I have taken three or four nests in the last year. The Night Hawk constructs no nest but lays its eggs on the bare ground where it is slatey, sometimes on rocks. The eggs are two in number of a dirty white, Spotted and covered with different shades of brown. When j'ou are walking along you can hardly see them. I never found a nest without flushing the bird first. They rear but one brood a year.
CROW.
I have taken as many as six nests of this bird in a single day. One day I was col- lecting in a thick wood and I saw a nest with the old Crow on, and after I got up to the nest there was just one egg in it. I went to the nest again in a week and got five more eggs, making a nice set of six. A good many times since I have taken the eggs of this bird and have often watched them tear the old nest to pieces and build it up again and then taken it the second time. They commence building here about the middle of April. The eggs are of a greenish color, spotted with different shades of brown and black. I have found eggs that were just spotted with a large spot of black on the larger end.
RUFFED GROUSE.
This is one of our most famous game birds. Last j'ear a set of twelve \Aere taken and the year before a set of thirteen. Both nests were built about alike and were placed at the foot of a hemlock tree and made mostly of leaves, leaving a hole just large enough to hold the eggs. They gen- erally lay from ten to eighteen. The eggs are of a dark cream color, sometimes spotted with a dull red. " Owl."
36
THE OOLOGIST.
THE OOLOGIST.
EBITED AND PUBLISHED BI-MONTHLY
FRANK H. LATTIN, - ALBION, N. Y.
Correspondemce and items of interest to the student of Birds, their Nests and F.ggs, solicited from all.
Terms of Subscrip:ion.
Single Subscription, - - 50c per Annum.
Sample Copies, - - - - 8c each.
The above rates include postage and premium.
Terms of Advertising,
Made known upon application. Send copy for estimate.
Remittances should be made by draft on New- York ; money order or postal note payable at Albion, N. ^ ., registered letter, or by the American, U. S.,or Wells & Fargo B2xpress Co. Money Order. Unused U. S. postage stamps of any denomination will be accepted for sums under one dollar. Make money orders and drafts payable and address all subscrip- tions and communications to,
FRANK H. LATTIN.
Albion, Orleans Co., N. V.
JOTTINGS.
All subscriptions to the Oologist must in with the January and February number.
The July and August Ooi.ogist will be issued July 1st. All copy must be in by June 20lh.
Our new Checking Lists have been un- avoidably delayed. Will have them by June 15th, sure.
We thank our friends for the liberal manner in which they have sent in their articles and items of interest for the Oolo- gist. We have been obliged to hold over some of the best for next issue.
Davie's "Key to the Nests and Eggs of North American Birds" is now out. We can fill all orders by return mail. If it does not more than give you satisfaction we will refund your money and give you 10 cents extra for your trouble.
During July and August we open a branch office, or rather bazaar, at Chautau" qua, N. Y. Should you happen in that vicinity do not fail to give us a call. You will find us in the Oriental Building, with a big display of specimens and curiosities.
For 50 cents we will send you the Oolo- gist for 1886, the Oologist Hand-book, one-half dozen Checking Lists, and will insert you a free notice in our exchange column. All for only 50 cents. We must have 3,000 subscribers, and thereby be en- abled to issue the Oologist monthly.
Too sad to be true — but, if we are not mistaken, the Oologist is the only publi- cation ill the United States devoted exclus- ively to birds, their nests and eggs, that is issued as often as once in two months. Send in at least one subscription and help make the Oologist monthly.
A Review of the Check Lists of North American Birds, With Special Ref- erence to the New A. O. U. List.
The forming of a Nomenclature which would be the standard for reference in the United States, has long exercised the inge- nuity and judgment of ornithologists. In 1858 Baird gave to the world his " List of Species," in which the nomenclature was remodeled from that of the immediately preceeding Audubonian period ; it was as complete and satisfactory as the knowl- edge of North American birds at that time would permit of, and was a masterpiece of classification, the result of years of careful stud^^ and scientific research, and was adopted by the Smithsonian Institution, and the thousands of students and collec. tors of the land. The names came at once into universal employ, and so continued with scarcely diminished force fourteen years. But as our knowledge of bird life increased and the hitherto unknown por- tions of the country were developed, re- sulting in very material additions to our fauna, the growing need of a new nomen-
THE 00 LOG I ST.
37
clature was met by Dr. Elliott Coues in his " Key to North American Birds." pub- lished in 1872, and his Check List issued the following year. These Avorks sprang into popular and scientific favor and found man}' converts, but the advent of the Key and Check List onl}^ served to make the problem more perplexing, as some still ad- hered to Baird's List, while many adopted Dr. Coue's code. So that during the suc- ceeding years the country had no list which was universally adopted as the standard. The Ridgway Nomenclature, which appeared in 1881, also found many followers, and probably the majority of ornithologists and oologists have adopted it during the past five years. Now, how- ever, we have the Code and Check List of the American Ornithologists's Union, in book form, handsomely bound. It con- tains 393 pages, the first 17 of which are devoted to the Introduction. This is fol- lowed by 52 pages of "General Prinfiiples," "Canons of Zoological Nomenclature," and " Kecommendation for Zoological Nomenclature in ihe Future." The Check List begins on page 73 and continues to page 347 ; then a Hypothetical List of 26 species, eight pages of Fossil Birds, and an excellent Index completing the volume. The present numbers are followed in every case by tlie numbers borne \>\ each species and sub-species in the Lists of Baird 1858, Coues 1873, Kidgway 1880, and Coues 1882; then the liabitat of each species is given. The basis of the code of nomencla- ture here adopted is the Stricklandian, which was drafted by a committee ap- pointed at a meeting of the Council of the British Association for the Advancement of Science, held in London, February' 11, 1842. In speaking of the adoption of this Code, the A. O. U. committee say : It has therefore seemed advisable to take the orignal Stricklandian Code as the initial pomt of departure to reaflirm and repro- duce as manjr of its rules as may be desir- al)le." The committee, in speaking of the changes which it proposes and recom- mends in this Code, says : ' ' 1st. The adoption of the date of the 10th edition of
Systeraa Naturae, 1758, instead of that of the XII, 1706 as a starting point of the law of priority for names. Second, "The rule that prior use of a name in Botany does not make that name unavailable in Zoolo- gy." "Third, The principle of Trinomi- als, i. e. using three words as the name of those subspecific forms which are suffi- ciently distinct to require recognition by name, yet which are known to intergrade with one another; the names of such forms to consist of three terms, — a generic, a specific, and 'a subspecific, written con- secutively and continuously, without the intervention of any mark of punctuation any arbitrary character, any abbreviation, or any other sign or term whatsoever."
The appearance of so great a work pre- pared by five of America's most eminent, learned and methodical ornithologists will exert an influence perhaps stronger and more widely felt than any of its predeces- sors; it is intended to supercede all pre- vious lists, and it is fitting that it should. As we will all have to adopt it, and as some may not have seen it, it may be in- teresting to give an analysis of the princi- pal points of variance, and note the elimi- nations, additions, revisions of nomencla- ture, and changes of names which have been adopted.
The most striking feature of the A. O. U. Check List, is that it reverses the classifi- cation of all previous lists, by commencing with the lowest, or most generalized type, (the Grebes, Guillemots, &c.,) and ends with that in which the highest grade of physiological development as well as the most physical organization is found, (Kinglets, Gnatcatchers, Thrushes, &c).
In the following pages, it must be under- stood that the writer does not attempt to I give all the additions, changes of names, j &c. , but only such as come under his no- I tice upon a cursory examination of the i work. The following are some of the ad- ; ditions : Kumliens Gull, Nelson's Gull, Slatybacked Gull, Lesser Fulmar, Cory's Shearwater, Peales, Fisher's, and White faced Petrels, Farallone and Pelagic Cor- morants, California Brown Pelican, Ru-
38
THE OOLOGIST.
fous-crested Ducks. Ward's Heron, Beld- ing's Rail, European Coot, Mongolian Plover, Grayson's Bobwhite, Masked Bob- white Chestnut-bellied Scaled Partridge, Valley Partridge, Canadian Ruffed Grouse, five Ptarmigans, namely, iVllen's, Rienliardt's, Nelson's, Turner's, and Welch's; Prairie Sharptailed Grouse, Heath Hen, Florida Redshouldered Hawk, Short- tailed Hawk, European Rough leggedHawk, California Screech Owl, Alaskan three-toed Woodpecker, Northwestern Flicker, Stephen's Whip-poor-will, Blue-throated Hummingbird, Arizona Crested Flycatcher, Olivaceous Flycatcher, Ridgway's Fly- catcher, five subspecies of Horned Lark, namel3^ Prairie, Desert, Texan, Ruddy and Streaked. We now have a Florida Blue Jay, as well as the old Florida Jay, Labrador Jay, Western Bobolink, Arizona Hooded Oriole, McKay's Snowflake, Worthen's Sparrow, Baird's Junco, Mexi- can Sparrow, Rock Sparrow, Stephen's Vireo, Mangrove Warbler, Belding's Yel- lowlliroat. Western Yellowthroat, Swin. hoe's Wagtail, Red-throated Pipit, Ashy Titmouse, California Bush Tit, Gruida's Bush Tit, Willow Thrush, and Azure Bluebird from Arizona.
The changes of Common Names are numerous, the following were noticed : The Thickbilled Grebe changed to Pied- billed Grebe ; Pacific and Redthroated Divers are now both Loons, the Auks from 746 to 751 are hereafter Auklets, the Guillemots from 753 to 759 are Murrelets, the Black and Pigeon Guillemots retain their names, the Common, California and Brunich's are Murres, while the Thick- billed Guillemot becomes Pallas's Murre ; Richardson's Jaegar to Parasitic Jaegar, Noddy Tern is simply "Noddy," and Common Cormorant is "Cormorant," Fri- gate Pelican, known now as Man-o-war bird, Redbreasted Rail as King Rail, Red- breasted Snipe as Dowitcher, Sora Rail simply Sora, Redbellied Snipe becomes Long-billed Dowitcher, Bartram's Sand- piper as Bartramian Sandpiper, three Quails are now known as Bobwhite, Florida Bobwhite, and Texan Bobwhite ;
all the Quails before 481 and 485 are Par- tridges— the word Quail is not in use at all — Turkey Buzzard is Turkey Vulture, Iceland Gyrfalcon becomes Gray Gyrfal- cou, Labrador Gyrfalcon is Black Gyrfal- con, while McFarlane's is simply Gyrfal- con ; Caracara Eagle to Audubon's Cara- cara, Lapland Owl to Lapp Owl, Screech Owl, — the word "little" is dropped — Whitney's Pygmy Owl to Elf Owl, Savan- nah Blackbird to "Ani," Groove-billed Crotophaga to G. B. Ani. We now have two subspecies of Hairy Woodpecker, viz : Northern and Southern, Common Crow changed to American Crow, Yellow shafted Flicker to plain "Flicker," Par- augue Goatsucker is simply "Paraugue,'' the Western Kingbird again takes on "Arkansas," and now poses as the Arkan- sas Kingbird, the Sulphur-bellied Fly- catcher instead of Henshaw's Flycatcher, Great crested Flycatcher has the "Great" omitted ; we now have Phoebe. Say's. Phcebe and Black Pho3be in place of Pewee, the Western Yellow-bellied Fly- catcher is now Baird's Flycatcher, all the Shore Larks are Horned Larks, Black- billed i\Iagpie is simple Magpie, in place of the three ridiculous shouldered Black- bird's names, we now have Redwinged, Bicolored, and Tricolored ; the Rosy Finches have adopted the Latin, and are all Leucosticte, the Pine Goldfinch is Pine Siskin, Snow Bunting becomes euphoni- ously Snowflake, Grass Finch changed to Vesper Sparrow, Intermediate and Gam- bel's have the words ' ' white crowned " omitted, all the Snowbirds are Junco's, and our little winter friend is hereaf tter to be called Slate-colored Junco ; California Song Sparrow now has Samuels instead of California, the Grosbeaks are now all Car- dinals, and we now have a new bird known as Arizona Cardinal ; Blackfaced Seedeater changed to Gra.ssquit, Black-throated Bunting to Dickcissel, White-bellied Swal- low to Tree Swallow, Blackcrested Fly- catcher to Phainopepla. Some radical and very sensible changes have been made in the names of Warblers, thus. Blue Yellow- backed to Parula Warbler, Summer Yel-
THE OOLOGIST.
39
low bird to Yellow Warbler, Black and Yellow again becomes the Magnolia War bier of Wilson, while the afHicted White- browed Yellow-throated Warbler is now relieved by being Sycamore Warbler, the Redpoll becomes Palm Warbler, the Small- billed Water Thrush is plain Water Thrush, and the Large-billed species is Louisiana Water Thrush ; the Black- capped Yellow Warbler is fittinglj- called Wilson's Warbler, and the Canada Fl}'- catching is Canadian Warbler ; European Titlark is correctly called Meadow Pipit, and Water Ouzel is American Dipper ; the California and Texan Bewick Wrens are respectively changed to Vigors' and Baird's Wren, Western House Wren is Parkman's Wren ; the White-bellied Xuthatch will not offend the fastidious now, as it is Whitebreasted Nuthatch, Black-capped Chickadee is simply "Chickadee," Least Tit is Bush Tit, Yellow-headed Tit is Ver- din, and the Crissal Thrasher is surely an improvement on the Rufous-vented Thrasher.
The Hypothethical list already alluded to, contains ^6 species, and the writer has failed to find in addition, these ; the Eu- ropean Merlin, Hybrid Woodpecker, Isa- bella Sparrow Hawk, Mexican Boat Grackle, Tule Wren, Western Warbling Vireo, Eared Grebe, European Kestril and Small-billed Creeper, and there are un- doubtedly others which escaped detection. The Texan Orchard Oriole (while not in Bidgway's 1881) is reduced, the two birds being identical. The English Sparrow is not mentioned at all, but he will keep on increasing and multiplying notwithstand- ing the snub. The Rapacious Birds occupy the same relative position as in Mr. Ridg- way's Nomenclature, and the Road Run- ner, Mangrove, Yellow-billed and Black- billed Cuckoo's retain their numbers in the list (?. e., 385, 386, 387, and 388,) a distinc- tion which is altogether fortuitous, and which is enjoj^ed bj' no other species.
The total number of ^Ir. Ridgway's list is 764 species and 160 subspecies, making 924. H no mistake has been made by the writer the A. O. L'. Check List enumerates
768 species, and 182 subspecies, a total of 950.
The appearance of this new List will mark an epoch in American Ornithology, and for the sake of uniformity, its adap- tion by students and collectors cannot be too strongly urged.
H.\RRY G. Parker, Chester, Penn.
April 4, 1886.
Red Crossbills, Pine Grosbeaks.
While on a collecting tour a year ago last fall, I came across a flock of birds which at first sight I thought were Yellow Birds, and as I did not have a good .speci- men of that species, shot one. What was my surprise on picking it up, to find in- stead of a Yellow Bird, a female American Red Crossbill.
On discovering this fact, I immediately followed the flock which had not flown far, and procured two more specimens. There were about fifteen birds in the flock, all of which were females. The}' seemed to be very tame so that when I shot one out of the flock, (with a sling shot) the others would fly to the next tree and im- mediately become wholly engaged opening- the cones of the pine trees, the seeds of which they fed on. The next day I saw the same flock several times but had not yet seen any males. It was not until four days of hunting that I found a flock of male birds. When I first saw them they were in the top of a very tall oak tree, in the middle of a vacant lot. They saw me before I got within one hundred yards of the tree and all flew. They kept flying until they were out of sight. The next time I saw any males they were in some pine trees near a brook. I crept up very close before they noticed me and shot one just as they started to Hy. This is the only specimen of a male bird I got. Al- though I saw several other flocks, they all seemed to be very shy and flew before I could get within shooting distance.
The same season I shot several female Canada Pine Grosbeaks, but did not see any males, although I was told that they had been seen in the town.
H. Trippett.
Montclair, N. J.
40
THE OOLOGIST.
CORRESPENDENCE.
FliO.Vt M[\NK>SOrA.
There has beeu quite a number of Eve- ning Grosbeaks here since January. They were seen on January 30th, March 3d, 5th and 13th, several specimens being secured by parties here. The first Robin was seen on March 17th, five days earlier than last year. Several Crows and a Hawk were noticed to-daj' sailing by. The Black- capped Chickadee lias been here In flocks several times this winter, also the Cedar Waxwing. C. B. J.
Redwing, Minn.
FROM WISCONSIN ; RED-HEADED WOOD- PECKER.
Seeing the item on the canibalisn of the Red headed Wood -pecker, reminded me of an incident that a friend of mine witnessed last summer. A Flicker had made its nest in an apple tree about four feet from the ground and had laid six eggs, and then for some reason left her nest. My friend went a day or two later to get the eggs and found one broken on the groimd and the rest were gone. Just then a Red-headed Wood pecker attracted his attention by "smacking its lips," as he expressed it, and he went to the tree about two rods dis- tant from the first tree, and there found in a crevice in the upper side of a limb, the missing live eggs, each with a hole in it, and one or two empty.
Last spring I discovered a Hairy Wood- Pecker's nest in an apple tree, in which there were two young birds. The old birds left the nest upon being disturbed, and didn't return. I visited the nest a while after and found the young birds were dead and another bird had lined the nest with rootlets, and laid five egg!i, half again as large as a Blue-bird's and some- what darker in color. I watched the nest for two or three days, and being unable to discover the old birds, I took the set. Shortly after. I revisited the nest and found that a Blue-bird had lined the nest with grass and laid five eggs. Could any of the readers of The Oologist tell me what the second bird was by the descrip- tion of the nest V O. M.
Whitewater, Wis.
A NEST OF THE RUBY-THROATED HUMMING BIRD.
Oakliill. a small hamlet situated among the Catskills, afforded fine facilities for egg-collecting, and gave ample space for the observation of bird life when Ivis- iled it a few summers ago. It lay in a valley and there was a noisy little brook running through it which was fringed with
willows. Sauntering along a cool, shady road, which was bordei'ed on the right by the brook, and on the left by a hill, and which lead to an old saw-mill, my ciu'iosi- ty was aroused b}^ sieeing a beautiful little Ruby-throated Humming-bird {Trocldlus colubris) perched upon a limb of a small hickory tree which stood by the roadside. Hoping to find a nest, I began searching the limbs from where I stood. Presently I saw it placed upon a limb about eight feet from the ground. Seeing me ascend the trunk the male flew down from his perch and alarmed his mate who was sit- ting. Together they darted round and round my head, almost touching mc in their swift aerial movements. But after finding this to be of no use they retired to a neighboring twig and watched the de- vastation of their home. The nest meas- ured about one inch and a quarter at its greatest diameter by about one inch in depth. It was covered with lichens and Avas so dispo.sed upon the limb as to appear almost like a knot from the ground below. Its interior was lined with thistle down and vegetable w^ool. It contained two lit- tle pearly white eggs which, upon blowing, I found to be but slightly incubated. H. S. M. Akron, O.
jottings from a PENNSYLVANIA COL- LECTOR.
Have just returned from a three days' jaunt on the Susquehanna. W^hile there I took the eggs of the Turkey Buzzard, Kingfisher, Red-tailed Hawk, etc.; also found a nest of the Bald Eagle in a waler- birch tree, and after climbing, found two young ones on a nest four feet in diameter, the top perfect!}' level. Brought one of the J'oung home with me and think he will make a bright pet.
Last week I took a nest of five Sparrow Hawks but three and a half feet from the ground, the lowest nest I know of, and a set of Virginia Rails. This is a very rare breeder iiTthis locality. Yesterday morn- ing 1 found a dais}^ set of 12 Ruiled Grouse, another rare one here. This morning I struck the Downy Wood -pecker. Think he is early. S. B. Ladd,
West Chester, Pa.
May 10, 1886.
what CONSTITUTES A SET OR CLUTCH OP EGGS.
Would the eggs taken from a Flicker one at a time till thirty or more are taken, be called a regular set or clutcli? • C. H. D.,
Sharon, Wis.
THE OOLOGIST.
41
A MORAL PAIR OF SPARROW HAWKS.
There is a Sparrow Hawk buildicg its nest in the gable end of the Presbyterian church here. The church is right on the principal street of the town. Is it not un- usual for that bird to build quite so near to a town ? The church roof is very steep, and there are two pieces put in the end of the gable and the Hawk has built on those. A. L. H., Kankakee, 111.
from michigan. I found a nest on the ground with three blue eggs in it. The nest was nothing more than a hollow in the ground, and the eggs (three in number) were almost exact- ly like a Robin's. Can you tell me what they are ? Do you suppose that a Wilson's Thrush would la}' eggs on the bare ground? You will greatly obfige me if you can tell me what the eggs are. The measurement is almost the same as the average Robin's egg. D. G.,
Detroit, Mich.
FROM KENTUCKY.
Took first set of eggs of Brown Thrasher, April 24, 1886, containing five of the Brown Thrasher and one of the Cowbird. Is it usual for the Cowbird to laj' in Thrashers' nests? A. H.,
Covington, Ky.
TWO SETS OF CROWS IN ONE NEST.
April 24th, as I was on a collecting trip. I found a Crow's nest containing eight eggs. They differed no more in markings than many eggs I have seen in the same set, though one egg was smaller than the rest ; but when I blew them I found that four eggs were fresh, but in the other four incubation was nearly completed. I sup- pose that two Crows used the same nest. Did anv one else ever see anj'thing like this? ' H. P. D.,
Grinneli, la.
ORIOLES NOT DESIROUS OF BEINC4 FOSTER-
In 1883, after watching a pair of Ori- oles build their nest, and having waited sufficient lime for the hen bird" to have completed her set of eggs, I took the nest down, which was no easy matter, and fovmd three of her own eggs and one of the Cow-bird in it. Each egg had a hole pecked in it.
I have often seen birds desert their nests when Cow-bird's eggs were deposited in them, but not before or since have X seen the birds so spiteful as to destroy all the eggs. V. B. C,
Port Hope. Ont.
WATER BLOW-PIPE.
The Water Blow-pipe mentioned in No. 1 of The Oologist is excellent. I would suggest, howevei', that six feet of tubing is enough to blow any egg with and is much more convenient. Also, instead of punch- ing a hole in the can and making it liable leak, the tube may be led over the side of the can, siphon-like, and fastened with string. 'The water may be started by suck- ing the end of the tube.
J. R. H., San Francisco, Cal.
RUPUS-VENTED THRASHER.
The number of eggs in the clutch of the Rufus-veuted Thrasher is two to four in- stead of two, as stated by Davie in his Check List and in Coues Key. So far this season I have taken 3b sets of the above, 22 of them were of three eggs, eight of two eggs, and three sets of four.
R. S., Sacaton, Ariz;
Texan's query. A few days ago I killed a bird, a de- scription of which is given below. Inside of the bird I found one egg about the size of a little Blue Heron's, and of a dirty- white color. The head of the bird was white, shoulders of a purplish color, shad- ing oflf to slate color on the wings, tail slate shading to black, breast and under wings pure white, beak short and curved under; tail about a foot long and forked. The birds have very short wings and fre- quent the woods adjoining the river. Will you please give me the name of this bird in the next issue of your highly interesting little paper ? Also the name of a bird which frequents the fields and marshy places around here ? It has a small head and long beak and legs, top of wings and back of a dark gwiy mixed Avith brown, and under wings ami breast a dirty white. It is commonly called Plover here. If a Plover, of what species ? Yours truly,
G. H. W., Wharton, Tex.
The State of Maine as a Field for the Onnthologist.
Having seen several times lately in Natural Historj^ Papers, the question indi- rectly asked, ' ' What sort of a locality is Maine for the study of birds ? " we may perhaps be excused if we endeavor to an- swer the implied interrogation. In the Check list of North Americjui birds, pub-
42
THE OOLOGIST.
lislied by the Smithsonian Institution, we tind 888 distinct species occurring within the limits of Nortli America. These species are included under 63 Families, 20 Sub-orders and 13 Orders.
Now there are found in Maine, we are told, 303 of these 888 species, but little more than one-third of the entire number, and one would certainly get a very insig- nificant idea of the bird kingdom, where it would be impossible for him, under the most favorable circumstances, to get a chance to examine more than one-third of that kingdom.
The truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, is an axiom that can be profitablj' applied to birds. This, that has been told us is the truth, and nothing but the truth, but it is by no means the whole truth. It is true that we can not get any sort of an idea of one Family, Order, or Sub-order by a study of the species belong- ing to another, but it is equalh^ true that in order to understand one Familj' we do not need to have an intimate acquaintance with every species of that Family, but a single species is often sufficient, and some- times a single species, provided it be a ty- pical one, "will give a very fair idea of an entire Order. What we want, then, is not to know how many species a given locality possesses, but how many typical species there are to be found within its limits, and this is something which depends in great measure upon geographical position, the typographical charadter of the country, and its climatic peculiarities.
Now, Maine is situated on either side of the parallel of 45" of North latitude right in the center of the North Temper- ate zone. In this way it embraces the best of the North Temperate fauna. Animal and Vegetable, and also secures a portion of the Torrid fauna from the South, and of the Arctic fauna from the North. All of one fauna and portions of two others is by no means an insignificent opportunity for the student of Orthiology. And then, in the 803 species found in Maine, are included and represented 12 of the 13 Orders, the single one not included, being the Parrots
with which every one is familiar enough as cage birds. This missing Order em- braces but a single Sub-order and a single Family. Of course these are both wanting if the Order under which they occur is wanting. Of the remaining 19 Sub-or- ders, 14 are found in Maine. The 5 miss- ing (mes are the Curassows, the Ibises, the Storks, the Cranes and their allies, and the Flamingoes. Now there are 63 Families in all in North America, or if we detract the 8 Families that come under the 5 miss- ing Sub-orders and the one missing order we have 55 families left; and we find among our birds, representatives of 41 of these or more than eight-tenths.
Maine is therefore as well represented as any single state and could well hope to be, and probably as much if not more so than any other single state. Although it is not in the line of inland migration which lies along the Mississippi Valley, it is yet di- rectly in the line of sea shore migration from the Gulf States, the Gulf of Mexico and the West Indies northward to the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the Provinces, Canada, Labrador and the great North East. No state can be in both lines, and this sea coast one is presumably the preferable. Being so directly in the line of sea shore migra- tion one would naturally suppose that the the majority of the 303 species which we have given as found in Maine, would be migrate and so they are.
There are but 33 species resident in Maine throughout the year, leaving 270 as visitors from elsewhere. Of these 113 are migrants from the South and breed regu- larly in Maine, 21 are from the North and come into the state only in winter. The remaining 136 are stragglers, mainly from the Tropics or the Arctic regions and are found in Maine, some like the Mocking- bird and the Vvilture, only once in a cen- tury, others like the Fox Sparrow, the Coot, and the Plover, appearing regularly every spring or fall or both, but never at other times. The representatives that oc- cur here in Maine are all typical ones, and thus give one as good an idea of the bird kingdom as could be got by traveling a thousand miles through foreign lands. In- deed, the new species to be met with out- side of the state are abnormal mainly, and of interest chiefly as curiosities, and not as representative species.
C. B. Wilson,
Benton Harbor, Me.
THE OOLOGIST.
Is The Oologist a Good Advertising Medium ?
READ WHAT OTHERS SAY.
The copy which I sent to be inserted in the OoLOGisT must have been all right I think, for I received nearly one hundred answers in regard to it, and I have made a grand, good thing out of the one little Ad., although I did not receive anv paper from you showing my ad. was inserted. I know it was O. K. from the fact that so many re- sponded and many mentioned seeing it in the OoLOGisT. The Oologist is the best advertising medium I have ever tried ; each time I have advertised [ have made a big success therefrom, and if I could de- vote my icliole time to the Curiosity and Natural History business I should surely keep a standing Ad. in the Oologist. Please accept my thanks for your kindness and promptness. I will thank you to mail me a copj^ of your last issue with my Ad. inserted. I would like to see how it looks. Chas. p. Wilcomb, Lake Village, N. H.
"You ask me if my "ad " in the Oolo- •GiST paid. In reply, 1 will state that it was the best pajang advertisement I have had yet, and you may depend upon it that if I need further advertising, the Oologist will receive its share."
Geo. G. Pendell, Waverly, N. Y.
' ' Yes, 1 have been well pleased with the many good exchanges your news}^ little magazine has afforded me. That free ex- change notice of j'ours does the business. Hope you may succeed in your undertak- ing and make it long live to the student of Ornithology and Oology."
W. Otto Emerson, Hay wards, Cal.
" My notice in the Oologist was entirely satisfactory." Harry H. Miller,
Burlington, Kansas.
"I would say that I actually received more letters than I could answer in a week and run short of specimens the third or fourth day after receiving the Oologist. Last summer I paid out over $2 for ex- change lists and received but two or three replys from them. Had I put a small
exchange notice in the 0<)Logist. I no doul)t would have had no trouble in dis- posing of my eggs. Thanking you for in- serting my exchange notice, and stating that when in need of morre exchange notices, the Oologist shall receive my attention." Frank W. Woodrow, Newton, Iowa.
"I received quite a number of replies from the notice I had in the Oologist." John S. Appleton, Ncedham, Mass.
"I have received over twentj^ replies to my notice in the Oologist. I am entirely satistied that the Oologist is a good adver- tising medium. I hope you be able to en- large the paper before long."
Paul B. Hudson, Sherwood, N. Y.
' ' My notice proved an entire success. Received several replies and made ex- changes. Am very much pleased with the Oologist, think it is the linest paper of its kind I have seen. "
Chas. P. Collins, Stafford, Vt.
"I have had as manj^ replies, or more, than I expected." Verdi Burch,
Branchport, N. Y.
"M}' exchange notice in the Oologist proved a success. Am well satisfied with the results. A. W. Cheney,
Huron, Dak.
"My notice in the Oologist proved a success, as I have been busy almost ever since answering letters and sending and packing eggs. My duplicates are almost run out. As an advertising medium the Oologist takes the lead.
J. Schneider, Anaheim, Cal.
' ' I would state that I received about a dozen offers. I could only accept three, but they were of advantage to me. I think it paid." Geo. B. Holmes,
Fernwood, III.
" Would say that the Oologist was the best paper of its kind I have ever seen. I have derived the most benefit from it of all the other catalogues and papers I have ever advertised in." R. R. Gay,
Rochester, N. Y.
' ' I received five replies within ten days. This I consider splendid, considering the nature of the exchange."
F. H. Metcalf, Holyoke, Mass.
THE OOLOGIST.
" In reply I would saw that my exchange notice in the Ooi.ogist proved very suc- cessful. I have already made some very advantageous exchanges. I also wish to state that the number of rare eggs offered me greatly exceeded my expectations." T. S. Palmer, Berkley, Cal.
"I received a large number of answers from my notice and consider the Oologist an excellent medium. "^
Carlton Gilbert,
Jackson, Mich.
" I am very well satistied with the result of my exchange, as I received many re- plies." A. Hanauer,
Covington, Ky.
"I cannot too highly recommend the Oologist as an advertising medium. From my '"ad" I received answers from several States, as far west as Indiana. My stock of eggs for exchange, in sets, was ex- hausted before I had received half of the replies which I received.
J. B. Warren, Rochester, N. Y.
"Am very well satisfied with the notice in the Oologist. Have received over 30 letters already and have made several ex- cellent exchanges. Have been so busy answering letters or I would have written to you sooner." Fred. L. Chall,
Ashland, O.
"I received over a dozen replies to my ••ad" in the Oologist and am more than satisfied that it pays." S. B. Ladd, West Chester, Pa.
"Our notice paid well in your paper. We will send another "ad" in a few months." Stempel Bros.,
Fort Madison, la.
"Answers came and are still coming from various states in all poitions of our country. A number of replies have come from very prominent collectors, and I have added many good correspondents to my list, for which I have to thank you for your kindness in inserting my notice. I can heartily reconmiend your little sheet as an advertising medium."
J. Percy Moore. Phila, Pa.
"As to my exchange, I received as many as 25 or 30 letters in answer to it."
Frank Greenawalt, South Bend, 111.
A Ne'w Blcw-pipe.
We have just received a s^ample gross of a new style Blow-pipe, which, for hlowing large eggs, we find the best ever introduced. This Blow-pipe is of the straight style, finely Nickel-plated, with a wooden enameled mouth-piece. To Introduce, a sample will be sent you by return mail for 25 cts., or three samples for 70 cts. Secure samples at once.
Address,
FRANK FI. LATTIN,
Albion, N. Y
STATUE OF "LIBERTY EMLIGHTEMINI} THE WORLD."
More Money Heeded.
The Committee in charge of the construction of the pedestal and the erection of the Statue, 111 orclei' to x'ais© fiiiids I'or its completion, have prepared, from model furnished by the artist, a perfect facsimile Miniature Statuette, which they are delivering to subscribers throughout the United States at the following prices :
No. 1 statuette, six inches in height,— the Statue bronzed; Pedestal, nickel-silvered,— at Oiiti Oollixi* eacli, delivered.
No. 2 Statuette, in same metal, tivelve incites high, beautifully bronzed and nickeled, at l^ive Oollars eacli, delivered.
No. 3 Statuette, tivelve inches high, finely chased, Statue bronzed. Pedestal, Hea'vily S!^il vex'-l'lated, with plush stand, at ''X'en Oollars eacli, delivered.
Much time and money have been spent in perfectiug the Statuettes, and they are much improved over the first sent out. The Cotn- mittee have received from subscribers many letters of commendation.
The New York World Fund of $100,000 com- pletes the Pedestal, but it is estimated that S40.000 is yet needed to pay for the iron fasten- ings and the erection of the Statue.
LibfTHl subscriptions for the Miniature Statu- ettes will produce the desired amount.
Address, with remittance,
RICHABD BUTLER, Secretary, American Committee of the Statue of Liberty, 33 Mercer Street, New York.
THE OOLOGIST.
THE NEW KEY TO
Uorth Axxiericaxi Birds,
Contains a concise account of every species of living and Fossil Bird at present known on the Continent north of the boundary line between Mexico and the United States, including Greenland.
SECOND EDITION, REVISED TO DATE AND ENTIRELY REWRITTEN,
WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED
GENERAL ORNITHOLOGY— An outline of the structure and classifi- cation of birds ; and
FIELD ORNITHOLOGY — A manual of collecting, preparing and preserving birds.
By ELLIOTT COUES, M. A., M. D., Ph. D., Member of the National Academy of Science, Sic. PROFUSELY ILLUSTRATED. The orisjinal edition of this Standard Te.\t Book of Ornithology being entirely out of print, and still very much in demand, the publishers have spared neither pains nor expense in the preparation of " THE NEW KEY," in which the whole subject is carefully brought down to date. Coue's " Key is to well known as a leading and authorative treatise to require remark, having for twelve years held its place as the standard work of Reference for Professional rrnithologist, as well as for students and amateurs. For complete prospectus of this work see Young Oologist Vol. I., No. i, page 12. The work IS fully indexed with several thousand entries. Price complete in one stout volume.
Eoyal Octavo, Vellum Cloth, $10. Eoyal Octavo, Library Sheep, $11. 50.
Eoyal Octavo, Half Morocco, Extra, $13.50.
FRANK H. LATTIN, Albion, N. Y,
OUR THIRTY-TWO PAGE • ~
ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE,
CONT.MNS COMPLETE i'RlCE LIST OF
Minerals, Birds' Eggs, Slielis. Curiosities.
Naturalists', Taxiderraists', Entomol- ogists', and Oologists'
INSTRUMENTS (^iSUPPUES
OF ALL KINDS,
IT SHOWS EI&HT STYES OF DATA BLANKS,
And Gives Over 30 Other Illustrations, WILL SEND IT, POST-PAID, FOR
or, if you will send us an order for any thing we ad- vertise, amounting to 25 cents, and mention that you would like a copy, it will be sent you gratis. Address. FRANK H. LATTIN, Albion, N. Y,
MINERALS.
35 specimens i.vi for $1.00 from Pennsylvania and Maryland ; sent Post-paid ; printed labels ; name and locality ; no two alike. Price-list of large specimens free. Send money by Registered letter.
ISAAC S. KIRK, Fremont, Chester Co., Pa.
OOLOGIST'S ATTENTION.
I will send, post-paid, lo feet of first-class Rubber Tubing, with full directions for water blower, for 50 cents. This is the best blower for eggs, and these prices are cheaper than you can get it at your Drug Store. Order at once. Send postal note.
FRED. M. DILLE, Greeley, Colo.
SEWING-MACHINE
HAS NO EQUAL.
PERFECTS A TISF ACTION
New Home Mil MacMDe Co.
—ORANGE, MASS.—
30 Union Squarei N. Y. Chicago, III, St. Louis, Mo. Atlanta, Ga. Dallas, Tex. San Francisco, Cai.
FOR SALE BY
THF OOLOGIST.
ID -A. "V I E ' S
EGG CHECK LIST
AND KEY TO THE NESTS AND EGGS
OF
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS.
SECOND EDITION : Revised and Enlarged.
Illustrated Witli Seven Full Page Engravings,
Sy Theodore Jasper, A, M., M. JO.
This work has become indispenbable to all students of Oology ; assisting them in identifying Nests and Eggs while in the field, and has taken the place of those expensive works, usually beyond the reach of many collectors. The New Edition contains
FULL AND ACCURATE DESCRIPTIONS
of all the Nests and Eggs of the Land and Water Birds of North America known to date, togethe. with the breeding range and habitat of the species and ornuh- ological synonyms. It contains in the neighborhood of 200 pages and is bound in heavy antique, -inted papei.
PRICE, BY MAIL, $1.00.
Address all orders 10
FRANK H. LATTIN, Gen'l Wholesale Agi,
identTficatton !
During the past few years we have cheerfully at- tempted to
IDENTIFY ALL SPECIMENS
our friends have sent us, and this without remunera- tion ; but owing to the fact that we are now leceiving packages by the dozen lor this purpose, and that our time is more than occupied with our regular business, in the future we shall be obliged to CHARGE our friends in addition to return postage the following
Single or first Specimsn, Second to tenth Specimen, Eleventh Specimen and over,
10 (5^s. 3 <fts. each. 2 <5ts. "
The above rates for identifying we think very rea- sonable. We have spent several years in handling and studying specimens of various kinds, and have on hand a very large stock with which comparisons can be made. We also have the leading works to use as reference. The advantage of having specimens properly identified is invaluable to collectors. Address,
PEANZ H. LATTIN, Alljion, N. Y.
THE
CONTAINS
86 Pages of Valualsle Information.
It gives our regular price list of oological specimens and supplies (the most complete ever sent out bv any dealer). It gives ;iie common- and scientific names of all North American birds, arranged and numbered according to Ridgeway sithe Smithsonian) nomencla- ture of iS8i ; it gives the numbers used in Balrd's check-list of 1859 and those used in Coue's of 1883 ; it gives the value of the eggs of over 500 species of North American birds, this fact alone making the catalogue invaluable to collectors as a basis of ex- change. It names the various families into which the birds of North America are divided, and enumerates the birds belonging to each family. It gives, approx- imately, the number of eggs in a clutch of every American bird. It tells how to prepare specimens for cabinet, how to pack them for transportation, with many other useful hints. A copy of our new hand- book and catalogue will be sent postpaid for
ONLY 25 CENTS.
or we can furnish the HANDBOOK bound in cloth and gilt for 50 cents.
-ADDRESS
ALBION, Orleans Co., N. Y.
The Oologlsts' Directory
By DAVIS & BAKER.
Is now ready for delivery and contains the names and addresses of over four hundred collectors of Oologi- gal, Ornithological, and Ta.\idermal specimens, and twenty-one pages of advertisements of the leading dealers.
TMs Directory is tie Best and Cheapest
ever offered collectors, and is worth double the amount for which it .sells.
It is printed in good, suitable type, on heavy tinted paper, and bound in antique Japanese covers.
PRICE, POSTPAID,
ONLY THIRTY CENTS.
ADDRESS,
X* X* £!< xx Is. ZZ. Xja.t;1;ixxy
WHOLESALE AGENT.
Albion, Netv Torh.
\
Bi-Monthly. <^%^^ 50c. per Year. ^
Vol. III. ALBION, N. Y., JULY & AUG., 1886. No. 4.
t^" When answering Advertisements, always mention the " Ooloffist."
y DTI PC I All parties who have written to me nU I luL ! for price-lists of RARE COINS «-ill plea>e write again, as all former requests have been destroyed. ALBERT T. JOHNSON,
Hiawatha, Kans.
ii.
THE ^mii.
99
A Quarterly Journal of Ornithology. $3,003 year. 75 cents a single number. Published for TAe Atni-rican Ornithologists' Union. J. A. Allen, Edi- tor. Associate Editors: Elliott Cones, Robert Ridg- way, William Brewsste, Mont.igue Chamberlain.
The "AUK" will present, as herefore, timely and interesting papers on the subject to which it relates, and its readers may feel sure of being kept abreast of the advances in the science. The "AUK" is pri- marily intended as a communication between ornitho- logists. While necessarily to some degree technical, it contains a fair proportion of matter of a popular character. Its notices of recent literature cover the whole field of North American Ornithology, and with the departments of "General Notes" and "Notes and News" render the journal indispensable to those wish- ing the latest and fullest intelligence of the subject.
L. S FOSTER, Publisher, 35 Pine St., New York.
MAKE MONEY!
Fortunes are vearlv made by successful operators in STOCKS, GRAIN and OIL.
These investments frequently pay from .$500 to $2,000 or more on each $ioo invested.
Address for circulars. Reliable correspondents wanted.
WILLIAU S. BICEABBS, Banker and Broker, 38, 40 & 42 Broadway, New York.
EGGS! EGGS!! EGGS!!!
A T REDUCED PRICES !
Set-
$1.00 .40 .40
-3 Red Tailed Hawk's - " — 2 Night Hawk's . _ _
" — 7 Ruffed Grouse's " — 5 Sparrow Hawk's - _ - _ i.oo " — 3 Herring Gull's . - - - .30
" — 4 Spotted Sandpiper's . _ . .40 I also have a large number of single eggs that I will close out at a bargain. Send at once /or prices.
Data Ulanha ! 10 cts. per 100, or 80 cts. per 1,000. Send stamp for samples.
Address, H. W. D.,
Box 34, North Granville, N. Y.
INCOMPARABLE !
These pens were first manufactured in small lots for our own and our students' use only. Becoming known among good writers, the demand for them has rapidly increased, until, at present, we send through the mails postage paid, to all parts of the United States and Canada, 07<er 16,000 smnli bojies a year .' They are the smoothest running, the most elastic, and the most durable steel pens ever put on the market.
Put up in handsome quarter-gross boxes. 40 cts. for single bo.x, post-paid, or four boxes /or $1.25. In boxes of one gross each, $1.00 per box. Special Dis- counts on larger quantities to booksellers and writing teachers. Postage stamps received. No free samples, and no sales made of less quantity than one quarter gross box. Address,
G. A. GASKELL & CO., 79 Wabash Ave., Chicago.
7 per cent, to 4 per cent, per annum ; three months to a Lifetime in duration on ^ood sccuriiy,
INVESTMENTS.
^jh^#> will .secure one Brunswick 20-Thaler «|9*l7 Bond and one Italian Red Cross Bond, the next redemption of which soon takes place. Every Bond participates in four Redemption Drawings an- nually, and has more than one chance to obtain a Premium of from $20,000 to $100,000, as interest on the investmenf, and the Bonds at all times are worth their face value, and must be redeemed by their re- spective governments, the same as our United States States Government Bonds. No Blanks. No Risk whatever, and hundreds of opportunities of redemp- tion, with premiums ranging from $10 to $100,000 — 500,000 Lire being one of the largest premiums.
$3 will secure one of these bonds for the next redemption.
Remit $3 by Money Order, Draft, Registered Let- ter, or Express. Balance payable in monthly instal- ments. U. S. Government Bonds on monthly pay- ments.
Address for Circulars &c.,
G. W. FOSTER, Banker,
42 Broadway, New York.
PETRIFIED KELP!
SPECIMENS, Each 25 cts. JAMES W. JONES, - Port Townsend, W. T.
IHE OOLOGIST.
BII?.nDS E(3-C3-S!
CHEAPEST and BEST.
At One-half ihe Usual Prices for the next
-60 DAYS.
Having nirchased of Frank^H. Lattin, the well known dealer in Naturalists' Supplies, an immense STOCK OF EGGS and having paid him $2,500 for the s^n.e, I feel no hesitancy in claiming that I now am carrying one of Largest Stocks of Birds' Eggs in America. And, in order 10 become better known to the collectors of America, I offer them eggs nt the fallowing very low prices for the next
GO la^flk-TrsS. XJxxtil -S^o^sr. Ist.
SatisfnctioH Guaranteed .' Orders filled by return mail. Every specimen is first-class in every re>pect and will be packed securely in a >trong box. Orders under sects, must contain 6 cts. extra for packing anJ return postage. Remit by draft on New York or Chicago, Registered Letter Postofiice Money Order, Postal Ni>te, or by American, Wells, Fargo & Co,, or United States Express Co's Monej Order; payable at Plymouth, Wayne Co , Mich. Unused U. S. postage stamps accepted for small sums under $1.00.
^^~ Wanted — To exchange for desirable eggs with all collectors. Se>id Lisis.
Address plainly, WJI^Ij C. BMOWyELZ,, I'lyniovtli, Wayne Co., Mich.
THE FOLLOWING PRICES HOLD GOOD UNTIL NOVEMBER 1st.
North American Eggs-
Wood Thrush $
Russet-backed Thrush
Olive-backed 'I'hriish
American Kobin
Mockingbird
Catbird
Brown Thra^her
Californian 'I'hras! er
Bluebird
Californian Bluebird . .
Blue-gray (inaicatcher
Black-capped I hickadec
Least Tit
White-bellied Nuthatch
Carolina Wren
House Wren
Western House Wren
Long-billed Marsh Wren
Blue Yellow-backed Warbler.
Summer Yellow Bird
Black-and-yellow Warbler...
Black-poll Warbler
Maryland Yellow-throat
Yellow-breasted Chat
Long-billed Water Thrush . . .
Loggerhead Shrike
White-rumped Shrike
Cedar Wax-wing
Cliff SwdUow
Barn Swallow
Bank Swallow
Scarlet Tanager
Summer Redbird
English Sparrow
House Finch
Crim.-on House Finch
American Gcldfinch
Green-back Goldfinch
Grass Finch
Yellow-winged Sparrow
Lark Finch
Western Lark Finch
White-throated Sparrow
Chipping Sparrow
Field Sparrow
Black Snowbird
Song Sparrow
Texas Sparrow
Towhee
California Brjwn Towhee. . . .
Cardinal Grosbeak
Rose-breasted Gro.sbeak
Painted Bunting
Black-throated Bunting
Cowbird
03
Dwarf Cowt ird $
Bronzed Cowbird
Red-&-buff-should'd Blackbird
Wagler's Oriole
Orchtird Ori.le
Texan Orchard Oriole
Baltimore Oriole
Brewer's Blackbird
Great-tiiled Grackle
Boat-tailed Grackle
Pui pie Grackle
Brunzed Grackle
European Starling
Common Crow
Black-billed Magpie
Blue Jay
California Jay
Scissor-ta led Flycatcher
Kingbird ; Bee Martin
Great Crested Flycatcher. . . .
Phffibe Bird ; Pewee
Wood Pewee
Traill's Flycatcher
Green Jay i
Texan Sapsucker i
Red-headed Woodpecker ....
Yellow-shafted Flicker
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Black-billed Cuckoo
Groove-billed Crotophaga. .. . i
Little Screech Owl
Sparrow H awk
American (^sprey
Red-shouldered Hawk
Swainson's HawV i
Turkey Buzzard
Black Vulture
Mourning Dove
White-fronted Dove
White-winged Dove
Ground Dove
Chachalaca ; Texan Guan... i
Wild Turkey
Black-crowned Night Heron. White-crowned Night Heron.
Sage Cock
Bob-white
Texan Quail
Caiifornian Quail
American Egret
Snowy Heron
Louisiana Heron
Little Blue Heron
Green Heron
Lapwing
Wilson's Plovtrr
Bartram's Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper
Whimbrel
Clapper Rail
Sora Rail
Florida Gallinule
A merican Coot
European Coot
Mallard
Pintail
Redhead
Black Mallard
American Eider
American White Pelican. . . .
Common Cormorant
Double-Crested Cormorant..
Brandt's Cormorant
Gannet
Kittiwake Gull
Great Black-backed Gull . . .
Western Gull
Herring Gull
American Herring Guil
Ring-billed Gull....
Laughing Gull
Forster's Tern
Common Tern
Arctic Tern
Least Tern
Richardson's Jaeger
Leach's Petrel
'J'hick-billed Grebe
Razor-billed Auk
Common Puffin
Black Guillemot
Common Guillemot
Californian Guillemot
i^" FOR PREMIUMS SEE FOLLOWING
Central American Eggs.
Ocellated Turkey $3
Black-ihroated Ortyx i
Yucatan Crypturus 3
Mexican Paisano i
White-fronted Woodpecker .. i
Gray's Thrush
Graceful Mockingbird
Yucatan Cardinal
White eyed Gnatcatcher i
Mot Mot 2
Brown-necked Ho>'se Wren . .
Cabot's Wren
Euphonia
Sahator
Gular Oriole
Golden-winged Oriole
Lampropsar
Golden-crowned Flycatcher.. Yucatan Whip-poorwill 3
PAGE. „^
THE OOLOGIST.
PREMIUMS!
In order to induce every collector reading the advertisement on preceding page to give me at least one order of $i.oo or over.
1 Have Made my Prices Loisrer
than those of any other reliable dealer, and in addition to this, in order to encourage larger orders, I vi'ill give gratis to any person sending me an order of $t.oo, and for each dollar which you order exceeds $i.oo, any one of the following
• LIBERAL PREMIUMS. •
1. Oologists' Hand-Book,
2. Oologists's Directory.
3. 25c. worth of Central Araerican Eggs.
4. '<The Oologist" for 1886, (without premium.) 5. An Exchange Notice in "The Oologist."
6. One Doz. Lattin's New Checking Lists. 7. 100 Well Assorted Data Blanks.
I wish to hear from every collector, whether they patronize me or not.
Address, WILL 0. BEOWNELL, Plymouth, Wayne Co.. Mich.
*** Any person having doubts to my reliability and capability of filling-orders and fulfil ling all propositions made in this advertisement, I most respectfully refer them to Frank H. Lattin, Publish er of the Oologist, or to Geo. A. Starkweather, Esq., President of Bank, Plymoufh, Mich.
^EXjIjIiTTJieTXS X3.i^2>T-a.E.
A cast of this celebrated fossil, 30 cents. H. D. HILL, Morris, Ills.
%* Headquarters for Mazan Creek Fossils. Finest in the world. Choice col- lections from $1.00 to $100.00. Samples, by mail, of Fossil Fern, &c., 25 cents.
COINS SENT ON APPROVAL.
Agents wanted for sale of rare stamps from sheets.
LIBERAL COMIVriSSION
W. F. GREANY, 827 Brannan St., San Francisco, Cal.
HOOSIER NATURALIST,
having enlarged to a 24 page magazine, and having also secured a number of prominent Ornithologists and Oologists as regular correspondents, is, with its beautiful illustrateii articles, acknowledged to be the leading low priced journal of the kind published. Sample for seven one cent stamps.
R. B. TROUSLOT,
(Editor and Publisher) Valparaiso, Ind., has information of prime importance to all interested in any branch of natural history, and if you will favor him with your address on a postal card, you will receive a "surprise party" by return mail.
STAMPS !
3 var. Siamese, ... - 15c.
4 " Mexican, . . . . 5c.
Stamps for first-class eggs at one-half Lattin's rates. Remit by coin.
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The Water Blow-pipe
described on page 13 No. I Oologist has been pro- nounced a perfect success by all trying it. We can now by special arrangement send 10 feet of the rubber tubing by mail, post-paid, for 50 cents. Small lots 6 cents per foot ; 10 feet or over, 5 cents per foot. FRANK H. LATTIN,
Albion, N. Y.
THE OOLOGIST.
EGG CHECK LIST
AND KEY TO THE NESTS AND EGGS
OF
WORTH AMERICAN BIRDS.
SECOND EDITION: Revised and Enlarged.
Illustrated Willi Seven Full Page Engravings,
By Theodore Jasper, A. M., M. X).
This work has become indispensable to all students of Oology ; assisting them in identifying N;sts and Eggs while in the field, and has taken the place of those expensive works, usually beyond the reach of many collectors. The New Edition contains
FULL AND ACCURATE DESCRIPTIONS
of all the Nests and Eggs of the Land and Water Birds of North America known to date, togethei with the breeding range and habitat of the species :p.nd ornuh- ological synonyms. It contains in the neighborhood of 200 pages and is bound in heavy antique, -'.nted papei .
PRICE, BY MAIL, $1.00.
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^^i^Bioisr., ]sr. -ST.
IDEiNTIFICATION !
During the past few years we have cheerfully at- tempted to
IDENTIFY ALL SPECIMENS
our friends have sent us, and this without remunera- tion ; but owing to the fact that we are now receiving packages by the dozen for this purpose, and that our time is more than occupied with our regular business, in the future we shall be obliged to charge our friends in .addition to return postage the following
I?,.A.TE S =
Single or first Specimen, - 10 i5ls.
Second to tenth Specimen, - 3 (Tts. each. Eleventh Specimen and over, - 2 (5ts. "
The above rates for identifying we think very rea- sonable. We have spent several years in handling and studying specimens of various kinds, and have on hand a very large stock with which comparisons can be made. We also have the leading works to use as reference. The advantage of having specimens properly identified is invaluable to collectors. Address,
FRANK H. LATTIN, AlTsion, N. Y.
arnE!-
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86 Pages of Valuable Information.
It gives our regular price list of oological specimens and supplies (the most complete ever sent out by any dealer). It gives ihe common and scientific names of all North American birds, arranged and numbered according to Ridgeway's (the Smithsonian) nomencla- ture of 1881 ; it gives the numbers used in Baird's check-list of 1859 and those used in Coue's of 1S83; it gives the value of the eggs of over 500 species of North American birds, this fact alone making the catalogue invaluable to collectors as a basis of ex- change. It names the various families into which the birds of North America are divided, and enumerates the birds belonging to each family. It gives, approx- imately, the number of eggs in a clutch of every American bird. It tells how to prepare specimens for cabinet, how to pack them for transportation, with many other useful hints. A copy of our new hand- book and catalogue will be sent postpaid for
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ADDRESS
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The Oologists' Directory
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Is now ready for deliverv and contains the names and addresses of over four hundred collectors of Oologi- cal, Ornithological, and Ta,xidermal specimens, and twenty-one pages of advertisements of the leading dealers.
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THE OOLOGTRT.
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and this splendid, full, and complete sportsman's outfit senttoany address on receipt of $S». 75. Sent by express C. O. D. with privilege of examination on receipt of $1.00 .•vdvance payment, balance to be paid express agent If goods are as represented. Twelve extra brass shells Klven if Cash is sent with the order. Order now and do not miss this
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THE OOLOGIST.
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our stock of these goods is unsurpassed. You \vill do well to send in your orders early for these goods and if you receive any you do not like, we will exchange for others. We have Silk Fringe Cards at 5, 10, 15, 25 and 50 cents each, or put up in assorted packages. No. 90, Assorted Package ■ $.25
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Addi-ess,
A.M. Eddy, Albion, N.Y.
THE OOLOGIST
Vol. 3, No 4. ALBION, N. Y., JULY & AUG, 1886.
\ Bl-MONTHLV.
( Soc. Pek Year.
My First White Crane's Nest.
A number of years since, while out on a three mouths' collecting trip in Northern Iowa, I had the pleasure of finding a nest of the White or Whooping Crane. Al- though I have found manj'- of them since, this set of eggs has especial interest to me from the circumstances connected with its •capture.
One cloudy, cold day in early May Heft camp on Crystal Lake for a few hours' hunting on the great marsh that stretches to the northeast from Eagle Lake, some seven miles distant from camp. Between the lakes lies a high chain of rocky, broken hills and ridges covered with short grass. On either side of these ridges are flats and marshes, out of which the Iowa river flows. As I hurried on a fine arrow-point occa- sionally paid me for a glance on the ground, •which at this time of j^ear was burned bare. From the highest knols could be seen sev- eral wood-fringed lakes in the distance. At last I reached the marsh and cast about for large birds which might be nesting at this season. Soon the peculiar manner of a Brown Crane assured me that a nest was somewhere near. After much hunting It "was discovered, only one egg being laid. While engaged with this bird I had seen a Whooping Crane walking about the marsh a mile further on. With great anxietj' I now undertook to find the whereabouts of its nest, if it had one ; but this kingly fellow is not found napping. His keen eye will detect .the most carefully guarded move- ments a great way off, and at once he ad- vises his mate of danger, when both leis- urely walk away in the most unconcerned manner imaginable and perhaps fly away entirely and not return for hours. I was somewhat disappointed when their long flapping wings had carried them from view. Pond and shallow Avater, overgrown with
rushes, stretched for miles with occasional tracts of tussocks. Among these I wan- dered about, getting sight of a pair of Geese here, a frightened Rail there. Occa- sionally a flock of Sand-peeps whistled by me. Hours passed away, and when I was turning campward I caught sight of the snowy forms of a pair of White Cranes fly- ing siowly toward me. Immediately I fell flat, the birds alighted lar in the swamp, my presence was detected at once and away they went. However, I concealed myself well and watched their return, which oc- curred in about tweutj' minutes. This time one of the birds walked to a certain point and stopped ; as she remained so long I concluded to make my w^ay to where she was. To mj delight she was sitting on her heavily marked drab egg, which \-dy in a neat cavity in the top of a well-built heap of tough, fine marsh grass H feet high on firm sod. The eggs were the first I had seen and were a rare prize to me. When I approached the nest the bird, which had walked some distance away, came running back within a few rods, trotting awkward- ly around, wings and tail spread drooping, with head and shoulders brought to a level with the water; then it began picking up bunches of moss and sticks which it threw down in a defiant way; then with pitable mien it spread itself on the water and beg ged me to leave its treasure, which, in a heartless manner, I didn't do. At one time she was within twenty feet of me, but showed no inclination to fight, though they are said to defend their j'oung with cour- age. The eggs carefully packed, I looked around, when a faint red glow told me that the sun was down and I seven miles from camp, in the midst of a strange marsh, with no house in sight ! The great range of stony hills shut off the view, and I could only guess the direction of the camp, which I did and started on a brisk walk, but
44
THE OOLOGIST.
darkness began settling down ere I had reached solid ground. Alone and lightly clad I hurried on, following the direction as best I could, there being no path or road — nothing but cold and darkness. On and on I went, well upon the ridges which I followed. "When coming up a steep point a great eagle flew heavily trom a boulder right before me and flapped away in the blackness. Mile after mile I went, when I began to appreciate that I was lost and wandering on a wide, lone prairie. A cold north wind blew from the cloudy sky; no light could be seen, not a tree or a stick to make fire from. Cheerless I wandered, when happily my foot struck a cow path. I followed followed it for a long distance; it led into a marsh. I retraced my steps and at last came upon a corral, then the herdsman's shanty, where I stayed the re- mainder of the night. Many j'ears have passed since then, but the memory of that Crane's nest and the lonely wandering are not forgotten. J. W. Pkeston,
Baxter, Iowa.
SPRING NOTES.
Oological and Ornithological.
A suspicion haunted me as to whether the Picidae family wintered with us, par- ticularly the "Red-headed George" — local phraseolog}^ here. The Downy's and Hairy's I knew all about, but the species above referred to was still an unknown quantity. Heretofore I had always seen plenty, until after Xmas, Jan. 1st., at the latest, and then they disappeared, not to appear again until the last of March, being plenty in April.
I made it a point the past winter to climb to holes where I knew they should be, and in every instance found the Eed-heads at home, sometimes one, sometimes two and three occupying the same cavity. I found them thus during all the weeks from Janu- ary to date ; now, of course, they are com- mon. I watched closely how and where they fed. When the weather was ex- tremely rough, snow eight feet deep and the trees covered with ice, making climb-
ing anything but pleasant. George was found snugly stowed away in the deepest recess of his hole, in some instances more dead than alive. On one occasion, having thrown one from the hole, it fell to the ground without any attempt at expanding its wings, and in three which I dissected, the stomachs were perfectly empty.
During a thaw, or upon sunny days, they would feed on the ground upon acorns, mast, etc., and only twice did I hear any rapping indication of insect hunt- ing. They seemed to depend mainly upon acorns
These birds are very quiet during the cold winter months ; anyone expecting to find them by the great noise and fuss which they make at other seasons would be sadly left, thus it happened me at least, and the foregoing observation, made some years ago, would have settled the whole matter.
Five ja^ars ago, being picked up on a bird question by an old "wise-head," I made it a "stiff pointer" with myself never to take anything for granted, nor any person's word for anything pertaining to birds, their nests and. eggs, in my own locality, and it has taught me ten-fold more than the books ever did.
It is never well to be too positive on ques- tions in our line, there is too much varia- tion in Nature's working. Circumstances may be such as to compel a change of base, characteristics, etc., which being contrary to the accepted rule, the conse- quence is — you get left.
It has taken me three years to prove to the knowing ones (?) that the Purple Mar- tin does not necessarily need to come on March 28th. The time varied, for and against me heretofore, but this spring de- cides the whole business. It is now the 5th of April and no Martin has appeared.
I generally entertain between 30 and 40 each season, but where are they now? Probably some skin-hog has gobbled them all, and even now they may be adorning the phenomenal spring hat. But enough, southern friend, keep them yet a week or so, the mercury stands at only 36° and
1
THE OOLOGIST.
45
ice cover the trees, besides, the houses, which were let to Passer domesticus, have not as yet been vacated, the rent is over- due and I must "turn the rascals out."
I take the following from some of my winter notes, made during professional trips to the country. I may say, right here, that I never go out day or night with- out my gun and a complement of loaded shells in the back of the buggy — fixed, you see, for anything in the line. Killed a Screech Owl last December with a load of Arsenious acid pellets ; shot worked out of shell, so I loaded the next best ; it cost me 4.T cents for the load, but I let her go and got the Screecher.
Jan. 10th — Bluebirds in plenty, with Juncoes and Tree Sparrows ; counted nine Meadow Larks in seemingly good condi- tion. Thermometer — 8° Fah.
Jan. 15th — Marked three pairs Little Screech Owl this morning. Saw a pair of Long Ears in a large spruce this after- noon. Thermometer — 5' Fah.
Jan. 18th — Counted seven Meadow Larks around a wheat stack having a big time, one shot was found in excellent condition, they have struck a bonanza, and will work it till spring.
Jan. 20th — Snow eight inches deep — much drifted. Blue-birds, Song Sparrows and Snowbirds in numbers along the road. Shot a pair of Short-eared Owls this after- noon. In good condition and make fine specimens. Thermometer — 7" Fah.
Jan. 30th — Pair of Blue Jays put in an appearance and rested in the pines near the house; never visited me so early before. Thermometer — 5^ Fah.
Feb. 1st — Saw four pairs Blue Jays this morning. An old Red-tailed Hawk's at- tempt to capture a red squirrel amused me very much. Scene:
Squirrel on fence under den — tree, Buteo hovering, instant's pause — recognition mu- tual— squirrel skips for home, pulls hole in after him. Buteo slaps bang against tree. Time — not yet calculated.
Very few of the Warblers have put in an appearance ; the weather has been very un- settled thus far this spring, but with all the
cold and wet I have the first set of Blue- birds for the season ; five, very fresh and pretty. Have marked down seven nests of above, ready for eggs. I have also the first set of Crow's for the season, the nest was finished nine days ago. On Saturday, April 3d, I procured six fresh eggs ; do not think the female would have deposited any more.
I collected two sets of the Sparrow Hawk, one five the other six. One set of three of the Red-tailed Hawk, a set of five from Long-eared Owl, and a nest and two eggs from Little Screech Owl, completes my finds thus far. The Screecher's nest I will visit later. I am sure that at least three pairs of our large Hawks are eluding me, so also the Owls, but business has kept me closer than usual, and I have not been able to locate them.
Should you consign the foregoing to the waste basket, I shall not mourn, the fever is on, you know, and this half hour's work gives much relief. Very truly,
J. H. Melsheimer, M. D., Hanover, Pa.
We trust the Doctor will have the " fever " often. — [Ed.
From Chester County, Penn.
The past season has been one of rich ex- perience to the oologists of our county, and thinking some notes on the more rare finds would be of interest, I send you the memo- randa of same, prefacing by the statement that so far as published, our breeding list comprises ninety-eight species, the number being restricted on account of lack of any large body of water and the absence of "shore" birds. The principle instances of note that have come under my notice are 1. Long billed Marsh Wren— Under date of June 18th, 18S6, Mr. T. H. Jackson, of West Chester, writes me: "About the - middle of JMay I discovered a pair of Long- billed Marsh Wrens in a swamp near West Chester. At that time they had constructed about four or five nests. Yesterday I again visited the locality, and after searching
46
THE OOLOGIST.
about tvventj' empty nests, came on the right one, containing six eggs. They had probably been set on several days, but I secured them with the nest, and prized them highlJ^ I do not think there is more than a single pair in this locality, but it seems incredible that they should make so many nests." This species breeds abund- antly along the Delaware river and on Christiana Creek, as high up as Newport, Del. .within six to eight miles of our county, but as there are few localities within our limits suitable for their nesting, they have not, so far as I am informed, previously been found in this county.
2. Black and White Creeper — On June 6th Mr. Jackson, in company with two kindred souls, were collecting in the county. Mr. Jackson writes : "The most import- ant find of the day was a nest and five young birds of the Black and White Creeper. They were nearly ready to leave the nest, and together we fully identified the parent birds at close quarteis. We also saw a female feeding a young bird, from another nest, that was just able to Qy."
3. Mourning Warbler — On June 21st a friend brought me a female 3Iourning Warbler in the flesh, but in poor condition. The bird was found dead by the side of a public road June 10th, partially consumed by ants, etc. The feathers, how- ever, except about one side of the head and on the abdomen being intact. On the same day a male of this species was seen within a quarter of a mile of the same place. The probability is they were or would have nested in that localitJ^
4. Worm Eating Warbler — Mr. Jackson took four nests with eggs this year, the earliest date being May 29, five fresh eggs. Two or three instances of this species nest- ing in the count}' prior to this year are on record.
5. Virginia Rail — Five nests of this species have been taken this year in the county. I believe but three previous oc- urrances are recorded of their breeding in Chester county, one in 1S85, one in 1886, and one about 1878, all in this vicinity, i am of tire opinion the breeding of this bird
has been heretofore overlooked in our vicin- ity, and that careful search will discover it more abundant.
6. Broad-winged Hawk — Mr. T. H. Jack- son took a set of three eggs May 29th near West Chester, being the third occurrance to my knowledge within the county. C. J: Pennock, Kennett Square, Pa,
Turkey Buzzards.
I have noticed from . time to time de- scriptions of the nesting habits of the Tur- key Buzzards, but as none of the sketches I have seen describe their nesting habits as I find them, I will briefly describe them. Some writers speak of finding their nests in thickets of briars or " Spanish Dagger," but here the only brush we have are thick- ets of wild plum bushes, and though they may nest among them I have never suc- ceeded in finding a nest among bushes of any kind. Four or five years ago Coyotes were very common here and had numerous burrows along the banks of the small creeks and sloughs, but tjs the country be- came better settled they went into the wilder parts of the country and now only their "holes" remain to tell of their exist- ence. These old Coyote holes have been "preempted" by the Buzzards, who find them a congenial nesting place. The holes are generally dug about eight feet before they turn, and just at the turn the eggs are usually deposited on the bare earth, no at- tempt to build a nest being made. I took a fine set of two fresh eggs May 14th of this year, and a week later found two nests containing young, so I conclude that the first week in May is the time to look for their nests in this latitude. The nests are easily found, as the male bird may usually be seen perched on some point close to where the female is setting. The eggs have a creamy ground color, dotted and blotched with spots varying from a choco- late to a light brown, the spots sometimes running together on the large end, and measure about 2ixl-|.
C. A. Babcock, Danvile, Kau.
THE OOLOGIST.
47
Common Crew.
This bird is very commou liure, remain- ing through the coldest winter, when it may be seen perclied on the leafless trees, or flying about in the air searching for its food, which consists mostly of carrion and corn which the farmer has left in the field.
When the warm days of spring are fast approaching they may be seen flying about the large timbers along the rivers and country in search of nesting places. Early in April they begin building a large, strong nest, which is completed about the third week in that mouth.
Their nests may be found varying from ten to forty feet in height, according to the nature of the spot selected by the birds. They are usually found in the tops of oak or wild crabapple trees. The nest is about eighteen inches outside dsameter, eighteen inches inside and six inside depth, made of large twigs, pieces of moss and weeds, lined with horse hair or bark from the wild grape vine. When once robbed the birds seek another wood, where they again build and rear their young. Their eggs vary in number from four to six, are of a light sea green, thickly spotted and blotched with dark brown, with purplish reflections, thickest about the larger end, 1.50 by 1.20.
W. E. DINC4MAN,
Newton, Iowa.
Chautauqua.
The Gazette is thoroughly in love with Chautauqua. Time and again it has ex- pressed admiration for the glorious idea that brought that organization into being, and for the glorious manner in which that idea is being developed. Chautauqua has come to stand for something distinct in our educational system — from old methods a thing apart; something that tends to the upbuilding of the people, and offers to the humblest the privileges and the blessings of human enlightenment. The assembly programme for the present season, which takes in the months of July and August, is perhaps the most elaborate, varied and attractive ever presented. Fortunate in- deed is the teacher who shall be able to spend a portion of his vacation on the shores of the beautiful Chautauqua Lake. — Penman's Gazette.
How to Make a Cabinet,
I will send the dimensions of a cabinet for birds eggs or insects which I am mak- ing for myself to keep my collection of eggs. I think it is good and cheap.
DrMENSioxs OP A Cabinet. — For birds eggs, insects, etc., containing four drawers, size to be about 21 inches wide, 14 inches deep and 13 inches high.
Top and Bottom. — Cut two pieces 20|- inches long, ISf inches wide, of one-half inch stock, black-walnut.
Sides. — Cut two pieces 13i inches wide, 10| inches long, of 7-16 inch stock, black- walnut, (gTain of wood to run from top to bottom of sides.
Back. — Cut one piece llf inches long, 18 5-16 inches wide of 7-16 inch stock, white wood, (probably this Avill have to be made of two pieces, as you will not be likely to get a piece of above width,) grain of wood to run from top to bottom.
Drawers. — Fronts. Cut four pieces 18i inches long, 2| inches wide, of 7-16 stock, black-walnut.
Ends. — Cut 8 pieces 12^ inches long, 2f inches wide, of | inch stock, white wood.
Backs. — Cut four pieces 17| inches long, 2f inches wide of | inch stock, white wood.
Bottoms. — Cut four pieces 17| inches long, 11| inches wide of i inch white wood.
Partitions Between Drawers. — Cut three pieces 18 5-16 inches long, 12| inches wide of 7-16 inch stock, white wood.
Use 7-16 inch wide, i inch thick mould- ings on front edges of sides and partitions between drawers.
Finish off the edges of top and bottoms to suit yourself.
Black-walnut and white wood are as cheap woods as can be used and look well.
The stock for making one of the cabi- nets will cost about S2. 25. Common white picture knobs will answer as handles on drawers, and cost only a few cents. Divis- ions can be made inside of drawers if nec- essary of i inch thick black-walnut or white wood. Care must be taken not to vaiy at all in measuring, as the least variation may cause the whole to come wrong. Geo. E. Town, Jr.,
Cambridgeport, Mass.
48
THE OOLOGIST.
THE OOLOGIST.
EDITED AND PUBLISHED BI-MONTHLY
FRANK H. LATTIN, - ALBION, N. Y.
Correspondence and items of interest to the student of Birds, their Nests and Eggs, solicited from all.
Terms of Subscription.
Single Subscription, - - 50c per Annum.
Sample Copies, - - - - 8c each.
The above rates include postage and premium.
Terms of Advertising,
Made known upon application. Send copy for estimate.
Remittances should be made by draft on New York ; money order or postal note payable at Albion, N. v., registered letter, or by the American, U. S.,or Wells & Fargo Express Co. Money Order. Unused U. S. postage stamps of any denomination will be accepted for sums under one dollar. Make money orders and drafts payable and address all subscrip- tions and communications to,
FRANK H. LATTIN,
Albion, Orleans Co., N. Y.
JOTTINGS.
Our correspondence during the month of August has been unavoidably neglected, but everything will be "straightened" dur- ing the first of September, with interest.
Do not fail to see our exhibit at the Chicago Exposition, Sept. 1st to Oct. 16th. Our brother will have charge of this ex- hibit, but we expect to assist him from the last of September until the close of the Exposition. Should you happen in Chi- cago during the time do not fail to vi,sit " Lattin " and his display in the Exposition.
If you happen in South-western New York during the month of August do not fail to visit Chautauqua. "Lattin" will be found 'mid a big stock of the " curios " in the Dock Building.
" The Birds of Chester County," as given in the 29th and 30th Quarterly Reports of the Penn'a Board of Agriculture, by C. J. Pennock, Esq., of Kennett Square, is of no small value, and as the article will prove of interest to so many of our subscribers, we are in hopes of having space to reprint it in some future (;)ologtst.
Use our new Checking List. They will save anjr collector or dealer a big printer's bill. We claim them to be the neatest and handiest Checking List of N. A. Birds ever issued. They are printed on extra heavy paper, eight pages, three foldings, and will go nicely into a No. 6 envelope. This list contains both Ridgeway's and the new A. O. U. C. lists. Sample, 2c. ; 12 for 20c. ; 100 for $1.50. See sample page in this issue of The Oologist.
We call our readers' special attention to the advertisement of Mr. W. C. Brownell of Plymouth , Mich. In the latter part of June Mr. Brownell purchased of us an immense stock of eggs and has paid us $2,500.00 for them (no doubt, by far the largest sale of "egg shells " ever made at one time by any dealer in America, if not the world). Our business relations thus far have been of the most pleasant nature, and knowing Mr. B.'s stock to be one of the best we have no hesitancy in introducing him to the read- ers of The Oologist and, if in need of any of the specimens Mr. B. offers, in recom- mending them to give him a trial order.
Messrs. J. B. Lippincott & Co. have in press a "Manual of North American Birds," by the eminent ornithologist, Prof. Robert Ridgeway, curator Department of Birds, Smithsonian Institution, Washing- ton, D. C. The author has had unrivalled advantages for the preparation of a treatise of this character, arising from his own field experience, as well as his connection with the National Museum and the free access which has been granted him to vari- ous other public and private collections of birds, both in this country and Europe. The work is to conrain some 425 illustra- tions suitably executed, and will conform to the geographical limits, cla.ssification, numeration and nomenclature adopted by the American Ornithological Union. We doubt not it will be one of the most im- portant, thorough and original contribu- tions to the literature of the subject which has appeared, and presume that naturalist and sportsman alike will find it an invalu- able aid.
THE OOLOGIST.
49
During the past six weeks we have been very, very busy— have filled orders amount- ing to over $3,500.00, been to Chautauqua twice to help arrange our Natural History Stores in the Oriental and Dock Buildings in that place (in the latter building we flat- ter ourselves on having the finest displaj' of specimens ever exhibited at Chautau- qua), have written over 1,000 letters and have traveled nearly, if not quite, 2,000 miles to attend to matters relating to our business. During the month of August we shall make Chautauqua our headquar- ters, and although we have earned a vaca- tion, we shall work harder than ever, but it is expected that this work, owing to the many pleasant anticipated chats with our friends and patrons, will be a work of pleasure.
Chewink Nests in a Tree.
The nest, situated in solitar}' woodland, in a sapling overgrown with a wild grape- vine, and was about eight feet from the ground, was found Aug. 7th, 1885. The bird on being frightened from the nest, flew to the ground and spread her wings as if she were wounded, ran and hopped along, evidently inviting pursuit. I fol- lowed her through the dense undergrowth, being able to keep her in sight. If I halted she would also stop, and if I went forward rapidly she would do the same. This con- tinued until she had Iqfl me far enough from her nest, as she thought, when she suddenly disappeared and I soon heard her note from a point in the wood quite remote. I returned to the nest. It was quite bulky, its external diameter being six inches, and ex-depth seven inches. The foundation of the nest was a lai"ge quantity of leaves, which were quite wet from recent rains, and would from their number and bulk and the cool, shady locality, retain their moisture for a long time, thus securing the same conditions as if the nest had been placed upon mother earth. The middle layer of the nest was a mass of the stringy bark of the wild grape, neatly and com- pactly arranged. The lining was a thick layer of fine hay which was quite dr}'.
The eggs, two in number, were slightly in- cubated. They were uniform in size, somewhat larger than the average Tow- hee's eggs, and the spots less thickly scat- tered over the eggs than is usual.
Another nest found August 15th was placed six feet from the ground in a sap- ling. The construction of the nest was identical with the foregoing, as were also the actions of the bird when driven from the nest. The eggs, three in number, were quite fresh and not in any way different from the usual specimens. There is one other curious fact in connection with the latter nest. The same pair of birds had already made two attempts to breed dur- ing the season in the same locality. The first nest Avas placed on the ground under an old brush heap. It contained, when first found, a number of young, which were stolen by some animal before thej^ left the nest. The parents, not discour- aged, soon after deposited another set of eggs in the nest, but were again unsuc- cessful, as these eggs were soon destroyed. They then left the nest and built in the tree, probably coming to the concIu.sion that the latter was a safer locality.
H. A. Koch.
A Day Among the Fish Hawks.
On May 27th, I started out for a day's collecting' among the Fish Hawks. I had to walk nearly three miles to get to my boat. Here I took my boat, and after sail- ing for half an hour, I came in sight of the nesting places of the noble Fishing Eagle. ]Makin"g everj'thing snug on board the boat, I started out on a lour of inspection. The first nest I came to contained two of the finest marked Fish Hawk's eggs I ever saw. I soon after found another set of three eggs. but after this I climbed to seven nests on which I saw the bird setting, but I was dis- appointed everj' time by finding the nest empty. I succeeded in locating two Least Bitterns' nests, one of which contained four eggs. It now began to get dark, and I started home by another route, and on the way succeeded in finding three sets of fine Fish Hawks' eggs. That night about nine o'clock a tired but well pleased oolo- gist came trudging home, very much grub- struck. " (Old Salt,) Sea Isle City, IS". J.
50
THE OOLOGIST.
CORRESPONDENCE.
A GOOD TESTIMONIAL,
:Nrr.W. C. Brownellof Plymouth, Mich., whom we sold that $2,500.00 worth of eggs, in acknowledgiug the receipt of the lot on June 25th, writes as follows :
" I will here say that I am very much pleased with both your way of transport- ing eggs and with the eggs themselves, and that there was not one single ec/g broken.
WHITE BROWN THRASHER EGGS.
Dear Mr. Lattin :
Did you ever see, or hear of anybody who did, white eggs of the Brown Thrash- er ? I never dreamt of such a thing, and yet I am forced to the conclusion that it is possible and that I have two of them in my cabinet. A boy got them for me. The nest was built in a small tree and contained four eggs. He left two of them for the bird to go on uninterruptedlj^ and the re- maining two he took and gave them to me. The bird that laid them, and true to bird- instiuct would have hatched them all four, is none other than the Brown Thrasher. If you have white Bluebird eggs, why not of the Brown Thrasher ? You^an use this for your journal if vou see lit.
Rev. S. C. Tobias,
Lititz, Pa.
OUR XEW CIIECKrNG LISTS.
Use them, they will save any collector or dealer a big printer's bill. We claim them to be the neatest and handiest Checking List of N. A. Birds ever used. They are printed on extra heavy paper, eight pages, three foldings, and will go nicely into a ISTo. 6 envelope. This list contains both Ridgeway's and the new A. O. U. C. lists. Sample, 2c. ; 12 for 20c. ; 100 for $1.50.
We add the following kind words from leading Oologists :
■' I would do myself and the Lists injus- tice did I not say that for convenience of size, clearness and beauty of typography, I have never seen anything of the kind that approaches them.'"
Harry G. Parker.
" You will no doubt receive congratula- tory letters hy the ton now, for the " lists" are by far the best we have ever seen and the typographical and presswork as well as the paper is first-class. In fact, a boon to the collector and a credit to the com- piler. Saml B. Ladd.
" 1 am well pleased with them.' J. Parker Norris, (Oological editor of the O. and O.
d.wie's new key. " Davie's book received in good order. I am greatl}' pleased with it. The de- scriptions are full and clear, and are often expanded into picturesque reading, so that I have read it with interest aside from its mere technical merits."
(Rev.) W. M. Beauchamp, Baldwinsville, N. Y.
THE YOUNG ORNITHOLOGISTS.
Dear Sir :
Some time ago I wrote an article in The Young Ornithologist, published by A. A. Child of Boston, Mass., to the effect that the subscribers to that magazine should start a corresponding club, and have their notes and observations published in the paper. Quite a number agreed to join it, but before we could tix up a constitution or organize the publisher stopped the mag- azine. I then wrote to Mr. J. B. Richards of Fall River, Mass., and we agreed to make your paper the official organ if you would give us the requisite space. We also drew up the following constitution :
Article I. The name of this society shall be The Young Ornithologists' Asso- ciation.
Article II. It shall be the object of this Association to collect, study and pre- serve birds, their nests and eggs and to note facts relating to them.
Article III. The officers of this Asso- ciation shall be a president and a secretary , who shall perform the customary duties of such offices These officers are to be ap- pointed by the publisher of The Oologist.
Article IV. » New Legions may be added with the consent of the president, provided that no legion shall consist of less than tliree members. (Individual members will be admitted free of charge and will enjoy the same privileges as mem- bers of Legions.) Legions .shall be named from the towns in which they exist, and if there be more than one Legion in a town they shall be further distinguished by the letters of the alphabet.
Article V^. Each Legion may choose its own officers and make its own by-laws.
Article VI. This constitution may be amended by a three-fourths vote of the Association or its representatives.
Article VII. The Oologist shall be the official organ of communication be- tween members and Legions of this Asso- ciation.
Drawn up by L. 0. Pindar. Approved bv J. B. Richards.
THE OOLOGIST.
51
[Having no time to attend to this matter ourselves, we will donate space in The OoLOGisT and trust the boys will "work it up." Address L. O. Pindar, Prest., Hick- man, Ky., or J. B. Richards, Sec, Fall River, Mass.]
ROSEATE SPOONBILL.
Den r Sir :
We have not received The Oologist for some time and we miss it very much and hope to receive our copy soon. We think it will be of interest to you and also to the readers of your paper to know that on June 2d, '86, we obtained seven eggs of the Roseate Spoonbill from one nest, which we believe to be the largest set of that species ever obtained. Yours truly, R. E. Rachford & Son, Grigsby's Bluflf, Tex.
A Cabinet for a Large Collection.
Editor Ovlogist:
Dear Sir — In the last two numbers of your Journal I notice communications de- scriptive of Egg Cabinets, their mode of construction, etc., by Messrs. Goss and Westgate. From the descriptions given, I take it their cabinets are intended for sin- gle egg collections, mere matters of curi- osity.
All those havmg any kind of a collection cannot help but notice the variation in size, coloring, etc.; even a single set of eggs gives you very marked variation, and from a dozen sets from same species, it would almost be impossible to point out the ty- pical set. My collections are made in sets exclusively, and the cabinet which I shall try to describe contains only sets, except- ing where one egg completes the comple- ment.
At various times during the last ten years 1 have made and had made cases for my eggs, until, by the rapid increase, when Qgg collecting became so common, and rare eggs so easy to get, I found that I needed more room, and then went to work in this wise : I procured four spool cotton cases, made by the Willimantic Company, solid ash except the backs. Two of these contained six drawers each, the others five.
I had two large drawers made, ash faces, the full width of two. cases sitting side by
side, and four inches deep. Upon these the six drawer cases were placed and fitted snugly; bj' having the inside top and bot- tom edge of each, sawed flush, the five drawer cases put on top of these similarly filled, and the whole then cased in ash, doors being solid glass fitted with rubber, making them perfectly moth and dust- proof. The metal slip on the face of each drawer, bearing the name of Co. , Six Cord, etc. I reversed, and had painted on them the family name of the .species represented in each drawer. In cases where only a few species represented a family, I asso- ciated them with a near neighbor.
By these slight alterations the cabinet as- sumed a different appearance, and no one could tell but that it was entirely new, the only give-away being the name of the Co. on the nickel drawer-pulls; but this is scarcely noticeable. Each drawer is filled with 4x3 trays, twenty just filling a drawer, except in two large drawers, trays for which I arranged myself. Each tray is partially filled with cedar sawdust, upon which the set is placed, the data blank be- ing put under the tray. Each tray also bears a small paster, giving number, com- mon and scientific name.
"Where one tray was too small to hold a large set, two were united bj' cutting out the side partitions and pasting a slip on bottom, thus making all neat and preserv- ing the uniformity.
The capacity of a cabinet such as I de- scribe, is from 1,500 to 2,000 eggs, depend- ing on arrangement and size of trays used.
The smaller drawers, two inches deep, will accommodate all eggs from a Hum- mer's to a Common Tern's. The larger drawers, four Inches deep, were made for the eggs of the larger water birds, such as the AnatidiTp etc., and the Strigidne, Fal- conidfe, Cathartidse, etc.
As a whole, the cabinet makes a beauti- ful appearance, hard oil finish, and the price within the reach of all, mine costing, my work not counted, and exclusive of traj'S, S16.T5.
The condition into which * * * has been reduced by "Quasi Ornithologists"
52
THE OOLOGIST.
is really deplorable, aud I should very much like to dilate, but I forebore, consid- ering the valuable space in the Oologist. Could not you discountenance this egg-col- lecting craze, and add your mite to revolu- tionizing the system ? The Audubon So- ciety is rapidly spreading, and will no doubt do much good work in stamping out the skin hunting and egg collecting, to satisfy fashion and a " craze."
With many good wishes for all doing honest work in this line, I remain, Very truly yours, J. A. Melsheimer, M. D., Hanover, Pa.
Cuckoo Egg in Wood Thrush's Nest.
July 29th, 1885, I found an illustration of the well known fact of a Cuckoo depos- iting its eggs in the nest of some other bird. The nest in question was a Wood Thrush's, containing three eggs, two Wood Thrush and one Cuckoo, (species unknown.) The nest had been deserted by the parent. It was situated on a horizontal limb of a beech tree, about eight feet from the ground. H. A. Koch,
College Hill, Ohio.
How Money will Assist.
Editor Oolo(ji<it :
What has been accomplished towards making the Oologist a monthly '? You stated that it should be done just as soon as the new subscriptions would justify, aud I presume by that, subscriptions are coming in slow. Now it seems to me if all present .subscribers would go to work, and each send in a new subscriber, by fall we might see the Oologist a monthly, which would be welcome news to many, as we find it very instructive to egg and curiosity col- lectors. I will do my share, and will guarantee to send you ten new subscribers next mouth, and I hope others will lend a helping hand. C. H. M.,
San Barnardino, Cal.
July 21st, 1886.
Exchanges and Wants.
Brief special announcements, " Want^," " Ex- changes," inserted in this department for 2^ cents per 25 words. Notices over 25 words charged at the rate of one-half cent per word. Xo notice inserted for less than 25 cents. Xotices which are merely indirect methods of soliciting cash purchasers cannot be ad- mitted to these columns under any circumstances. Terms, cash with order.
C. W. FORBES, Clyde, N. Y. A pair of Nickel Plated Roller Skates, with bag and oil can, for a canvas tent or a canoe.
F. C. LUSK, HoUey. N. Y., will exchange first- class bird skins for the same ; twenty species of Warblers, Tanagers, Rose-breasted-Grosbeak, Wax- wings, Sac.
To Exchange. — I desire to exchange with collec- tors, birds' eggs in sets or single. Address, with list, J. W. JACOBS, Waynesburg, Greene Co., Pa.
To ExcH.'iNGE. — A pair of almost new "Ideal" roller skates, cost $3, for a good pair of climbing irons. Address JOS. TRAVIS, Fisher, Polk Co., iMinn,
To Exch.ange. — 2,500 first-class South-western birds' eggs in sets, with data, and single, to exchange even for others at Lattin's Hand-book prices, Large eggs especially desired. Good e.xchange will be given for books on Ornithology, Lists sent on receipt of same. Address, WILL W. PRICE, Riverside, San Bernardino Co., Cal.
To Exchange. — I will exchange the famous blazon Creek fossils for first-class curiosities for cabinet, especially sea curiosities. Good specimens sent and desired in exchange. Correspondence desired. No postal cards wanted. Address, L. J. THAYER, Morris, Grundy Co., 111.
To Exchange. — Will exchange two volumes "Boys' Own Annual," also a scroll saw, for books about birds —or birds' eggs in sets with data. P. PARKER, St. Thomas, Ont.
To ExCH.^NGE. — Birds' eggs, minerals, shells, sea* urchins, star-fish, skate's eggs, sand dollars, sea moss. Flosida moss, specimens of wood, stamps, post-marks etc., for birds' eggs in full sets, with nests, and fuU data, also minerals and shells. GEO. M. ELLISON, 16 Summer St., Lynn, Mass.
To ExcH.^NGE. — First-class eggs, single or in sets, with any collector. Send for lists to F. E. BIRCH, Chatham, N. Y.
To Exchange. — "Davie's New Key." books and papers relative to Oologj', set of Buzzard's eggs, fifty other eggs, for a small printing press with tj'pe. A bargain. OLIVER HAUGER, Box 173, Orleans, Ind.
AUSTRALIAN
BIRDS' EGGS.
Rare! Cheap! Haiidsovie !
Send stamp for new catalogue of -\.mer- ican aud Australian Birds' Eggs, for sale by
S. W. A' W. D. DENTON,
Wellslev, Mass.
THE OOLOGIST.
LATTIN'S CHECKING LIST
-OF-
NORTH AiMKRICAN BiRDS
USED BY
188
Numbers at the left are those used in Ridgway's Nomenclature. Numbers at the right, following names are those used in the Nomenclature of the American Ornithologist's Union.
1 Wood Thrush 755
2 Wilson's do 756
Willow do 756a
3 Gray-cheeked do 757
Bicknell's do 757a
4 Russet backed do 758
4ft Olive-backed do 758a
5 Dwarf do 759
5a Rocky Mt. Hermit do 759a
bb Hermit do 7596
[6] Red-wing do [760]
V American Robin 761
7a Western do 76la
8 Saint Lucas do 763
9 Varied do 763
10 Sage Thrasher 702
11 Mockingbird 703
12 Catbird 704
18 Brown Thrasher 705
i3a Mexican Brown do 706
14 Saint Lucas do 709
i4a Bendire's do 708
i5 Curve-bill do 707
15a Palmer s do 707a
16 Calif oruian do 7i0
16a Leconte s do 711
i7 Rufous vented do 712
18 Socorro do
19 Auierican Water Ouzel. . .701 [20] Eme-throated AVarbler . . . [764] [2i] Stone Chat 765
22 Blueoird 766
Azure do 766a
23 Caufornian do 767
24 Rocky Mt. do ...768
25 To wnsend's Solitaire 754
26 Black-crested Flycatcher . .620 2"^ Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 751
28 Plumbeus do 752
29 Black-tailed do 753
30 Ruby-crowned Kinglet ... 749
31 Dusky do 750
3S Cuvier'sdo ?
33 Golden crowned do .748
33a W. Golden-crowned do.. .748a
34 Kennicott's Warbler 747
35 Ground Tit 742
Pallid Wren-tit 742a
36 T uf ted Titmouse ; 731
37 Black -crested do 732
38 Plain do 733
Gray do 733a
Ashy do 733&
39 Wollwebers Titmouse ... 734
40 Mountain Chickadee 738
41 Black capped do 735
41a Long-tailed do 735a
4:1b Oregon do 7355
42 Carolina do 736
43 Mexican do [737]
[44] Siberian do 739
45 Hudsonian do 740
46 Chestnut backed do 741
46a Calif ornian do 741a
47 Least Tit 743
Californian Bush Tit 743a
Grinda's do 743J
48 Lead colored Tit ,. 744
49 Blacked-earcd do [745]
50 Yeilow-headed do 74 G
51 White-beilied Nuthatch. . .727 51a Slender-billed do . . .727a
52 Red- bellied do 728
53 Brown-headed do 729
54 Pigmy do 730
55 Brown Creeper 726
55a Mexican do 726a
56 Cactus Wren 713
57 Saint Lucas Cactus do 714
58 Rock do : 7i5
58a Guadalupe Rock do. . . 716
59 Mex. AVhite-throated do . . [717] 59a White-throated do 717a
60 Carolina do "718
60a Berlandier's do 718a
606 Florida do 718a
(1)
THE OOLOGIST.
61
ma
61b 63 63 63a 64 65 65a 66 67 67a 68 [69]
[70] 71 [72]
73
74
74a
75
76
77
78
79 80
8i 82
83 84 85
86
86a
87
88
89
89a
90
91
92
93
94 95 96 97
100
101
102
103
103a
104
105
106
107
i08
109
110
111
112
Bewick's do Y19
Cal. Bewick's do 719a
lexan Bewick's do 7196
Guadalupe do 720
House do 721
Western House do 721a
Socorro do
Winter do 722
Western Winter do 722a
Alaska do 723
Long-billed Marsh do 725
Tule do 725
Sliort-billed Marsh do 724
White Wagtail [694;
Swinhoe's do [695
Yellow do [696
American Titlark 697
European do [698]
Red throated Pipit 699
Sprague's Titlark 700
Biaclc-and-white Creeper.- 686
Small-billed do .636
Prothonotary Warbler 637
Swainson's do 638
Worm-eating do 639
Bachman sdo 640
Cincinnati do ?
Blue-winged Yellow do. . .641
Lawrence do ?
Golden-winged do 642
White-throated do '?
Lucy's do 643
Virginia's do 644
Nashville do 045
Calaveras do 645a
Orange-crowned do .. ..646
Lutescent do 646a
Tennessee do 647
Blue Yellow-backed do. . .648
Socorro do
Sennett's do 649
Cape May do 650
Carbonated do ?
Olive-headed do 651
Yellow do 652
Mangrove do 653
Black-throated Blue do . . . 654
Yellow-rump do 655
Audubon's do 656
Black-and-yellow do 657
Cerulean do 658
Chestnut-sided do 659
Bay-breasted do 660
Black-poll do 661
Blackburnian do 062
Yellow-throated do 663
W-browed Yel throated do. 663a
Grace's do 664
Black-throated Gray do. . .665
Golden-cheeked do 666
Black throated Green do . . 667
Townsend's do 668
Hermit do 669
Kirtland's do 670
Pine-creeping do 671
Blue Mountain do ?
113
113a
114
115
116
116a
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
123a
124
1^5
125a
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
139a
140
141
141a
Ulb
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
149a
U9b
150
151
152
152a
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
164a
Red-poll do 672
Yellow Red-poll do 672a
Prairie do 673
Golden-crowned Thrush. .674 Small-billed Water do. . . 675
Grinnell's Water do 675a.
Large-billed Water do. . . .676
Connecticut Warbler 678
Kentucky do 677
IMourning do 679
Macgillivray's do 680
Maryland Yellow-throat. .681
Western do 681a
Belding's do 682
Yellow -breast Chat 683
Long-tailed do 683a
Hooded Warbler 684
Black-capped Yellow do . . 685
Pileolated do 685a
Small-headed Flycatcher. . ? Can. Flycatching Warbler 686
American Redstart 687
Painted do 688
Red-bellied do [689]
Red-faced Warbler 690
Red do [691
Brasher's do [692
Bell's do [693;
Red-eyed Vireo 624
Yellow-green do 625
Black whiskered do [623]
Philadelphia do 626
Warbling do 627
Western Warbling do. . . .627
Yellow-throated do 628
Blue-headed do 629
Cassin's do .629a
Plumbeus do 629i
Black-capped do 630
White eyed do 631
Hutton's do 632
Stephen's do 632a
Bell's do 633
Least do 633a
Gray do 634
Great Northern Shrike. . . 621
Loggerhead do 622
White-rumped do 622a
Large-billed do
Northern Wax- wing. .... .618
Cedar do 619
Purple Martin 611
Cuban do
Cliff Swallow 613
Barn do 613
White-bellied do 614
Violet-green do 615
Bank do 616
Rough-winged do 617
Bahaman Honey Creeper. 635
Blue-headed Euphouia 606
Scarlet Tanager 608
Western do 607
Hepatic do 609
Summer Redbird 610
Cooper's Tanager 610a
(3)
THE OOLOGIST.
GLASS EYES.
FOR SALE BY
FRANK H. LATTIN,
ALBION, N. Y.
Please examine our prices before ordering elsewhere.
Elongated Pupils, 20 per cent, extra. Pish Eyes, - 10 " "
Special extra fine veined eyes at from 40 per cent, extra to double price. Write just what you want, and for what.
A small discount will be allowed on large orders.
These Prices are Uet Cash.
COLORED.
SIZES.
BLACK.
! |
Diam. |
|||||
Per |
Per 5 |
1 >T |
Per |
Per lo Per 50 |
||
Pair. |
Pair. |
" |
inch. |
Pair |
Pair. Pair. |
|
$0.02 |
$0.07 |
00 |
1-32 |
0.01 |
$0.02$0.07 |
|
.02 |
.07 |
0 |
2-32 |
.01 |
.02 .07 |
|
.02 |
.10 |
1 |
3-32 |
.01 |
.02; .10 |
|
.02 |
.10 |
2 |
4-32 |
.01 |
.02' .10 |
|
.03 |
.13 |
3 |
5-32 |
.01 |
.031 .13 |
|
.03 |
.13 |
4 |
6-32 |
.01 |
.03 .13 |
|
.04 |
.16 |
5 |
7-32 |
.01 |
.05 .20 |
|
.04 |
.17 |
! 6 |
8-32 |
.01 |
.05 .20 |
|
.04 |
.19 |
7 |
9-32 |
.01 |
.07 .33 |
|
.05 |
.20 |
8 |
10-32 |
.01 |
.07 .33 |
|
-06 |
.26 |
9 |
11-32 |
.02 |
.10 .46 |
|
.06 |
.27 |
10 |
13-32 |
.02 |
.10 .46 |
|
.08 |
.38 |
11 |
14-32 |
.02 |
.14; .66 |
|
.09 |
.40 |
12 |
15-32 |
.02 |
.14 .66 |
|
.12 |
.55 |
13 |
16-32 |
.02 |
.16 .77 |
|
.13 |
.60 |
1 14 |
17-32 |
.03 |
.19 .92 |
|
.14 |
.65 |
15 |
18-32 |
.03 |
.24 1.15 |
|
.15 |
.70 |
! 16 |
10-16 |
.04 |
.30 1.38 |
|
.17 |
.80 |
1 17 |
11-16 |
.05 |
.40 1.98 |
|
.18 |
.85 |
i 18 |
12-16 |
.05 |
.47 2.31 |
|
.20 |
.95 |
19 |
13-16 |
.07 |
.60 2.97 |
|
.21 |
1.00 |
20 |
14-16 |
.08 |
.67 3.30 |
|
.24 |
1.15 |
21 |
15-16 |
.09 |
.8O1 3.96 |
|
.25 |
1.25 |
22 |
1 |
.12 |
.94 |
4.62 |
.28 |
1.35 |
23 |
12-16 |
.13 |
1.07 |
5.28 |
.31 |
1.50 |
24 |
13-16 |
.14 |
1.20 |
5.94 |
.35 |
1.70 |
25 |
14-16 |
.15 |
1.33 |
6.60 |
.37 |
1.80 |
26 |
1 5-16 |
.18 |
1.47 |
7.26 |
.41 |
2.00 |
27 |
1 6-161 |
.20 |
1.75 |
8.25 |
.54 |
2.60N 28 |
1 1-2 '. |
.25 |
2.00 |
9.90 |
ALBION, N. Y.,
Breeder of Moaiel Java Fowls & Red Polled Cattle
Stock first-class. Write, enclosing stamp, for what you want. Eggs in season, S3 for 15, $5 for 30.
THE SECURITY
Mutual Benefit Society,
OK KEW YORK. 233 Broadway, - New Yotk.
President,
A. L. SOULARD.
See'}' and Treas.^
WM. D. CHANDLER.
Vice-Presidents,
E. A. QUINTARD, J. F. MORSE.
DIRECTORS, A. G. GOODALL,
President Am. Bank Note Co., Eew York. O. D. BALDWIN,
President Fourth National Bank, New York, R. CARMAN COMBES,
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President Citizens' Savings Bank, New York. WM. D. SNOW,
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Of Porter Bros. <fe Co., New York. ^VM. B. FULLER,
With H. B. Claflin & Co., New York, HENRY B. PIERCE,
Of Hutchinson, Pierce <5l Co., New York, E. D. WHEELER, M. D.,
-Medical Director, New York.
ONLY TWELVE ASSESSMENTS
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SPECIAL PRICES: A beautiful Paperknife, "Forget Me Not" design,
made of Tulip wood. Price, 5 cts. An elegant Match Bo.x, ivy leaf design, made of Span- ish Walnut and finely finished. Price, 15 cts. A beautiful Bracket, bird design, made of White
Holly. Price 20 cts. A cabinet sized. White Holly Photograph Frame, morning glory design. One of the most beautiful and ornamental designs made. Price, 50 cts. A very pretty Stereoscope View-holder, oak leaf de- sign. This is a delicate and attractive design and is universally admired. Price, $1.15. p^" Parties desiring anything in the scroll line will please write to us, stating what is desired, and we will gladly furnish estimates and the most desirable de- signs, woods, etc.
Among our specialties are Clock-cases, Flowerpot Holders, Window Decorations, Waste Baskets, Hand- kerchief and Glove Boxes, Easels and Panels for painting, Clock Shelves, and. in fact, everything in the wood-carving and bracket-sawing line.
REMEMBER, we can and will manufacture any- thing in our line, which ever was or ever will be made. Goods sent by express or mail free for the present. KANSAS BRACKETT FACTORY, Albert T. Johnson, Manager. HIAWATHA, Kans.
mmmi mokthli mmi
A Popular Journal of General Literature. The
JULY NUMBER, beginning a new volume. NOW
RE.ADY, contains :
Taken by Siege. XIV.-XVI.
The Old Refrain Kate Putnam Osgood.
Two Passions and a Cardinal Virtue. J. S. of Dai e.
A Parable. Louise Chandler Moulton.
The Loves of the Presidents. Frank G. Car- penter.
Aspiration. A. L. Carlton.
A Bachelor's Blunder. XXV.-XXVIII. W. E.
NOKRIS.
The Destruction of Love-Letters. Charlotte
FisKE Kates. Our Experience Meetings. VI.
My Literary Career. Henry Gr^ville. How I came to be a Writer of Books. Joaquin Miller. Our Monthly Gossip.
My Friends the Socialists. Craze or Culture? L. S. H.
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A Black Walnut Cabinet and Collecties of ninety- five varieties of first-class
AMERICAN BIRDS' EGGS !
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MARVELOUS PRICES I
B00KS;::MILLI0N
Conplett Novell and Other Works, by Fimout Author*. Almost Elven Away t
The following books are p'arilished io neat pamphlet form, mrtny of them haiidAoraely illustrated, aud all are printed from good type upon eood puper. They treat of a ^reat variety of Rubjects, and we think no one can ex- amine the list without finding therein many that he or Bho would like to possess. In cloth-bound form the^o books would cost 91.00 each. Each book is complete in itself.
The Widow Bedott Papers. This is the book over which your grandmothers laughed till they cried, and it is just as funny to-day as it ever was.
Grimm's Fairy Stories for the Touns- The fin^'St collection of fairy stories ever published. The child- ren will be delighted with t?hem.
The Lady of the Lake. By Sir 'Walter Scott. " The La^lyof the Lake** is a romance in verse, and of aU the works of Scott none is more beautiful than thi'.
Manual of Etiquette for Ladies and Gentlemen, a guide to politeness and good breeding, giving the rules ol modern etiquette frr nil occasions.
The* Standard Letter Writer for Ladies and Gentlemen, a complete guide to curresponden<^e, giving plain directions for the composition of letters of every kind, •with innumerable forms an,l examples.
Winter Evenlne Kecreationg, a large coUectioTi of Acting Charades, Tableaux, Games, Puzjles, etc., for social gatherings, private theatricals, and evenings at home ; illustrated.
DIaloKues, Keoltntion* and Readlns*, a lari^s and choice collectiou for school exhibitions and publio and pri\ ate enlertaiuments.
Parlor Muelc an.d Chemical Experiments. a book which tells how to perform hundreds of amusing tricks in magic and instructive experiments with simple ftgents.
The Home Cook Book and Family Physi* clan, containing hundreds of excellent cooking recipes and hints to hou-^ekeepe^s, also telling how to cure all com- mon ailments by simple home remedies.
Sixteen Complete Stories by Popular Authors embracing love, humorous and detective stories, stories 'f society life, of adventure, of railway life, etc., all very in- teresting. ,
Called Back. A Novel. By Hugh Conway, author of" Dark Davs.'etc.
At the VVorld's Mercy. A Novel. By Florence Warden, author of" The House on the Marsh," etc.
nark Days. A Novel. By Hugh Conway, author of " Called Bal:k. ' etc. '
The Mystery of the Holly Tree. A Novel. By the author of " Dora Thorae."
The Froaen Deep. A Novel. By Wilkle Collins, author of " The Woman in White," etc.
Ked Court Faring A Novel. By Mrs. Henry Wood, author of" East Lynne," etc.
Back to the Old Home. A Novel. By Mary Cecil Hav, author of " Hidden Perils." etc.
iohn Bowerbank's Wife, A Novel. Ey Mlsa Mulock, author of ' John Halifax, Gentleman," etc.
Anne. A Novel. By Mrs. Henry ■« oud, authoi of " East Lynne."
Amos Barten. A Novel. Bv George Eliot, author ot "Adam Bede," " The Mill on the Floss." etc.
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A NEW BLOW-PIPE !
We have just received a sample gross of a new style Blow-pipe, which, for blowing large eggs, we find the best ever introduced. This Blow-pipe is of the straight style, finely Nickel-plated, with a wooden enameled mouth-piece. To introduce, a sample will be sent you by return mail for 25 cts., or three samples for 70 cts. Secure samples at once.
Address,
FRANK H. LATTIN,
Albion, N. Y
THE 00 LOG I ST
THE NEW KEY TO
ITorth Axxiericaxi Birds,
Contains a concise account of every species of living and Fo>siI Bird at present known on the Continent north of the boundary line b.-tween Mexico and the Unittd States, inchiding Greenland.
SECOND EDITION, REVISED TO DATE AND ENTIRELY REWRITTEN,
WITH WHICH ARE INCOKPOKATED
GENERAl. ORNITHOLOGY— An outline of the structure and classifi- cation of Inrds ; and
FIELD ORNITHOLOGY— A manual of collecting, preparing and preserving birds.
By ELLIOTT COUES, M. A., M. D.. Ph. D., Member of the National Acalemy of Science, ic. PROF'USELV ILLUSTRATED. The original edition of this Standard Te.xt Book of Ornithology being entirely out of print, and still very much in demand, the publishers have .'-pared neither pains nor e.vpense in the preparation of " THE .NEW KEY," in which the whole subject is carefully brought down to date. Cone's '■ Key is to well known as a leading and wuthorative treatise to require remark, having for twelve years held its place as the standard work of Reference for Professional ' rnithologist, as well as for students and amateurs. For complete prospectus of this work see \'oir^G (Jologist Vol. I., No. i, page 12. T he work IS fully inde.xed with several thousand entries. Price complete in one stout volume.
Royal Octavo, Vellum Cloth, $10. Royal Octavo, Library Sheep, $1] .50.
Royal Octavo, Half Morocco, Extra, $13.50.
FRANK H. LATTIN. Albion, N. Y
OUR THIRTY-TWO PAGE
ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE,
COXT.MNS CO.MPLETE TRICE LI.ST OF
Minerals, Birds' Eggs, Sliells, Curiosities.
Naturalists', Taxidermists', Entoraol- ogists', and Oologists'
INSTRUMENTS (^iSUPPUES
OF ALL KINDS.
IT SHOWS El&HT STYES OF DATA BLANKS,
And Gives Over 30 Other Illustrations, WILL SEND IT, POST-PAID. FOR
or, if you will send us an order for anv thing we ad- vertise, amounting to 25 cents, and mention that you would like a copy, it will be sent you gratis. ."Address. FRANK H. LATTIN, Albion, N. Y,
MINERALS.
35 specimens j.vi for $i.oo from Pennsylvania and Maryland ; sect Post-paid ; printed labels ; name and locality ; no two alike. Price-list of 1 irge specimens fr -e. Send money by Registered letter.
IS VAC S KIRK, Fremont, Chester Co., Pa.
OOLOGIST'S ATTENTION.
1 will s^nd, pjst-paid, lo feet of first-class Rubber Tubing, with full directions for water blower, for 50 cents. This is the best blower for eggs^ and these p.'ices are cheapar than you can get it at your Drug Store. ( >rder at once. Send postal note.
FRED. M. DILLE, Greeley, OjIo.
^THE LIGHT RUNNING<®
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HAS NO EQUAL.
PERFECTS A TISF ACTION
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SHELL * AND * BANGLE * JEWELRY !
We will send any of the following by mail pre-paid, on receipt of price :
Alligator Tooth Veil Pir. — Single Tooth.
Alligator Tooth Veil Pin. Single tooth, in solid gold, $1.75. Alligator Tooth Veil Pin. Double tooth, solid
gold, $2.CKJ.
Alligator Tooth Veil Pin. Double tooth, with bangle, solid gold, $2.50.
Alligator Tooth Bangle, with Chain. Solid gold, $1.00.
Alligator Teeth Cuff Buttons. Solid gold, $2.50.
Alligator Teeth Sets. Single tooth pin and ear drops, solid gold, $4.0'-'.
Alligator Tooth Watch Charm. Solid gold, 75c.
Alligator Teeth Sets. Double tooth pin and .ar drops, solid gold, $4.50.
Red, Yellow, Gray or Brown Sea Bean Charm or Bangle. 15c.
Sea Bean Watch Charm.
Engra4%d with Masonic or Odd Fellows' emblem, 30C.
Bangle Bracelets. 2 alli- gator teeth :ind :; beans, 75c.
Red Sea Bean Scarf Pin,
Red Sea Bean Ear Drops,
60c. Sea Bean \Vatch Charm.
Set with s-8 inch metal dial compass, 75c. Sea Bean Watch Sea Bean Watch Charm.
Charm Set with Set with 'A inch paper dial Compass. compass, 50c.
Red, Gray, or Yellow Sea Bean Charm. Set with l^ inch compass, 50c.
Red Sea Bean Sets. (Brooch and ear drops ) Brooch mounted with elegantly chased rolled plate bands, $1 .25.
BANGLE LACE PINS.
Bangle Lace Pin, Like cut, 50c. ^^~Can furnish all shells or all beans at 50c. Alligator Teeth. Capped, solid gold, $3.25. Alligator Teeth. Uncapped, $1.00.
BANGLE BRACELETS.
Bangle Bracelets. Similar to cut, 5 bangles, 50c. " All beans, 50c.
Si.x bangles, 75c. Alligator Teeth. Five bangles, $1.00. " " Six bangles, $1.25.
SCARF PINS.
Red Bean. 25c.
Alligator Tooth.
Hanging, uncapped, 50c.
Alligator Tooth.
Hanging, capped, solid gold, $1.00.
Alligator Tooth.
Hanging, capped, solid
fold, powder horn style, 1.25.
Alligator Claw.
Gold, $1.25.
Miscellaneous.
Alligator Tooth Ear Drops. Solid gold, $2.
Alligator Tooth Ear Drops. Uncapped, 75c.
Sea Bean Watch Charm. Highly polished, with any initial that you may order handsomely engraved thereon, post- paid for 30c.
Address,
FRANK H. LATTIN,
Albion, N. Y.
I
Ki(lil3l. <
Tn_-R/r^^+i,i„ e^6fc)^^ 50c. per Year. "^
Bi-Monthly.
UlJ
Vol. III. ALBION, N. Y., SEPT. TO NOV., 1886. No. 5.
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THE OOLOGIST
3D ^ft- V I E ' S
EGG CHECK LIST
AND KEY TO THE NESTS AND EGGS
OF
iVORTH AMERICAN BIRDS.
SECOND EDITION ; Revised and Enlarged.
Illustrated Witli Seven Full Page Engravings,
Hy Theodore Jasjier, A. M., M. JD.
This work has become indispensable to all students of Oology ; assisting them in identifying Nests and Eggs while in the field, and has taken the place of those expensive works, usually beyond the reach of many collectors. The New Edition contains
FULL AND ACCURATE DESCRIPTIONS
of all the Nests and Eggs of the Land and Water Birds of North America known to date, togethei with the breeding range and habitat t>f the species and ornith- ological synonyms. It cimtains in the neighborhood of 200 pages and is bound in heavy antique, -.nted papei.
PRICE, BY MAIL, $1.00.
Address all orders to
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-A-iLBioiT, 2sr_ -5r.
identification"!
During the past few years we have cheerfully at- tempted to
IDENTIFY ALL SPECIMENS
our friends have sent us, and this without remunera- tion ; but owing to the fact that we are now receiving packages by the dozen for this purpose, and that our time is more than occupied with our regular business, in the future we shall be obliged to charge our friends in addition to return postage the following
E,^^TES =
Single or first Specimen, - 10 (5ts.
Second to tenth Specimen, - 3 (5ts. each. Eleventh Specimen and over, - 2 (5ts. "
The above rates for identifying we think very rea- sonable. We have spent several years in handling and studying specimens of various kinds, and have on hand a very large stock with which comparisons can be made. We also have the leading works to use as reference. The advantage of having specimens properly identified is invaluable to collectors. Address,
FRANK H. LATTIN, Albion, N. Y.
THE
CONTAINS
86 Pages of Valualsle Information.
It gives our regular price list of oological specimens and supplies (the most complete ever sent out by any dealer). It gives :he common and scientific names of all North American birds, arranged and numbered according to Ridgeway s (the Smithsonian) nomencla- ture of 1881 ; it gives the numbers used in Baird's check-list of i8sg and those used in Coue's of 1883 ; it gives the value of the eggs of over 500 species of North American birds, this fact alone making the catalogue invaluable to collectors as a basis of ex- change. It names the various families into which the birds of North America are divided, and enumerates the birds belonging to each family. It gives, approx- imately, the number of eggs in a clutch of every American bird. It tells how to prepare specimens for cabinet, how to pack them for transportaflon, with many other useful hints. A copy of our new hand- book and catalogue will be sent postpaid for
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ADDRESS
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The Oologists' Directory
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THE OOLOGIST.
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Two targets made with one of our 22 calibre rifles, twenty consecutive shots at sixty feet, after fifty shots had already been tire'l and no cleaning during the entire seventy phots. These guns carry off nearly all the prizes at target matches because Ihey are always accurate and reliable.
^THE LIGHT RUNNING^^
OUR THIRTY-TWO PAGE
ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE,
CONT.AINS COMPLETE PRICE LI.ST OF
Minerals, Birds' Eggs, Sliells, Curiosities.
Naturalists', Taxidermists', Entomol- ogists', and Oologists'
INSTRUMENTS ^SUPPLIES
OF ALL KINDS.
IT SHOWS El&HT STYES OF DATA BLANKS,
And Gives Over 30 Other Illustrations, WILL SEXD IT, POST-PAID, FOR
or, if you will send us an order for any thing we ad- vertise, amounting to 2p cents, and mention that you would like a copy, it will be sent you g;ratis. Address. FRANK H. LATTIN. Albion, N. Y,
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forced Breech, addiag to strength audenabliD^you to shoot Aeat'j/ charges without jarring the barrels. Uses best and most convenient shells. Centre Are. Mauy are prevented from using a breech- loader by the expense of the aniiaunitioQ. hut we are enabled to otTer paper shells to our imstomers for only 60c. per hundred. These shells can be reloaded twice and hruH<4 rtliellH can be used over
""ereL' OUR SPLENDID COMPLETE OUTFIT ONLY $22.75. **^^^!r^::^t
loadtne <'Un and the following' necessary -Aud lalnahle outfit s.-ni foronly l|i!d2.75: Our l»eerU'ss Outfit Tncludiu- (iunj rousist^ of 1 Fine Aftli, KruHM-Jolnted Clcaiiinic Kod, viih rnmpfet*' instruments : \ Autumutic <'luMin|; Oiinpcr lor Paper Shell- ; 1 Capper and Decuppcr f'>r K-luadiiii; hrirs'^ t>r />n/>er s/iells : 1 Powder und Shot Guuirc tni •trru,-,iiihi i'i'<"^iirinif churqes : 1 Shell P:xtrHctor: I'ompUtc In-trnctionw hu\^^- u> Imid to shoot hard or to m>tl;e s/ittt srntter—iu all, i v.r\ r)iiiii; nei'deil for reloading aud eleauiu>; thi- handHonie tfun 'will send tliis s>-t alone if ordered sepnrateh fur ^1.75); 12 Heavy XX Bra»tH Shell**, can he easily rt-lnaded KM) limes, makin- (he aniniiiiiili.>ti as cheap us for a. muzzle -titudtr (prirr aluue 75c.); 1 Kox Ue- loadinic Primers ; 1 Waterproof Gun Caf*e (priee :ilniie $1.00); 1 Ituif-Webhed (artrldire Belt with Strapn (price aloue 75c. » ; 1 Canva* Hunter'^ Coat. //(//*( aud neurty waterproof, compl tr with curtridijf ami unrnf-purkets. Nu -pnrts- should be withuui one ..f thrs.-. (Prh-t- nf this alone $3,
ONE MILE SIGNAL WHISTLE
The loudest and most plerclnsiT shrill
whistle of its size made. Van be heard up to one mile. The exact size of r. 50 calibre U. ^. Government Rifle C'-irtrldBe. Made ot bur- nished i)»ra»s with nlel^cl bullet, invaluable as a sii^nal for teamnters, farmero. sportsmen and all who «i^U to
attracrattentionat a long di>tan< Call your
little- novelty that every one who OS It nants it. Tou should have __. To introduce our full, expensive, and ln> terestlnff catalogue <>r Kuns, knives, novelties^ and useful articles, we will send thia stle and catalogue by mail, post- paid, for only 25 cents in stamps.
man should be without ..ne ..f tlies.-. (Price of this alone 1(13.75.) I ^ ■ ■
THE PEERLESS DOUBLE-BARRELED, BREECH-LOADING SHOT GUN
»nd this splendid, lull, and complete sportsman's outOt' sentto any address on receipt of #82.75. Sent by express
t\ O. O. w'ilh tirivileKc of examination on ri'ceipt of l|il .00 advance payment, balance to he paid « represented. Twelve extra brass shells iciven If Cash is sent with the order. Order
^c^sRENNIE& ALISON MFG. CO. 72IFILBERTSL PHILADELPHIA PA.
"THE ^JLUXi."
A Quarterly Journal of Ornithology. $3.00 a year. 75 cents a single number. Published for The American Ornithologists' Uiiioii. J, A. Allen, Edi- tor. Associate Editors: Elliott Coues, Robert Kidg- w.iy, William Brewster Montague Chamberlain.
The "AUK" will present, as herefore, timely and interesting papers on the subject tn which it relates, and its readers may feel sure of being kept abreast of the advances in the science. The "AUK" is pri- marily intended as a communication between ornitho- logists. While necessarily to some degree technical, it contains a fair proportion of matter of a popular character. Its notices of recent literature cover the whole field of North American Ornithology, and with the departments of "General Notes" and "Notes and News" render the journal indispensable to those wish- ing the latest and fullest intelligence of the subject.
L. S FOSTER, Publisher, 35 Pine St., New York.
PETRIFIED KELP !
SPECIMENS. Each 25 cts. JAMES W. JONES, - Port Townsend, W. 1'.
INCOMPARABLE !
These pens were lirst manufactured in small lots for our own and our students' use only. Becoming knowrk among good v, riters, the demand for them has rapidly increased, until, at present, we send through the mails postage paid, to all parts of the United States andl Canada, 07'er 16,000 sinull /ioass a year .' They are- • the smoothest running, the most elastic, and the most durable ■^teel pens ever put fin the market.
Put up in handsome quarter-gross boxes. , 40 cts. for single bo.\", post-paid, or /our boxes /or $1.25. In boxes of one gross each, $1.00 per box. Special Dis- counts on larger quantities to booksellers and writing teachers. Postage stamps received. No free samples, and no sales made of less quantity than one quarter gross bo.v.
Address, G. A. GASKELL & CO., 79 Wabash Ave., Chicago.
THK UOLOGIST.
AUSTRALIAN
BIRDS' EGGS.
Rare ! Cheap ! Haiidsouie !
Send stamp for new catalogue of Amer- ican and Australian Birds' Eggs, for sale bj''
S. W. & W. D. DENTON,
Wellsley, Mass.
$50 PTT77T r 150 Scrap Picturo i Motto>. i Prize rUZlZlLll Finger Ring, i Prize Puzzle & Sample Book of Visiting Cards 5c. A. M. EDDY. Albion, N. Y.
ELECTRIC BELLS.
The C. A. TEMPLETON C:0., Plymouth' Conn., ■will send to any address in the United States on receipt of price, an elegant Nickle Plated Box Bell, with Lechanche Disqiie Battery, Mahogany Push Button, and all wires, &c., for putting the same in operation. The price of the full outfit is $3.00. Bell alone with directions for making a battery $1.50, All other styles of bells on hand, also Learners Telegraph Instuments, and all electrical supplies. Write for prices of anything you want.
FOR SALE.
A large collection of first-class birds e3gs in sets, with data, at 25 per cent, le^s than list prices.
W. R, GRAY.
Albion, N. Y.
BII^nDS EO-O-'S.
Send ior reduced price-list. 1 have a number of both Nos 636 and 688 that I will sell for 5c:, .1 piece, or 55 cents per do». Address.
I,. M. SPAULDING.
Albion, N. Y.
I^OI^ S-^XjE].
A collection of about five hundred stamps, including some very choice Ceylon & India stamps, arranged in one of Scotts cloth-bound .-.tamp books. And also a number of Ceylon shells. Address.
CHAS. S. HASTINGS,
P. O. Bo.x 5O9. Hartford, Conn.
For Sale or Exchange.
One new Breech loading, double barrel shot gun, twist barrels, top snap, back action locks, rebounding hammers, oiled walnut stock, pistol grip, checkered ;grip, and fore end engraved loading tools, and 50 paper shells for $20.00, or will exchange for good sets of Birds' Eggs. H. W. DAVIS,
North Granville, N. Y.
o
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THE OOLOGIST.
SHELL * AND * BANGLE * JEWELRY !
We will send any of the following by mail pre-paid, on receipt of price :
Alligator Tooth Veil Pin — Single Tooth. Alligator Tooth Veil Pin. Single tooth, in solid gold, $1.50.
Alligator Tooth Veil Pin. Double tooth, solid gold, $2.00.
Alligator Tooth Veil Pin. Double tooth, with bangle, solid gold, $2.50.
Alligator Tooth Bangle, with Chain. Solid i^old, $1.00. Alligator Teeth Cuff Buttons. Solid gold, $2.00. Alligator Teeth Sets. Single tooth pin and ear drops, solid gold, $.1.0^. Alligator Tooth Watch Charm. Solid gold, 75c. Alligator Teeth Sets. Double tooth pin and _ar drops, solid gold, $4.50.
Red, Yellow, Gray or Brown Sea Bean Charm or Bangle. loc.
We can also furnish 10 different varieties of shell bangles at same price. Alligator Teeth Bangles, uncappad, 25c.
Sea Bean Watch Charm. Engraved with Masonic or Odd Fellows' emblem, 30c.
Bangle Bracelets. 2 alli- gator teeth :ind :; beans, ysc Red Sea Bean Scarf Pin, 25c.
Red Sea Bean Ear Drops, 60c.
Sea Bean Watch Charm. Set with 5-8 inch metal dial compass, 75c.
Sea Bean Watch Charm. Set with 1/2 inch paper dial compass, 50c Red, Gray, or Yellow Sea Bean Charm. Set with l{ inch compass, 50c.
Red Sea Bean Sets. (Brooch and ear drops.) Brooch mounted with elegantly ch.ised rolled plate bands, $i.2s.
Sea Bean Watch Charm Set with Compass.
BANGLE LACE PINS.
Bangle Lace Pin, Like cut, 50c. Jc^~Can furnish all shells or all beans at 50c. Alligator Teeth. Capped, solid gold, $3.25. Alligator Teeth. Uncapped, $1.00.
BANGLE BRACELETS.
Bangle Bracelets. Similar to cut, 5 bangles, 50c.
" " All beans, 50c.
" " Si.v bangles, 75c.
Alligator Teeth. Five bangles, $1.00. " " Six bangles, $1.25.
SCARF PINS.
Red Bean. 20c.
Alligator Tooth.
Hanging, uncapped, 50c.
Alligator Tooth.
Hanging, capped, solid gold, $1.00.
Alligator Tooth.
Hanging, capped, solid gold, powder horn style,
I1.25.
Alligator Claw.
Gold, $1.25.
Miscellaneous.
Alligator Tooth Ear Drops. Solid gold, $2.
Alligator Tooth Ear Drops. Uncapped, 75c.
Sea Bean Watch Charm. Highly polished, with any initial that you may order handsomely engraved thereon, post- paid for 30c.
Address,
FRANK H. LATTIN,
Albion, N. Y.
25 per cent, discount from the above prices until March 1st.
THE OOLOGIST.
Vol. 3, No 5. ALBION, N. Y., SEPT. TO NOV., 1886. > b-mon,„.v.
) soc. Per Year.
A Day With a Young Collector on Long Island.
Every Saturday last spring, when I was at St. Paul's school, Garden City, my chum and I were in the habit of going on a walk for the purpose of collecting eggs, and usu- alty had the most miserable luck. For in- stjmce, once, after walking the whole morn- ing, we came back with only two Red and Buff-shouldered Blackbird's eggs. The last day we were at school we determined to go out in a new direction from the way we usually went. After walking about tw^o miles we came to a farm-house with a small orchard attaclied- Going up to the nouse we asked permission to walk through the (we don't generally do this, but it wa.s so near the house that we thought it best to), and they gave it to us readily. We began at once to look for nests, only finding a few, wliich proved to be old ones. We were about to go when I saw a Baltimore Oriole, and looking around discovered its nest in the top of a small pear tree. ^ly ehum volunteered to climb for it. When he got about half way up the old birds commenced to halloo " bloody murder I" and A\e felt badly to take their nest , 1 »ut we could not help ourselves. My chum found it rather hard work to get at the nest, for the tree was small and bent under his weight toward the top. He was afraid that it would break ; however, he managed to get it down. On looking in we .saw four eggs of a light gray color', streaked and blotched with dark purple or black, chief- ly at the larger end. They were perfectly fresh and were the first Oriole's eggs I had found, for I had not been collecting long. The nest was made of grass, woolen and threads, was the shape of a bag, about six inches long and larger at the bottom than at the top where there was an opening for the bird to ifo in.
When the Oriole's nest was being climbed for a pair of Kingbirds made such a noise in tlie next tree that I thought they must have a nest there, so I climbed into the tree and found that my conjecture was right ; there were three fresh eggs in it.
After this we walked on till we came to some woods. Entering them, we walked aliout a mile before we found anything ex- cept a Catbird's nest then I sat down and took a rest while my chum walked on. I soon heard him calling to me, so I got up and ran to him and he showed me a nest in a low bush with the bird sitting on it; when we came near I saw that it was a Wood Thrush, and it allowed us to get very close before it left its nest, and then it did not seem much fi'ightened. The eggs were three in numl)er, of Robin egg blue and slightly smaller than the eggs of that bird. One of them was perfectly fresh, but the other two were almost hatched, so that we could not blow them till we got home.
We continued our walk till we were out of the woods, and after walking a short distance we came in sight of the same cot- tage where we found the Oriole's eggs. This rather surprised uf , as we thought we had come out on the other side of the woods, l)ut instead of that we came out not two hundred yards from the point we en- tered, showing us that we had made a c(mi- plete cii'cuit in the woods without our knowing it. •
On our way back a Country boy sto]tped us and asked us what luck we had. He said he knew where a Flicker's nest was, and also the nest of a bird whose name he did not know. When we came to it the bird flew off so quickly that I could not see plainly what it was, but I think that its back was brown and its breast white, and was about the size of a sparrow. The nest was situated on the ground among a lot of dried leaves ; it was about six inches high
54
THE OOLOGIST.
and four broad, with a hole in one side. The eggs, five in number, white spotted with reddish-brown. [Your bird was the Golden-crowned Tliush, or "Oven Bird," as it is commonly called. — Ed.] He then showed us the Flicker's nest, which Wiis situated in the top of a dead stump about fifteen feet high. The eggs were pure white and verj^ glossy, as all Woodpeckers' eggs are, and so transparent as to be pink before being blown.
When we had finished blowing them we started for the school, but before we had walked ten feet we came upon another Wood Thrushes nest with three eggs the same as the other, and so nearly hatched as to be nearly impossible to blow them. After this we made our way back as soon as possible. B. W. Leigh,
New York.
Let Young Oologists Collect Single Eggs.
Editor Oologist :
As the last numbers of The Oologist and also of the Natxiudists' Coiiqmnion have contained articles in which the writers make it appear that all those who collect single eggs do so, not from a love of study, but from the desire to " shoAv off," allow me to say a few words of defense through your valuable paper.
There may be advantages gained by col- lecting in sets, it is true, but I think that many oologists witl stand 1)y me when I say that as much can be learned from a collection of single eggs, properly kept, as there can from a collection composed of sets. The wa.y I do is to take the egg and fill out a data blank the' same as if I had taken the set. An egg register may also be k6pt, but if the data blank is properly kept there is no need for the register. In this way one can learn as much from a single Q^^ as he can from a set, and is thus saved the additional trouble retfuired to ob- tain the set.
Collecting single eggs has the advantage of being the more humane way. notwith- standing what Mr. Selover says to the con- trary in the last number of the Naturalists'
Companion. As ocilogists are generallj' ac- companied by one or two of their friends on collecting trips, it will be seen that one nest of eggs would often satisfy all if they collected single eggs, while two or three nests would have to be robbed if they col- lected in sets. It is bad enough that the birds should suffer at all, and if we can learn as mucli from a single agg as we can from a set, let us by all means collect single eggs.
Those who collect eggs simply as curi- osities would do mankind and the birds a favor b}' turning their attention to stamps, tags or something else that would cause no suffering to any kind of harmless or bene- ficial creatures. If such persons cannot be made to desist by gentle means, laws should be enacted by which they can be punished.
As I am, in all senses of the word, a "young oologist." I should be pleased to know if there are any of the older ones who endorse m^' plans. If .so, let us hear from theiii through The Ooi-ogist. Yours fraternally,
F. M. Pattekson, Fort Madison, la.
The Chimney Siftw.
Although this bird is so common that you may see it .idmost an}' time in the day during its staj' here, yet I have noticed that it is very seldom I see anything pertaining t(j it or its hal)its in any of tlie niagaziues I take.
It arrives here in the latter part of April and departs about the middle of October. It seeks its prey of insects mostlj- in dark and cloudy weather, or in early morning and the latter part of the afternoon, some- times feeding its young until quite late in the night. When .seeking its prey it gen- erally flies close to the ground.
Its nest is a neat basket-shaped structure composed of twigs of nearly uniform size woven together in the form of a half circle, making on the whole a most peculiar and remarkable structure. In selecting twigs for the formation of its nest it prefers the ends of living branches, usually of the elm
THE OOLOGIST.
55
lee. which it breaks off at tlie desired place aud gathers with great adroitness and skill while on the wing. This is a fact agreed to by all who have ever watched the Swifts at work constructing their nests.
By means of an adhesive saliva secreted by the bird in the back of its head, aud which it can eject at leisure, each twig is securely fastened to its fellows, and l)y the same cement the whole structure is fast- ened to the side of the chimney in which it is built. As this saliva dries it hardens ' into a tough glue-like substance, so firm that in separating the nest from the chim- ney I have known of the bricks to which it Avas fastened part .sooner than it ; but when inoistened by heavy and long-continued rains this cement becomes softened and the weight of the contents of the nest will sometimes cause it to give way from the .side of the chimney and the whole is (lashed to the bottom. Sometimes vast nimibers of eggs are destroyed in this man ner. The young leave the nest several days before they can fly and cling to the top of the chimney, where they are cared for by their parents.
T he eggs are from four to six in number, somewhat elliptical in form, though more acute at one end than at the other. In color they are pure crystalline white and vary but little in size and shape, and meas- ure alxmt .75 in. in length by .50 in. in breadth. W. H. Foote,
Pittsfield, Mass.
A Day "With the Loons.
About six miles from Hermon lies a beautiful sheet of water three miles long by one and one-half wide. The water is clear and numerous islands dot the surface of the lake. This to the young oologist is a fer- tile tield for cultivation, as a goodly num- l)er of water fowls breed here, and also of land fowls. June 12 myself and another (collector visited this resort to .seek a day of recreation and also add some specimens to our cabinels.
We took a skiff aud were soon enjoying the bracing jur, at -the same time carefully watching for anvthing like a bird's nest.
We had not gone far before a Kingbird's nest was spied, but that was not what was wanted. We traversed the lake until Ship Island was reached, and there my two large treasures were found.
The birds are considcied the hardest to shoot of any that inhabit the Adirondack forest and their nests are rare to be found. Only two pair inhabit this inland sea, and but cone before has their nesting place been found before hatching.
The nest was about three feet from the water's edge and the eggs laid upon the bare sand. No sticks or other substance was made around it ; onh' the sunken earth ' would indicate their nesting place.
The eggs measured 3.80 by 2.25 and 3.55 by 2.30. Only two eggs were found and in these incubation wa.s far advanced, but a re.sort to an ant hill soon cleaned ihem of their contents.
The eggs were of a dark olivaceous drab — very dark, with darker .spots over the en- tire surface of the eggs ;_ these an; quite pointed at the smaller end and upon expo- sure to the light .soon fade.
I have also this season procured a ver}' fine set of Ring-billed Gulls, and also found the found the eyrie of the Bald Eagle. But as this is my second year collecting I will be sure next time to visit the home of this bird in season, for when I found the nest on the 2d of April young eagles gi-eeted me. Edson a. McMillak, Hermon, N. Y.
Brown-headed Nuthatches ; Spotted Eggs of Indigo Bunting.
Have taken a nice clutch of the Brown- headed Nuthatch. In your hand book j^ou price the egg at 50c. Is that the usual price '? Of all dealers whose catalogues I have, I know of no one who catalogues the
egg- Have taken a set of eggs of No. 24S, In- digo Bunting. One egg was perfectly white, while two were very distinctly s])ot- ted ; the white egg was the first laid. Have found many nests of this species, but never saw one's egg spotted before. Have you known of a similar instance ?
R. B. McL., Statesville, N. C.
56
THE OOLOGIST.
JH^^OLOGIST^
EDITED AND PUBLISHED BI-MONTHLY
FRANK H. LATTIN, - ALBION, N. Y.
Correspondence and items of interest to the student ot Kirds, their Nests and Isggs, solicited from all.
Terms of Subscription.
Single Subscription, - . 50c per Annum.
Sample Copies, - . . .go each.
The above rates include postage and premium.
Terms of Advertising;,
Single insertions, 10 cents a line, nonpareil.
V- ,. i '™^- 3 times. 6 times.
F'vehnes $ .50 $ ,-.35 | ^^
0"^l"'=^ I.OO 2.50 4.00
f^"=olu"in 3.50 8.75 1400
%, 6.50 i6.2s 26.00
O"^ p^ge ; I2-00 31.25 5000
Advertisements under five lines charged one line extra. Yearly advertisements payable quarterly in advance.
Special discounts can sometimes given on advertise- ments. Send copy for estimate.
Remittances should be made by draft on New York ; money order or postal note payable at Albion t:; ,] ■• ■■egistered letter, or by the American, U. S., or Wells & Fargo Express Co. Money Order. Unused U. S. postage stamps of any denomination vv-ill be accepted for sums under one dollar. Make money orders and drafts payable and address all subscrip- tions and communications to,
FRANK H. LATTIN. Albion, Orleans Co., N. Y.
Entered at the Post Office at Albion, N. Y., as sec- ond-class mail matter.
JOTTINGS.
All copy for next issue mu.?t be in by Dec. lOth.
Advertisers will please note our low rates. Our guaranteed circulation for 1887 will be 25,000 copies.
December OoLOGTST will be sent free to all new subscribers sending in their sub- scriptions before Jan. 1st.
Our terms of subscription have been placed so low that we can allow our friends only tive cents each for the new subscribers they send us.
Copy for January and February issue of The Oologist should be in by Dec. 15th. This number will have a very large circu- lation, and it will pay any wide-awake dealer to have his advertisement therein.
The Oologist for 1887 and one exchange notice therein for 35 cents. The same with the Oologists' Hand Book. 27 cents. Or to any person sending us an order of $1.00 or over for anything we advertise we will send the same free.
Our paid subscription list for 1886 num- bered about 1,200. We expect at least 1,000 of these to renew for 1887, and owing to our reduced subscription rates and four liberal offers, it would be an easy matter for each of these old subscribers to send in two new ones with their renewal. This would give The 0()logist 3,000 paid subscribers, and when this number is attained it wall make its visits monthly instead of bi- monthly.
In regard to our display at the Chicago Exposition we clip the following from the Chicago Telegram of Sept. 34th : " The- display of curiosities by the well-known Frank H. Lattin, of Albion, Orleans county, N. Y., attracted a very large number a very large number of sight-seers this year. Among his stock almost every kind of birds' eggs, minerals, shells, natural his- tory and geological specimens were observ- able, his ' little brown jug ' stand coming in for a fair share of amusing comment. It being Mr. Lattin's intention to close out his specimen department, those who take espe- cial interest in such would certainly find this an excellent opportunity to fill up any gaps in their lists at a very trifling cost.
In order to devote more of our time lo Oology and to be able to spend at least one day in the field during the season (this we have been unable to do during the past three years), we have decided to closje out everything we have in stock, except Oolog- ical specimens and supplies, at less than wholesale prices. Should any of our many readers wish to start iu the business we can sell them a good stock for less money than the same could be collected. Or the right parties could more than doul)le their money during 1887 by obtaining our entire stock. We could take part of our pay in desirable real estate or a good printing office oulfit. Collectors will do well to make their selec- tions early if we offer anything they can use.
THE OOLOGIST.
57
Bird Notes of an Illinois Collector.
Below is an accimnt of my bird notes for two days this spring :
April 8 — Last night the wind changed from north to west. This morning it was south. We had quite a heavy frost last night and this morning at 8 o'clock the temperature was at 35 ° , at noon at 56°,. and at 3:30 it was 10° higher and rising all the time. I wsvs almost certain that this weather would bring a bird wave, nor was I mistaken, for on the next morning I heard a great commotion and some lively singing and went out for a walk through the woods as quick as I could, for I had to leave town at 7:45 a. m. and wanted to see all I could before that time. Among the hundreds of new arrivals were quite a number of Yellow-shafted Flickers, the first arrival in any numbers of this bird ; 50 or more Hermit Thrushes, 3 Yellow- bellied Woodpeckers, besides 3 or 3 other large Woodpeckers to wijich I could not get near enough to obtain a description. I have since thought they were the Hairy. Large numbers (of Robins and Fox Spar- rows accompanied the wave, wnth a fair sprinkling of Brown Creepers and Phoebes and hundreds of Black Snowbirds or Juncos, which latter were all over the woods — in the trees, in the bushes, on the ground, everywhere. Song Sparrows, Bluebirds, Kinglets, Blue Jays, Nuthatches, Crows and Winter Wrens all sent more or less representatives to the conference. Saw .several flocks of ducks and one of geese, and in passing over a wet place in the prai- rie near the woods I got up a flock of 20 or more noisy Killdeer and a small flock of 7 or 8 Pectoral Sandpipers or Grass Snipe. The woods and prairies were actually ring- ing wiih bird melody this morning, the latter furnishing the songs of the Meadow and Shore Larks ! Slightly warm this morn- ing, with sun shining brightly.
The next morning, having reached my destination mentioned above, I paid a visit to the swamps of the place to see what bird life I could discover. I was rewarded for my search by making a large bag of Pec-
toral Sandpipers, two Passenger Pigeons, which I got out of a flock that flew over about a " mile " high, four Jack Snipe, of which I saw seven. Saw large numbers of ducks and geese, but as I had become an " anti-spring .shootist " iuthe duck line, I did not kill any, although I had abundant chances to do so. This is my last spring shooting of game of any kind, however, as I have at last been converted. I was, at the opening of the sea.son, requested by a sportsman friend to examine the birds I killed. The result is that I found a major- ity of the birds I killed were females, most of which contained eggs of various sizes, varying fn the different species, and always one or more rather large eggs. In the case of 15 Rail I killed on the 16th I found in 8 females eggs nearly ready to be expelled from the body, and in one case .several pel- lets struck and broke an egg which would have been laid in two or three minutes, it having already a shell covering. The bird would not get up for quite a while, but my dog insisted on it, with the above result. On May 1st I shot a female off a nest of 11 eggs and saw several other full nests. I have enough opportunities to shoot in the fall, so good-bye to .spring game shooting, for I shall have no more of it.
G. B. H., Suburb of Chicago.
A Plucky Wood Pewee; Long-billed Marsh Wrens.
In the spring of '85 I found the nest of a Wood Pewee, and on the 17th of June there were three eggs in it. I took the eggs and nest. Not long after I saw the bird flying around where the old nest was, so I watched her and saw her take a little of the wool that was left and fly with it to where she was making a new nest. This nest was soon completed, but she had not built it strong enough, for it tipped before she had laid any eggs. She carried this nest away and again built another nest, which was somewhat better than the last, as she laid one egg in it. It also began to tip and the next day when I returned there was just
58
THE OOLOGIST.
one egg in it. I thought it strange, so I looked on the ground under the nest and found one broken egg. The next day (1st of July) I went and saw only one egg in the nest, and after searching awhile on the ground found a broken one. I took the one good egg out, as I was afraid it would share the same fate as the other two. Not discouraged at her poor success, the poor little bird set to work and carried this nest away and built another just where the tirst one was. She built it strong and laid two eggs in it, which she hatched and reared the young birds.
In an article in the last number of The OoLOGiST I noticed that a party stated that he knew of a pair of Long-billed Marsh Wrens which built several nests. I have seen several descriptions of the nesting habits of this species, but never before heard anyone mention their making a num- ber of nests.
The first time that I looked for their nests was on the 12th of last June. I dis- covered three nests and I thought that if I got their eggs they would do me. In a week I and my friend went back. There were no eggs in these nests and out of about twenty more we found only three contain- ing eggs. The nests which they did not use were only shells, and not lined. One pair of birds would have four or five nests, never more than twenty feet apart, and sometimes only five or six. The birds woidd fly to the empty nests. Should like to know their object in constructing so many nests. V. B. C,
Port Hope, Ont.
Marsh Wrens.
On June 11th of the past year, desiring to obtain a series of the eggs of the Long- billed Marsh Wren, I visited a swamp a few miles north of the Pennsylvania line and near the Delaware river. A previous visit ilisc(jvered the birds in moderate abundance, but the reeds only just started to grow and no completed nests. A few were seen in vaiious stages of completion. The reeds at the time of my last visit were
from four to six feet high and navigation among them was quite laborious, the ground being fiooded at high tide, leaving a soft footing. The day was extremely warm, which detracted much from the pleasure of the enterprise. After an hour or more of collecting I secured eight or ten sets of eggs, from three to five in a set — the former incomplete, the latter usually if not always a full set, as incubation in most cases was advanced. After packing- the eggs I determined to secure two or three nests with eggs, so after a short search found what was required and packed them in the wagon without examination other than to insert a finger to make sure they contained one or more eggs. Upon arriv- ing home, what was my surprise to dis- cover that one of these nests contained three eggs undoubtedly of the short-billed species. They were clear white and very fragile. The birds were not seen, nor was anything peculiar noted in the construction of the nest.
I returned ten days later to the same locality, hoping to secure the remainder of the same or to get another set of this spe- cies, but a diligent senrcli failed to discover them.
I noted about three empty nests for every one that was occupied, which is, I believe, about the usual average. The unoccupied nests were more conspicuously placed in the reeds, the opening always prominent, and the nests were, moreover, unlined with the soft material. In all of which they dif- fered from the egg-containing nests, which were lined or Jioored with a soft mat or bed of fine' grass, e^c., which usually so com- pletely filled the entrance as to make it dif- ficult to discover. Iii almost every case this peculiarity was sutftcient to determine which were the unoccupied nests and which contained eggs. My inference is that the extra nests are built either for a roosting place for the males and yonng after leaving the home nest or for the better conceal- ment of the real nest from marauding ver- min, or for both purposes.
" Ortyx," Kennett Square, Pa.
THE OOLOGIST.
59
Notes from Red Wing, Minn.
On April 24lh tliis )^ear noticed a Robin building her nest in an apple tree, and on the 29tli found the first House Phoebe's nest containing five eggs. The next find was on Mil J 7th — a set of five eggs of the Field Sparrow and asetof five Lark Finch, both fresh ; also a set of six White-rumped Shrike, incubation well advanced ; on May 11th, a set of four Blue Jay's, and on the 14th a set of twelve Ruffed Grouse. I took three of the eggs, incubated slightly. I sat down not two feet from the nest and watched the female to see what she would do. She did not seem to be a bit dis- turl)ed by my presence, but cocked her head first on one side then on the other, while watching me. I put my hand al- niosi, onto her before she left the nest, which was n)jid(; bj' hollowing out the drifted leaves at the foot of two young burr oaks. On May 31st I founa a set of two Whip- poor-will's, incubation well advanced. The eggs were laid on a drift of oak leaves near a young oak tree and a stump, and is the finest set that I have yet seen. Also found a set of three Rose-breasted Gi'osbeak. The male bird was on the nest. On June 8th a set of two Night Hawks, also a Bluebird's nest in a Bank S^vallow's hole, not three feet from one occupied by a swallow. On the 27th found a curious set of three King- bird's eggs. The first egg was the com- mon size and color of the average egg ; the second one was a little longer and had a large reddish-brown blotch covering little over one-half of the larger end ; the ground color is dirtj' white ; the third egg, ground color same as second, with large blotches of reddish-brown on large end and several smaller ones scattered over the surface. There are no lilac shell mai'kings on these two.
Da vies in his new " Key " says the Cat- bird "builds its nest on low bushes or clusters of vines." I have never yet found one except in the wild plum trees in ravines and on hillsides. Seeing that article, in last number, of white Brown Thrush eggs reminds me of a set of four eggs of the
White-rumped Shrike which I found in July, 1880, that were white and without any spots. I took one egg, which I still have.
The Lark Finch nested in large num- bers here this year and I found between fifty and sixty nests, but took only three of them. One set of eggs were near- ly round. During a walk I took over the same ground in the middle of August the Lark Finches seemed to be everywhere and I counted over theee hundred within a radius of a mile square." Baltimore Orioles were more common this year than they have been for several years past, and I no- ticed some new species, but could not iden- tify them. The Brown Thrush, Wood Thrush, Yellow-shafted Flicker and Wren were rare this year, or else I missed them, AS I onl}^ found one or two sets of each where I found dozens of them other years. Early this spring a Piloted Woodpecker was shot near here and given me to mount. They are a rare bii'd here now, but were common thirty years ago, when this coun- try was first settled. C. B. J.
American Goldfinch.
The query of J. C. W. in the March and April number of The Oologist in regard to the American Goldfinch leaves the erro- neous iimpression that the eggs are light blue colored.
Astragmmus tristis — Am. Goldfinch, alias "Wild Canury," "Thistle Yello-^^-. bird," etc. One of these aliases is derived from its superficial resemblance to the Can- ary, the other from its partiality to the seeds of the thistle. It breeds abundantly in this locality during the latter part of July and August. The nest is generally placed in the branches of ornamental elm and maple trees, though 1 have seen nests in beech, pear and apple trees. It is al- ways situated on the extremity of the branch, swaying readily with every motion of the air, and is firmly bound, generally in a small fork, with cobweb and vegetable fiber. In construction the nest somewhat re sembles that of the Summer Yellowbird
6o
THE OOLOGIST.
{Derul oecamsiiva^, though somewhat larger, being composed of small weed stems, pieces of loaves, hcmpy fiber of dry weed stems, etc., firmly interwoven with each other and tightly bound together with cobweb, the wliolewell lined with "wild cotton "of the milk and silk weeds. The nest is very compact and well finished, and necessarily from its precarious position on the end of a limb, built with a deep cavity for the con- tents, the depth of the nest being about H inches and its diameter about the same. Nevertheless I have found nests, after a rain or wind storm, from which the con- tents had been thrown to the ground.
The eggs, from four to six (usually five) in number, of a pure bluish-white color (never spotted), much resemble those of the Indigo Bunting {Passerina cyanea) and av- erage about .55 by .52 in.
The bird, generally well-known by sight, can easily be iden4ified when in motion by its irregular, undulating flight.
H. A. Koch.
Notes from Yates County, N. Y.
Nest of the Blue Yellow-backed Warbler.
While out hunting |on September 2d I saw, as I thought, a large bunch of the kind of moss generally found growing on fir trees and cedars. On a closer examin- ation, however, I discovered that some bird, whose species I could not determine, hud made its nest in the bunch. The nest was hung on a branch of a grape-vine, about ten feet from the groimd. I suppose the bird brought the moss from the neigh- boring cedars, and having festooned it about the vine, she drew up about half the bunch, out of which she shaped the nest, bracing it with two small twigs at the top and leaving the rest of the moss hanging down. The nest was lined with a few horse hairs and had an opening near the top on the south side. The bunch of moss was nearly four feet long, with the nest about a' foot from the top. The dimen- sions of the nest were as follows : Length, 4.10 in, ; breadth, 3.15 in.; thickness, 3 in. What is it '? A. C. T.,
Lexington, Va.
April 1— Took my first set for 1886. It was a set of two Red-tailed Hawk, and the finest set of this bird I ever saw. They were a dirty white color, blotched and spotted with reddish-brown, mostly at the larger end.
April 10 — Took a set of three of Red- shouldered Hawk. The nest was in an oak tree, lined with needles from pine and hem- lock.
May 16— Found a White-bellied Nut- hatch's nest with four eggs, but could not get them, as they were in a small hole and I didn't have my net with me.
May 18— Found a Yellow-shafted Flick- er's nest with six young and three eggs al- most hatched.
May 16 — Took a set of four Belted King- fisher. The nest was composed of a few dry leaves and fish bones at the end of a burrow in bank of creek.
June 22 — Took a set of three Great- crested Flycatcher. Nest was in a hole in a stump and was composed of sticks, fine pieces of bark and rootlets, two of the (es- sential) snake skins, fur from a squirrel's tail, a lock of human hair, two feathers, a piece of paper, some dead leaves and cow and horse hair. How is that for a nest V
July 23 — While coming home from work I flushed a Goldfinch from her nest in a small bush and was very much surprised find five eggs, four of which were spotted thickly with light brown, mostly at the larger end. The other had no spots on. Has anybody ever found spotted eggs of the Goldfinch ?
August 5 — Took another set of spotted eggs of Goldfinch. I think the same bird that layed the others laid them, as the nest was not over forty rods from the one I took the others from.
August 14 — Mr. Frank Botsford brought me a fine specimen of Double-crested Cor- morant which he shot on this lake — Keuka. This is the first time 1 ever heurd of them around this lake.
September 7 — Saw a Bald Eagle on a dead limb in top of a tree.
V. BURTCH,
Branchport, N. Y.
THE OOLOGIST.
6i
The Screech Owl.
A Strange Bird.
As I came home Ihrougli tlif woods about seven o'clock one evening I came upon three Screech Owls sitting on a fallen limb of a tree. When I approached they flew, but one flew towards me and I caught it, held it by the tips of the wings and brought him home. I tied him to a plum tree, but he got himself so twisted in the branches that I untied him and fastened him to the fence where I left him for the night. In the morning after breakfast I made a perch for him, fastened a soft leather strap to his leg and tied one end of an old heavy steel watch chain to that and the other end to the perch. His food con- sisted of fresh raw beefsteak. I would give him a piece and he would swallow it at a gulp. He steadily refused insects of all kinds, bread, cake, etc. I kept him till June 7th, when, on going to look at him, I found the chain broken and his owl- ship gone. He was a source of amusement to the small boys of the neighborhood (limited because I would not let them see him often), who persisted in calling him a "scrinch owl." He did not get at all tame, snapping his bill (which was all the noise, except a low hiss, he ever made) whenever approached. He was in the red plumage. \V'hether the owls with him were in the same plumage or not I cannot say. L. O. Pindar,
Hickman, Kv,
Pigeon Guillemot:
I send by to-day's mail the skin and one egg of a bird known here as a " Sea Pig- eon." I can find no such bird in Davies' Check List. Its nest is a hole in a sand bank, about a foot in depth, and the eggs are laid on the sand. I have dug out sev- eral Kingfishers' nests, and in about a week the Sea Pigeon had taken po.ssession. They lay one or two eggs. I have found four sets oi two and two of one eggs each. The egg which I .send to-day is of unusual markings. They generally are of a pale bluish. green, with small blotches di.s- tributed all over the egg, instead of the yellowish-green with blotches at the larger end, as has the egg 1 send.
W. R.^M., Seabeck, Wash. Ter.
This morning, as I was riding out in the w^oods, I saw a bird sitting on a limb of a tree. It had a yellow crest, black throat and breast, was snow-white. Ir was about the size of a Great-crested Flycatcher and had spurs about a quarter of an inch long. Will you please tell me the name of the bird in the next Oologist '!
E. K. G., Austin, Tex.
Exchanges and Wants.
Brief special announcements, " Want^," " Ex- changes," inserted in this department for 2- cents per 25 words. Notices over 2^ words charged at the nite of one-half cent per word. No notice inserted for less than 25 cents. Notices which are merely indirect methods of soliciting cash purchasers cannot be ad-' mitted to these columns under any circumstances. Terms, cash with order.
Will exchange for eggs in sets a mounted male of No. 426 Swallow-tailed Kile, Also skin of Long- billed Curlew. SAML. 15. LADD, West Chester, Pa.
To ExcH.^NGE. — Fine showy fossils, (Devonian^, for other fossils or minerals. Those wishing to exchange, addr ss LEWIS M. ROBINSON, Coral- ville, Iowa.
Notice of Exchange. — First-class sets of 17, 56, 286, 140, i4ga, 43'ib, 483, to exchange. I want Nos. 4, 47, 68, QQ, 115, 161, 206, 248, 280, 320, 341, 47s. _43o, 436. 439, 473, 477, 480, 571, 687, 088, 690, 721. (Ridg way's Nos.) Corrfspondents solicited. FRED M. DILLK, Greeley, Colo.
Will exchange one set of Baird, Brewer and Ridg- way's Land Birds (New) for sets of Warblers or Hawks. Would prefer nests with fo.mer. SAML.
B. LADD. West Chester, Pa.
Wanted. — To exchange first-class Bird Skins for the same or for first-cla.ss eggs in sets, with data,
C. W. HARRISON, West McHenry, 111.
Wanted. — To exchange Birds eggs or skins with collectors throughout the United States and Canada. L, W. NICHOLS, Jr., West McHenry, III.
I wish to exchange Texas Bird's eggs with all col- lectors. I have only sets, nnd want sets in return. Sea Bird's Eggs preferred. KDWIN C. DAVIS. P. O. Box, 405, Gainesville, Texas,
I will exchange a live "Bald Eagle" for North American eggs in sets, nicely prepared with full data. SAML. B. L^DD, West Chester, Pa.
Notice. — Pair of extension half-club roller skates, (bronzedj ii.sed very little. Will exchange for Indian relics, minerals, or fossils. GUY STAYMAN, Dela- ware, o.
Three V. nickels without the word cents for a set of Passenger Pigeon Eggs, with full data. Address, L. O. FINDER. Hickman, Ky.
THE OOLOGIST.
BIRDS EGGS.
Our stock is the largest and most com- plete in America. Price-list 2 cents.
For the convenience of our younger collectors, we have arranged the following collections, which we believe to be unsur- passed for the price.
Collection No. 1 contains 10 species for 50 cents.
No. 2 contains 15 species for 75 cents. " 3 " 20 " $1.00.
" 4 " 25 " 1.50.
" 5 " 50 " 3.25.
" 6 •' 75 '' 5.00.
" 7 " 100 •' 10.00.
"8 " 12 species European 1.00. " 9 " 20 " 2.00.
" 10 '• 4 species Central Ameri- can $1.00.
No. 11 contains 10 species Central Ameri- can $8.00.
No. 12cont;nns 20 species Central Ameri- can $10.00.
No. 13 contains $1.00 Avorth of second- class eggs, 35 cents.
No. 14 contains $2. 00 worth of second- class eggs, 60 cents.
No. 15 contains $4.00 Avorth of second- class eggs, $1.10.
No. 16 contains $8.00 worth of second- class eggs, $2.00.
No. 17 contains $25.00 worth of second- cla.cseggs, $5.00.
No. 18 contains $10.00 worth of first- claHS eggs in sets, $6.00.
No. 19 contains $25.00 worth of first- class eggs in sets, $13.00
No. 20 contains $50.00 worth of first- class eggs in sets, $25.00.
For the more advanced collectors we have made up the following collections.
A contains 8 species of the Thi'ushes, worth $1.50, $1.00.
7? contains 7 species of the Lark, Blue- birds and Gnatcatchers, worth $2.00, $1.50.
G contains 6 species of the Chickadees and Nuthatches, worth $3.50, $3.25.
D contains 7 species of the "'^rens and Wagtails, worth $1.50, $1.00.
^contains 9 species of the Warblers, worth $5.50. $3.00.
J contains 5 species of the Crows, Mag- pies and Jays, worth $1.50, $1.00.
iT contains 18 species of the Flycatchers, worth $6.00, $3.25.
L contains 4 species of the Humming Birds, Swifts and Goatsuckers, worth $3.00, $2.75.
ilf contains 7 species of the Woodpeckers, worth $3.50, $2.50.
N contains 4 species of the Cuckoos, worth $3.75, $2.00.
0 contains 6 species of Owls, worth $6.75, $5.00.
P contains 10 species of the Hawks, Vultures, etc., worth $10.00, $7.50.
Q contains 4 species of Pigeons, worth $1.75, $1.00.
R contains 8 species of the Guans, Grouse and Quail, worth $4.50, $3.25.
S contains 7 species of the Herons and Ibis, worth $2.00, $1.50.
r contains 9 species of the Oystercatch ers. Plovers and Stilts, worth $5.00. $3.75.
fy contains 8 species of tlie Rails, worth $2.50, $1.75.
^contains 10 species of the Ducks, worth $6.00, $3.75.
TF contains 6 species of the Flamingoes, Pelicans and Cormorants, worth $5.00, $3.50.
X contains 7 species of the Gulls, worth $4.50, $2.75.
F contains 9 species of the Terns, worth $2.50, $2.00.
• Z contains 5 species of the Petrels, Grebes, worth $2.50, $2.00.
cfe contains 5 species of the Auks, worth $1.75. $1.00. •
XYZ contains the above 27 collections and 10 additional eggs, worth in all over $100.00, $60.00.
XLCR contains the eggs of 400 different North American Birds, but few collections in this country can show as many species. It is truly the ' " Excelsior " collection and we expect to place one or more of them \n the cabinets of our wealthier patrons. Price, carefully packed and boxed, safe delivery guaranteed, $200.00 Satisfaction guaranteed. Address,
Frank H. Lattin,
Albion, N. Y.
THE OOLOGIST.
— TiaiE —
LITTLE * BROWN * JUG.
The latest craze. The most popuhir bangle or cliarui ever invented. Millions sold during the past three months. Sample post-paid, 5 cts. Six, all different, for 25 cts. Any wide awake boy or girl can seU Jngs enough at school before the holidays, to purchase their Christmas Gifts. Send for samples and terms.
FRANK H. LATTIN,
Albion, N. Y.
THE SECURITY
Mutual Benefit Society,
OK NEW YORK 233 Broadway, - New Yotk.
President^
A. L. SOULARD.
Secy ami 'J'reas.,
WM. D. CHANDLER.
I 'icc-PrL'sidents,
E. A. QUINTARD. J. F. MORSE.
D/RECTORS, A. G. GOODALL,
President Am. liank Note Co., Eew Vork. O. D. BALDWIN,
President Fourth National Bank, New Vork, R. CARMAN COMHES,
President Exchange Fire Ins. Co., New York, A. I.. SOULARD,
President Sterling Fire Ins. Co., New Vork. E. A. QUINTARD,
President Citizens' Savings Bank, New Vork. WM. D. SNOW,
Secretary ,\m. Loan and I'rust Co., New Vork. HENRV C. ROBIN.SON,
Of Porter Bros. Si Co., New York. WM. B. FULLER,
With H. B. Claflin & Co., New Vork, HENRV B. PIERCE,
Of Hutchinson, Pierce Si Co.. New Vork, E. D. WHEELER, .M, D.,
•Medical Director, New Vork.
ONLY TWELVE ASSESSIVIENTS
have been levied from 1881 to 1886, averaging three a year, and making the cost for assessments to a man of 40 years less tJian five dollurs a year for each $1,000 of insurance.
A cast of this celebrated fossil, 30 cents. H. D. HILL, Morris, Ills.
*.^* Headquarters for Mazan Creek Fossils. Finest in the world. Choice col- lections from $1.00 to $100.00. Samples, by mail, of Fossil Fern. &c. , 25 cents.
ALBION, N. Y., Send for Circulars. Agents Wanted.
Breeder of Mottled Java Fowls & Red Polled Cattle Remunerative employment offered to energ tic and
reliable men.
Stock first-class. Write, enclosing stamp, for what -ninrtT a x /-kT:i-ci-i:«T3 m/> fnT? a /^xt'C'DO
you want. Eggs in season, $3 for 15, $5 for 30. SPECIALi OFFER TO T£}A.Cxl£}RS
THE OOLOGIST.
'-p Tx ^^^
CHAUTAUQUA MINERAL COLLECTION
IS COMPOSED OF
+ + lOO* DIFFERENT -^ MINERALS -^-^
From all parts of the World, viz : Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceanica, North. America, South America, West Indies, and Greenland.
And will be sent post-paid, accompanied with complete descriptive Hand Book, at reduced price of
onsTL"^ $1.00.
The following Minerals are found iu this collection, viz : Actlnolite. Agate, Alabaster, Albite, Amethyst, Anhydrite, Anthracite, Apatite, Argentiferous Galena, Asbestus, Asphaltum, Barite, Borax, Buhrstone, Cairngorum, Calamine, C'alcite, Calc Spar, C'annel Coal, Cassiterite, Catlinite, Celestite, Chalcedony, Chalk, Chalycopyrite, Chromite, Coquina, Cryolite, Malachite, Cyanite, Dawsonite, Dendrite, Dolomite "Electric Stone," Trypolyte, Enstatite, Fibrolite, Flint, Flos Ferri, Fhiorite, Franklinite, Galeuite, Garnet, Gold Ore, Gypsum, Indurated Clay, Hematite, Iceland Spar, Jasper. Labradoritej Lead Carbonate, Leelite, Lignite, Limouite, Lodestone, Magnesite, Magnetite, Marble, Marca- site, Mex. Onyx, Muscovite, Milky Quartz, Coke, Natrolite, Obsidian, Woocl Opal, Peacock Coal, Pearl Spar, Pet. Wood and Palm, Phologopite, Porphyry, Pumice, Pyrites, Quartz Xtal, Rose Quartz, Graphite, Satin Spar, Selenite, Serpentine, Sil. Wood, Emery, Sphalerite, Stibnite, Stilbite, Talc. Crocidolite Rensselaerite, Tourmaline. Tufa, Varis- cite, Wavellite, Willemite, Williani.site, Wollongonite, Wood Jasper, Zincite.
All post-paid for only $1.00. Address,
FRANK H. LATTIN, Albion. N. Y.
The Resurrection Plant.
ONK OF THK
GREATEST CURIOSITIES OF THE AGE.
Found clinging- from the barren rocks on the Santa Rosa Mountains of OLD MEXICO. Called by the Mexicans Siempre-viva, meaning- ALWAYS LIVE.
We take the foll&wing very good description from Gilliam's Catalogue.
" This singular plant is really one of the wonders of creation. Imagine a bunch of withered looking, curled up shoots, brown, stiff, and apparently dead, resembling a bird's nest. Place it in water, in half an hour what a transformation ! The withered looking bunch ha.s now opened and is transformed into a lovely patch of green moss, entirely covering an ordinary plate. In its native habitat, when the dry season sets in, the plant curls up into a round ball and is wafted away by winds from place to place, sometimes foi hundreds of miles, when at last it reaches a moist spot it gradually unfolds itself, makes new roots and thrives in its new found home.
DIRECTIONS. — Place the dry plant in water entirely covered for two hours, then take out and put in shallow dish with only roots in water, after remaining in water for a few days, allow the plant to dry up again, then perform the operation as before. The plant will never die, and will open and shut as often as placed in and taken out of water.
We expect to sell thousands of these plants during the next few months: A more desirable and curious Xmas present would be hard to find. The plant must be seen to be appreciated, and knowing that where we sell one of these plants we are almost certain of selling several more, we have decided to sell at the following very low prices, viz . i plant, post-paid, for only 20 cents ; 3 plants for 50 cents ; 7 for $1.00, or 12 for $1.50 ; er better still, we will send you one of these plants and the Ooi.ogist for 1887, for only 28 cents. (I'hese plants are usually retailed at 50 cents each.) Our Agent is at present in Mexico gathering a new stock of these curious plants, and in order to have them better known we are desirous of having a good live agent in every Post-office in the Union. Address plainly,
FRANK H. LATTIN, Albion, N. Y.
THE OOLOGIST.
CLOSIIVC^ S^A.LE
LESS THAN WHOLESALE PRICES,
OF ONE OF THE
LAr^GESJT SIPOGP^S OP GUI^IOSITIBS IN AMEI^IGA.
The prices quoted on ensuing pages will hold good until except where otherwise stated,
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY.
SUBSTITUTES :
The supply of many specimens priced on the following pages, owing to my very low prices, will soon be exhausted, therefore to avoid any delay in filling your orders, always state whether others can be substituted in case those ordered cannot be supplied.
Write your order on a separate sheet from your letter.
No matter how often you write, always give your name, post-office, county and state, plainly and in full.
The querist must enclose stamp for reply.
PosT.\GE Extra. — Owing to our low prices, we are obliged to charge the postage on all parcels ordered by mail, e.xcept Bird's Eggs, and articles where otherwise stated, to our patrons, credit will be given you for every cent you remit over what is actually required to pay the postage. Packages of under 5 lbs. weight can be sent very reasonably and much safer by E.xpress.
HOW TO SEND MONEY :
All Money m.av he Se.nt at Mv Risk and Exi'HNse, if forwarded according to either of the following methods:
ist. Post-Office Money Orders can be obtained at any large post-office, are perfectly safe, and will cost from 5 to 25 cents.
Make P. O. Money Orders and postal notes payable at ALBION, N. Y.
2d. A Dr.\ft on New York can be obtained at any Bank, and is sure to come safely.
3d. Express Money Ordkrs, to be obtained at any office of the American, United States, or Well-. <t Fargo Express Companies, and made Payable at ALBION, N. Y.
4th. Registered Letters. — When money cannot be sent by either of the first three methods, have your postmaster register your letter. The cost will be 10 cents.
The expense of forwarding- money by either of the above ways, if the order amounts to $1.00 or over, I will pay, and the cost may be deducted from the amount forwarded.
5th. Small Sums, less than one dollar, may be sent by postal note, or in U. .S. Postage stamps of any denomination at my risk.
Parties sending silver or coin in a letter in payment of goods, must do so at their own risk, as we consider it neither safe nor advisable.
Foreign and Canadion post-office orders should be made payable at ALBION, N. Y.
Small Orders under 50 cents must contain 5 cents for packing.
We do not care to purchase or X for anything e.rce/it Cash.
Dealers desiring anything advertised are requested to favor us with a list of their wants, and obtain our prices.
Special Lists of New Specimens and bargains will be found in each number of The Oologist.
Address plainly.
FRANK H. LATTIN,
Albion, Orleans Co., N. Y.
THE OOLOGIST.
BXTtlDS' -BlO-G-3 I
THE FOLLOWING PRICES HOLD GOOD XTNTIL JANUARY 1st, 1887.
North American Eggs-
Wood Thrush $
Olive-backed Thrush
American Robin
Mockingbird
Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Bluebird
Black-capped Chickadee
House Wren
Western House Wren
Long-billed Marsh Wren
Blue Yellow-backed Warbler.
Summer Yellow Bird
Black-and-yellow Warbler. . .
Black-poll Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat
Long-billed Water Thrush . . .
White-rumped Shrike
Cedar Wa.x-wing'
Bank Swallow
English Sparrow
American Goldfinch
Grass Finch
Yellow-winged Sparrow
Lark Finch
White-throated Sparrow
Black Snowbird
Song Sparrow
California Brown Towhee. . . .
Cardinal Grosbeak
Black-throated Bunting
Cowbird
Dwarf Cowlird
Red-&-buff-should'd Blackbird
Orchard Oriole
Brewer's Blackbird
Great-tailed Grackle
Boat-tailed Grackle
Purple Grackle
Bronzed Grackle
Common Crow
Black-billed Magpie
Blue Jay
.Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
Kingbird ; Bee Martin
Yellow-shafted Flicker
Groove-billed Crotophaga. .. . i American Osprey
Red-shouldered Hawk
Mourning Dove
Ground Dove
Black-crowned Night Heron. White-crowned Night Heron.
Sage Cock
l)0b-white
Snowy Heron
Louisiana Heron
Little Blue Heron
Lapwing
Florida Gallinule
American Coot
Redhead
Double-Crested Cormorant. . .
Brandt's Cormorant
Kittiwake Gull
Great Black-backed Gull . . . .
Herring Gull
American Herring Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Forster's Tern
Common Tern
Arctic Tern
Leach's Petrel
Thick-billed Grebe
Common Puffin
Common Guillemot
Yellow-throated Vireo
Purple Martin
Spurred Towhee
Yellow-headed Blackbird. .. .
Acadian Flycatcher
Red-breasted Rail
Domestic Pigeon
Guinea Fowl
Alligator
Second Class
Alligator • $o
Catbird
Brnwn Thrasher
Cliff Swallow....'
Bluebird
English Sparrow
Heermann's Song Sparrow. . . Red - and - white - shouldered
Blackbird
Blue Grosbeak
W. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher.
Ground Dove
Leaches' Petrel
(Second class specimens of species not mentioned on above list can generally be furnished at j^ first-class prices.)
FOEEIGN EGGS. European.
Yellow Hammer |
Song Thrush
Blackbird
Missel Thrush
Hedge Accentor
Robin *
Whinchat
Lesser White-throat
Sedge Warbler
White Throat
Willow Warbler
House Sparrow
Greenfinch
Linnet.. .
Bullfinch
Rook
Jackdaw
Magpie
Wren
Ring Dove
Pheasant
Partridge
Redshank
Red necked Phalarope
Moorhen
Little Grebe
Guillemot ....
Puffin
Tern
Great Tit
»5
East India.
Striated Bush Babbler $0.50
Weaver Bird 60
Corby 60
Bank Mynah 50
African
Ostrich $2.00
nv^insTEiRj^Ls.
Our specimens, although cheap in Price, are not in Q,uality. Other dealers charge 5c. for our 2c. specimens, and others in proportion. Prices grood until March 1st, 1887.
Actinolite So
Alabaster
Agate
Agatized Wood
Albertite
Albite
Allan ite
Allophane
Aluminite
Amazonstone
Amber
Amethyst
Amphibole
Analcite
Andalusite
.02 to |
io |
25 |
.02 " |
15 |
|
.03 '• |
3 |
00 |
.02 |
50 |
|
.02 •' |
15 |
|
.02 " |
2,S |
|
.02 " |
2S |
|
.02 " |
10 |
|
.02 " |
2.^ |
|
.05 " |
25 |
|
.03 ' |
10 |
|
.02 " |
^ |
00 |
.05 •' |
25 |
|
•03 ■' |
25 25 |
Anhydrite fo.02 to $0
Anthrophylhte
Anthracite
Apatite
Apophyllite
ArgentiferousGalena.
Aragonite
Arsenopyrite
Asbestus
Asphaltum
Azurite
Barite
Bituminous Coal...
Bog Iron
Beryl
02 to $0 |
25 |
03 " |
25 |
.02 " |
10 |
.02 " |
15 |
.03 •' |
25 |
.02 |
50 |
.02 '• |
50 |
.02 " |
35 t |
02 " |
25 |
.92 " |
15 |
03 |
25 |
02 |
25 |
02 " |
10 1 |
02 " |
5° |
05 " |
25 |
Biotite
Borax
Buhrstone
Cairngorm
Calamine
Calcite
Calcareous Tufa.
Cannel Coal
Calc Spar
Carnelian
Cassinite
Cassiterite
Catlinite
Celestite
Cerolite
. $0
3.15
.10
•25 ■25 .50 •25 ■50
THE OOLOGIST.
Cerussite $o
Chalcedony
Chondrodite
Cymatolite
Chalcopyrite
Chalk.
Chromite
Chrysoberyl
ChryscoUa
Cinnabar
Clay
Clay-stones
Covelite
Coquina
Conglomerate
Coke, Native
Copper
Copper Pyrites
Corundum
Crocidolite
Cryolite
Cubanite
Cuprite
Cyanite
Datolite
Dendrite
Ueweylite
Diamond
Dolomite
Dogtooth Spar
Elaeolite
Dawsonite
Electric Stone
Enstatite
Emery
Feldspar
Fibrolite
Flint
Floss Ferri
Fluorite,
Franklinite
Fluorspar
Forest Rock
Galenite
Garnierite
Garnetiferous Albite.
Garnet
Geodes
GarnetiferousGranite Garnetiferous Mica
Schist
Gneiss
Gold Ore
Graphite
Granite
Gypsum
Halloysite
Halite
Heavy Spar
Hell Fire Rock
Hematite
Hematite, Micaceous Hematite Crystals. . .
Hornblende
Hornstone
Honestone
Iceland Spar
Indurated Clay
Iron Pyrites
Jasper
Jet
Kaolin
Kyanite
I.abradorite
Leelite
I.eopardite
Lapidolite
Lignite
Limonite
Lodestone, Native...
Lumachelle
Lithographic Stone..
Magnesite
Magnetite
Malachite
Mesolite
Menaccanite
Marble
Marcasite ...
Mica Schist
Mesotype
Mexican Onyx
Mica
Moss Agate
Muscovite
Natrolite
Nephelite
Novaculite
Ob.sidian ■
Ochre
Onyx
Opal Wood
Orthoclase
Ovlite
Pearl Spar
Pectolite
Peacock Coal
Petrified Wood
Porphyry
Pumice
Phlogopite
Picrolite
Prehnite
Pyrite
Pyromorphite
Pyroxene
Pyrrhotite,
Pudding Stone
.02 to $0 |
to |
.02 " |
20 |
.02 " |
20 |
• 05 " |
20 |
.02 " |
^s |
.02 " |
25 |
.02 " |
15 |
.02 " |
2S |
.02 " |
'5 |
.02 ' |
5" |
.02 " |
2.S |
■03 " |
•5 |
.02 ' |
10 |
.02 " |
25 |
.02 " |
2.5 |
.02 '■ |
2,S |
.03 |
25 |
.02 " |
I s |
.02 " |
LS |
.02 " |
50 |
.02 " |
50 |
■05 |
.so |
.02 |
25 |
.02 " |
25 |
.02 " |
50 |
•03 " |
25 |
.05 ■' |
25 |
■03 |
25 |
.02 |
2S |
.02 " |
|
.02 " |
2S |
.05 " |
25 |
.02 |
2S |
.02 " |
=,0 |
.03 ■' |
^5 |
.02 |
50 |
.02 |
2S |
•03 |
|
.02 |
15 |
.02 |
2.S |
.02 |
15 |
.05 " I |
GO |
.02 |
15 |
02 " |
2=; |
■03 " |
10 |
.02 |
25 |
02 |
2S |
.02 '' |
15 |
.02 |
50 |
.02 " |
2.5 |
.02 |
15 |
02 |
15 |
.03 " |
25 |
.05 ■' |
25 |
.02 " |
50 |
10 '■ |
2.S |
.02 " |
15 |
•03 " |
25 |
25 |
Quartz, Milky $0
Quartz, Crystals ....
Quartz, Druay
Quartz, Cellular
Quartz, Glassy
Quartz
(,)uartz. Ferruginous.
Quartzite
Quartz, Rose
Quartz, Smoky
Rensselaerite
Rock Crystal
Rutile
Satin Spar
Scapolite
Selenite
Semiopal
Serpentine
Sandstone
Sillimanite
Siderite
Silicified Wood
Slate.....
Smithsonite
Soapstone
Silver Ore
Strontianite
Spinel
Specular Iron
Sphalerite
Staurolite
Steatite
Stibnite
Stilbite
Stink Stone
Stream Tin
Succinite
Sulphor, Native
Talc
Tourmaline, fblack). Tourmaline, (red &
green)
Tremdlite
Tripolite
Ulexite
Uranite
Variscite
Verde Antique
Wavellite
Willemite
Williamsite
Wollastonite
Wollongongite
Wulfenite
Zinc Blende
Zincite
Zircon
Zoisite, United States
02 to $0 |
.02 " 5 |
■05 |
.02 |
.02 " |
.02 " 2 |
.05 " |
.02 ' |
.02 " |
.02 " |
.02 '■ |
• 03 " |
■03 |
.02 " |
.05 " |
.02 ' |
•03 '■ |
.02 ' |
.02 " |
.03 " |
.02 " |
.05 " |
.02 " |
.05 |
.02 |
.03 " |
.05 ' |
02 |
.02 " |
03 " |
.03 " |
.02 |
.02 " |
.02 " |
■03 '■ |
.02 |
03 " |
■03 ' |
.02 " |
.02 " |
.05 '• |
.02 " |
.03 " |
03 " |
.10 I . |
03 " I. |
.03 ' |
.02 " |
02 '' |
02 '■ |
05 |
02 " |
03 " |
03 |
02 "■ |
03 " |
25 2. |
SHELLS-
The follo-nringr shells polished, and are sold at
Chinese Pearl Snail.. $0.35 to $1
" Banded Snail.
" Blotched Snail
" Trochus (Top)
" Spider
'■ HornedTurbo
" Harp
" Haliotis
Small Ear . . .
" Turrittella. . .
" Sun & Nison.
•' Strumbus....
" Ranella
" Eburna
" Dolium
'• Case of Shells contain about 125 as-
■05
are all very fine and shovry, wholesale at the prices we are
sorted shells ; size of case, 11x16x3 in. Just the thing for the young student of
Conchology
East India Clam
" Furblo Clam Scorpion .... Valute
" Melon
" Turk's Cap.
" Goldmouth.
" Pearl Trocus Cone
" Virgin Cone.
" Nautiles. ... i
" Mitre
$1 |
.50 |
|
.25 to |
I |
00 40 25 ~ |
.07 ' |
15 |
|
• 25 |
I |
00 |
• 15 " |
30 15 |
|
.20 " |
50 |
|
. 10 " |
15 25 |
|
.OCi " |
I |
50 15 |
all are cleaned and many highly offering them.
.East Indian Marlin-
spike $0. IS to So. 25
" TigerCowry .05 " .10 " Panther -
Cowry -to
New Zealand White
Ear .50
New Zealand Green
Ear 25 " .75
Japan Black Ear.... .40
" Haliotus .15
California Red Ear
(Abalone) 1-5°
Panama Black Murex 30 " .75
" Pink Murex. 25
L.I.,Pectens-polished .02 "' .10
THE OOLOGIST.
Bahama Black Hel- met
Bahama Hatchet Hel- met
Bahama Lavona
West India Conch... .15
05
■25
07
05
(rough)
New Jersey Razor
Shell
Ne.v Jeraey Pyrula
carica
New Jersey Pyrula
canaliculata
New Jersey Area
pe.xata
New Jersey Boat. . . .
" Mussel . .
Natica. . .
Petricola.
Florida, Strombus
alatus
Florida Olive Shell (Key)...... .......
Florida Fasciolaria. . .
Pyrula
Murex
'■ Fiddle head..
■' Bloody Tooth
Zanzibar Orange -
Scorpion
Zanzibar Cameo
" Cockel
Large Tritons .7 JVIoUusks from Erie
Canal
Magpie Trochus
English Scollops o
Engraved Cameo o
Motto Cowrj'. " (Lord's Pray- er) Snail
Engraved (.Lord's
Prayer} Trochus . .
Engraved (Lord's
Prayer) Cowry ....
Shell Pocket Books..
We can put up an assortment of large showy shells, at from $1.00 to $25.00 ; they will retail at twice these prices.
Smaller Shells.
Cowry Shells, assorted, including CyJ>rcea Mo>zeta, Lynx, A/abrica, PantJierina, Heloola, Caput-ser- J'e?itis, etc., each 2 to 5 cts.: per doz. 5 to 30 cts.; per 100 f i.oo. Bloody tooth Shells, doz. fo.05
Venetian Snail " .05 " .10
Black Snail " .05 '• .10
Yellow Snail " .os '' .10
50
50
05
.Oj IC |
^.u |
.02 ' |
I |
•03 " |
I |
■05 |
3 |
•03 " |
|
. 10 " |
I |
.02 " |
|
.02 " |
I |
Olive .doz. .05 to $0
Rose Leaf
Frog " .05
Screw
H orn
Guinea Peas "
MAEINE CURIOSITIES. Corals
Organ Pipe $0.
Mushroom
Feather
Brain
Rose
Star.... .
Branching, W. Indies
" E. Indies.
Pink, from Caroline
Isles, This lace like
coral is quite e.\
pensive, rare, and
very beautiful, our
supply is limited,
fine sprays 03 "
Sea Fans 05 "
Sea Ferns 10 "
Sponges.
A large assortment of curious forms and species 10 "
Fine Venus Coral or Glass Sponge 1.25 "
Sea Urchins. Atlantic .03 " " Pacific. . . 05 ' " large - white Bahamas 15 "
Sea Urchins, Mam- moth purple, Pacific
Sea Urchins, (Sand
Dollars) 03 "
Starfish, common At- lantic 02 *'
Starfish, the largest and finest we ever saw, some measur- ing 16 in. diam. and 4 in. through 50 "
Sand Crabs
" backs
Hermit Crabs
Soldier Crabs
Skate Eggs
SharV Eggs
Alligator Eggs 10 "
" Teeth 02 "
Whale Teeth 15 "
Barnacles, from the Pacific, verj' fine and Curious: 05 "
Goose Barnacles, At- lantic o; "
Lucky tooth from Codfi.sh .08
Miscellaneous Curiosities -
Brazil Nut Pods $0.35
Liver Beans .05
Sea Beans, red .02
" gray .02
" brown banded .04
Vegetable Ivory Ap- ples .40
Chinese Horn Nuts. . .05
Beetle Nuts. New Zealand .05
1000 mixed _ Foreign Stamps .20
Chinese Coins .05
Japanese Coins, ob- long ■■• -15
Bark from the " Big- trees" of California .03 " 10.00
Resurrection Plant from Mexico, when placed in water will unfold and assume a beautiful green.. .15
Tarantulas .40
Fossils.
Wholesale assortments of com- mon and rare small fossils, fine for e.xchangers, each assortment is worth three times the price asked. Good Lots at from $0.50 to $5.00 Fossil P'ish, Wyoming .50
Shark Teeth, S. C. . . .05 " .25
Shark Vertebra; 50 " i.oo
Mazan Creek Fossil
Ferns 05 " .50
Other Mazan Creek
Fossil Ferns 05 " .50
Crinoid Stems, Tenn. .01 " .10 " " Craw-
fordsville, Ind., the
finest in the world. .02 " .20
Fossil Coral 02 " i.oo
" Petoskey
Mich 05 " 25
Indian Belies.
Arrowheads, Ohio ..$0.03 to $0.10
" Mich 05 '■ .15
" Georgia . .02 " .10
" Alabama. .03 " .10
" Va 05 " .10
" Martha's Vineyard 06 •' .25
Indian Pottery, Ohio .02 " .10 We have other Indian Relics, but
supply is too limited to list. Write
for what you want.
" Lattin's entire stock: of specimens are to be sold re- gardless of cost. Lists -ssrill appear in each. Oologist until closed out."
THE OOLOGIST.
VlM\D7i ^flbmn ^^^tsfc^ l-LINE STAMP,30 CTS.,
XVUDDBP pudlllp ^S5^^^^^^^^^^ 2-LIKE STAIHF,35 CTS.,
r^ ^ rVrTV-rVVrT ^^^^^Ht^ ^"^^^ STAIVIP,45 CTS.. Ou-jiWljll ^^il^^MF 5-LINE STAIVIP, 50 CTS.
For a long timo we have beea incnnvcnit-iiLcd by pailics sending us Orders, Letters, rack" age=:, y.ic. Etc., some of which we have never received, others, vhich lacked euhir Narae or Addrphs, of the Parlies sending. We are only one of many who have been incon- venienced. For a long time we have been trying to devise some Cheap Method by which this could be avoided. We well knew that with the use of a Neat Label or RUBLER STAMP, our friend's Letters or Packages, if misdirected or miscarried, would be returned to them. Bui we al- so knew that a Good Rubber Stamp with outfit, would cost at least $1.00. This we knew was more than many of us were willuig to pay. So, not long since, we went to One of tne Leading Stamp Manufacturers in the United States, and biiefly stating to him our diffi- culty, inquired what he could do for us. During our talk with him, we gently hinted that there were over Twenty-Five Thousand of us. Collectors and Exchangers, besides hundreds of others in the U.S. who needed a Cheap Rubber Stamp, not only for Marking Packages, but for mark- ing their Clothing. Books, Printing their own Cards, Labels Tags, Envelopes, Etc., Etc. Before leaving the Manufactory we had made arrangements with the Proprietor to furnish our ff^end« with a Good Rubber Stamp, including Ink and Pads, all in a neat Box.
When twelve or more parties club together and send in their orders at one ume, we can furn- Give Plain Directions and State the Style of Stamp desired. Styles given below, also, the color of Ink you prefer, we can furnish Red, Blue, Violet, Black, Green, or Indelible. Please send Postage Stamps or Postal Note
We can make the stamp from any style type 'desired. Send sample of type, or we will use our ow" discretion.
IF'I^-^I^ir H. Hi-^TTIiT, -A-lToioan., IsT. -S".
EXTRAS. Ink. any color, per bottle, lo cts.; large bottle, 25 cts. Pads, per pair, 8 cts.; cheap pads, 2 cts. .Stamps mounted with knob handle (imitation horn) 10 cts. extra. Border around stamp, 10 cts. e.xtra.
COLLECTORS, ATTENTION!
Those who saw and benefited by my advertisement in last issue of the Oologist, will expect to hear more of me. I have largely increased my already immense stock of cabinet specimens, and, I now pride myself with having one of the finest Oological collections in America, and I am going to place them before you at prices that you can afford to pay, thereby making many a valuable addition to your private cabinet.
^Prices quoted on specimens mentioned in previous Oologist will hold good until January first. I <to this so as to better acquaint myself with all collectors. My bran-new descriptive CatalogTie will be out about November 20th, after that date any person wishing to possess a very neat new catalogue, with prices way down, can do so by sending me their name and a i cent stamp. My new exchange list will also be out about that date. Do not fail to send for both.
Wanted, the following original sets with full data: 117J, 4023, 6663, and many others. Any collector having the above mentioned sets, will secure a very desirable exchange for the same. Address all orders and commurHcations, //ij/'«/i', to
WILL. C. BROWNELL,
Plymouth, Wayne Co., Mich. *:;:* NOTE — Anv specimens not mentioned in last Oologist can be suj>plied at greatly reduced rates. Send list of wants aud receive prices. Send for new catalogue.
THE OOLOGIST.
The Young Oologist,
THE MOST I'OrULAB AND INSTKUCTIVK MAC4AZINE,
Devoted to Birds, Their Nests and Eggs,
EVER PUBLISHED. -
Appreciating its value, the Publisher reserved a limited quantity of each issue to supply future demands. He now has. all told,
LESS THAN TWO HUNDRED COMPLETE SETS.
Collectors will readily see the advisability of completing their tiles or OBTAINING A COMPLETE SET AT ONCE.
Back numbers will soon be e.xceedingly rare and valuable and possibly not f)l)taiiiable at any price.
OOI<rTI33XrTS:
The following enumerates some of the principal articles in each be obtained : —
The "short articles" are one column or less in length and of great value to
Not mentioned in the list of contents : each issue contams one or two page two pages of exchajige notices, and from three to eight pages uf advertisements.
Nos. I, 2, 3, 4, 5, 12, and I2rt, each contain 16 pages.
Nos. 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, each contain 20 pages.
Nos. 13 and 14, each contain 32 pages: and No. 11, contains 36 pages.
;ind the price for which a copy may
student. '" items,'
ine column tc
No. I. — Instructions for Collecting Birds' Eggs, (3 pa- ges); Coue's Key ; Twenty-four short articles. Price 10 cis.
No. 2. — Instructions for Collecting Birds' Eggs, con- cluded, (2 pages); Painted Buntings; Cala. Mot- tled Owl ; List of Birds Found at JVIontreal ; 24 short articles. 8 cfs.
No. 3. — Maine Item.-; Yellow-headed Blackbird; Orchard Oriole ; The Slip System ; Wilson's Thrush ; Hand-book of Agassiz Association ; 23 short articles. 8 cts.
No. 4.— Screech Owl ; Importance of Identification ; A La. Heronry; Cardinal Crosbeak; Eagle's Nest; How to Make ana L'se l!ird Lime ; 14 short arti- cles. 7 cts.
No. 5. — Bird-nesting — To Collect Scientifically, ( 3 pages) ; Cala. Birds ; Krom Wyoming ; 22 short articles. 8 cts
No. 6. — Bobolink, (2^2 pages) : Sea Birds of Maine ; Egging in a Cala. Swamp; Old "Put" and the Bird's Nest ; List of Wisconsin Birds ; 12 short articles. 6 cts.
No. 7. — Bronzed Grakle ; Singular Duel ; Fish Hawk; Spurred Towhee and Least Tit ; "Old" Put and the Bird's Nest ; Bird Island ; 14 short articles. 6 cts.
No. 8.— The Alligator ; Collecting in Marshes ; Woodcock ; "Our Birds in Their Haunts ;" Iowa Notes ; Redstart ; Summer Redbird ; 18 short ar- ticles. 8 cts.
No. 9. — Baltimore Oriole ; Texas Jottiiigs ; Sap- suckers ; Barn Owl ; American Ornithologists' Union, (3 pages) ; How to Handle a Gun ; Black- capped Titmouse ; Eeg of the Moa. 10 cts.
No. 10. — Winter Wren; Cala. Duck-hunting; Screech Owl ; Davie's Egg Check List ; Peacock With (Jueer Tastes ; White-bellied Nuthatch ; Blue Jays, ', lotted Robin Eggs ; 8 short articles. $cts.
No. II. — Bank Swallow; English Sparrows; Study of Birds; (It. Horned Owl; Yellow-billed Cuckoo; (iambel's (^uail ; Conn. Notes; Intelligence of the Oriole ; Yellow-breast Chat : Maryland Yel- low-throat ; White-rumped Shrike ; List of Paci- fic C^oast Birds ; Knights of Audubon ; Sample Data Blanks, (4 pages) ; 32 short articles. 12 cts.
No. 12. — Completes Vol. I. Title nages for binding, with complete and exhaustive index, (8 pages . 10 cts.
No. 12 ^t. — Special edition for advertising purpo.ses, same as No. 12, except being printed on lighter paper and the title pages being replaced with ad- vertising. 3 cts.
No. 13. — ISartram'sOardens ; South Carolina (Obser- vations, (6 pages) ; Scientific Names ; Gt. Horned Owl; Bank Swallows; Knights of Audubon; Hummingbird; R. 1. Notes; Te.xas Jottin'4s ; 30 short articles. 15 cts. .
No. 14. — American Crossbill ; Audubon's Birds of .\merica ; Illinois Notes; Destruction of Birds; Cuckoos ; Cala. Notes ; Wrens on the Warpath ; Golden-winged Warbler; Fox Sparrow; Our Winter Birds ; Snipe Creek ; Red-head; Wiscon- sin Jottings ; Burrowing (3wl, etc. ; A Florida Trip ; Horned Lark ; Queer Homes and Nesting Sites ; Brave Bird ; Ferruginous Rough Leg ; Sparrow> ; Pigmy ISfuthatch ; 26 short articles. 12 cts.
I^" Vol. I., Complete (184 pages), will be sent post-paid for only 75 cts.
Vol. I. and II., Complete (248 pages), and "THE OOLOGISTS' HAND-BOOK"
irJii lil^ MAIZ.E1> POSTPAID FOR ONLY $1.06.
NOS. 10 AND Via WILL BE SENT TO THOSE DESIRING SAMPLES FOR FIVE CENTS.
Address, FRANK H. LATTIN, Albion, N. Y.
^^«.
Ty Q r^ ^ GZ TT7 -••••***"
50c. per Year. ^^
Vol. III.
ALBION, N. Y., DECEMBER, 1886. No. 6.
jt^^ When anstverinfi Advertisements , alwnys mention the " Oolof/i.st."
1- THE 00 LOG I ST, +
FOR 1887,
Will be sent Post-paid to any part of the World for
ONLY 25 CENTS.
PUBLISHED BI-MONTHLY.
Sixteen pages of Valuable Infor- ni<xtion each Issue.
Indispensable to the Collector of Natural History Specimens, especially the Oologist.
A Free Exchange Notice of 20 Wonh to Every Suhscriher.
Subscribe or renew at once, by accepting one of the following
4 LIBERAL OFFERS.
Offer No. 1. For 25 cents The Oologist for 1887. and one exchange notice of 20 words.
No. 2. For 27 cents Oologist for 1887, Exchange Notice, and The Oologists Hand Book.
No. 3. For 28 cents. Oologist for 1887, Exchange Notice, and 1 Resurrection Plant.
No. 4. To any person sending us an order amounting to one dollar or over, for anything we advertise, we will will give free, without additional charge. The Oologist for 1887, and the Exchange Notice.
You can accept only one of the above offers. Let us hear from you at once.
Address,
FRANK H. LATTIN, Publisher,
Albion, N. Y.
0"\^e:r, 1,000,000
CURIOSITIES AND SPECIMENS,
at less than
WHOLESALE PRICES,
Must be sold during the ensuing- season
REGARDLESS OF COST.
Additional lists of rare and desiiable curios in each future Oologist, until every thing is sold. Read our list of Bargains on pages following reading matter of this issue.
Early oi-ders receive the best specimens.
Every order tilled or acknowledged by return mail.
Our mail business is the largest of the kind in the World.
Sales during past 4 months exceed
36,000 00.
Ever}^ specimen warranted to please or money refunded.
Show our lists to your friends, and send us at least one trial order.
If you can use extra copies of this issue of the Oologist, send 2c. for eacli copy reqiured to
FRANK H. LATTIN,
Albion, N. Y.
THE OOLOGIST.
BIRDS' EGGS FOR SALE CHEAP.
JJ^^Read over this list carefully and show it to your friends.
Chinese Goose 1.0^
Mute Swan l.oO
Whooper 1 . 50
686 Sheldrake 35
606 Widgeon 35
605 Pintail 25
601 Mallard 13
611 English Teal 30
608 Shoveller.... 20
White-eyed Duck 50
620 Golden-eye 30
619 Barrow's Golden- eye 60
407a European Hawk
Owl 1.00
488 European Heron . . .30 506 European Oyster- catcher 20
513 Lapwing 15
514 Golden Plover 30
623 Long-failed Duck. .20 627 Common Eider. . . .20 Common Scoter 50
African Ostrich $1 . 50
Australian Emeu ..... 1 . 50 740 Red-throated Diver . 50 Great Spotted Wood- pecker 25
Tawny Owl 30
435 European Buzzard .30 Rough-legged Buzzard .35
Spotted Eagle 3.00
White-tailed Eagle.... 5.00
Gos Hawk 35
Sparrow Hawk 25
European Kite 85
European Black Kite. . . 80
Red-footed Falcon 80
422 European Kestril. .30
Lesser Kestril 40
Squacco Heron 30
Night Heron 30
White Stork 1.00
Syonnbill 50
503 Glossy Ibis 50
Gray leg Goose 75
Bean Goose 1 . 00
All eggs are blown through one smoothly drilled hole in side. I have on hand nearly every kind on this list, and have made arrangements with a collector who can furnish any of the eggs named. Write me a letter saying what eggs you will take, and when ready for delivery I will let you know and you can send me the money and I will forward the egg post paid All orders under 50 cents must contain 10 cents for postage. I can fur- nish sets of most all of the eggs on list. I guarantee satisfaction or money returned.
Address, H. W. DAVIS, North Granville, N. Y.
Velvet Scoter |
.50 |
Red- breasted Merganser |
.15 |
658 Kittiwake Gull... |
.30 |
Black-headed Gull. . . . |
.20 |
Lesser Black-head Gull |
.30 |
663 Great Black-backed |
|
Gull |
50 |
673 Laughing Gull.. .. |
.20 |
Razor-bill Auk |
.30 |
Puffin |
90 |
Alligator |
.20 |
Kentish Plover |
20 |
518 Ringed Plover. . . |
.15 |
Black- winged Stilt |
.40 |
687 Arctic Tern |
.10 |
686 Common Tern. . . . |
.08 |
679 Gull-billed Tern. . . |
.20 |
Sandwich Tern |
.20 |
Whiskered Tern . . . . . . |
.20 |
694 White-winged Blk. |
|
Tern |
80 |
693 Black Guillemot.. |
.15 |
Murre |
.30 |
Birds' Eggs at a Bargain.
I have listed below some very scarce and desirable eggs at greatly reduced prices, and would like to have every collectdr send me an order.
Per Egg
Snowy Owl $2
American Hawk Owl i
Egyptian Vulture 2
Spotted Eagle 2
416 European Merl n
414a Peale's Falcon 3
524 English Woodcock i
660 G aucous Gull
738 Black-throated Diver i
733 Eared Grebe
705 Fulmar Petrel o
3g6 Short-eared Owl
622 Harlequin Duck
Red-necked Grebe
Red-shouldered Buzzard i
Black Buzzard i
English Partridge
475 Rock Ptarmegan
Cettis Warbler, sets 4 and 5, with nest
Rufus •' " " '\
Icterine " " "
Garden " " "
Can furnigh any of the above in sets with dai Send postal note on Middle Granville, N. Y. Address
H. W. DAVIS,
North Granville, N. Y.
25
. SCIENCE SERIES. •
VOLUME 1 NOW READY.
It contains about 280 Pages. Prices as follows : Heavy Paper Covers, - - - $ .50 Cloth, gold stamped, - - - - 1.00
VOLUNIE II.
This volume will contain the following numbers which will be published on the dates given :
14. Anecdotes of Animals, Part I. Jan. 4, 1887.
15. " " " II. Jan. II.
16. " " " III. Jan. 18.
17. Darwin's Work in Botany. Jan. 25.
18. Sketches. Feb. i.
iq Common Minerals. Feb. 8.
20. The Use and Abuse of Ornithology. Feb. 15.
21. Collecting Birds' Eggs. Feb. 22.
22. Metals. March 1.
23. Tea and its Effects. Msrch 8.
24. Nature in Poetry March 15.
2^ How to Collect and Make an Herbarium. Mar. 22. 26. Elements of Geology. March 29.
Prices : Single copy 5 Cents, or the whole for 50 Cents.
SPECIAL OFFER. For 85 cents, received before February i, 1887, we will send Vol. I Abound, paper covers) and Vol. II ; or for $1.25 we will send Vol. I (bounJ in cloth) and Vol. II. Send postal note, money order, or registered letter. Address,
H. M. DOWNS, Publisher,
Rutland, Vt.
THE OOLOGIST.
'-T-^ Tjr "p^
CHAUTAUQUA MINERAL COLLECTION
IS COMPOSED OF
•i-^ lOO-^ DIFFERENT -^ MINERALS -^^
From all parts of the World, viz: Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceanica, North America, South America, West Indies, and Greenland.
And will be sent post-paid, accompanied with complete descriptive Hand Book, at
reduced price of
ojsrrj^y $1.00. —
The following Minerals are found in this collection, viz : Actinolite. Agate, Alabaster, Albite, Amethyst, Anhydrite, Anthracite, Apatite, Argentiferous Galena, Asbestus, Asphaltum, Barite, Borax, Buhrstone, Cairngorum, Calamine, Calcite, Calc Spar, Cannel Coal, Cassiterite, Catlinite, Celestite, Chalcedony, Chalk, Chalycopyrite, Chromite, Coquina, Cryolite, jMalachite, Cyanite, Dawsonite, Dendrite, Dolomite "Electric Stone," Trypolyte, Enstatite, Fibrolite, Flint, FlosFerri, Fluorite, Franklinite, Galenite, Garnet, Gold Ore, Gypsum, Indurated Clay, Hematite, Iceland Spar, Jasper. Labradorite, Lead Carbonate, Leelite, Lignite, Limonite, Lodestone, Magnesite, Magnetite, Marble, Marca- site, Mex. Onyx, Muscovite, Milky Quartz, Coke, Natrolite, Obsidian, Wood Opal, Peacock Coal, Pearl Spar, Pet. Wood and Palm, Phologopite, Porphyry, Pumice, Pyrites, Quartz Xtal, Rose Quartz, Graphite, Satin Spar, Selenite, Serpentine, Sil. Wood, Emery. Sphalerite, Stibnite, Stilbite, Talc. Crocidolite Rensselaerite, Tourmaline, Tufa, Varis- cite, Wavellite, Willemite, Williamsite, Wollongonite, Wood Jasper, Zincite.
All post-paid for only $1.00. Address,
FRANK H. LATTIN, Albion, N. Y.
After Forty years' experience in the preparation of more than One Hundred I Thousand applications for patents in the United States and Foreign coun- ' tries, the publishers of the Scientifio American continue to act as solicitors for patents, caveats, trade-marks, copy- rights, etc., for the United States, and to obtain patents in Canada, England. France, Germany, and all other countries Their experi- ence is unequaled and their facilities are unsur-
Drawings and specifications prepared and filed in the Patent Office on short notice. Terms very reasonable. No charge for examination of models or drawings Advice by mail free.
Patents obtained through Munn<fcOo.are noticed inthe SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN, which has the largest circulation and is the most influential newspaper of its kind published in the world. The advantages of such a notice every patentee understands.
This large and splendidly illustrated newspaper is published "WEEKLiY at $3.00 a year, and is' admitted to be the best paper devoted to science, mechanics, inventions, engineering works, and other departments of industrial progress, pub- lished in any country. It contains the names of all patentees and title of every invention patented each week. Try it four months for one dollar. Sold by all newsdealers.
If you have an invention to patent writ* to Munn A Co., publishers of Scientific AmerioaB, 361 Broadway, New York.
Handbook about patents mailed frea.
OW DONT
Skip this advertisement and say that it don't concern you, for it does. Everybody needs a pocket blank book, and as a general thing people like a good looking one. We think we have the latest idea in a neat book, so here is a description, and you can decide for yourself whether we are right or not. Our book is 3 x G inches, bound in full Russia Leather, with stiff covers and round corners. It contains 80 pages of good linen paper, ruled, and on the inside of the lirst cover is a Russia Leather Pocket, just the thing for holding cards, stamps, etc. It is a "dandy" and no mistake. Send for one and be convinced. As we make these our- selves we have brought the price right down to 25 cents each, by mail, postpaid ; Liberal discount to the trade in quantities of one dozen and upwards ; same books, bound in black cloth, with Russia backs and covers, 20 cents each.
W: G. TALMADGE,
37 Gaiden Street,
HARTFORD, CONN.
THE OOLOGIST.
THE
LITTLE * BROWN * JUG.
The latest craze. The most popular bangle or charm ever invented. Millions sold during the past three months. Sample post-paid, 5 cts. Six, all different, for 25 cts. Any wide awake boy or girl can sell Jugs enough at school before the holidays, to purchase their Christmas Gifts. Send for samples and terms.
FRANK H. LATTIN, Albion, N. Y.
A cast of this celebrated fossil, 30 cents. H. D. HILL, Morris, Ills.
\* Headquarters for Mazan Creek Fossils. Finest in the world. Choice col- lections from $1.00 to $100.00. Samples, by mail, of Fossil Fern, &c., 25 cents.
ALBION, N. Y.,
Breeder of Mottled Java Fowls & Red Polled Cattle
Stock first-class. Write, enclosing stamp, for what you want. Eggs in season, $3 for 15, $5 for 30.
THE SECURITY
Mutual Benefit Society,
OK NKW YORK 233 Broadway, - New Yotk,
President^
A. L. SOULARD.
Sec'y and Treas.^
WM. D. CHANDLER.
Vice-Presidents^
E. A. QUINTARD, J. F. MORSE.
DIRECTORS, X. G. GOODALL,
President Am. Bank Note Co., Eew York. O. D. BALDWIN,
President Fourth National Bank, New York, R. CARMAN COMBES,
President Exchange Fire Ins. Co., New York,
A. L. SOULARD,
President Sterling Fire Ins. Co., New York. E. A. QUINTARD,
President Citizens' Savings Bank, New York. WM. D. SNOW,
Secretary Am. Loan and Trust Co., New York. HENRY C. ROBINSON,
Of Porter Bros. & Co., New York. WM. B. FULLER,
With H. B. Claflin & Co., New York,
HENRY B. PIERCE,
Of Hutchinson, Pierce & Co., New York,
E. D. WHEELER, M. D.,
.Medical Director, New York.
ONLY TWELVE ASSESSMENTS
have been levied from 1881 to 1886, averaging three a year, and making the cost for a.ssessments to a man of 40 years less than Jive dollurs a year for each $1,000 of insurance.
Send for Circulars. Agents Wanted.
Remunerative employment offered to energetic and reliable men.
SPECIAL OFFER TO TEACHERS
THE OOLOGIST.
OLOSIIVC^^ SALE
— -A. a: —
LESS THAN WHOLESALE PRICES,
OF ONE OF THE
liAP^GBSriT SIPOGI^S OP GUr^IOSIiPIES IN AMEP^IGA.
The prices quoted on ensuing' pages will hold good until except where otherwise stated,
PLEASE READ CAREFULLY,
SUBSTITUTES :
The supply of many specimens priced on the following pages, owing to my very low prices, will soon be exhausted, therefore to avoid any delay in filling your orders, always state whether others can be substituted in case those ordered cannot be supplied.
Write your order on a separate sheet from your letter.
No matter how often you write, always give your name, post-ofSce, county and state, plainly and in full.
The querist must enclose stamp for reply.
PoST.\GE Extra. — Owing to our low prices, we are obliged to charge the postage on a.]\ /arceis ordered by mail, except Bird's Eggs, and articles where otherwise staled, to our patrons, credit will be given you for every cent you remit, over what is actually required to pay the postage. Packages of under 5 lbs. weight can be sent very reasonably and much safer by Express.
Small O.'jders for Birds Eggs amounting to less than o cents, must contain 5 cents extra for postage and packing.
HOW TO SEND MONEY:
All Money may be Sent at Mv Risk and Expknse, if forwarded according to either of the following methods :
ist. Post-Office Money Orders can be obtained at any large post-office, are perfectly safe, and will cost from 5 to 25 cents.
Make P. O. Money Orders and postal note^ payable at ALBION, N. Y.
2d. A Draft on New York can be obtained at any Bank, and is sure to come safely.
3d. Express Money Orders, to be obtained at any office of the American, United States, or Wells & Fargo Express Companies, and made Payable at ALBION, N. Y.
4th. Ror-"^-^"" ' cannot be sent by either of the first three methods, have youf
10 cents.
y either of the above ways, if the order amounts S may be deducted from, the amount forwarded.
be sent by postal note, or in U. S. Postage stamps of any
' ii.'i m a lef nent of goods, must do so at their own risk, as we considej.
■ <• ' - be made payable at ALBION, N. Y.
■■■;■;. xcept Cash.
■ ' sted to favor us with a list of their wants, and obtain our
s will be found in each number of The Oologist. inly.
FRANK H. LATTIN,
Albion, Orleans Co., N. Y.
THE OOLOGIST.
SII?.IDS' EG-G-S I
THE FOLLOWING PRICES HOLD GOOD UNTIL MARCH 1st, 1887.
North American Eggs-
Wood Thrush $
Olive-backed Thrush
American Robin
Mockingbird
Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Bhiebird
Black-capped Chickadee
House Wren
Western House Wren
Long-billed Marsh Wren
Blue Yellow-backed Warbler.
Summer Yellow Bird
Black-and-yellow Warbler. . .
Black-poll Warbler
Yellow-breasted Chat
Long-billed Water Thrush.. .
White-rumped Shrike
Cedar Wax-wing'
Bank Swallow
English Sparrow
American Goldfinch
Grass Finch
Yellow-winged Sparrow
Lark Finch
White-throated Sparrow
Black Snowbird
Song Sparrow
California Brown Towhee ....
Cardinal Grosbeak
Black-throated Bunting
Cowbird
Dwarf Cowh ird
Red-&-buff-should'd Blackbird
Orchard Oriole
Brewer's Blackbird
Great-tailed Grackle
Boat-tailed Grackle
Purple Grackle
Bronzed Grackle
Common Crow
Black-billed Magpie
Blue Jay
Scissor-tailed Flycatcher
Kingbird ; Bee Martin
Yellow-shafted Flicker
Groove-billed Crotophaga. .. . : American Osprey
Red-shouldered Hawk
Mourning Dove
Ground Dove
Black-crowned Night Heron. White-crowned Night Heron.
Bob-white
Snowy Heron
Louisiana Heron
Little Blue Heron.
Lapwing
Florida Gallinule
American Coot
Double-Crested Cormorant. . .
Brandt's Cormorant
Kittiwake Gull
Great Black-backed Gull
Herring Gull • • ■
American Herring Gull
Ring-billed Gull
Forster's Tern
Common Tern
Arctic Tern '■ ■ ■
Leach's Petrel
Thick-billed Grebe
Common Puffin
Common Guillemot
Yellow-throated Vireo
Purple Martin
Yellow-headed Blackbird....
Acadian Flycatcher
Red-breasted Rail
Domestic Pigeon
Guinea Fowl
Alligator
Second Class.
Alligator $o
Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Cliff Swallow
Bluebird
English Sparrow
Heermann's Song Sparrow. . . Red - and - white - shouldered
Blackbird
Blue Grosbeak
W. Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. Ground Dove
Leaches' Petrel
(Second cla's specimens of species not mentioned on above list can generally be furnished at 14 first-class, regular prices.)
FOREIGN EGGS.
European.
Yellow Hammer $
Song Thrush
Blackbird
Missel Thrush
Hedge Accentor
Robin
Whinchat
Lesser White-throat
Sedge Warbler
White Throat
Willow Warbler
House Sparrow
Greenfinch
Linnet
Bullfinch
Rook
Jackdaw
Magpie ....
Wren , . - •
Ring Dov -
Pheasant
Partridge
Redshank
Red necked Phalarope
Moorhen
Little Grebe
Guillemot ....
Puffin
Tern
Great Tit
East India
Striated Bush Babbler $0.50
Weaver Bird 60
Corby 60
Bank My nah 50
African
I Ostrich $2 .00
i^xi<r:Ei:Rj^x^&.
Our specimens, although cheap in Price, are not in Quality. Other dealers charge 5c. for our 2c. specimens, and others in proportion. Prices good until March 1st, 1887.
25 Bora.x $0.02 to
10 j Buhrstone 02
15 Cairngorm .02
25 I Calamine 03
Actinolite
Alabaster
Agate
Agatized Wood..
Albertite
Albite
AUanite
Allophane
Aluminite
Amazonstone. . . .
Amethyst
Amphibole
Analcite
Andalusite
Anhydrite 02
02 to $0 |
25 |
02 " |
15 |
03 '■ 3 |
00 |
.02 |
50 |
.02 ■' |
15 |
.02 " |
2S |
.02 " |
25 |
.02 " |
10 |
.02 " |
2.S |
.05 " |
25 |
.02 " 3 |
GO |
.05 '' |
25 |
■03 ' |
25 |
25 |
|
.02 ' |
»5 |
Anthrophylhte fo.03 to $0
Anthracite
Apatite
Apophyllite 03
ArgentiferousGalena
Aragonite
Arsenopyrite
Asbestus
Asphaltum
Azurite 03
Barite
Bituminous Coal...
Bog Iron
Beryl 05
Biotite
Calc Spar. , .. . -02
Carnelian ."?.-.. .05
Cassinite 03
Cassiterite 02
Catlinite ,. . . .02
Celestite 02
Cerolite 05
Cerussite 10
THE OOLOGIST.
Chalcedony ........ .^
Chondrodite
Cymatolite
Chalcopyrite
Chalk.
Chromite
Cinnabar
Clay
Clay-stones
Covelite
Coquina
Conglomerate
Coke, Native
Copper Ore
Copper Pyrites
Corundum
Crocidolite
Cryolite
Cubanite
Cyanite
Datolite
Dendrite
Deweylite . .
Diamond
Dolomite
Dogtooth Spar
Elaeolite
Dawsonite
Electric Stone
Enstatite
Feldspar
Fibrolite
Flint
Franklinite
Fluorspar
Forest Rock.
Galenite
Garnierite
Garneiiferous Albite
Garnet ; . .
Geodes
GarnetiferousGranite Garnetiferous Mica
Schist
Gold Ore
Graphite
Granite
Gypsum
Hallyosite
Halite
Heavy Spar
Hell Fire Rock
Hematite
Hematite, Micaceous
.02 to $0 |
-.5° |
•03 " |
25 |
•0.5 ' |
25 |
.02 |
2.5 |
.02 ■■ |
15 |
.02 " |
15 |
.03 " |
15 |
.02 " |
2.5 |
■03 " |
25 |
•05 |
25 |
.02 " |
.50 |
.02 " |
2.5 |
.02 " |
15 |
.05 ■' |
25 |
.02 " |
25 |
.0^ " |
25 |
.OS " 2 |
00 |
.02 ■' |
25 |
.02 " |
20 |
■O3 |
25 |
.03 " |
25 |
.02 '■ |
50 |
.02 " |
10 |
.40 •' |
75 |
.02 " |
25 |
.05 " I |
00 |
■03 ■■ |
25 |
.02 ■' |
25 |
03 " |
50 |
.u2 " |
25 |
.02 '■ |
50 |
02 " |
25 |
.02 " |
25 |
•03 " |
25 |
02 ' |
25 |
.02 " |
50 |
02 ■' |
25 |
03 " |
10 |
03 " |
25 |
02 |
25 |
.03 " I |
00 |
02 |
25 |
02 " |
25 |
•03 " |
25 |
■03 ;' |
15 |
02 |
25 |
02 " |
25 |
.02 " |
25 |
02 " |
15 |
.02 " |
25 |
02 " |
05 |
02 ' |
20 |
02 '■ |
20 |
Hematite Crystals. .
Hornblende
Hornstone
Honestone
Iceland Spar
Indurated Clay.
Iron Pyrites
J'^sper
Jet...
Kaolin
Kyanite
Labradorite
Leelite
Leopardite
Lapidolite
Lignite
Limonite
Lodestone, Native..
Lumachelle
Lithographic Stone.
Magnesite
Magnetite ....
Malachite
Mesolite
Menaccanite
Marble
Marcasite
Mica Schist
Mesotype
Mexican Onyx
Mica
Moss .Agale
Muscovite
Natrolite
Nephelite
Novaculite
Obsidian
Ochre
Onyx
Opal Wood
Orthoclase
Pearl Spar
Pectolite
Peacock Coal
Petrified Wood
Porphj'ry
Pumice
Phlogopite
Picrolite
Prehnite
Pyrite
Pyromorphite
Pyroxene
05 to $0
Pyrrhotite $0
Pudding Stone
Quartz, Milky
Quartz, Crystals ....
Quarrz, Drusy
Quartz, Glassy
Quartz
Quartz, Ferruginous.
Quartz, Rose
Quartz, Smoky
Rensselaerite
Rock Crystal
Rutile
Satin Spar
Scapolite
Selenite
Semiopal
Serpentine
Sandstone
Sillimanite
Siderite
.Silicified Wood
Smithsonile
S'.iipstone
03 to $0
btibDUc 02
Stilbite 02
Stink Stone 03
Stream Tin 02
Sulphur, Native 03
Talc 02
Tourmaline, (^black). 02 Tourmaline, (green). .03
Tremolite 02
Tripolite 03
Ulexite 03
Uranite 10
Variscite 03
Wavellite 02
Willemite 02
Williamsite 02
Wollastonite 05
Wollongongite 02
Wulfenite 03
Zinc Blende 03
Zincite 02
Zircon 03
SHEILILS.
The following' polished, and are
Chinese Pearl Snail.. $
" Banded Snail.
" Blotched Snail
" Trochus (Top)
" Spider
HornedTurbo
" Harp
" Haliotis
" Small Ear . . .
" Turrittella. . .
" Sun & Moon.
■' Strorabus. . . .
" Ranella
" Eburna
" Doliu-
'■ Case ui .jhells contain about 125 as- sorted shells ; size of case, 11x16x3 in. Just the thing for the young student of Conchology
shells are all vei-y fine and showy, all aie cleaned and many highly sold at wholesale at the prices we are offering them.
'• Haliotus .1;
Cjliiornia Red Ear
( Abalone) 1.50
Panama Black Murex -30 "
" Rose Murex. L.I.,Pectens-polished .02 Bahama Black Hel- met
Bahama Hatchet Hel- met
Bahama Lavona
West India Conch... .'5«"
$1.
so |
East |
ndia Clam |
40 |
Furblo Clam |
|
40 |
^icorpion .... |
|
20 |
'* |
Valuta |
20 |
Melon |
|
15 |
" |
Turk's Cap. |
15 |
Goldmouth. |
|
15 |
Pearl Trocus . |
|
06 |
Cone |
|
05 |
Virgm Cone. |
|
30 |
** |
Nautilus.... I. |
10 |
" |
Mitre |
10 |
East |
Indian Marlin- |
lO |
spike $0. |
|
10 |
" |
Tiger Cowry Panther - Cowry |
New |
Zealan 1 White |
|
Ear |
||
New |
Zealand Green |
|
Ear |
||
• 50 |
Japan Black Ear. . . . |
to I |
.00 |
.40 |
|
•25 |
|
• 15 |
|
I |
.00 |
** |
■30 |
•15 |
|
•50 |
|
•15 |
|
' |
25 |
" I |
.50 |
■15 |
|
to So |
•2,5 |
. 10 |
|
. 10 |
|
•50 |
|
•75 .40 |
(rough) 05
New jersey Razor
Shell 05
New Jersey Pyrula
carica
New Jersey Pyrula
canaliculata
New Jersey Area
pexata 05
THE OOLOGIST.
New Jersey Boat. . . . |
02 |
$0.06 |
" Mussel . . |
02 ' |
.06 |
" Natica. . . |
OS ' |
. 10 |
" Petricola. |
02 ' |
■07 |
Florida, Strombus |
||
.05 |
||
Florida Olive Shell |
||
(Key) |
. 10 |
|
Florida Fasciolaria . . . |
OS ■ |
' .10 |
" Pyrula |
0.3 ' |
' . 10 |
" Murex |
OS ' |
■IS |
" Fiddle head.. |
0^ ' |
' .10 |
" Bloody Tooth |
01 ' |
' 03 |
Zanzibar Orange - |
||
Zanzibar Cameo |
2S ' |
•so |
" Cockel |
2S ' |
' -SO |
" Large Tritons |
7S |
' 2.00 |
MoUusks from Erie |
||
Canal |
||
.20 |
||
English Scollops |
OS |
' . 10 |
Engraved Cameo. . . . |
1.50 |
|
Motto Cowry. |
•25 |
|
(Lord's Pray- |
||
Er. |
||
Praye.^ |
||
Engraved (^^ |
||
Prayer) Cowry. . . . |
•50 |
|
Shell Pocket Books.. |
•25 |
We can put up an assortment of large showy shells, at from $i.co to $25.00 ; they will retail at twice these prices.
Smaller Shells.
Cowry Shells, assorted, including Cy/>rcea' Moneta , Lynj:, Arabrica^ Paniherina^ Helvo/a, Capiit-ser- pentis^ etc.^ each 2 to 5 cts.: per doz. 5 to 30 cts.; per 100 $i.oo. Bloody tooth Shells, doz $0.05
Venetian Snail " .05" .10
Black Snail " .05 '' .10
Yellow Snail " .05 '' .10
Olive doz. .05 to . 10
Rose Leaf " .05 " .25
Frog " .05 " .15
Screw " .05 '■ .25
Horn " .05 " .10
Guinea Peas '' .02
MARINE CURIOSITIES.
Corals
Organ Pipe $o.03to$o
Mushroom 02 " i
Feather 03 " i
Pink, from Caroline
Isles, This lace like
coral is quite ex
pensive, rare and
very beautiful, our
supply is limited,
fine sprays 03 " 5
Sea Fans 05
Sea Fe.ns 10"
Sponges, etc^
A large assortment of curious forms and species 10 "
Fine Venus Coral or
Glass Sponge 1^25 " i
Sea Urchins. Atlantic .03 " •' Pacific. . . .05 ' " large - white Bahamas 15 "
Sea Urchins, Mam- moth purple. Pacific
Sea Urchins, (Sand
Dollars) 03 "
Starfish, common At- lantic 02 "
Starfish, the largest and finest we ever saw, some measur- ing 16 in. diam. and 4 in. through 50 " i
Hermit Crabs
Soldier Crabs
Skate Eggs
SharV Eggs
Alligator Eggs 10 "
" Teeth 02 "
Whale Teeth 15 "■
Barnacles, from the Pacific, very fine and Curious: ..... . .05 "
Lucky tooth from Codfish
Miscellaneous Cariosities
Brazil Nut Pods %o
Liver Beans
Sea Beans, red
SO
gray
" brown banded
Vegetable Ivory Ap- ples
Chinese Horn Nuts..
Beetle Nuts. New Zealand
1000 mi.xed Foreign Stamps
Chinese Coins
Japanese Coins, ob- long .
Bark from the " Big- trees" of California
Resurrection Plant from Me.xico, when placed in water will unfold and assume a beautiful green..
Tarantulas
•40
Fossils.
Wholesale assortments of com- mon and rare small fossils, fine for exchangers, each a.ssortnient is worth three times the price asked, f'.ood Lots at from So. 50 to $5-00 Shark Teeth, S. C... .05 " .25
Shark Vertebrje 50 " 100
Mazan Creek Fossil
Ferns 05 " .50
Other Mazan Creek
Fossils 05 " .50
Crinoid Stems, Tenn. .01 " .10 " " Craw-
fordsville, Ind., the
finest in the world. .02 " .20 Fos>il C" ral 02 " i.oo
Indian Relics -
Arrowheads, Ohio ..fo.03 to $0.10
.\lich 05 '■ .i.s
" Georgia . .02 " .10
" Alabama. .03 " .10
" Va 05 " . 10
" Martha's
Vineyard 06 ■' .25
Indian Pottery, Ohio .02 " .10 We have other Indian Relics, but supply is loo limited to list. Write for what you want.
it.
TME .^UI^.
99
A Quarterly Journal of Ornithology. $3.00 a year. 75 cents a single number. Published for The American Ornithologists' Unioh. J. A. Allen, Edi- tor. Associate Editors: Elliott Coues, Robert Ridg- way, William Brewsfr Monfgue Chamberlain.
The "AUK" will present, as hi-refore, timely and interesting papers on the subject m which it relates, and its readers may feel sure of being kept abreast of the adv.ances in the science. The "AUK" is pri- marily int> nded as a communication between ornitho- I'lgists. While necessarily to some degree technical, it contains a fair proportion of matter of a popular character. Its notices of recent literature cover the whole field of North Ameiican Ornithology, and with the departments of "General Notes" and "Notes and News" render the journal indispensable to those wish- ing the latest and fullest intelligence of the subject. L. S "FOSTER, Publisher, 35 Pine St., New York.
PETRIFIED KELP!
SPECIMENS, Each 25 cts. JAMES W. JONES, - Port Townsend, W. T.
AUSTRALIAN
BIRDS' EGGS.
Rare ! Cheap ! Handsouie !
Send stamp for new catalogue of Amer- ican and Australian Birds' Eggs, for sale by
S. W. & W. D. DENTON,
Wellesley, Mass.
$50 Pn77T r 15° ^"'^P Pictures & Mottos. i Prize i UZlZlLll Finger Ring, i Prize Puzzle & Sample Book of Visiting Cards 5c. A. M. EUDY. Albion, N. Y.
TH5: OOLOGIST.
MAHLIXT
forlarire or small game— 32 calibre, 40 grains pjwder; 38 cal. 55 ^ 40 cal. 60 sr. , -15 cal Tu and 85 gr. The strongobt shooting rifle made Perfect accuracy gua'anteed and the onlv absolutely safe rifle on toe ket. Prices BATT A "D ^ GnIl<TV, Sporting and Tor- reduced. JCaJCjL-P 'i^jA^iJiTti*^* get Rities, world renowned. Tbe standard for target shootina. hunting, and shooting gailerlfs. All calibres from 22 to 45 Madeln
fourteen different styles, prices from SlS.uu up. Send for illustrated catalogue.
MARLIN FIRE ARMS CO., - New Haven, Conn.
Two tarcets made with one of our 22 calibre rifles, twenty consecutive shots at sixty feet, after fifty shots had already been fired and no cleaning during the entire seventy shots. These guns carry off nearly all the prizes at target matches because Uiey are always accurate and reliable.
OUR THIRTY-TWO PAGE
ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE,
CONTAINS COMPLETE PRICEvLIST OF
Minerals, Birds' Eggs, Shells, Curiosities.
Naturalists', Taxidermists', Entomol- ogists', and Oologists'
INSTRUMENTS (^iSUPPLIES
OF ALL KINDS.
IT SHOWS EI&HT STYES Of DATA BLAMS.
And Gives Over 30 Other Illustrations, WILL SEND IT, POST-PAID, FOR
or, if you will send us an order for any thing we ad- vertise, amounting to 25 cents, and mention that you would like a copy, it will be sent you gratis. Address. FRANK H. LATTIN, Albion, N. Y,
SEWING MACHINE
HAS NO EQUAL.
PERFECT SATISFACTION
New HDue Sewii MacMie Co.
— ORANGE3 MASS.—
30 Union Square. N. Y. Chicago, III. St. Louis, Mo. Atlanta, Ga. DallaSi Tex. San Francisco, Cal.
FOR SALE BY
COINS SENT ON APPROVAL.
Agents wanted for sale of rare stamps from sheets.
LIBERAL CONINlISSIOrvI
W. F. GREANY, .
827 Brannan St., San Francisco, Cal.
THE OOLOGIST.
The Resurrection Plant,
-ONK OF THK-
GREATEST CURIOSITIES OF THE AGE.
Found cling-ing' from the barren rooks on the Santa Rosa Mountains of OLD MEXICO. Called by the Mexicans Siempre-viva, meaning ALWAYS LIVE.
" This singular Plant is really one of the wonders of creation. Imagine a bunch of withered looking, curled up shoots, brown, stiff, and apparently dead, resembling a bird's nest. Place it in water, in half an hour what a transformation ! The withered looking bunch has now opened and is transformed into a lovely patch of green moss, entirely covering an ordinary plate. In its native habitat, when the dry season sets in, the plant curls up into a round ball and is wafted away by winds from place to place, sometimes foi hundreds of miles, when at last it reaches a moist spot it gradually unfolds itself, makes new roots and thrives in its new found home.
DIRECTIONS. — Place the dry plant in water entirely covered for two hours, then take out and put in shallow dish with only roots in water, after remaining in water for a few days, allow the plant to dry up again- then p»rform the operation as before. The plant will never die, and will open and shut as often as placed in and taken out of water.
We expect to sell thousands of these plants during the next few months; A more desirable and curious Xmas present would be hard to find. The plant must be seen to be appreciated, and knowing that where we sell one of these plants we are almost certain of selling several more, we have decided to sell at the following very low prices, viz . i plant, post-paid, for only 15 cents ; 2 plants for 25 cents ; 10 for $1.00, or 25 for $2.25 ; or better still we will send you one of these plants and the Oologist for 1887, for only 28 cents. ('I hese plants are usually retailed at 50 cents each.) Our Agent is at present in Mexico gathering a new stock of these curious plants, and in order to have them better known we are desirous of having a good live agent at every Post-Office in the Union. Address plainly,
FRANK H. LATTIN, Albion, N. Y.