%)

FOR THE PEOPLE

FOR EDVCATION

FOR SCIENCE

LIBRARY

OF

THE AMERICAN MUSEUM

OF

NATURAL HISTORY

"ifl.rt

ORNITHOLOGIST

0 _a:<d—

OOLOGIST.

$1.00 per
Annum.

PUBLISHED BY THE FRANK. ELAK.E WEBSTER COMPANY.

ESTABLISHED MARCH, 1875.

Single Copy
10 cents.

Vol. XVIII. HYDE PARK, MASS., JANUARY, 1893.

No. I.

The First Spring Outing.

I foot up. "O, let me climb to the nest!"
Of course I don't think I shall ever climb
The winter and spring of 1S92 wilP another tree if it be over two feet up to
long be remembered for the visitation of; j^g branches.

the Russian epidemic, La Grippe. Un-
sparing in its infliction, it numbered its
victims in every household and in every
avocation. Even the ornithologist was

It was a pleasant morning for a pleasant
trip ; it seemed to put new life into one
debilitated by the epidemic. The drum-
ming of the Grouse, and the startling

made to realize how it felt, and the walls whirr when we flushed one, stirred the
of my house echoed and re-echoed to the blood, and we stopped to listen to the
form of expressing the presence and effect sweet song of a Purple Finch as, perched
of the detested plague in all its variations. ;„ a tree top, he repeated his delightful

When one has passed through these ex- jay. Little families of Chickadees, cheer-
periences week after week and week after ;„„ each other with pleasant notes, were
week, the things that charmed before lose intent on the important business of secur-
much of their attraction ; even life itself jng g breakfast, while one member of the
bears a different aspect. What though family in different garb from the others
the almanac indicated the near approach showed that he had not been adopted long
of spring, with its fascinations to the col- enough to learn the family language when
lector, I guessed that I shouldn't do much ^g tried to join them in singing, his notes
collecting this year and then suspended ; sounding more like the tinkling of a tiny
thinking long enough to sneeze a few | bell. What a melodious whistle sudden-
'"fss- ly burst on the ear, loud and clear and

But one morning the sun came out startling in the quiet of the forest, and
bright and warm, the winds were hushed I while the boy looked at me with inquiring
and I didn't hear anybody sneezing, wonderment expressed on his face, a flock
How different one feels at such a time; of Fo.x-colored Sparrows began springing
the world looked more attractive, tlie up from the ground and darting away one
llelds seemed inviting and a thought of after another. How they can sing and
the woods reviving. I gently suggested ! what splendid voices they have. Wouldn't
the possibilities of a trip to that old hollow i it be deliglitful, when they get home, to
tree, where the Barred Owl had been ac- be there with them and listen to their
customed annually to prepare a set of eggs | chorus. > I wonder where the enchanted
for me, to my boy, and iiis eyes danced spot may be.

and sparkled with animation. But then A turn of the path brought in view the
he hadn't been through the Grippe, and place we sought and a surprise awaited us
of course was all ready to start, with one — the spoiler had been there with the

Copyright, 1892, by Frank Blake Webster Company.

ORNIT^IOLOGIST

[Vol. iS-No. I

woodman's axe. Instead of the tall trees
that covered the spot a year ago, heaps of
cord-wood were scattered all over the
brown hillside, with very few of the old
trees left ; but we soon discovered that
among those few was the dilapidated old
tree whose hollow trunk had contained
the nest of Syrnium. But little encourage-
ment, however, could we take to our-
selves, for within a few feet from tiie
trunk was a square corded pile of split
wood. With scarcely interest enough to
go to the spot, I lifted my staff" and gave a
gentle blow upon the base and was prompt-
ly startled by seeing the big brown head
emerge and with great flapping of wings
speed away to a neighboring tree, whence
she glared at us with her beady black eyes
and called out ivJio-xvho-zvJio-oo-ou . By
this time tiie boy was sitting astride the
one remaining branch of the tree, which
stood like an arm reaching out to grasp a
support for the decaying foundation.
"Three eggs this year," he exclaimed as
he gazed down into the depths, "and
they are awa\' down deep, tlie whole
length of mj' arm." Last year it was so
that the bird could sit on the eggs and
just peep over the top at an intruder. It
was a beautiful set, almost globular in form,
and being quite fresh they were clean and
white. We returned over the hill way to
visit the Red-tailed Hawks' nest as we
did last year when we secured the set of
three beautiful spotted eggs ; but while we
found the nest unchanged, it appeared to
be without a tenant this year. Niglit
nearly overtook us before we reached
home, and the first spring tramps will tire
one ; but the pure air is invigorating and
one does not seem to require such full
measure of success on the first trip as later
to be fully satisfied, for we unanimously
pronunced it a successful and enjoyable
outing.

John \. Clark.

Old Saybrook, Conn.

A List of the Birds of Randolph
County, Ind., with some notes on
the Mammals of the same county.

For some years previous to August,
1891, I made careful notes on the birds
and mammals found in the above county,
and believe the following to be a pretty
accurate list of the winter birds. A few
listed are truly migrants, but the dates at
which they were seen would place them on
the winter list. The mammal list is not
complete. No Bats are given. I have seen
some there, but do not know the species.
The list of Mice and Shrews I believe to
be only partially complete.

"WINTER BIRDS.
A. o. r,

194. Great Blue Heron. Not common
in winter, but one was seen late
in December.

3S9. Bob White (Qiiail). Very common
and much sought by hunters. The
county is thickly settled, but nearly
every farm has a flock or two.

310. Wild Turkey. Now extinct but
formerly quite common.

316. Mourning Dove. A few remain
around feeding places the entire
winter.

32 V Turkey Buzzard. Occasionally seen
during warm winters.

333. Cooper's Hawk. Has been taken
in the winter.

337. Red-tailed Buzzard. Qiiite com-
mon at all times.

339. Red-shouldered Hawk (Chicken
Hawk). Common for a hawk.

353. Bald Eagle. One is occasionally
seen.

36S. Barred Owl. \'ery common.

373. Screech Owl. Common. More of
the gray color than the brown.

37^. Great Horned Owl. Abundant for
this species.

376. Snowy Owl. Two were taken in
the county in December, 1S91, the
only ones I have ever known.

January, 1S93.]

AND OOLOGIST.

393. Hairy Woodpecker. Can be seen

any day in the year.

394. Downy Woodpecker. Common,

often found with D. villosus.
406. Red-headed Woodpecker. Some

years it remains all winter but

others it is not seen during the

cold months.
409. Red-bellied Woodpeclcer. Occa-
sionally seen, but it is not common.
412. Flicker. Common during warm

winters, rare when very cold.
474. Horned Lark (Shore Lark). It is

not uncommon to find a flock

around a feeding place.
477. Blue Jay. Can be seen almost any

time.
-^SS. Crow. A few remain all the year

when the winters are mild.
559. Tree Sparrow. Very abundant,

often found with Junco hj'emalis.
567. Snow Bird. Common.
sSi. Song Sparrow. I have seen a few

in midwinter.
593. Cardinal. Common for this species.

English Sparrow. Everywhere.

727. White-bellied Nuthatch. Common.
731. Tufted Titmouse. Very abundant.
735. Black-capped Chickadee. I took

one Feb. 12, 1891.
761. Robin. Several have been seen in

January.

MAMMALS.

Didelphis virginiaiia (Common Opos-
sum). Formerly common, but now
very rare. A few are killed each year.

Lepus sylvaticiis (Gray Rabbit) . Very
abundant.

EretJilzo)! dorsattis (Canada Porcupine).
Qiiite common twenty years ago, but
now not found.

Fiber zibcthicus (Muskrat) . Common
around swamps 'and ditches. Trapped
for fur.

Arvicola pinctorum (Pine Mouse). One
specimen was taken January, 1S91, by

L. J. Driver, of Farmland, Ind. We
put out many traps in the same region,
but could get no more.

Arvicola pcinisvlvaiiicus (Meadow
Mouse). Common everywhere.

Calomys amcrico !i//s (Dormouse). Com-
mon in the woods and along fences.

Castor Fiber (Beaver). Not found at
present, but a few old beaver dams can
be located.

Arctomys monax (Ground Hog). Occa-
sionally found, formerly quite common.

Taw ills striatiis (Chipmunk). Very
common.

Sciitriis /iudsotiic?is (Red Squirrel).
Very rare.

Sciiirits carioliiiciisis (Gray Squirrel).
Common.

Sciitriis iiiger liidoviriaiiiis (Fox Squir-
rel). Quite common.

Sc in ropier lis voiaits (Flying Squirrel).
Common. In November a few years
ago I found fifteen in one old stump.

Blariiia brevicauda (Mole Shrew). I
took one specimen in 1S91. Did not
see or hear of any others.

Blariiia exilipes. I have one specimen,
which I caught running on the snow in
a road at night.

Scalops aqiiatieiis (Common Mole).
Common but not abundant.

Procyon lotor (Raccoon). Common.
Trapped for its fur.

McpJiitis mepliitica (Common Skunk).
Occasionally found. Formerly abund-
ant.

Putoriits visoii (Mink). Common in
some localities.

Piitoriiis lougicauda (Weasel). Form-
erly abundant, now rather rare.

Vuipes vulpes (Red Fox). A few are
taken each year. Uiysscs O. Cox.

State Normal School, Mankato, Minn.

George O. Welch, the Salem, Mass.,
taxidermist, reports that the season has
i been an unusually busy one v^'ith him.

ORNITHOLOGIST

[\'

iS-Xo. I

Domestication of the Canada Goose.

It is thoug'nt by a great many and some-
times appears in print that tlie Wild Goose
will not breed in confinement, or, in other
words, in a domesticated state ; but as an
experiment of this kind has come under
my immediate observation, I will relate it
in detail for the benefit of the readers of
the Ornithologist and Oologist. It
appears that some one found them breed-
ing along the banks of a river in Minne-
sota, and while the old goose with her
young was feeding out on the land, he ran
up between them and the river bank, and
of course the young became an easy prey,
as they were too young to fly.

A pair of these young geese were sent to
Chauncey Baker, of this place, who, after
keeping them awhile, sold them to Luther
Briggs, of this vicinity. Not long after-
wards the female died, leaving the gander
alone ; and after he became fully matured
Ml'. Briggs procured a tame goose to try
the experiment of crossing them, which
proved a success, for several broods of hy-
brids were raised which had all the charac-
teristics of the wild variety and resembled
them so much in color that no one but an
expert could tell them from pure l)red
Wild Geese ; but of course they were
sterile and would not breed. On one oc-
casion, during the fall migration, some of
these half breeds went South, and were
not seen again till the following summer
during oat harvest, when they returned
and brought with them some pure wild
ones. The half Ijreeds came to the barn-
yard, but the wild ones kept to the fields.
Mr. Briggs tried to capture them, but
failed and thev soon left, while the half
breeds remained at tlieir old home. After
this he cut oil' one wing, at the first joint,
of all the yoiuig ones he raised, for they
were very restless during the migrating
season. In the spring of iSS6, Mr. M.
L. Rice, of Utica, Michigan, procured a

pure-bred young wild gosling that was
caught somewhere in Dakota. It proved
to be a female, and he let Mr. Briggs take
it to cross with his old wild gander on
shares, providing they would breed, Mr.
Rice reserving the right to buy Mr. Briggs'
should he ever wish to sell them. Of
course Mr. Briggs got rid of all his other
Geese and kept only the pair of pure wild
ones, and in the spring of 1S89, when the
Goose was three years old, she built her
first nest in a piece of woods and laid seven
eggs, and while she was sitting, a Fox or
some other wild animal destroyed all of
the eggs and nearly killed the Goose, bit-
ing her badly about the neck ; and in the
spring of 1890 Mr. Briggs confined them
during the breeding season in a large gar-
den near the house where there was a creek
running through its centre. Near this
creek she built her nest and laid five eggs
and in due time she hatched every egg.
When the goslings were about half grown
one of them died, and the other four came
to maturity ; and in the spring of 1S91 the
old Geese wei"e again confined in this same
garden and near the creek. The female
again built her nest, and when she had
laid three eggs Mr. Briggs removed them
from the nest for safe keeping and added
a little more straw to the nest, which
broke her up. She never went near it
again. The}' afterwards found one egg in
the creek, which was badly water-soaked
and stained. I offered him one dollar for
one of these fresh eggs, but he would not
sell it. He kept the eggs some time and
then set them under a hen. The water-
soaked egg got broken under the hen and
the other three were addled. I procured
one of these addled eggs as a specimen for
my cabinet, Robert Alexander got one,
and the other was given to a friend of the
Briggs family.

Again, in the spring of 1S92, the female
built her nest and laid seven eggs. Mr.
Albert Durfee procured one of these eggs

January, 1S93.]

AND OOLOGIST.

wliile fresh for his cabinet and the other
six hatclied : but about tiie time the Goose
was sitting Mr. Briggs died, and in set-
tling the estate and when these gosUngs
were about lialf grown, they were all
shipped together, twelve in number, to
M. L. Rice, of Utica, Michigan, who, by
agreement with Mr. Briggs, held a first
claim on them. The young goslings never
required any feeding but picked their own
living with the old Geese. We hope to
hear more about Mr. Rice's success with
them in the future ; but this article in-
cludes all of their history up to the present
date. Janus B. P/irdy.

Plymouth, Wayne Co., Michigan.

Nesting of the Cerulean Warbler.

How well do I remember fnuling my
first Ceridean Warblers' nest.

It came about in this manner : One
pleasant day in May, 1S90, while out col-
lecting skins at Greenwood, a suburb of
St. Louis, on the Missouri Pacific Railroad,
and about one half mile from my home,
and while prying around in a smalJ but
beautiful piece of forest through which
winds a small creek which goes by the
name of the river Des Perces, pronounced
De Pere, I spied a small bird flitting
about in a tall but slender sycamore. On
first appearance I took the tiny bird to be
a Vireo of some species, and sat down to
watch its movements for awhile before
shooting. Finally it disappeared, and I
had just begun to be ^'exed at such stupid-
ity in allowing the bird to escape, when
it made its appearance again, and with, I
thought, something in its mouth ; but at
such a great height I was not sure, so I
decided to wait awhile, and was rewarded
with unmistakable signs of nest building.
As I could see nothing of the nest, I con-
cluded that the nest must be just begun,
and so I left, intending to visit the tree
again in about a week ; but it was ten

days before I again visited the locality,
and with a good glass I scanned each and
every branch but no hanging nest ; but on
a horizontal limb about sixty-five feet up
and about twelve feet from the trunk, and
where the limb forked out, I thought I
noticed an undue bulging of the limb and
decided to investigate ; so after consider-
able hard work in the way of shinning I
reached the suspicious limb, and wav out
on the end I spied a tiny nest containing
two eggs, but no bird in sight, nor did it
show up. Not being prepared to secure
the nest, and wishing a full set, I left.

Four days later I returned with a long
clothes-line, a chalk line, large jack-knife
and some cotton, also a younger brother
to help. After another hard shin, I reached
the blanch and begun operations by first
wrapping and tying one end of the clothes-
line around the limb containing the nest
and about twenty inches from the trunk ;
I next passed the line over a limb just
above the one holding the nest, bringing
the line down and securing to the lower
limb ; ni)' next move was to fasten a line
to the fork containing the nest; much
easier said than done, but I finally landed
a chalk line with a weight attached in the
right place, and lowering the same to the
ground my brother attached a short line,
which I was about to draw up in position
when I thought to myself, How will I tie
it away out there.' But, no sooner said
than done, I had my brother tie a good
stout stick about a foot long to the end,
and climbing higher up I hauled the rope
up and secured it to the limb above; thus
I had the limb so it could not fall or turn
over after it was cut. I almost forgot to
say that all this rumpus proved too much
for the bird, who up to the time I threw
the chalk line over the limb a couple of
inches from her had remained on the nest.
She now left the nest, hopping all round
it and continually pecking at the chalk
line and scolding like a Wren or Vireo.

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. iS-No. I

I then saw what a rare find I had made,
and immediately let a string down for my
little gun and shot Mrs. Warbler from my
perch in the tree. Along about this time
came Mr. Warbler, attracted by the noise
made by his spouse, and I took him in
also. Now to my story. After securing
ropes my next step was to place a roll of
cotton in the nest, which I did by putting
it on a long light pole and crawling out
as far on the limb as I dared. I next be-
gun cutting the green limb, which was
nearly three inches thick. After chopping
away for a half hour I succeeded in sever-
ing tlie limb, and after much care in
handling the lines I finally secured the
nest and five fresh eggs. After securing
this nest it was no trouble for me to find
their nests right along, and during the rest
of the season and the one following I found
no less than forty nests and secured about
twenty- five sets of eggs. They were all
located in sycamores, with the exception
of two, which were in oaks, they all being
placed way out on a limb in the same
manner as the Wood Pewee, and from 40
to 75 feet up. Tlie nest very closely re-
sembles atypical nest of Traill's Flycatcher,
only smaller, being made of precisely the
same material both inside and out. A
typical nest measures, inside diameter i .6
in. ; inside depth i.i in. ; outside diameter
2.6 in. ; outside depth 1.5 in. Out of a
series of twenty-five nests five contained
five eggs, sixteen four eggs and the balance
three eggs. The eggs cannot with cer-
tainty be distinguished from those of tiie
Yellow Warbler.

Philo W. Sunt h, Jr.
St. Louis, Mo.

[The two sets of eggs of Cerulean War-
bler in mv cabinet (with parent liirds) are
entirely diflerent from those of the Yellow
Warbler. The nests also are very differ-
ent from those described bv Mr. Smith. —
J.P.N.]

A Few Days Among the Blue-
winged ^A^arblers.

My experience of past years with this
species {IIrhiiiiit/top/ii7a pi/itis), has been
that on the last of May or the first of June,
when I found a nest, the eggs were oftener
heavil}' incubated than fresh, so the past
season I thought I would start a week
earliei'.

I left the city on May 3ist, my object
being to locate the birds on their breeding
sites and see if they had commenced nest
building. I spent the afternoon of the
2ist, all day of the zzd and 23d tramping
over the country wherever I knew of a
suitable site, and at the end of the third
day I had an attack of the blues of the very
worst kind.

The weather for the three days was raw
and cloudy and I located only one pair of
birds. I felt very badly over my poor luck
and told my farmer friend who goes with
me on all m}' egg tramps and knows as
much about them as I do, but who is no
collector, that I thought the birds had
deserted their old breeding grounds, and
that I did not think I would bother with
them any more that season as I felt sure they
were not there. He had more courage
than I had, however, and said that he
was not going to give up vvithout another
fight when I left him at the depot on Mon-
day evening, where he had taken me to
meet my train for the city. He told me
that the first bright, sunny day he would
look atter them again and that I would
hear good news from him before the week
was out.

I did not have much hope of receiving
the good news he promised, but imagine
my surprise when on Friday of that week
I received a letter telling me to come up
on Saturday as he had found two nests.

On the evening of the 2Sth I took the
train for my friend's place, he ineeting me
at the station when the train arrived.

January, 1893.]

AND OOLOGIST.

After a drive of five miles and a good
night's rest, on the 39th I was in good
trim for worlt, and after breakfast we
started out. The first thing to be done
was to examine the two nests my friend
had found, which were both in the same
thicket about two hundred yards apart.
The first nest contained four eggs of the
Warbler and one of the Cowbird. When
it was found it contained two eggs of the
Warbler and the Cowbird. I did not dis-
turb this nest as I was going to stay until
the next day. The second nest was about
half finished, but mv friend declared thai
there had been nothing added to it since
he found it, but on June gtli he took a set
of five fresh eggs from it.

Our next find was a nest containing v/v
fresh eggs in a small thicket on edge of
a wood where I never found a pair before
and have been hunting over the same
ground for the past ten years. This was
a grand surprise as I had never found a
nest containing more than five eggs, but it
seemed as if this was my luckv day and
made up of surprises, for after packing the
six little beauties safely in my box we
started again and after a tramp of a half
mile we entered a heavy wood ; after tramp-
ing through it for some distance we came
to a small stream of water and a clear spot
containing about an eighth of an acre, with
a few raspberry vines scattered about.

As we entered the clear spot what was
our surprise to hear the notes of the Blue-
wing above our heads. It took us but a
moment to find the nest which contained
three fresh eggs. I left them and my
friend secured the nest and five eggs for
me on June 2d. After leaving this nest
and tramping another half mile or more
we came to an old breeding site where for
the past three years we have found a nest
of this species. The site is a narrow strip
of ground between the last furrow of a
ploughed field and an old worn fence di-
viding the field from a large wood, covered

with tall grass, blackberry and raspberry
vines. The Sunday before we had been over
this site and I thought it was impossible
for a nest to be there and we not find it,
but such must have been the case, for upon
coming near it I sent my friend to examine
a good site for a pair to take up in, telling
him i would examine the old one but with
no hope of success. I went the length of
it, looking carefully into every place large
enough to contain a nest and had nearly
reached the corner of the fence and almost
the last vine when out hopped the little
Blue-wing. I stepped up to the vine,
looked into the nest, counted the eggs, rub-
bed my eyes, looked and counted again,
rubbed my eyes, counted the third time
and yelled to my friend the number, scz'cii.
After packing tliem, we threw ourselves
on the ground in the shade of a large oak
and talked the matter over, and we both
came to the same conclusion tiiat the nest
must have been there when we looked for
it a week before.

After taking a half hour's rest and re-
freshing ourselves with a drink of cold
spring water, we started for another site,
wheie we found a pair of birds. The
season before this was a narrow strip of
clear ground on the edge of a wood about
an eighth of a mile in length, overgrown
with bushes and vines of many different
kinds. We started in at the west end and
after going about half way we knew the
birds were there by hearing their song ;
we hunted the whole length of the wood
and came to the conclusion that they had
either hidden their nest so well that we
overlooked it or else had not commenced
it yet, when reaching the end of the wood
where a fence divided it from a clover field
there was a small cluster of raspberry vines ;
stepping over to them and looking on the
ground I saw the nest with little or no
protection ; it contained two eggs. On
June 3d my friend secured the nest with
I five eggs.

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. iS-Xo. I

On the afternoon of May 30th I visited
the first nest spoken of. It contained five
eggs of the Warbler that were cold, which
led me to believe the female would have
laid at least one more ; but as the nest was
placed in a bunch of grass and the cows
had been tramping very close to it, I was
afraid to leave it another day, and thinking
a bird in hand was worth two in the bush
I packed the eggs in my box and started
for my home feeling well paid for my trip,
bringing home one set of seven, one of six,
one of five, and receiving the other three
sets of five in good condition when the sets
were completed.

On Sunday, June i 2th, myself and friend
went over the same ground and found the
second nest of the pair from which I took
the seven eggs. It was placed in a bunch
of tall grass about 200 feet from the site of
the first one and contained four eggs ; in-
cubation commenced. About 300 yards
from this nest we found one containing four
eggs that we overlooked on the 29th of
May ; incubation was far advanced. On
our homeward trip we found the second
nest of the last pair we found on the 2Sth
about so feet from the old site, containing
four eggs ; incubation commenced. I do
not believe in robbing a pair of birds of
their eggs the second time ; my object in
going after them this time was to find out
what their second clutch would consist of.
I did it once before and never found but
four eggs, and by this I am led to believe
that they rarely, if ever, lay more. I hope
to spend several more pleasant days look-
ing after them the coming season.

I would be pleased to have other col-
lectors give their experience with this spe-
cies. To my mind it is one of the most
interesting of tiie Warbler family.

Isaac .S'. Re iff.
Philadelphia.

A Comparison of the Nesting Hab-
its of the Long-billed and Short-
billed Marsh Wren.

R. H. Carr reported a Scarlet Tanager
taken at Brockton, Mass., on November
II, 1892.

The Short-billed Marsh Wren ( Cistot-
liorus stellaris) seems to be confined to
certain sections for the nesting season. I
know of but two places where they are to
be found in numbers, and as these places
are somewhat under thirty miles from my
present residence, and, so far as I know,
but one other oologist besides my brother
and myself knows about them, the birds are
disturbed^very little and consequently con-
gregate in considerable numbers every
year. The Long-bills ( C. pah/sfris) are
common almost anywhere.

The Short-billed usually has the first
nest completed and eggs laid by the last of
May and the Long-bills about a week
later ; as at that time of the year the grass
is not very long, the nest is often built so
that it almost touches the hummock from
which the supporting grass grows, but I
have never seen them actually' on or in the
hummock. As a rule it is built some dis-
tance from the ground, and one, containing
seven eggs, was built in the top of the
bunch of the grass — the tops of the live
grass being woven in and forming part of
the nest.

I have noticed that while both species
build in wet meadows (in this case fresh-
water meadows) the Long-bills invariably
build in the tall rank grass and near some
river or brook, while the Short-bills are
equally particular in choosing a shorter
and much less rank kind of grass. When
the first set is laid, the grass all over the
meadows is rather short and not very
rank, so that the nests may be anywhere
and it is nothing but pure luck when one
is found ; but later in the season, when
most of the grass is long and rank, the
Long-bills stay wherever they happen to
be, while those of the other species come
from all parts of the meadows, and con-

January, 1S93.]

AND OOLOGIST.

gregate in tlie two places before men-
tioned, where the grass does not grow
mucii over two feet in height and is not at
all thick or rank. At tliis time of the
year, with a little patience, almost any
number of nests can be found.

In choosing a nesting site they (jstel-
/ar/'s) do not seem to be at all influenced
by the position of the streams, as some of
their nests were within ten feet of the
flowing water, while others were as much
as fifty yards off in the marsh, with abso-
lutely nothing to indicate their where-
abouts.

The construction of the nests seems to
be as different in the two species as their
location, but neither ever use any mud.
The Long-bills' nest is a ver^' bulky piece
of work and is composed externally of tlie
soft pieces of the dead, coarse grass that
it finds on the hummocks where it builds,
while the other uses the fine grass before
described, taking the fresh green grass for
the outside and the softer dead grass for
the inside next to the lining, and makes a
much smaller nest. This makes the nest
of the latter much more difHcult to find,
as it is of the same color of the surround-
ing grass.

Both birds build from two to six decoy
nests to the best of my belief, for each pair
seems to have a smaller area of the marsh
to themselves for building purposes, and
the number of nests in each "bunch"
varies between these two figures. I think
that one reason for these decoy nests being
built may be for convenience in the event
of the first nest being robbed or destroyed,
as I have taken a set of eggs from a nest
and a week or so later, on going to a decoy
nest close by the position of the old one,
found three fresh eggs in it.

The lining materials are the same for
both birds, but vary considerably, as it is
in some nests of very fine grasses, others
entirely of feathers, while others will be
lined with the silky tufts of that variety of

tufted grass which is so common in every
meadow.

The Short-billed Marsh Wren has a
curious habit of often pulling to pieces any
nest that has been handled, whether decoy
or otherwise, so long as it has not begun
laying in it, for I have repeatedly placed
a stick a few feet from the nest with the
bearing noted, only to find the nest gone
afterwards except for a sort of thin skele-
ton of grass.

If the nest contains a set of eggs I do
not think it is possible to make them de-
sert, as the two following incidents will
show.

On June i, iSt)2, I collected a nest con-
taining six eggs, but, for some reason, I
did not have an egg-box (I cannot under-
stand how it happened), so I left the eggs
in the nest and laid it, entrance up, on the
hummock from which it had been cut,
and began to search for other nests further
off in the marsh. In about half an hour
I returned, walking rather carefully in
order not to overlook it or step on it.
Just as I reached the edge of the little
clearing of trampled grass and saw the
nest, the bird jumped out of it and flew
awa)'. I felt meaner for taking that nest
than for all the others I have taken put
together. I do not know whether she
would have hatched the eggs or not, but
she must have been on the nest for some
time before being frightened away, as the
eggs were perfectly warm.

In the other case my brother found a
nest on July 16 containing seven eggs,
and, wishing to show it to a friend just as
it stood, stopped the entrance with a small
plug of grass. On July 34 he visited it
again and found that the top had been
hollowed out, enlarged and lined, so as to
make another perfect nest just above the
first one ; the second compartment con-
tained three eggs. Foolishly enough, we
left the nest to see if any more eggs would
be laid, but on visiting it two days later.

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. iS-No. I

the upper nest had been cleaned out by a
snake, although the lower set was safe.

The Long-bill, on the contrary, is very
easily offended. June 5 this year I found
a nest containing three eggs and left them,
wishing to take the full set a few days
later. The nest was in the middle of the
meadow and could not be reached with-
out a boat, so I was not able to go to it
again until June 17, when I found it de-
serted (the three eggs being cold and wet) ,
although I had handled it only as long as
it was absolutely necessary to ascertain
the number of eggs. Although the nest
was deserted, the birds were close by and
as noisy as ever, and after a short search
I found the second nest in a hummock
hardly five feet from the one in which the
first was built. This contained five eggs
slightly incubated, probably the balance
of the set that would have been laid in the
first nest. I think the second nest was a
new one and not a decoy, as otherwise I
should have noticed it the first day.

Neither species, so far as I have seen,
is at all particular about the points of the
compass, as far as the nest entrances are
concerned, for the openings are just as
often on any other side as they are on the
south side. There does not seem to be
any rule for this, unless, possibly, that
when the nest is not in the centre of the
hummock the entrance is usually in the
part nearest the outer edge. When on
the edge of a river or brook, it faces as
often away from as towards the water.
The entrance is usually in the side ; but
in one Long-bills' nest that was built in a
bunch of " cat-o'nine-tail" leaves, the nest
was longer and more narrow than usual
and the entrance near the top. This is an
unusual case, but there did not seem to be
space enough for a hole between the leaves.

The second set of the Short-bill is usu-
ally laid by the second week of July, but
sometimes a week or ten days earlier.
There are from five to seven eggs in this.

just as in the earlier sets. The Long-bills
lay again about the first of August, but a
set of four is the largest I have seen at
that date. The largest set I have taken
at any time contained six eggs, but that
does not appear to be considered a large
set.

The horizontal diameter of the Short-
bills' nest is usually four inches, and the
vertical four and one half; while the
Long-bills', although occasionally as small
as that, are more often very bulky, meas-
uring four and one half by six inches.
The entrance of the nests of both species
is about three-fourths of an inch.

The eggs of both are about the same
size, averaging .67 x .47. This is a larger
measurement than is usually given for
Short-bill's eggs, but I have measured
quite a number and they do not vary much
from it. Their shape is somewhat variable,
some being almost exactly like a minia-
ture Guillemot's egg, but the majority are
about the shape of the average Warbler's
egg, the width being equal to a little over
two-thirds of the length. Some of the
Long-bills' are nearly spherical, but none
of the other species are of this shape.

The eggs are nearly as highly polished
as those of the Woodpeckers, the Short-
bill's being pure white while those of the
Long-bill are light brown, usually evenly
spotted over the entire surface with slightly
darker dots, sometimes, however, they are
very heavily marked with large blotches
of dark brown, with two or three small
black dots near the large end, but I have
only found one set marked in this way.

The season of incubation lasts about ten
days and in the second set I believe is
somewhat assisted by the heat of the sun,
as I have never found the bird on the nest
in July, while in May and June it is not
very difficult to see the grass moving
slightly as they leave the nest and then to
flush them a little way off.

The songs of the two birds, although

January, 1S93.J

AND OOLOGIST.

similar, are easily distinguished after lis-
tening to them together for a short time ;
there is not much music about it, but it is
strong and lively, and they seem to put
their whole strength into it. When the
Short-bill's song is heard, the short grass
and the nests are not far off, and that is
how I first found them. When the nest
is approached, they give a very deep,
gutteral c/irr-c/irr-c/irr, which appears to
be their alarm note.

If in hunting for a Short-bill's nest one
finds a Long-bill, or vicc-vcrsa, the better
plan is to hunt somewhere else, as, for
some reason, the two species never build
anywhere near each other. Altogether
the two differ almost as much in habits as
their eggs do in color.

I will also add that if, while hunting,
the bird comes close and scolds, the
chances are nine out often that the nest is
nowhere near, the tenth chance being the
case wiien there are young in the nest.

C_ W. Boxvles.

■Winter Notes from Stephentown,
New York.

"Better late tiian never."

A few days ago, while looking over a
box of notebooks, I found a few notes
which I wrote up last winter with the in-
tention of sending them to the "O & O."
Other matters engaged my attention at
the time, and they were forgotten. I
looked them over; they did not seem un-
seasonable at that date, November 5, with
a howling northwest wind and the air out-
side thick with frosty flakes of the first
snow. They interested me. Perhaps they
will you, should the editor deem it best to
impose them upon his readers.

Winter Notes, 1S91-92.

On the whole, we have had a rather
mild winter in this locality. The mercury
has dropped to fourteen degrees below
zero several times, but the cold snaps
were of short duration.

Flocks of Black Ducks noted as late as
Christmas.

A few Belted Kingfishers have remained
with us all winter. It seems rather odd
to hear their rattling notes, and see them
flash by over the ice-bound streams. My
first record of their wintering here.

Tree Sparrows have been here in abund-
ance since their arrival from the North
last fall. Every morning I am greeted
with a medley of their low, sweet notes,
wafted across the creek from a tangle of
alders, rank weeds and vines on the op-
posite bank from the store.

Slate-colored Juncos have also wintered
here in small numbers.

Mourning Doves noted up to date. One
has stayed around the grist mill the past
two weeks, feeding on the grain thrown
out to it by the miller.

In Deceinber one of our local trappers
caught a magnificent specimen of the Bald
Eagle in a fox trap. The same man has
taken several fine Red-tailed Hawks in
the same manner.

Meadow Larks noted Febuary 2, and
several times since.

It is with great pleasure that I record
the presence of Redpolls in considerable
numbers. Not a single specimen was
noted last season, while in the fall of 1S89
they commenced to arrive in large flocks
about the 15th of November, and were
here in multitudes all winter, staying un-
til late in the spring of 1S90.

My time afield has been very limited
this winter. Have seen no Snowy Owls,
Pine Grosbeaks, Pine Siskins or Crossbills
myself. All, with the exception of the
Pine Siskin, have been reported to me
several times by hunters. A flock of
twenty Horned Larks, the true Alpestris,
were seen February 5.

Snowflakes have been seen in immense
flocks, at intervals, since the middle of
December.

Prairie Horned Larks were again noted

13

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. iS-No. I

on February 8, a flock of ten feeding on
the horse droppings in the road. Seen
ahnost daily since. None were noted
during December and January.

Our winter residents are all noted in
about the usual numbers. On short tramps
through wood and brush near the village,
I flushed Ruffed Grouse much oftener
than I expected to. It's a wonder to me
that we have a single one of these beauti-
ful birds left. Reason : this locality is
blessed with a gang who make hunting
for the markets a business.

Indeed extermination has advanced rap-
idly during the past ten years. Last fall
I stood a sunflower stalk, crowned by a
mammoth seed head, up against the crotch
of one of the apple trees in the yard, and
for about a month a pair of White-breasted
Nuthatches have made daily visits to the
yard to feed on the seeds. They are get-
ting quite tame, and will come to the
stalk for seeds when I am standing so near
I could touch them with my hand. After
picking out a seed they fly to a large elm
twenty feet away, stick it into a crevice
of the rough bark, and then hammer it
open with their bill, devouring the con-
tents, seemingly, with great gusto and a
profusion of Nutiiatch talk.

I noticed last winter that the Nuthatches
did not eat all of the seeds which they
carried to the big elm, but left many
wedged in the crevices of the bark. I
found later that they had a purpose in
doing this, as they made frequent visits to
the tree to feed on them until along into
the summer.

February lo, while at Pontoosac Lake,
near Pittsfield, Mass., on a fishing trip I
noticed numbers of Crows sitting on the
trees along the shore. Now and then one
of them would swoop down near the holes
where the lines were set, and pick up
something. I soon found it was the dead
minnows they were after. A resident of
the locality told me that on the day before

they stole two fine pickerel from one man.
We have only a small flock of English
Sparrows in the village this winter. The
Great Northern Shrikes nearly extermin-
ated them here last winter. Speaking of
Shrikes, reminds me that I haven't seen a
single specimen of borca//s this winter.

Silence now reigns on wooded hillside
and in timbered swamp, where not many
evenings since the loud hootings of the
Great Horned Owl were heard nightly,
which tells us that Mrs. Bubo now covers
her treasures white, and that we must
throw business cares aside for a day afield,
if we expect to get fresh sets this season.

The increase in numbers and activity of
the Crows, the peculiar, joyous notes they
are now uttering, foretell the near ap-
proach of spring, and warn us that ere
long there will be a break up, and we
shall be gathering notes on the Spring
migration. ISoijamin Hoag.

February 20, 1S93.

Early Nesting of the California
Thrasher.

January 6, while hunting for Partridge
among the foot-hills, I discovered a nest
placed about eighteen inches from the
ground in a sage-bush. On coming near-
er a bird was noticed sitting on the nest,
which flew as I approached. It was
readily identified as a California Thrasher.
I was greatly surprised to find that the
nest was not an old one but contained three
eggs of this bird, perfectly normal in size
and markings. They were far advanced
in incubation, so far, in fact, that they
could not be preserved and the young
squirmed when taken from the shell.

With this exception, the earliest record
I have of the breeding of this bird is April
34, when young were found old enough
when young were found old enough to
leave the nest, and the latest is May 23,
when a set of three fresh eggs was taken.

H. .1/. H.

Riverside, Cal.

Jantauv, 1S93.]

AND OOLOGIST.

13

Distribution of Illinois Birds.

Last fall, Mr. W. E. Loucks, of Peoiia,
and myself decided to attempt the task of
ascertaining the geographical distribution
and breeding range of certain Illinois
birds.

In following out this plan, we have se-
lected a number of birds for 1S93, and ask
of the ornithologists of Illinois certain in-
formation about them. A number have j
responded to the circulars sent them ask-
ing aid ; but we still desire others, espe-
cially in the central and southern parts of
the state.

We earnestly request any one having
information will write to us, and if circu-
lars have not been sent to them, we will
be very glad to furnish them with any in-
formation in regard to the work.

Now about the information we want.

We do not ask you to make future ob-
servations. We desire any information of
which you may now be possessed, how-
ever little.

If vou have not found the species, it is
important, foi' several of those on the list
are only found in certain localities, and we
wish to have them fully defined.

The reports may all be sent in at one
time, or monthly, which will give an op-
portunity for observation this season for
any data you may not have in your notes
should you desire to obtain it.

We vvouki be glad to have you state the
abundance of the species in vour locality
and as nearly as possible how many nests
found, number of eggs laid, and place of
building.

If you report monthly jour report should
be in by the toith of the preceding month,
in order that it may be combined in time
for publication.

To make a success of this work we will
need all the aid we can get, and our work
will be valuable in proportion to the num-
ber of localities we receive reports from.

Any one who can contribute even but a
little is requested to send it in.

A list of those who will aid us will be
ready for the February "O & O." and if
possible a description of the locality.

The first report will be in at that time.

It is our hope at some time in the near
future to have a catalogue that will give
the geographical distribution of every bird
found in the state, but tiie amount of aid
we receive now must determine our future
course. Dr. A. C. M/irc/iison.

Kewanee, 111.

Abnormal Coloring of a Song Spar-
row's Eggs.

On June iS, 1S93, I found a nest of the
Song Sparrow containing four eggs, three
of the Sparrow and one of the Cowbird.
There are no two alike and to the observer
the}' present the appearance of four differ-
ent species of eggs, so greatly do they dif-
fer in tlieir marking.

No. I. Size .80 X .60: is a very hand-
some egg. The ground color of the larger
end for about one half its length is light
brown, the remaining half pale blue, im-
maculate. On the larger end there is a
blotch of reddish brown about three eighths
of an inch in diameter and a few scatter-
ing spots of the same color. The shading
of the brown half into the blue is quite
abrupt.

No. 2. .So X. 39; ground color, pale
blue, immaculate for about two thirds its
length, with a wreath of reddish brown,
and a few scattering spots of light and dark
brown around the greater end.

No- ?>• -75 -^ -55 ' giayish white, speck-
led all over with various shades of reddish
brown. The spots are larger and more
confluent at the larger end. With the ex-
ception of its slightly larger size, it is in-
distinguishable from the typical Field
Sparrow's egg. There was nothing pecu-
liar in the material or situation of the nest,
neither is there any doubt of their identity.

G. L. H.

Bethel, Conn.

H

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. iS-No. I

THE

ORNlTHOLOGISTp^^^OOLOGIST

A MONTHLY MAGAZINE UF

NATURAL HISTORY,

ESPECIALLY DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OF

BIRDS,

THEIR NESTS AND EGGS,

AND TO THE

INTERESTS OF NATURALISTS.

Under the Editorial Management of
FRANK B. WEBSTER, . . . Hyde Park, JIass.
J, PARKER NORRIS, . . . Philadelphia, Pa.

PKBLISHED AT THE

MUSEUM AND NATURALISTS' SUPPLY DEPOT

OF THE

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER COMPANY,

' INCORPORATED,

HYDE PARK, MASS.

The O. & O. is mailed each issue to every paid subscriber.
If you fail to receive it, notify us, .

In presenting to our reader.s the volume
of the "O. & O." of which this is the
first issue, the same general plan will be
followed as in 1S92.

While we shall present extracts from
other publications and clippings from the
press, they will not be used to the exclu-
sion of valuable and interesting notes and
communications that may be sent in.

We are continually receiving letters of
praise, advice and criticisms from our
friends, which are cordially welcomed and
carefully considered. We shall endeavor
to manage the publication to meet the
popular views of the majority of our sub-
scribers.

We again announce for the information
of our many new friends, what is well
understood by the old subscribers, that the
articles and notes that are used are all free-
will offerings.

We do not pay for contributions.

The magazine is a medium for exchange
of practical knowledge between naturalists,
and the benefit that is thus obtained is the
remuneration.

We are particularly desirous of having

notes of interest sent to us from all parts
of the country.

ADVERTISING.

It would seem needless to call the atten-
tion of parties who have specimens for
sale or for exchange to the value of an ad-
vertising medium of a magazine like the
"O. &0.," which is circulated among
the class of people who are interested in
such goods throughout the entire country.
Specimen copies are sent by us to every
person whom we know to be interested in
natural history, and are not sent out at hap-
hazard.

The following letter is to the point: —

"Washington, D.C.
"Publishers of the ' O. & O.'

"Gentlemen, — Thanks to my ad. in 'O.
& O.,' I obtained a cane gun from a party
in Missouri after exhausting all other
means of trying to obtain one. There
does not appear to be any for sale by deal-
ers in such goods, and up to the time of
getting an answer from my ad. I had des-
paired of obtaining one. E.J. JSrowii."

'■'■Second-class Postage. — The terms
and conditions of the postal law should be
so definite as to be easily understood. It
works great injustice and loss to publishers
to permit the Postmaster-General to con-
strue it, as he does at present, according
to his own individual wishes. Favoritism
and oppression have both been practiced
in this particular by the present Postmas-
ter-Geneial. This statement is suscepti-
ble of positive proof. An opportunity for
such arbitrary rulings should be made im-
possible."

The above suggestion to Congress is
worthy of attention. For some time past
a vigorous protest has been made by a
New York publication, "Printer's Ink,"
against what is claimed to be a gross in-
justice. The charge has been of such a
clear, positive and ringing character that
it would seem as if it was time for the
public to insist upon a full investigation.

January. 1S93.]

AND OOLOGIST.

15

Brief Notes, Correspondence, and
Clippings.

"I am at home to-night midst a con-
fusion of manuscript proofs, birds and
mammals in my museum hall. The num-
ber of birds amount to something over
1500, half of which number are my own
work ; many have been sent by other
taxidermists for the World's Fair exhibit.
Chief among my own work is an African
Ostrich and four Flamingos. The mam-
mals number seventy-five, from the Chip-
munk to the Bear. About twenty heads
of various animals, including a fine Buf-
falo head of my mounting i ^ years ago.
The fishes and reptiles have had a share
of my attention in all manner of prepara-
tion.

"If no unforeseen accident happens, I
shall be able to deliver my book soon after
the 25th." Oliver Davie.

Pine Grosbeaks were verv plenty tlie
last of December. My brother and mv-
self saw over 40, in scattered flocks of 3 to
14, at Ponkapog, Mass. J. H. Bo-jjles.

At Dedham, Mass., they are reported
in numbers during the first three weeks in
Januarv.

The following gentlemen were elected
officers of the California Academy of
Sciences on January 3, 1893 : —

President, H. W. Harkness ; first Vice-
President, H. H. Behr ; second Vice-
President, J. G. Cooper; Corresponding
Secretary, T. S. Brandegee ; Recording
Secretary, J. R. Scupham ; Treasurer,
L. H. Foote ; Librarian, Carlos Troyer ;
Director of Museum, J. Z. Davis; Trus-
tees, VV. C. Burnett, Charles F. Crocker,
D. E. Hayes, E. J. Molera, George C.
Perkins, Adolpli Sutro, John Taylor.

Mr. George Atkins, of Pittsburg, Pa.,
has a very fine collection of live Pheas-
ants, including Golden, Silver, Lady Am-
herst, Reeves, English, Mongolian, Versi-

color Hoosfield-blue, Lyn-eaters, Elliott,
White and several crosses.

I have just mounted three Golden Eagles
killed in the vicinity of Columbus, Ohio.

Oliver Davie.

"John Bachman — Letters and Mem-
ories of his Life," $2.00, is a book that
should be in the hands of all ornithologists.
We have a few copies on hand.

The large fire in Boston on January 10
came very near burning the building occu-
pied by our friend, Joseph ^L Wade.
The surrounding buildings were destroyed.
In the midst of the excitement Mr. Wade
remained at his post, in order that his
publication might be out on time.

We procured several fine Lesser Piairie
Hens in the meat this month.

Nesting of the Carolina \Vren.

While the Carolina Wren is reported as
occurring in nearly all parts of the state of
Pennsylvania, it is exceedingly abundant
along the Wissahickon Creek, Philadelphia.

This rather shy bird spends most of its
time in the vicinity of water, around bush
piles and old logs, and may often be seen
circling about the trunks of trees, collect-
ing beetles and insects.

I have found as high as thirteen nests of
this species in two days, all of which were
built in the ruined walls of old houses and
mills, except two, which were constructed
in holes in stumps of trees. The nest is
composed of moss, leaves, weeds, and
grass.

The eggs, generally six or seven in num-
ber, creamy white, spotted and blotched
with reddish brown and lilac, measure
about .56X.75 to .60X.S0.

I would like to hear (thiough the col-
umns of this paper) from some of tiie
readers of the " O & O." as to the abund-
ance of the Carolina Wren in their States.
J/. L. C. Wilde.

ATTENTION, COLLECTORS AND SPORTSMEN.

FREDERICK L. SMALL, MANAGER,

Iv^ilie ATit^^v^ Mig:lxltiiacls9» Motel,

PASADENA, PASCO COUNTY, FLORIDA,

Will yive his personal nllcntion and assistance to all. ( Jame and F"ish plentiful. Locatimi perfect for securing healili.

I cniis low.

EXCHANGE AND WANTS.

I inch, one time ... $ .50

I iiicli, tliree times . . . i.jo

Dealer:^' Advcrfisc/itrit/s — i incli . i .00

Nn VMilATlON.

A Collector Wanted

To collect Animal Skins, for such material and tools as are
used by Taxidermists in their business. Anything I carry
in stock will be exchanged for the above, or will pay cash lor
selected skins. Send list of what you can get and I will quote
terms. JAMES R BABBITT.

10 Hodges Avenue, Taunton. Mass.

CLUB RATES.

Spoi-tsinan and Tourist, 40-page montlilv, $i.(>r)

Ornitliologist and Oologist, i6-pa?e ■• i.ou

BOTH FOR ONE YEAR, $1.50.

BIRI75 tm

EYESI

The Sportsman

I \en' popular maEtazine.

For Sale.

A NTELOPE Stiins in condition to mount, f rotii
'^ $4.50 to 6.50 each ; or will exchange tor spe-
cimens or anything we can use. Can t'urnisli to
order fine winter SViins of Badger and Covote for
mounting. W'M, HOWLING & SON,

Ta-\idermists, Mixxe,\polis, Minn.

IHAN^E a few choice sets of tlie following for
exchange: A.O.U. Nos. 309, t,'!,']1>. i;66."4i:;.
475, (>Z2ci. "Address FRED M. DILLE.'

S06 Boston Building. Denvkr. Chi,.

THE MlNERflLOGlST'S RECORD BOOK

Containing spaces for recording 450 specimens.
by F. R. Ste.\rns. Price, jj and jo cents. For
sale by

FRANK BLAKE AVEBSTER CO.

Books for Sale.

TAXIDERMY — Webster's, vol.s. 10 and 11 O. & O.
illustrated ....

Batly's, illustrated .

Maynard's ....

Hornaday's ....
NEST EGGS — Davics;, doth ...

Davics', paper

Maynard's, cloth

Capen's, colored
BIRDS — Coties' Key ... .

Ridgway's Manual
BUTTERFLIES— Maynard's (N.A.)

Maynard's (New Englanti)

French's (Eastern UlS.)

Harris' Insects

Harris' Insects, colored

Packard's
JOHN BACH.MAN— Memories of his Life
'MODERN RIFLES— Gould ....

:t)2 GO

I so
1 =5

•-• 50

1 7;
1 25

1 50

6 50

2 CO

4 5°
G 50

5 00

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER CO.

SUPPLIES/^^BOOKl.

Illustrated Catalogue for 2 ^ stamp

AT ONCE.

Birds, in Skins or Stuffed.
Black-throated l,oon, Pomarine Jaeger,
King Eider, $, Wilson Plover,

Hutchins' Coose, Bell's Vireo,

Philadelphia Vireo. Trumpeter Swan,

In quoting prices, give full particulars.

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER CO.

WE WANT AT ONCE a large, handsome
Buff and White Cat. Will pay $1.50 for
it dead. Want it sent from some locality where
the express charges will not exceed 75 cents.
FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER CO.,

\\\i\^ Park. Mass.

BEST qU.VLITV.

[•'ULL SIZE.S.

LOW PRICES.

Also Taxidermists' Supplies and Papier
Mache Heads.
Send for Catalogue.

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER CO.
HvuE Park, Mass.

FOR SALE.

.v. Birds,
revision),

Baird. Brewer and Ridgwa\"s N
Nutall's Ornithology (Chamberlain'
also any other book published on this subject
direct fi-om publisiiers at pi'ices from 10 to 20
per cent lower than theirs. Also birds' eggs in
large or small cpiantities.

STEPHEN J. ADAMS,

Cornish. Mainic.

ORNITHOLOGIST

— AXD —

OOLOGIST.

$r.oo per
Annum.

PUBLISHED BY THE FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER COMPANY.

ESTABLISHED MARCH, 1875.

Single Copy
10 cents.

Vol. XVIII. HYDE PARK, MASS., FEBRUARY, 1893.

No. 2.

Distribution of the Long-Eared Owl
and Cooper's Hawk in Illinois.

A synopsis of the plan of ascertaining the
distribution of some twenty-two species of
birds in the State of Illinois, was presented
in the preceding number of this magazine.
It is now intended to say a little regarding
the material to be used and the contri-
butors of the same.

This material, on which this and succeed-
ing articles will be based, consists of the
notes and observations contributed by those
who have collected and obsened in Illinois
lields, and of the valuable information se-
cured from lists and catalogues, both State
and local.

A great deal of ditificulty lias been experi-
enced in inducing collectors to furnish their
notes or obsen'ations on these species.
Many circulars were sent, many letters writ-
ten, many entreaties made, but without
a\ail. Probably one out of every dozen
would respond with a favorable answer :
others found their daily duties too pressing
to afford any assistance ; some paid no at-
tention to the request, and a few were skepti-
cal. It is with pleasure, however, that we
are able to present the list of contributors
herein given. This list is not as large as we
had hoped to have it, and there are great
gaps in certain portions of the State which
need filling. Information is still desired
from all, but more particularly from those in
the central, east-central, southern and west-
ern parts, and also from those living in ad-

joijiing States, in close proximity to the
State line. .Although the less experienced
collectors are welcome, we should like to see
the more experienced ones take hold. There
are some in the State able to do much for
the work, and we trust they will give this
matter their prompt attention.

Catalogues of the birds of Illinois are not
exceedingly numerous, but those we do
have, however, make up in quality that
which they lack in ([uantity. I shall not
enter into detail on an ornithological bibli-
ography, but make brief mention of the
more important lists which will be con-
sulted.

Probably the oldest of any note is Kenni-
cott's " Catalogue of the animals obser\ed
in Cook County, Illinois," but more mod-
ern lists have since superseded it. Mr.
Robert Ridg\vay figures \ery prominently in
Illinois ornithology, and his numerous pa-
pers are valuable additions to our libraries.
Although many of the readers are undoubt-
edly well acquainted with these, special
mention is made of " The Ornithology of
Illinois," by Robert Ridgway, Fart i. Na-
tural History Survey of Illinois. No com-
ments are necessary ; we find it of great
\alue. Mr. K. W. Nelson's two valuable pa-
pers, " Birds of Northeastern Illinois " and
" Notes upon birds observed in Southern
Illinois between July 17 and September 4,
1875," are too well known to be dwelt
upon. " Migration in the Mississippi Val-
ley," by W. \\'. Cooke, carried on some
years ago on a co-operative plan, needs no

Copyright, 1893, by Frank Blake Webster Company.

h?^

iS

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. iS-No. 2

introduction to the readers of this magazine.
Beside the al)ove are others well worthy of
mention would space permit.

W. E. LoHcks.

Contributors living within the State have
the Counties in which they reside annexed,
and numbered to correspond with those on
the map.

J. E. Dickinson, Winnebago Co., No. 3.
F. A. Cregory, Winnebago Co., No. 3.
W. E. Pratt, Lake Co., No. 6.
Gordon Schanck, Lake Co., No. 6.
O. H. Swaze}', Lake Co., No. 6.
George F. Morcom, Cook Co., No. 7.

George B. Holmes, Cook Co., No. 7.
D. A. Young, Cook Co., No. 7.
H. Gillingham, Cook Co., No. 7.
L. W. Nichols, DeKalb Co., No. 10.
Burton Brown, Whiteside ('o.. No. 13.
Dr. A. C. Murchison, Henry Co., No. 16.

A. Hamfeldt, LaSalle Co., No. 18.
R. M. Barnes, Marshall Co., No. 25.

R. M. Frisbey, Jr., Marshall Co., No. 25.
Virginius Chase, Stark Co., No. 26.
W. S. Strode, M.D., Fulton Co., No. -^-^.
W. S. Cobleigh, Fulton Co., No. 33.

B. F. Bolt, Peoria Co., No. 34.
W. E. Loucks, Peoria Co., No. 34.
D. Mei.xsell, Tazewell Co., No. 36.

February, 1S93.]

AND OOLOGIST.

G. C. Pearson, Vermillion Co., No. 40.
Charles Wells, Logan Co., No. 45.
^V. L. Jones, St. Claire Co., No. 75.
C. B. Vandercook, Marion Co., No. 77.
AVilliam B. Caulk, Jefferson Co., No 84.
Rev. J. C. Elliot, Perry Co., No. 88.
G. W. Rearden, Gallatin Co., No. 92.
Prof. L. E. Baird, Jackson Co., No. 95.
O. Widmann, Old Orchard, Mo.
Philo Smith, Jr., St. Louis, Mo.
C. P. Fore, Wayland, Mo.
C. J. Lemen, Uniontown, Ky.
Burtis H. Wilson, Davenport, Iowa.

J. E. Dickinson. No. 3.

(R) Common.

Breeds -using an old crow or squirrel's
nest.

Complete sets about April i ; one brood.

Sets, 5 to 7. 9 eggs average 1.58 x 1.37.

Set 1-3, 1.61X1.29; 1.67x1.27; r.63
X 1.28.

Brood remains with old birds through the
following winter.

Food, Meadow Mice, Moles, White-footed
Mice.

Common names : " Cat Owl " and " Little
Horned Owl."

F. A. Gregory. No. 3.

Not found.
W. E. Pratt. No. 6.

Two sets, one of 4 and one of 5, on April
12, 1890.

As he has found only these two sets in five
years' collecting, we may conclude it is a
rather rare resident in Cook and Lake
Counties.

Gordon Schanck. No. 6..

Has no record of the Long-eared Owl.

O. H. Szuazey. No. 6.

Has not met it.

L. W. Nicliols. No. 10.

Tolerably common ; resident along Fox
River.

Set of 5 eggs.

Dr. A. C. Murchison. No. 16.

Resident, but more common in winter.

Tolerably common.

Nests -common in suitable places.

Uses an old crow's nest, preferably one
in a pine tree, but sometimes in a hedge,
" Osage Orange," or in the woods in an oak.

The condition of the nest is not material
if it will hold the eggs.

Nests found on 3-1 1-89, 3-22-89, 2 nests ;
3-25-89. 4-?-90, 4-10-92, 4-30-92, 2d set
from same birds ; 3d set was laid in 3 weeks
after, 5-28-92, 6-20-92 : 2(1 set from same
birds.

Sets are: 1-8, 1-7, 1-7, 1-7, 1-7, 1-4,
1—5, 1-5, 1-5, 1-5, for the dates given above.

I am undecided as to whether the aver-
age set is 5 or 7. In 1889 I found sets of
7, but in 1892 all were of 5. The color, as
in all owl eggs, is white, and except for dirt
does not change during incubation.

A set of eight measures 1.62x1.25, 1.64
X 1.28, 1.63 X 1.30, r.58 X 1.34, 1. 61 X 1.28,
1.62x1.28, 1.60 X 1.29, 1.56x1.29; aver-
age 1. 61 X 1.29.

Fifteen eggs taken in 1889 average 1.60 x
1.28.

Fifteen eggs taken in 1892 average 1.68
X 1.29.

From this I judge sets of 5 will a-s'erage
larger than sets of 7 or 8.

The largest two eggs are 1.73 x 1.38 and
1.75 X 1.31 ; the smallest 1.52 .x 1.27.

The period of incubation is about 4 weeks,
but will var}', as some eggs in a nest will
hatch in four weeks after the first was laid,
while others will come at almost any time
after 4 weeks.

An egg is laid every other day, or a set of
5 in 10 days. Incubation begins with the
first egg laid.

Only one brood is raised unless they are
disturbed, and then I have known one bird
to lay 3 sets of 7 eggs in one nest.

R. M. Barnes. No. 25.

Summer resident, but date of arrival and
departure unknown.

Nests sparingly ; found only twice in 1 5
years' work, and heard of once.

One nest found in an old crow's nest in

30

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. iS-No. 2

a soft maple tree, in a small lagoon sur-
roundetl by plowed fields, about two hundred
yards from river bottom proper. The other
in a tall white pine tree in an old nursery.

One was only about 500 feet of a farm-
house. Height from ground, 45 to 55 feet.

Found on May 7.

Sets 5-5-5 ; not measured.

R. M. J^risbcv. No. 25.

Resident, tolerably common.

Nests in suitable localities.

Nests found in a dense pine gro\e, near
a farmhouse.

Old nests of Cooper's Hawk are used in
this grove.

Average height from ground, 15 feet.

Nests found : March 9, 1-5, fresh to badly
incubated.

March 20 ( ?), 1-7; incubation far ad-
\anced.

March 22, 1-5, far adxanced.

March 24 ( ?), 1-4, far advanced.

Virg'inins Chase. No. 26.

Has not found it.

Dr. W. S. Strode. No. },i.

Resident, tolerably common.

Nests, commonly in thick, low timber, as
]iine, oak, saplings near a marsh or pond.

Uses a deserted Crow's nest.

Nests from last of March to middle of
April.

Sets 1-5, 1-5, and 6 young, one egg,
five young.

Measurements not given.

Has e.xamined over 20 nests ; thinks none
were made by owls.

W. S. Cohleigii. No. t,-^.

Summer resident, not common.

Nests in Peoria and Fulton Counties.

Prefers a low, damp woods and dense for-
est.

Usually nests in an old Crow's nest, one
near the trunk of the tree and not very high.

Nest the first of May or occasionally the
last of April.

Relines an old Crow's nest and lays 4 or
5 eggs: average, 1.50x1.30.

B. F. Bolt. No. ;,4.

Rare resident.

One nest founil.

W. E. Loiick.'i. No. 34.

Rare resident.

Has record of 5 nests found by a friend.

D. S. Mcixse/t. No. 36.

Resident, tolerably common.

Nests in hollow trees ; old Crow's and
Hawk's nests.

F'.ggs found April 3. \'oung birds found
on June 21:4 and 5.

L. E. Baird. No. 95.

Resident, tolerably common.

One nest, in trunk of a decayed cotton-
wood tree, in dense forest, near creek : 2
young.

Says it is a bold robber of hen roosts.
(From this I think it ma}- be the Great
Horned Owl. — A. C. M.)

Charles Wells. No. 45.

Finds it only in summer, common.

Nests sparingly.

F^ggs taken from a roughlv constructed
nest, 3 feet from ground.

Measurements, 1.62 x 1.28.

C. B. Wiiidercock. No. 77.

Rare migratory species.

Five seen on January 22, 1890, in a dense
thicket of scrub oak near a creek.

Has known of it in two other instances.

Rev. J. C. Elliott. No. 88.

Resident.

Found along creeks where the timber is
heaviest.

Nesting habits not known.

G. W. Rear den. No. 92.

Finds it inhabiting creek bottoms.

Nesting habits unknown.

O. Widmann. Old Orchard, Mo.

Has met with it from November to April.

Has not found it in summer, but does
not collect eggs.

Philo Smith, St. l^ouis. Mo.

Observations in No. 74.

Resident, fairly common.

P'ound in plum thickets or crab-apple trees.

February, 1S93.]

AND OOLOGIST.

Nests the last of March and early part of
April.

Use an old Crow's nest from i:; to .^o feet
from ground.

Average number of eggs, five, but six are
not uncommon.

Has collected about 20 sets, some of
them in Fulton County.

Eggs are same shape at both ends.

C. /*. Fore, Clark County, Mo.

Resident, but not common.

Nest found May 4, 1889 ; an old Crow's
nest in a dense scrub oak thicket, 12 feet
from ground.

No addition except a few feathers from
the breast of the owl.

Set 1-5; 1.65x1.25; incubation well
advanced.

Burtis H. Wilson, Davenport, Iowa.

Resident, more abundant in winter than
summer ; 20 or more make their homes in
the evergreens in a cemetery. Breeds spar-
ingly in rather open, second growth, oak-
timber.

Nests in deserted Crows' nests.

April 12,1890,5 eggs, slightly incubated.

Birds observed in Cook County by Rob-
ert Kennicott in 1853-55. (Trans. 111.,
State Agric. Soc), i Long-eared Owl.
Common ; known to nest in Cook Coimty.

Catalogue of birds of 111., Robert Ridg-
way.

Bulletin of the 111. Museum of Nat. His.,
Vol. I.

Long-eared Owl, resident, breeds.

" O. & O.," Vol. 9. July and .\ugust,
1884.

Birds collected near St. Louis, Mo. No.

73-

y/iliits Hitrter.

Long-eared Owl, transient.

Jan. 30, flock of 30 in one tree.

" Birds of Northeastern 111.," E. \V. Nel-
son.

Long-eared Owl. Not common, resident.
Remains during the day in willow thickets
and in similar situations.

"Birds of Carroll Coimtv, Indiana," B.
W . Everman.

Long-eared Owl. Seemingly a rare win-
ter visitor. I have specimens obtained |an-
uary 29, 1884, P^bruary 5, 1886, Januarv
14, 1888.

We have recei\ed reports on this bird from
a .strip of country running from north to
south across the entire State, but the eastern
half from Cook County down is entirely \ a-
cant except for the birtls of Carroll County,
Ind., which is across the line from Vermil-
lion.

Again on the west a strip is \acant along
the Mississippi River, wider in the middle
of the State than at the north and south.

From the reports I get a variety of opin-
ions, but conclude it is resident throughout
the State except in the counties below the
mouth of Illinois River, where it is a winter
visitant and perhajis a rare resident, as only
one observer has found it in any numbers,
Philo Smith, in Bond County, who rejjorts
over 20 nests.

One reason this bird is not better known
is that collectors do not know where to look
for it. I think it can be found in almost
any grove of pine trees, north of the southern
third of the State, at some time of the year.
I have often seen as many as a hundred in
a grove of my father's, containing about
5,000 "scotch pines," perhaps 20 feet high.
They would occupy several trees close to-
gether, but would sometimes be in several
flocks, always returning in a short time to
their roosting place when disturbed.

The food of this Owl consists of Mice so
far as I can discover. I have examined very
carefully the i)ellets found beneath their
roosting places and ha\e examined a nest
containing young nearly every day while
they remained in the nest, and neither in
the pellets or nest did I find any traces of
anything but Mice, two or three of which
could always be found in the nest.

The mice were the common or house
mouse, the white-breasted and the short-

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. iS-Xo.

tailed \arietv found in meadows. Dr. Strode
informed me that he had in April, 1890, care-
fully examined a nest of this Owl containing
five voung, and no signs of any food but
field mice, and the pellets around the root
of the tree were composed of the fur of this
mouse ((/ rcpar/iis) . From this I am i)osi-
ti\e it does not make birds a part of its food,
and from the fact that I ha\ e often seen it
about viHing chickens and none were miss-
ing, 1 can sav it does not molest them.

The \oice of this Owl is somewhat like to
die first "coo" of a do\ e, but has a distant
soimd. It is rarely heard.

When its nest is disturbed, howe\ er, it has
a peculiar call, hard to describe, as it can
hardly be called cat-like. It is very noisy
when its nest is disturbed, and some-
times will, when it has young, return to the
nest after being thrown from it.

The nest seems to be usually an old Crow's
not alwavs in very good condition nor in any
particular locality, though generally in a pine
tree or dense scrub, but I haAe found them
in a hedge with no trees near. In this jiart
of the country a Crow is not at all particular
as to where it nests, as I have on se\eral
occasions taken the eggs from the nest when
it was so low I could reach it from the ground
and have found them as near a dwelling-
house as 50 yards.

The mmiber of eggs \aries from 5 to 7,
with 5 the usual nimiber.

1. !■'.. Dickinson reports 5 to 7.
I'hilo Smith says 5 is the average, but 6
is not uncommon.

Dr. Strode reports set of seven, as does
Frisbev, of Sparland.

In r.SSc;, 1 found only t set of 5, the rest
were of 7 except the first set found, which was
of 8, the largest set I ha\e heard of so far.

In 1892, however. I found 5 eggs in all
the nests I examined.

The eggs are laid everv other day and
incubation begins with the first egg laid, and
in a set of 5 eggs covers a period of about 40
(lavs from the laying of the first egg until all

are hatched, the first egg hatching in about
30 days.

'J'he female sometimes remains on the
nest for se\eral weeks liefore the first egg is
laid.

Dickinson says the yoiuig remain in < om-
pany with their parents until the following
spring.

Lewis Lindsey Dyche.

AX AMKKIL'.AN TAXIDERMIST AXU Ills WilKK. A

HdRNAll.'W OF THK Wl'.sl .

As a well known taxidermist seated him-
self in our office a short time since, on his
return from a trip west, he said : "I ha\e called
on Dyche, and his work in simply wonder-
ful. He's a good one." This was a confirma-
tion of many reports of the same nature that
ha\e reached us from time to time. Mr.
Dvche has for some time been connected
with the Kansas University as curator, and
through his ]iersonal efforts the university
has a collei tion that ranks high, and of which
thev mav well look upon with pride and sat-
isfaction.

A iiortion of the collection is now on ex-
hibtion at the Columbian Exposition, and any
of our readers who \isit Chicago during the
season should call on Mr Dyche at the Kan-
sas building. Of the many flattering notices
given l>v the press, the following, which ap-
peare<l in the '• Inter-Ocean," cannot fail to
interest all :

KAX.SAS' CKANtJSHOW. PRDFKSW )R 1,. I.. UMIIF,,

OF THE .S-I'.A-IE UXIVKKSI'IA', AXU I HI'.
WORK III' HIS CKXirs.

Unloaded in front of the Kansas buikling
on the ColumI)ian Exposition grounds is one
of the most remarkable exhibits that will be
seen at the great fair. This is the natural
history display made by the Kansas I'nixer-
sitv. It will be no unusual occurrence dur-
ing the next six months to have some writer
for the newspa]iers sa\- that the greatest ex-
hibit to be seen has just been shipped from
some |)oint, but the aboxe expression that

February, 1S93.]

AND OOLOGIST.

the Kansas University exhibit is " one of the
most remarkable " is used advisedly.

This exhibit is the work of a man who is
recognized by naturalists as being one of the
best in the country, if not in the world, and
his specialty is the larger mammals of North
America. To this branch of the study of ani-
mated nature Professor Lewis Lindsay Dyche
has given many years of his life and he is yet
a young man. Beginning when a boy, tramp-
ing and hunting along the banks of the
W'aukarussa River, in Kansas, he went
through the university with an increased de-
sire to study the habits and natures of animals.

The e.xhihit which he has brought to the
World's Fair is the result of ten years' work
in the field collecting and fourteen months'
work in the taxidermic shoj) with five assist-
ants. The professor, who is curator of birds
and mammals of the State LIniversity of
Kansas, has devoted himself to making such
an exhibit that the whole world will be com-
pelled to acknowledge the superiority of the
State of Kansas in this line.

Numbers in the abstract give but little
idea of a thing. There is something in the
sound of hundreds and thousands that gives
but a vague impression to the mind, and it
is only when the reality is placed directly
before a person that he fully realizes what is
meant by numbers. When it is said that
the Kansas mammal exhibit will be 100
mounted animals it conveys no idea of what
is to be seen there. A description of these
hundred animals must of necessity be in-
complete and far short of the picture that
will be presented by a view that will be laid
out on the floor of the north wing of the
Kansas building.

The north wing of the Kansas building is
60 X 80 feet, with ig-foot walls. The light
comes from a sloping roof of glass, while
the front opens out into the main hall of the
building. It is in this wing that will be
placed one of the most artistic exhibits of
the coming exposition. The professor is
not satisfied with showing a lot of " stuffed "

animals, but has outlined a plan by which
he will at the same time give an instructive
and pleasing history of the animals in an
object lesson. To describe in detail the
plan it must be understood that these hun-
dred animals are in groups, each group
showing an actual scene taken from life by
the professor, as he saw it while on one of
his many hunting expeditions.

Beginning at the extreme southwest cor-
ner of the wing the \ isitor will find one of

llll.l. MOdSK.*

the grandest groups in the whole collection,
This is a group of seven Moose. The
herd is headed by an enormous Bull, who
stands 9 feet 2 in. from the ground to the tip
of his immense branching antlers. The
leader of the herd stands on a slight emi-
nence in a swamp and is looking off after
some possible danger to his family. Near
the Bull is an old Cow with twin Calves.
The Cow is riding down a tree in order to
give her Calves a chance to browse ofl' the
leaves. Back of the Cow are two 2 -year-
old Moose browsing from a tree, while a
.5-year-old Bull is approaching from the
I opposite direction. The whole scene is set
in a swamp true to nature, and made with
logs and dead trees brought directly from
the Lake of the \\oods, where the animals
were killed.

Separating the group of Moose from a
group of Caribou is a natural break in the
topography of the land. The four Caribous

♦Sketches from specimens on exhibition.

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. iS-No. 2

are standing on a snow-covered piece of
ground, the herd headed by a fine Bull.

On a little raise of ground off from the
Caribou stands a herd of nine Deer. These
are the Mule Deer of the Rockies, and the
hertl is headed bv a magnificent Buck. This
group is most artistically arranged, showing
the animals in their natural positions as they
are seen in the mountains.

ROCKY MCIUXI'AIN GO.ATS.

From the group of Mule Deer the ground
rapidly rises until it goes to a craggy peak
of mountains. On this is a group of the
most remarkable animals of the North
American continent. The Rocky Mountain
Goat is here seen in his home. The peak
is surmounted by an old shaggy " Billie,"
who stands guard on the toji of the rocks
while his family of si.\ Ewes and younger
Bucks are scattered in various positions over
the crags. The scene is most life-like and
gives a better idea of the habits of the
mysterious animals than any work on nat-
ural history that has ever been written.

Between this high crag and another of sim-

GRIZZLY BEAR.

ilar nature to the south, is a \alley through
which runs a stream of water that finds an
outlet in a sink-hole near the centre of the
wing. Up this valley, or canon, two Bear,
immense grizzlies, are seen as if ready to de-
vour anv who has sulTicient temeritv to \ en-

ture into their domain. There is not much
to a grizzly to make an exhibit out of, but
these two Bears are such ferocious looking
brutes that they attract attention at all times.
On the promontory of rock before spoken
of, to east of the canon where the Bears
find their home, is a group of Rocky Mount-
ain Sheep. These are the famous big horn
which the earlv travelers of the West wrote
so much about. This group of ten animals
represents one of the finest collections in the
whole world. The band is headed by an old
ram that is a veritable monster in size and is
perfect in color and shape. This leader stands

ROCKY MOUN'IAIN SHEEP RAM.

in plain view on the topmost crag and over-
looks, space, ever on guard against danger.
Below him, in various attitudes, are to be
seen the others of the band, and they are
found depicting the true positions of the ani-
mals as they were seen by the ]3rofessor in
the Cascade Mountains, where he brought
down numbers of them.

Under the ledge of rocks at the bottom of
the craggy mountain on which are the Sheej)
is a mountain Lioness and her three \ery young
Cubs. The little animals, which are no larger
than half-grown kittens, are playing about
their mother while the old one looks as con-
tented as an old Cat that has been fed on a
good pan of milk.

Just l)elow the Lioness and her young is

Februarv, 1S93.]

AND OOLOGIST.

2=;

seen a group of Virginia Deer, five in number,
which are feeding on the slope of the moun-
tain. This group, Wke all others of the Deer
kind, is headed by a lordly Buck, which seems
to feel his superiority over all other animals.

Coming around on the eastern end of the
wing the visitor finds himself in front of one
of the finest groups of animals in the whole
collection, from an artistic point of view.

This is a group of six Elk. The group is
headed bv a Bull that is said to be the finest

KI.K, OR WAIMIII Hrl,I..

ever taken from the mountains for the pur-
pose of mounting. He stands ten feet and
nine inches from the point of his toe to the
tip of his antlers, and is not only the mon-
arch of the Rockies, but a veritable \Vorld's
Pair King. He leads a band that presents a
picture of still life most wonderfully conceixed
and executed.

Here the ground slopes off toward a bit of
prairie land, and a group of Antelope, six in
all, stand and lie in a spot, showing the pe-
culiar characteristics of this most beautiful
of the Deer kind.

Crouched in the bunch grass near the Ante-
lope are two Jack Rabbits, one squatting
close to the ground, the other erect and alert,
watching for its natural enemies.

The last group along the wall is on the ex-
treme southeast and is one that never fails to
attract attention. It is a group of Buffalo,
or the American Bison. An immense Bull,
the largest ever mounted, not excepting the
famous Bull in the American Museum and

ANTKl.O]-'!'. AM) VOUNO.

that other in the National Museum, is the
leader of this herd of five, and right royally
does he carry off the palm of being the finest
specimen ever shown anywhere in the world.

The group is one of the most natural of the
entire e.xhibit.

The \isitor has now gone from the swamp
land of the Minnesota around by the moun-
tains of British Columbia and Colorado to the
prairie land of Western Kansas and Texas,
and as he turns from the walls which he has
been following he sees the prairie spreading
out toward the centre of the wing. Here he
first sees a trio of immense Buffalo \\"olves
tearing at the decaying carcass of a Buffalo.

The Wohes are true to life and are gnaw-
ing at the carcass of a Buffalo that was found
in the famous Ban Handle of Texas. This
group is one of the interesting bits and for
scientific accuracy is hard to beat. The ex-
pression on the faces of the Wolves is such
that it brings a shudder to the obsener, who
fully realizes that the terrible tales told of the
ravages of these savage animals have never
been o\erdra\vn. Sitting and standing near
the snarling Wolves is a group of Coyotes,
eight of the little Wolves being congregated
in a bunch. This group is enlivened by a
spirited contest between three young Coyotes
who are struggling over the carcass of a Jack

26

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. iS~X.

Rabl)it. One triumphantly runs off with the
tail while the other two tear the body apart.

Just in front of the band of Coyotes is a
group of A\'olverines, those "Indian devils"
that are the bane of the trappers of the
West. These animals are the most xicious
brutes in the whole collection.

Direcdy in the front of the display are
two immense Mountain Lions ([uarreliiii;
over the carcass of a Deer that has fallen
prey to one of them. The other animal is
approaching, with mouth open and ears
flat, looking all the world like an immense
Cat. The scene is one of the most realistic,
and calls for manv exclamations from the
visitors.

Just back, to the south of the fighting
I, ions, is a lioness and her two half-grown
Cubs. This group simply shows a, part of
the family life of the animal. North of the
Lioness and her Cubs is a group of se\en
Fo.xes, of all the \arieties, one of them being
a Silver Fox, the .skin alone of which is
valued at $150.

Near the Fox group are two Ocelots, those
beautiful spotted Cats of the southern border,
and near them are to be seen a group of
Lynxes, arranged in positions that show vari-
ous phases in the life of that animal.

This sketch does not go into the detail of
the work that has been expended to prepare
this one of the most artistic and scientific
exhibits on the ground. A day would be
well spent here in the study of the animals
and their habits. There is a group which is
not in this exhibit, but which will attract
more attention than any other group in the
building. It is a pair of fighting Bull
Moose. These immense animals are strug-
gling hard for supremacy, and the details of
the work done on the group makes it a
masterpiece. This group is so large that it
could not be placed in the wing with the
other animals, for it would hide too much of
the exhibit ; so it is placed separate and
stands out in the main building, where it
can be viewed from all sides.

In the Great Dismal Swamp.

^\'hat ornithologist is there in this country
who has not wondered to himself if there did
not somewhere in the jungles of this vast peat
bog still lurk that prince of Woodjieckers, the
Ivory-bill?

It had long been my desire to make an
expedition into this lonely region anil learn
for myself if there were not still to be found
in the vast wooded tracts specimens of the
imperial principalis.

So while collecting in the eastern ])art of
the State last summer, I made it convenient to
stop for a couple of weeks near the Dismal
Swamp. From Sunsbury, Gates County, as
a radiating point, I visited several of the
neighboring swamps, but found no signs of
the object of my search. On the morning of
the last day in May, arrangements having
been made, we were off for the big swamp.
The Dismal Swamp I What intelligent per-
son does not think with interest of these
words, of which the poet Moore spoke in his
" Lake of the Dismal Swamp." Of those wild
morasses of which Harriet Beecher Stowe
wrote in her wonderful " Tale of the Dismal
Swamp," and whose very name implies that,
of all other swamps, this one is the most
lonely and desolate. Our course for six miles
lay along a sandy road through the pine woods
before the canal was reached, which runs
eastward twelve miles into the very heart of
the swamp. Arriving at the canal, our guns
and provisions were at once transferred from
the cart in which we had come, to our boat,
which lay tied up under the bank. .\ few
strokes of the paddle and we had left the pines
and were passing under the overhanging
bough of the oak and bay, whose limbs, span-
ning the twenty-foot stream, formed a com-
plete arch overhead. In the semi-darkness of
this almost subterranean canal we pushed on.

In the prow of the boat sat Gaston, with
his rifle across his knees, ready to bring down
the bear which he verily believed he should
see before the first half mile should have been

Fe1!14UAKV, iS^"^.]

AND OOLOGIST.

covered. On the centre seat was Cross, who,
with his paddle, was aiding me to propel the
boat. 'I'he oak and bay soon gave way to
tall forests of juniper, cypress and gum.

.After passing for several hours through this
primiti\e forest, we came suddenly upon a
logging camp.

K.xtending far back into the shades of the
forest were corduroy roads, o^er which juni-
])er logs, cut into five foot blocks, are drawn
by mules and afterwards rafted down to Nor-
folk. Near the wharf lay two boats just
loaded, each with its man at the prow ready
to convey these sixty-five foot crafts to their
destination, which feat they accomplished by
pushing on either bank with their long poles.
This industry has been kept up ever since the
revolutionary war. Washington at one time
owned a large part of the swamp, and had
some of the canals dug which are in use now.

Frequent unsuccessful attempts were made
to penetrate the wilderness around us, but
the ground was everywhere so soft that, after
getting off the slight bank of the canal, we
invariably sank up to our knees in the jseat.
Even in the firmer places the ground could
be shaken for a radius of eight or ten feet by
simply springing the foot.

.As we advanced still farther into the swamp
small birds became more plentiful, although
at no point was bird life abundant.

\\'arblers and Thrushes flitted across the
wav in advance only to plunge into the oppo-
site thicket. Turtles tumbled off their fa\-Drite
logs, and, rarely, a water snake glided away
on our near approach. Long stretches of
reeds from ten to fifteen feet in height now
came into view, and by climbing a juniper
tree the eye swept away for miles over a \ast
expanse of reeds, broken only here and there
by an isolated juniper or cypress. These
reeds grew very thick, and it seemed to us
almost impossible for any animal to force a
passage through them. Vet it is said that only
a few years ago a man succeeded in passing
clear through the swamp on foot, accom-
panied by his dog. ^^'e camped at night

upon some slightly elevated knoll, drawing
the boat well up on shore and sleeping on the
ground.

Thus wrapped in onrblankets, we lay listen-
ing to the dreamy murmur of the mosquito
and the clamorous love-cry of the c\er present
bull-frog : while e\er and anon borne upon
the night breeze came the distant hooting of
the Barred Owl. A little after noon on the
second day off, being now in the last of a
series of three canaLs, through the opening
ahead we disco^•ered Lake Drummon, and
half an hour later our little boat was tossing
about on the waves while we were endeavor-
ing to make fast to a cypress tree. Lake
Drummon, situated as it is in the very heart
of the swamp, has no .sandy margin, but the
waves, hurled by the wind, which here has a
clear sweep of seven miles across the water,
wash in among the cypress trunks far back
into the interior. The lake as well as all the
water in the swamp is dark red in color, being
turned so by coming in contact with the roots
of the juniper.

While the others ate their dinner I took a
plunge beneath the dusky waves and found
the water to be about eight feet deep at the
spot where we were. The swimming was ex-
cellent. Two hours later we had left the
"Dusky Lake" and were jiassing down one
of those canals which forms its outlet. The
water in this stream has about a two mile
current. Once again we landed, and this
time found the ground firm enough to bear
our weight. Back into the forest we pressed
for several hundred yards, the limbs of the
giant trees completely shut out the sunlight.

Through this forest, whose shades were as
dark, and whose ground was as treacherous
as ever Livingston roamed over, here in the
semi-darkness of the gloomy swamp, im-
jjrinted deep in the damp, black, earth were
found tracks of Coon and Wildcat. Not even
an insectbroke the melancholy silence of this
weird forest.

The catacombs of Rome or the sepulchres
of Egypt could not be more death like or

28

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. iS-No. 2

silent. Not a blade of grass underfoot, noth-
ing but fallen and decaying trunks and limbs
of trees.

But alas the CapcpJiiliis principalis
was ne\er found, and my collection is still
without a specimen of the Ivory-bill. With
the exception of one green Heron,not a single
aquatic bird was seen in the swamp. The
reason for this I suppose to be from the fact
that the water is everywhere deep, thus af-
fording no good place for waders to feed.
Two or three droves of Brown-headed Nut-
hatch were noted on the pine bluffs and one e
a Carrion Crow wheeled into \iew.

While a trip through the Dismal Swamp is
well worth the trouble, yet as a point for col-
lecting birds, other localities may be found
which are both more desirable and profit-
able. 1\ Gilbert Pearson.

Guilford College, N.C.

The Acadian Owl in Philadelphia
County, Pa.

there may be quite a number about, but on
account of their habit of sleeping in hollow
trees and dark dreary places during the day,
they are seldom come across.

M. L. C. M'i/dr.
Camden, N. J.

Are Spotted Eggs of the Native Gold-
finches Common?

On November 5, 1892, while walking
along the edge of the woods which extend
almost the entire length of the Wissahickon
Creek, I came to a stream of water, the hills
on either side of which formed a small val-
ley. The bushes along the stream being
very thick, made the place very dark. As
I approached the edge of the bushes, I al-
most trod upon a small Owl, which flew into
the thicket. After searching around for the
bird a short time, I disturbed it again.
This time it flew into the woods, and after
another search of fifteen or twenty minutes,
I succeeded in finding it, perched on a limb
of a tree about four feet from the ground.

I thought I could capture it alive by get-
ting back of the tree while my friend, H. R.
Stetler, Jr., stood about fifteen feet in front
to attract its attention. The owl could see
a little letter than I thought it could
and as I did not want it to escape, the only
thing to do was to shoot it.

This is the first Saw-whet Owl I have ever
taken in Philadelphia County, Pa., although

Coues, in his" Key," speaking of the eggs
of the American Goldfinch, says : " Normally
unmarked." I had heard of no spotted eggs
being taken, until .April 18, 1891, when I
took a set of three of the Arkansas Goldfinch,
one of which was faintly marked with cinna-
mon around the larger end. May 3, 1892,
I took another set of three, one of which has
faint but numerous dots on the larger end
and others scattered irregularly over the
balance of the egg. The nest containing
these eggs was placed about four feet from
the ground in a sage bush and was substan-
tially built, being composed of bits of sage
stems and finely split grass neatly woven
together and placed in an upright crotch of
four prongs.

April 27, 1891, I discovered a new nest
of the Arkansas Goldfinch placed on top of
an old one in a sunflower bush. The top
nest contained three eggs. May 23 I took
one egg from a new nest of this species and
seven days later I took seven more from the
same nest.

This bird nests abundantly among the low
foot hills, building its nests in poison oak,
sunflower or other bushes, which grow in
abundance along the canons wherever there
is enough water to keep them alive.

I would be pleased to hear through the
"O. & O." from other collectors regarding
spotted eggs of the Goldfinch.

Harvey J/. Hall.

Riverside, Cal.

[I ne^■er saw any. — J.P.N.]

Any of our readers who are interested in
a musical publication will do well to read
our club rate with the " New York Musical
Echo."

February, 1S93.]

AND OOLOGIST.

39

Eggs of Warblers in Collection of Thomas H. Jackson,
December i, 1S92.

636

74

637

75

638

76

639

77

641

79

642

Sr

645

S5

Gi^Ga

86(7

648

88

652

93

655

95

656

96

657

97

659

99

661 1

01

663 1

03

666

06

667 I

07

671

1 1

673

14

674 ,

15

675 J

16

676

17

677 I

19

681

2 2

68 1,7

2 3(7

683 ]

23

683<7

[23<r

6S4

[24

685

25

685 <r

(25.7

686

27

6S7 1

28

Black and White Warbler, 1-4, 1-5
Prothonotary Warbler, 3-4, 6-5, 4-6, i
Swainson's Warbler, 1-3, 1-4
Worm-eating Warbler, 6-4, 12-5,
Blue-winged Warbler, 1-4, 1-5
Golden-winged Warbler, 2-4, 4-5
Nashville Warbler, 1-4, 1-5
Lutescent Warbler, 1-4, 1-5
Parula Warbler, 1-4, 4-5, 1-6
Yellow Warbler, 3-4, 3-5 .
Yellow-rump Warbler, 3-4
Audubon's Warbler, 1-3, 1-4
Magnolia Warbler, 4-4, 1-5
Chestnut-sided Warbler, 2-4, 1-5
Black-poll Warbler, 1-5
Yellow-throated Warbler. 1-4
Golden-cheeked Warbler, 1—4
Black-throated Green Warbler, 3-
Pine Warbler, 1-4
Prairie Warbler, 2-4, .
Golden-crowned Thrush, 4—4, 6-5
Small-billed Water Thrush, 1-4
Large-billed Water Thrush, 1-4,
Kentucky W^arbler, [-4, 1-5
Maryland Yellow-throat, 4-4, 1-5
Western Yellow-throat, 1-5
Yellow-breasted Chat, 6-4, 2-5
Long-tailed Chat, 2-5
Hooded Warbler, 1-4, 1-5
Wilson's Warbler, 1-4
Pileolated Warbler, 1-4
Canadian Warbler, 1-4
American Redstart, 1-3, 4-4

No. of
Sets.

Total No
Eggs.

2

9

13

70

2

7

20

96

T

9

6

28

-

9

'>

9

6

30

5

23

2

8

t

7

5

2 1

'3

I

5

I

4

I

4

2

8

I

4

2

8

10

46

I

4

-

9

>

9

5

31

I

5

8

34

-)

10

-»

9

I

4

I

4

I

4

■,

19

121

>3^

30

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. iS-No. z

ORNITHOLOGIST^'OOLOGIST

A MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF

NATURAL HISTORY,

ESPECIALLY DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OF

BIRDS,

THEIR NESTS AND EGGS,

AND TO THE

INTERESTS OF NATURALISTS.

Under the Editorial Management of
FRANK B. WEBSTER, . . Hyde Park, Mass.

J. PARKER NORRIS, . . . Philadelphia, Pa.

Brief Notes, Correspondence, and
Clippings.

I'UBLISHED AT THE

MUSEUM AND NATURALISTS' SUPPLY DEPOT

OF THE

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER COMPANY,

INCORPOR.\TED,

HYDE PARK, MASS.

The O. & O. is mailed each issue to every paid subscriber.
If you fail to receive it, notify us.

Overofficious — or ?

It appears that in the eastern part of Maine
there is a game warden who during the past
season has been trying in his official capacity
to interfere with the legitimate business of
a taxidermist — and it is intimated in the
interests of another taxidermist. Now the
taxidermist business is demanded by and
to a large extent supported by sportsmen.
The game warden is the ser%ant of the sports-
man, and his business is to look to the pro-
tection of game, not to monkey with taxid-
ermists. We have on previous occasions
seen the antics of some very "cheap fellows "
and they have been sat down upon. It is
a settled fact that sportsmen do not coun-
tenance nonsense ; and if the case we refer to
is such, it will received proper attention from
the fraternity if a protest is made.

Cyclone Traps, the best and latest, just the
thing for those who are collecting small
mammals. Sent by mail, post paid, 2 for 25
cents, or i dozen for $1.25.

On January 26 a large flock of Snow Bunt-
ings were seen by R. H. Carr at Brockton,
Mass.

The largest Tarpon reported in season of
1892 at Fort Myers, Florida, was taken May
3, by Col. B. H. Young. It measured 7 feet
and weighed 184 jiounds. The smallest by
William Ellison, March 13, length 4 feet 5
inches, weight 58 pounds.

John Wallace, the well-known taxidermist
of New York city, died January 17. Mr.
Wallace was a pioneer in the ranks.

^^'e are having so many letters from our
correspondents describing the Pine Gros-
beaks, and asking what they are, that we have
not space to publish them. At this season
we ad\ise you all to refer to 3'our Coues key,
and study up the bird.

E. J. Brown reports that the Great North-
ern Shrike has been Common at Washington
during the winter.

On December 25, i8go, a House ^^■ren's
nest containing three fresh eggs was found
by a neighbor. Further proceedings was

stopped on the dav bv a Cat.

J. T. Park.
Warner, Tenn.

I noted two American Robins on January
19. They were in an elm tree.

R. H. Hozve, Jr.
Longwood, Mass.

G. S. Miller, Jr., is overrun with mice.
There are over 2000 on his premises.

In October I found Newell mounting a
Swainson's Hawk killed here. Something
new for so far east. I bought it of the
owner. It is in nice plumage. Newell's
shop is full of Deer, Caribou and Moose.
Hope that he may do well. G. A. B.

Calais, Maine.

Those who intend visiting Florida, should
read the advertisement of F. L. Small, who
has for a long time been a contributor to the
" O. & O." If there is any gunning in his
locality, he will be the man to know it.

February, 1S93.]

AND OOLOGIST.

31

It reflects very little credit to a taxider-
mist to take every opportunity to nin down
the work of his neighbors. We ha\e before
us a letter that certainly shows about as un-
kind a disposition as can be imagined.

We can assure the aggrieved part\- who
sent it to us that such documents only injure
those who write them. We would care noth-
ing about it.

C. M. Jones, Eastford, Conn., writes that
birds have been very scarce in his locality
this winter. He has obsened a few Gros-
beak and one Goshawk. He asks if many
northern birds have been reported.

Captain Farrar, editor and manager of
the "Sportsman and Tourist," died January 8,
at Jamaica Plain, Mass., after a brief illness.
We are unable to announce whether the pub-
lication will be continued.

We have heard of only a very few Snowy-
Owls. Pine Grosbeaks have been unusually
plentj'. Snow Buntings common as usual.
Early in the season Barred Owls were re-
ported. The weather has been so severe in
the east that there has been but little shoot-
ing. Ducks have been very scarce in the
Boston market.

On December 31, a neighbor shot a
Meadow Lark just north of the town. We
have very few birds here this winter. Rab-
bits and Minks have been more common
than usual.

About the middle of December a Screech
Owl came down the fire-place of Lewis Pal-
mer. He kept it in a cage, but it soon died.
Harry GlUi7igha7n.

Oak Park, 111.

Roping Elk in the Rockies and the Wild
Hog in Louisiana, in February' " Outing,"
catches the attention of naturalists and
sportsmen.

Which is the swiftest flyer among our
birds? Who can answer? This question
was asked in a previous issue, and the writer
received no reply.

We have received satisfactory returns from

our ad. in your paper, and would be willing

at any time to testify to the merits of your

columns as an advertising medium.

Shooting and Fishing Publishing Co.

20 Devonshire St., Boston, Mass.

And any reader who has subscribed for the
publication, will find it a first-class one.

I secured a Red Screech Owl ? , taken in
the act of killing a full-grown Hen in its
coop, at Sudbury, Mass., January 16.

A. W. Morse.

Winter Residents of Milton,
Wisconsin.

3-

4-
5-
6.

7-
8.

9-

10.
II.
12.

13-
14.

15-
16.

Downy Woodpecker.
Hairy Woodpecker.
Great Northern Shrike.
Blue Jay.

Black-capped Chickadee.
White-breasted Nuthatch.
Mourning Dove.
-American Crow.
Snowflake.
-American Robin.
Slate-colored Junco.
Swamp Sparrow.
Golden-crowned Kinglet
American Goldfinch.
English Sparrow.
Little Screech Owl.

Flovd Coon.

A World's Fair Suggestion.

Are we going to the World's Fair at Chi-
cago? If so can we not have a headquarter
in that city where we may meet? Let some
of the Chicago readers of the " O. & O."
suggest a place where we may leave our card
stating our arrival and departure and where
we may be found while in the city. No doubt
there are many readers of this journal who are
going to the fair and while there would be
pleased to meet some of their bird friends.

Let us hear from some one else.

Albert Lane.

Madison, Minnesota.

EXCHANGE AND WANTS.

I inch, one time ... $ .50

I inch, three times . . . i.-O

Dealers' Advertisements — i inch . i.oo

NO VARIATION.

3ooks for Sale

•

TAXIDERMY— Webster's, vols. 10 a

id II 0. & 0.

illustrated ....

$200

Batty's, illustrated

I 5°

Maynard's

I 25

Hornaday's

= 50

NEST EGGS — Davies', cloth .

I 75

Davies', paper

I 25

Maynard's, cloth

I 75

Capen's, colored

15 00

BIRDS — Coues' Key

7 5°

Ridgway's Manual

7 50

BUTTERFLIES— Maynard's (N.A.)

I 50

Maynard's (New England)

6 50

French's (Eastern U.S.)

2 00

Harris' Insects

4 5°

Harris' Insects, colored .

6 50

Packard's

Soo

lOHN BACHMAN— Memories of his Life

2 00

MODERN RIFLES— Gould

2 00

TWO YEARS IN THE JUNGLE— Hornaday

^.00

FRANK RLAKE WEBSTER

CO.

JAMES P. BABBITT,
Taxidermist,

And dealer in Birds' Skins, Eggs, Stuffed Birds, and sup-
plies for the Naturalist and Taxlflermist.
Send stamp for list.
12 HODGES AVENUE, TAUNTON, MASS.

BIRPS EGG®

fiNS

supplies^x'book:

Illustrated Catalogue for 2 i stamp

AGENTS WANTED ON SALARY

or commission, to handle the new Patent Chemical Ink Erasing
Pencil. The quickest and greatest selling novelty ever pro-
duced. Erases ink thoroughly in two seconds. No abrasion of
paper. Works like magic. 200 to 500 per cent, profit. One
Agent's sales amounted to $620 in si.>: days; another $32 in two
hours. Previous experience not necessary. For terms and full
particulars, address,

THE MONROE ERASER MFG. CO.,

La Crosse, Wis., X 457.

CLUB RATES.

Musical Kcho, 40-page monthly, . ^'•.>o

.^ee .Advertisement below.

Ornitliologist :mti Oologist, i6-page

montlih. ..... 1.00

BOTH FOR ONE YEAR, $2.00.

$10

OO worth of lovely Music for Forty
.. Ceuts, ri.usisting of 100 pact's
full siz._- Slu-.-t Music of thcbnulit-
est, liveliest and itmsr popular selections, both
vocal and instrumeut;il, g'>tten up in the most
elegant manuer, indudiug four large size Por-
traits, gotten up ill the most elegant man-
ner, viz.;

CARMENCITA, the Spanish Dancer,

PADEREWSKI. the Great Pianist.

AOELINA PATTI and

Mrs. DION BOUCICAULT.

ADDRESS Ali ORDERS TO

THE NEW YORK 3irSICAL ECHO CO.,

Broadway Tlieatre Diiilding, Neio York City.
CANVASSEKS WANTED.

THE MINERALOGIST'S RECORD BOOK

Containing spaces for recording 450 .specimens,
by F. R. Ste.\rns. Price, ?j and jo cents. For
sale by

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER CO.

Naturalists Supply Depot.

ARTIFICIAL GLASS EYES

I'^'or Bii'fls aifccl Animals.

TAXIDERMISTS' TOOLS.

Forceps, Staffers, Scalpels, Plyers, Needles, Bitts, Vises, &c.

TAXIDERMISTS' SUPPLIES.

Wire, Cops, Tow, Arsenical Soap, Sands, Potters' Clay, Moss,
Shields, Stands, Glass Shades, Leaves, Thread, &c.

OOLOGISTS' SUPPLIES.

Egg Drills, Scissors. Forceps, Hooks, Measures, l>ata Books,
Pink Cotton, 7>ays, &c.

ENTOMOLOGISTS' SUPPLIES.

Insect Pins, whitt; ;md t>Iack, Cork, Labels, Bnarils, Nets, &c.

BOOK.S treating on all subjects that interest Naturalists.
Also, Birds' Kggs and Bii'ds' Slciiis, Taxider-
mists* Collecting Tube.

SEND 10 CENTS FOR COMPLETE CATALOGUE.

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER COMPANY,

HYDE PARK, MASS.

ORNITHOLOGIST

— AND —

OOLOGIST.

$i.oo per
Annum.

PUBLISHED BY THE FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER COMPANY.

ESTABLISHED MARCH, 1875.

Single Copy
10 cents.

Vol. XVIII.

HYDE PARK, MASS., MARCH, 1893.

No. 3.

Distribution of Cooper's Hawk in
Illinois.

J. E. Dickinson. No. 31.

Summer resident ; common.

Arrives first week in April, leaves middle
of October. One specimen, December 11,
1891, and one January 13, 1893.

Nests, usually in groves of black scrub
oak, sometimes in the edge of the larger
timber; but always in a black scrub oak,
usually placed near the trunk, 20 to 40 feet
high.

Nest composed of dead limbs and twigs,
lined with smaller twigs and rootlets. An
old Crows' nest is rarely used when the first
nest has been destroyed.

Complete sets — first week in jNIay (earli-
est May 3), and always consists of 3 eggs.
Color of eggs, light blue, sometimes marked
with red.

Average size, 1.98x1.50; largest, 2.05 x
1.54; smallest, 1.92x1.45 — average from
1 2 specimens. A second and third attempt
will be made to nest if the previous sets are
destroyed, the second set being complete
about the middle of the month, and the
third the last of the month (earliest third
set is May 24).

Common names, " Chicken Hawk " or
" Pigeon Hawk."

Food, young poultry and birds ; not much
of a mouser.

F. A. Grefforv. No. 3.

Summer resident ; tolerably common.

Nests in May (May 24, 1S90, 1-3) in

40 feet from the
with grape and

black oak. Sometimes uses old Crows'
nest ; 3 eggs, light bluish.

W. E. Pratt, Nos. 6, 7.

Nests ; common.

Nests found (April 27, 1-2 ; May i, T-4 :
May 2, 1-2) in old nest of Red-tail Hawk,
(May 15, 1-3, 1-5; May 21, 1-5).

O. H. Sxvazey. No. 6.

Resident ; tolerably common.

Nests commonly in the timber, but is not
particular as to the density or its remoteness
from houses.

Nest built in a crotch of a tree, usually
the black oak — average
ground — of stick lined
other bark.

Eggs laid in May, 2 to 4 in numljer.

Whitish, sparingly blotched with drab.

Gordon Schanck. No. 6.

Summer resident ; occasional resident.

Arrival, February 15 to March 15 ; de-
parture, October to December.

Very common.

Nests commonly on either high or low
ground near edge of woods or clearing.

Nests in any kind of high timber from 20
to 50 feet, composed of sticks and roots,
lined with grass, bark, and cornstalks.

Date from April 15 to May 30.

Number of eggs usually 4, sometimes 2.

Incubation, 3 to 4 weeks.

Usually greenish white, very seldom
marked ; only 3 in 1 3 were marked a very
faint reddish brown ; but when incubated a
dull white. Measure, largest, 2.08x1.60;
smallest, 1.85 x 1.45 ; average, 1.90 x 1.52.

Copyright, 1893, ty Frank Blake Webster Company.

34

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. iS-No. 3

But one brood in a season.

A. C. Mm-cJdson. No. i6.

Resident ; tolerably common, but more
.so in spring and fall.

Nests common in suitable localities.

Nests found on April 20, May 6, 14, 20.
(No records back of those now in my collec-
tion.)

Usually in the edge of a ilense timber and
in a black oak crotch about 20 feet from the
ground. A bulky affair of twigs loosely piled
together, lined with a few pieces of bark
from 18 inches to 2 feet across top, 12
inches deep.

April 20, 1-2 ; old Squirrel's nest with a
lot of sticks added, in a black oak 20 feet up.
Eggs, 1.95 X1.58, 1.97 xr. 57.

Fresh (set not complete).

May 6, 1-4, fresh. Measure, 1.92 x 1.52,
1.93x1.51, 1.90 X 1.55, 1.94 X 1.54. Aver-
age of set, 1.95 X 1.53.

Nest of fine but long twigs of the larch,
lined with the bark of the Scotch pine,
placed in a larch tree 15 feet from the
ground, in the edge of a dense gro\'e of pine
and larch, near a house.

Nest 2 feet in diameter, 15 inches deep.

May 14, 1892, 1-5 (incubation begun in
some of the eggs): measure, 2.07x1.56;
2.10 X 1.57 ; 2.06 X 1.53 ; 2.10 X 1.57 ; 2.15
X 1.57 ; average, 2.09 x 1.56.

Nest an old Crows' nest, placed by the
writer in a pine tree for a pair of Owls about
20 feet from where the set of 1-4 was taken
in 1 89 1 . The Hawks were the same pair as
in 1 8g I , for they were in the grove all winter.
.A quantity of twigs were added to the nest
by the Hawks,

May 20, 1-2; slight, 1.96x1.55, 1.96 x
1.57. Eggs placed in a deserted Crows' nest
in a small black oak in a dense timber.

Average of 13 eggs, 4 sets, 1.99 x 1.55;

largest,

1.57; smallest, 1.90x1.55.

Both sets of 1-2 are a bluish white, uns]3ot-
ted ; I -4 has a number of large, reddish
blotches (blood?) scattered over the entire
surface of eggs; 1-5, by same bird, has at

the large ends dark blotches, with a tinge
reddish. These are certainly shell marks.
The color becomes duller after incubation
has begun.

R. j\f. Barnes. No. 25.

Resident. (Jan. 7, 1893, one specimen;
mercury, 7° F.)

Fairly common. Breeds rather sparingly.
Nests occasionally in second growth of hard
wood on the bluffs, but usually in small but
tall willows in the dense swamps of the Illi-
nois river bottoms.

Nest placed in oak, willow, cotton-wood,
and soft maple trees, willow preferred, 25 to
50 feet up ; made of sticks, lined with bark ;
18 inches across, 12 thick, slightly hollowed.

Nests from April 30 to June 7.

Set 4 and 5 eggs only.

R. M. Frisbey. No. 25.

Resident ; tolerably common.

Nests from April 1 to May 30 (.April 9,
May 24). Usually in an oak tree, near top,
in the crotch. Pick a retired spot in dense
woods.

Nest of sticks, etc., lined with bark ; some-
times used several times, even after one set
has been taken.

Kggs, 3 to 5.

Has found the nests common in a pine
grove. *

Virginius Chase. No. 26.

Summer resident ; tolerably common.

Nests in April, in oak and bol-elder trees
near streams, 20 to 35 feet high — very
flimsy affairs. Eggs can be seen from below.

Sets of 1-2.

Dr. W. S. Strode. No. 33.

Resident, but more common in summer
than in winter.

Follows the birds south in their migrations.

In October, 1890, observed flock of over
100, and a few days later a flock of about
50, flying south, high in the air.

More common now in winter than formerly,
as Quail are more common.

Nest has the ap])earance of an old Crows'
nest reconstructed.

March, 1S93.]

AND OOLOGIST.

J3

Eggs, 3 or 4, sometimes 5.

Color, bluish white, usually without mark-
ings, but sometimes a set or egg would be
handsomely marked with lines and spots of
drab and red.

IV. S. Cobleigh. No. 33, 34.

Summer resident. Arrive middle of March.
Tolerably common.

Nests in tall timber, composed of small
sticks, lined with pieces of bark, placed in
tall wild cherry or other tall, straight trees
about 40 feet from the ground. Nest about
2 feet in diameter. Nests about the middle
of May.

Eggs, 3 to 5, usually 3.

Color, pale bluish white, sometimes spot-
ted with reddish brown.

Set of 3 measure 2.00 x 1.50, 2.00 x 1.60,
2.05 X 1.55.

B. F. Bolt. No. 34.

Resident, not wholly. Arrives from south
about April 10. Tolerably common. Nests
commonly.

Nests on high grounds or where there is
plenty of oak.

Generally an old Crows' nest is fitted up
in an oak from 15 to 40 feet from ground.
Laying begins about May 10 but often earlier.

Set generally 4, but 2, 3 and 5 are found,
5 rarely.

Color, light blue or dull blue, usually spot-
ted with reddish brown.

(Continued.)

This has been a cold dreary winter for
the birds. .\ flock of 300 Crows are winter-
ing in Highland Park, roosting in the ever-
greens and picking up what they can get to
eat. The Ducks are very common at the
foot of the main streets now, where the ice
is open, and here they can be seen at any
time. A Robin was reported February i 7 ,
and the Horned Larks, Juncos, etc., are here.
A Red-shouldered Hawk and Screech Owl
have remained all winter in a large yard in
the north end of the city, and the Hawk is
very tame and easily approached. A rusty
Blackbird was shot November 19, which is
very late for them. B. H. Szca/cs.

Detroit, Mich.

Some Holiday Trips.

[Read before the Linnaean Society of New York, April 20, 1892/

A business man who tries to study birds
usually has a hard time of it, especially if he
aspires to something more than " closet orni-
thology." He labors under the disadvan-
tage of being unable to choose the days for
his collecting trips ; for outside of his vaca-
tion, usually of short duration, he has very
little time during the year to call his own
except the seven or eight holidays. So he
finds himself, after a while, measuring time
by holidays, and no sooner has one passed
than he begins to look forward to the next,
and devise some fresh scheme or seek a new
field of operation ; and it affords, I assure
you, a very pleasant diversion from business
cares to look up a time-table or write a let-
ter to one's friend in the country, telling
him when we are coming, and planning out
all the details of the trip.

Dependent thus on certain fixed days, it
often happens that the weather is too wet or
too dry, too hot or too cold, although I be-
lieve with Dr. Coues that "all times are
good times to go a-shooting." As exam-
ples, New Year's Day and the Fourth of
July are proverbially rainy, which makes it
unpleasant for the collector, although he is
just as likely to get a good bag as on a dry
day, and a little more so, I think.

Another drawback to collecting in the
near vicinity of the cities is the ever-present
" would-be " sportsman, more properly
" pot-hunter," who turns out in such amaz-
ing numbers on a holiday when the weather
is good as to very nearly monopolize what
little game he doesn't scare out of reach.

But such is the fascination that the study
of nature has for its followers that, in spite
of all obstacles, every holiday finds the
student in the field, eager for fresh knowl-
edge and new specimens ; and no matter
how little success he may have or how dis-
couraged he may get, I doubt not that, if he be
a ir/ic natitralist, he will be ready to start

36

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. iS-No. 3

again the next morning, after a good night's
rest.

May 30 has always been a red letter day
with me, and while I don't think that I am
lacking in patriotism, still I celebrate the
day in a somewhat different way from the
mass of my fellow citizens.

Lake Grove, a little hamlet situated in
the geographical centre of Long Island, is
my birthplace, and quite naturally my steps
often tend in that direction on Decoration
Day ; so what little scientific matter there
may be in this paper will relate to the bird
life in that locality at the season men-
tioned.

As this is the only holiday during the
spring months, we turn our attention more
especially to the breeding habits of our
birds, and while we have had no great suc-
cess in obtaining eggs, still we have some
interesting notes and have come to the con-
clusion that this would be a very fruitful
field to work earlier in the season.

One of the most interesting birds of this
section of Long Island is the Pine Warbler,
Detidrot'ca vigorsii, who is quite common
in the large tracts of pitch pine which cover
the more sandy parts of the island. He is
a very hardy bird, arriving during the first
days of April and remaining till October,
but he does not attract much attention, his
song being faint, his colors plain, and his
actions rather slow. The song much resem-
bles that of the Chipping Sparrow, but is
more "liquid and crescendo," as my note-
book has it.

It was about 5 o'clock on the morning of
May 30, 1889, that we sallied forth from the
house and made our way to the pines.

None but those who have been cooped up
in a dusty city for months can understand
fully the bliss there is in breathing the de-
lightfully free air of a balmy spring morning.
We had no sooner entered the woods than
we were greeted by the Pine Warbler's song,
which we had not heard for over a year; it
seemed to breathe of the sough of the pines

and the quiet therein, and is one of the
most restful of songs. During the three days
that I stayed in the vicinity I spent consid-
erable time listening to these birds, watch-
ing their movements and searching for
nests ; but while I learned something of
their habits, I failed to discover any indica-
tions of breeding, except on the last day,
when I saw a female feeding a "mcU groxvn
young one. Well, I just stood in open-
mouthed astonishment at this, for although
I knew the birds arrived early, I had no
thought of their being able to build a nest,
incubate their eggs, and rear a brood of
young before most of our small birds have
laid their eggs. I was forced to conclude,
however, that my eyes were not deceiving
me and that the time to look for nests was
in April or the very first of May. I think
that, in consequence of the presence of the
young birds, the species must be more com-
mon at this date than at any other time of
the year.

The birds stay well up in the trees, and
while they do not seem to pay the slightest
attention to any one who is below, still they
have a habit of flying from the tree just at
the moment one doesn't want them to,
oftentimes taking extended flights and again
only to the next tree. They cannot, how-
ever, be called a restles bird, for if the ob-
server will lie perfectly quiet they will often
feed in the same tree for five minutes or
more.

We found our first Hummingbird's nest
on this trip ; it was saddled on a pine limb
about twelve feet above the ground. The
birds made no demonstration whatever at
our plundering of their beautiful litde
home.

Having found a Sharp-shinned Hawks'
nest in this vicinity the previous year, I was
keeping my " weather eye " open for another
one, and while doing so I noticed an old
Stiuirrel's nest, well flattened out, situated in
a pine about 25 feet from the ground.
Sticking out of the nest was a pair of ears

March, 1S93.]

AND OOLOGIST.

37

which at first sight I took to be those of a
Squirrel, but this idea was soon dispelled
when an Owl's head appeared over the edge
of the nest, and the bird on seeing me took
wing and sailed away. Somehow "Barred
Owl" had been running in my mind all day
and I was now seized with ^he impression
that I had found a Barred Owl's nest, but it
turned out to be a Long-eared (Asio ~cil-
sonianus ) instead. However, the species
was of small importance to me at that mo-
ment for I had an Owl's nest an)'way, and it
was my first ; so, as may be imagined, I
ascended the tree with all possible speed
and gazed upon the three downy white
Owlets which were all of a different size.
This was something of a disappointment, for
I was expecting eggs ; but I descended and
notified my companion of the find ; he had
the gun, and at once turned his attention to
securing the old birds, which had both come
near me while I was up the tree, and had
kept up a distressed moaning. He soon
shot the male, and the female, though rather
shy after this, came back se\eral times, l)ut
we failed to get her. After some discussion
involving the humanity of the act, we de-
cided to take the young birds for the cause
of science ; they are now in Mr. William
Butcher's collection.

Arthur H. Ho-ccll.

(Continued.)

Nesting of the Duck Hawk on Mt.
Sugar Loaf, Mass.

Among some of the sets of eggs taken in
Massachusetts that can be called rare or
valuable to the ornithologist are those of
the Duck Hawk {Falco peregriniis ana-
tum). There are probably only six places
in all New England where this bird can be
found breeding, namely, Talcott Mountain,
Conn., Mount Holyoke, Mount Tom, and
Sugar Loaf Mountain, Mass., Brandon, Vt.
and Mount Katahdin, Maine. In the three
localities in Massachusetts there is but one
pair of the Hawks at a place the same season.

and as the bird always chooses an almost in-
accessible site in some lofty cliff for its eyrie,
it is very seldom that the eggs are found by
collectors. During the past summer I had
the pleasure of finding the eyrie of one of
these Duck Hawks on the side of Sugar
Loaf Mountain and I have written the ac-
count of the same for the benefit of the
readers of the " O. & O."

The Duck Hawks arrive from the south
about the last week in March. They come
in pairs, and the first to arrive at once
choose a nesting place ; then they guard
the whole side of the mountain for several
weeks before the eggs are deposited, and,
so far as I know at present, only one pair
occupy a cliff the same season, and they
usually choose an almost inaccessible cliff.

On the 8th of April, 1892, 1 went to
Sugar Loaf Mountain and there saw the
male and female Duck Hawks. They would
fly from one part of the mountain to the
other, and always, as they launched out in
the air high above the tops of the trees some
two hundred and fifty feet below them, they
would utter their peculiar screams. When-
ever I would keep out of sight for any length
of time and then reappear at the edge of
the cliff, one of the birds would always be
at rest on some rough crag of the rocks, or
on a dead stump that projected from the
ledge far below.

I found that they returned near the same
place every time, and so came to the con-
clusion that the nesting place must be some-
where in that vicinity ; but after long and
careful observations I was obliged to come
away without finding the exact spot, for it
was necessary that one should have a long
stout rope, by the assistance of which he
might climb down the side of the cliff, in
order to find the nest.

I learned, however, that only one pair of
the birds was about the place, and that one
pair had occupied the mountain as a nest-
ing place for many years. One week later
I again visited this place in company with

38

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-N0. 3

two friends. This time I had taken a long
rope, and by the aid of it we went down
over the side of the cliff, and, as good luck
would have it, we found the eyrie just about
where I had previously located it ; but on
reaching the nest it was found to contain
only one egg ; so nothing further was done
that time. Just one week later, on the
twenty-second of April, I again made a visit
.to the mountain. This time the l.)ird did
not leave the nest until I was within thirty
feet of it, and then she launched out in the
air with loud screams, soon bringing her
mate to the scene.

All the time I was near the nest the old
birds would fly near and quite often would
dart at me with screams of defiance and
rage ; then they would sail out over the
river several hundred yards away, and, on
returning, swoop down at me as though they
would tear me in [lieces, thrusting out their
talons and screaming all the while. They
could have been easily shot, but 1 did not
care to do this if I could get the eggs, as 1
wished to see if they would lay a second set.

This time I found the nest to contain four
large eggs.

The nest was only a shallow place in the
sand on a shelf of rock. There were a few
feathers and a little grass in it. This shelf
was about two feet six inches wide and then
ran back in the side of the ledge three feet.
The roof of this eyrie was only eleven inches
from the surface of the shelf ; thus the eggs
were entirely out of sight until you reached
the shelf. This shelf was about ten feet
long, and from it were growing some grasses
and ferns. As I have stated, the nest con-
tained four eggs, which proved to be quite
fresh. Three of these eggs were of a dark
brick-red color and the other one was white
for the ground color.

The first egg was the darkest, ha\ ing a
brick-red ground color and being thickly
spotted and blotched with red and dark
brown; near the large end was ipiite an
area, evenly marked with light brown spots.

This was known to be the first egg of the
set, as it was mrked at the time the nest
was first visited, when it contained only one
one egg.

The second egg was somewhat lighter and
the spots of brown larger. The darkest and
thickest spots were on the small end ; some
of the spots are of a very dark brown.

The third egg that I describe, the ground
color is of a light brick-red at the large end,
with many small spots and blotches of light
brown, which extend over about two thirds
of the surface, and the small end is of a
brick-red for the ground color and the end
has the appearance of being blotched with
light Ijrown, with a belt of dark brown spots
radiating from the apex in opposite direc-
tions.

The fourth, as liefore stated, is a white
egg in ground color, entirely covered with
reddish brown spots about the size of the
point of a i)in. With a ])ocket lens these
fine spots can be seen all over the surface.
At the small end are several spots of light
brown about the size of a pin head, and a
little to one side are two spots of brown
about one eighth of an inch in diameter;
near these, and about the same size, are two
dark brown spots, almost black. On the
large end are several light brown spots and
on the sides are a few large light brown
blotches.

I will give the dimensions of the eggs in
the order they are descrilied : 1.69x2.04,
1.72 X 2. II, 1. 71 X 2.15, and 1.70 x 2.13
inches.

To reach this eyrie with the help of a rope
I had climbed about sixty feet down the al-
most perpendicular side of the cfiff, and as
I sat there on that lofty shelf of red sandstone
and beheld the beautiful expanse of the
Connecticut valley, with the silvery river
majestically winding its course through it,
I thought for a moment of the results of one
misstep which would precipitate the un-
fortunate being nearly two hundred and fifty
feet below. 'I'his thought, together with

March, 1S93.]

AND OOLOGIST.

39

those peculiar screams of the Duck Hawks
as they sailed there in midair, caused me
to reflect for a time of the omnipresence and
wonderful power of the Creator.

Finally, with my treasures safely packed
in a tin box, I made my return. Two weeks
later found me in the same place. The
Hawks were still there and went through the
same manoeuvres, but there were no eggs in
the nest. On July 11 I again went up the
mountain and saw the Hawks as before.
After going to the old nest and finding it
empty, I made up my mind that they had
young somewhere in the cliff, .\fter three
hours' hard work and climbing, I at last
found the site of the new eyrie, but could not
get to it with the aid of the rope. I could,
however, see that there were three young
birds in the nest, and there may have been
another, as I could not see the rear ]5art of
the nest.

From the remains found some distance
below the nest, it was evident that the young
had been fed on Grouse, Chicken and Doves.

The Duck Hawk leaves here sometime
in November. I might add that I saw one
pair on Mt. Tom this summer. They prob-
ably raised young there, but I could not find
the nesting place. /. C. Greene.

The Pine Grosbeak in Michigan.

Of the winter birds of Michigan there are
eighty-five or more, and in Kalamazoo
County about 42° north latitude and 85°
west longitude there are sixty-eight species
known to be found in winter. These are
divided into permanent residents, sixteen in
number; half-hardy numbering thirty-two,
and winter visitants twenty. Under this
last division are embraced many birds, which
are not constant in their \isitalion, and which
may be recorded as unusual, or stragglers
from the north. Of these irregular visitors,
none are more uncertain in their appearance
than the Pine Grosbeak. It may be that
the species is a winter sojourner in our state

each 5'ear, but this has not, as yet, been
]iroven. However the records show that the
bird has occurred during successive years,
and this is enough to suggest an appearance
each season at some point.

In 1869 it appeared in Kent County, about
42° north latitude. In 1870 the species was
abundant in Cass and Calhoun Counties,
about 42°; 1 87 1 found the birds in Van
Buren County, 42° ; 1872 and 1873 give no
records in the state that I can find. In
January, 1874, the birds appeared for the
first time in Kalamazoo County in small
flocks. In December, 1874, they again ap-
peared, but in large flocks, and remained
with us till late in February, 1875. Flocks
also appeared in Washtenaw County, 42°, in
winter of 1874-75, one hundred miles east
of Kalamazoo, but the s]3ecies was not seen
again in that neigborhood, Ann Arbor, up to
1 88 1. There are no records that I can find
for 1876, 1877, or of any other year, in the
state, excepting that of Kent County, where
the birds were abundant in the winter of
1878-79. Since the date of 1879, I can
secure no account of the appearance of this
bird, although I doubt not that they have
appeared in an irregular way in many parts
of the state. If cold weather is the cause
of their irregular southern migration, then
the present winter of 1892-93, which is very
severe, with deep snow, would give promise
of their appearance. But though the species
appeared in the east in large numbers, par-
ticularly in New England, they have not
been seen to niy knowledge in southern
Michigan this season.

Going back and examining the old cata-
logues of Michigan birds we find that nearly
all our state or local records, especially the
earlier ones, omit this species.* Sager's
pioneer list of 1893, document of house of
representatives, omits it, as does also J. E.
Cabot, 1850. In fact, half of the collectors

* This is strange, when the early collectors had taken the
equally rare Evening Grosbeak as a Michigan bird. Tn fact,
the latter was first discovered in this region, and first described
from specimens secured at the foot of Lake Superior in 1813.

40

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-No. 3

and ornithologists of Michigan have failed
to meet with it. A careful observer might
live a lifetime in one locality and fail to re-
cord this bird, while the flocks may have
passed or even remained for the winter
within a few miles of him. This is a strag-
gler, the dispersion of which can only lie
imderstood through the combined attention
of the observers of a state.

However, when the species makes its ap-
pearance in our midst it is an easy matter to
study its habits, for the bird is very confiding.
In fact, we can safely say that it is stupid in
its lack of caution, and it is fair to believe
it the most approachable and unsuspicious
of all birds that visit us. It is eminently
gregarious, like most of our smaller northern
visitors, and even more so than its near rela-
tive, the Evening Grosbeak.

On the two occasions when I studied the
Pine Grosbeak, January and February of the
years 1874 and 1875, the flocks occupied
the trees in the heart of the village. The
birds were particularly plentiful in 1875, and
large flocks could be seen at nearly all times
in our public park, where they mainly roosted
in the clumps of thick evergreens. The
birds fed to a [considerable extent on the
buds of various trees and shrubs, much re-
sembling the Evening Grosbeak in its man-
ner of perching and biting off the buds.
There are many habits in which the two are
alike. In our village, there were at that
time many American mountain ash trees,
pvriis aincricana, which were loaded with
the orange-colored berries. This fruit con-
stituted the main reliance of the Grosbeaks
during their visits ; at the close of their stay
with us there was not a berry left for the
early Robins, which not rarely feed on them.

When feeding the birds seem oblivious of
danger, and one can approach within a rod
of a flock, but if one bird f^ies the flock
quickly follows the lead, the movement of
escape being accompanied by a series of
their low, pleasing chirps. This call note,
uttered singlv when the birds are feeding un-

disturbed, is the only sound which I have
heard from them in winter.

In the winter of 1874 I secured but three
specimens, which were all in the gray or
drab plumage, and I saw but one brilliant
carmine male the entire season, in a flock
of fifteen or twenty. An acquaintance of
mine secured a fine drab specimen alive and
confined it in a cage. In the spring it as-
sumed a change of plumage, appearing of a
tawny or yellowish and entirely different
from the usual coat that we see here. This
was undoubtedly a female, as it never gave
voice to any song whatever.

In 1875 I armed myself wdth a shotgun
and a permit from the president of our \\\-
lage board, and went into the park for birds
and secured a large number, among which
were three carmine males. There were sev-
eral hundred birds in Kalamazoo that year,
and though I cannot feel certain about the
number all told, I feel safe in saying that
there were just seven bright males in the lot.
I think that the proportion of sombre plu-
maged birds to the carmine birds is about
thirty or more to one. I have observed a
flock of over fifty birds in January with not
a brilliant specimen in it.

Several were captured alive by the boys,
who stunned them with snowballs, and a
large number were killed in various ways.
At one time, and when the thermometer in-
dicated 18° F., the birds were very sluggish,
appearing as if stupefied. I killed one with
a short stick by, reaching up and knocking
it from its perch. Still I do not believe that
it is the cold which brings these birds or any
other irregular northern visitors to our neigh-
borhood.

One which I kept alive for several days
fed on seeds of nearly all kinds, but appeared
especially fond of apple seeds. It would
tear apple cores to pieces very quickly, to
get at the seeds. One bird, undoubtedly a
male, which was captured in the plain plu-
mage, took on the yellowish coat in May, I
believe, and re.sembled the captive female

March. 1S93.]

AND OOLOGIST.

before described. It would during spring
and early summer sometimes pour out a few
pleasing but half expressed notes, which
probably was the regiilur song but not strongly
uttered. This one was undoubtedly a male,
but it was destroyed before it ever assumed
its red coat. It may be that this species
possesses a peculiarity in coloration, like the
not vastly removed Cross-bills, which are
so oddly marked as to deceive us in regards
to sex and age. The late Mr. Brewer first
studied and explained the singular phases in
the coloration in the Cross-bill.

A few birds were seen in March, but the
flocks mainly disappeared in February, dif-
fering in this respect from the Evening Gros-
beak, which I have known to remain till the
month of May. Scolpax.

Kalamazoo, Mich.

Notes from Cobb's Island and
Vicinity.

The following comprises a list of birds
seen at Cobb's Island, Va., and vicinity, dur-
ing a brief sojourn there from May 19 to
22, 1891 : —
58. Laughing Gull. — Some seen at the
island and others on the marshes,
but very few at any time.
70. Common Tern. — A few seen on the

beach and in the marsh.
74. Least Tern. — Only a single bird seen.
There seemed to be a great scarcity
of Gulls and Terns the whole time I
was at the island.
80. Black Skimmer. — Four seen one even-
ing, just about dusk, flying up the
beach over the line of the surf.
1 20. Double-Cr. Cormorant. — About a doz-
en or twenty seen as we sailed in
the "Broadwater" (behveen the
main and the island ) . A few were seen
flying, but most of them in the water.
163. American Scoter. — A flock of about
six seen in the ocean, riding the
waves just beyond the surf, near the
upper end of the island.

194. Great Blue Heron. — On the 21st we
sailed down to Smith's island through
the "Broadwater." During the trip
down we saw a great many standing
in the shallow water over the flats
about Smith's island, and at the
heronry there we saw a large number
of them.

201. Green Heron. — A few seen in the
marshes. They would fly up from
the edge of the " guts " as we sailed
past. Quite a number of them were
breeding at Mockhorn island.

211. Clapper Rail. — Very abundant on all
the marshes, although seldom seen.
I only saw one, it being flushed on
the edge of a " gut," where it had
no place to sulk away in the grass.
Many nests were found, all at Cobb's
Island. Most of them were built
about six to ten inches from the
ground, and some had drift grass
drawn over the top to hide them.
All had fresh eggs, the largest set
being nine and the smallest five.

231. Dowitcher. — Only two seen, and killed
over the decoys. About fifteen years
ago, when I was down there, these
were one of the most common birds
shot. They are locally known as
Grayback.

234. Knot. — They made their first appear-
ance May 22, and I saw about a
dozen flocks containing from ten to
thirty birds each. They are known
as Robin-breast Snipe, and are in
my opinion the most delicious of
all shore birds for the table.

243<7. Red-backed Sandpiper. — Very plen-
tiful, many bunches coming to the
decoys.

246. Semi-palmated Sandpiper. — Large
flocks would be seen darting about
the marshes and over the decoys.

248. Sanderling. — A few seen running on
the beach, and one shot.

254. Greater Yellow-legs. — Only one noted

42

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 1S-N0.3

during my stay at the island, and it
was killed over the decoys in New
Marsh.

258. Willet. — One seen just as we landed
at Smith's island. They were breed-
ing in large numbers on Mockhorn
island, but we had no chance to go
there during my trip. They were
much more plentiful when I was
there last.

265. Hudsonian Curlew. — A great many
single birds and some small flocks
seen flying about the marshes, but
they were very wild, and would not
come near our blind.

270. Black-bellied Plover. — Quite plentiful
on the marshes, and some seen on
the sea-shore. We could always
count on ha\ing some come to the
decoys.
Killdeer. — A pair seen in the road (on
the Main) as I drove from the sta-
tion to the boat landing.
Semi-palmated Plover. — Known along
with Wilson's Plover as " Ring-
necks." They would be seen with
almost every flock of small birds that
would decoy.

2S0. Wilson's Plover. — These were breed-
ing on the island, but I was unable
to find their nests.

283. Turnstone. — Locally known as " Cal-
ico-back," and were very plentiful
both in the marshes and on the sea-
shore, some of them generally being
killed from each bunch of birds that
decoyed.

286. American Oyster-catcher. — Several
pairs seen near the upper part of
the island, where they were breeding.
Locally called " Sea-Crow."

364. .American Osprey. — None seen at
Cobb's island, but fifty seen at
Smith's island, where they were
breeding.

490. Fish Crow. — A few seen flying over
the marshes hunting for eggs.

273-

274.

501. Meadow Lark. — A single one seen on
the dry marsh at Cobb's Island.

513. Boat-tailed Crackle. — Several seen at
Smith's Island, where they were
breeding.

550. Sea-side Finch. — A single pair seen
in the dry grass in marsh at Cobb's
Island.

613. Barn Swallow. — .\ few seen, and sev-
eral nests found under the wharf
and in the oyster houses.

William H. Fisher.
Baltimore, Md.

Green Eggs of the Red-tailed Hawk.

The Berkshires and other wooded hills
which surround this valley afford ideal nest-
ing sites for Bntco horealis. I think I am
safe in saying that the Red-tail is our mo.st
abundant breeding Hawk ; and although I
take a few sets of eggs each season, I had
ne\er dreamed I should have the pleasure
of collecting a set of the rare tint which
furnishes the title for this article.

Early afield, for a short trip before busi-
ness hours, on the morning of April 16,
1 89 1, I found what I pronounced a new
nest of the Red-tailed Hawk, in a big pine
on the very top of Sheldon Hill. The next
morning I saw the birds at the nest, and on
the 2ist I secured a fine set of two fresh
eggs. They are of a beautiful greenish
shade in ground color, so deeji and bright
that it is at once perceptible even by lamp-
light. One of the eggs is unmarked, with
the exception of a few faint specks and lines
of lilac. The markings on the other egg are
of a delicate shade of lilac and fawn color,
distributed over the entire egg in large
flakes. They are truly a beautiful and
unique set. Sizes, 2.39x1.81,2.25x1.83.
The nest was by actual measurement 71
feet from the ground, placed in a rather
unusual position, being saddled on to a
large limb, close to the body of the tree, and
held in position by several small branches.
The owners were the first of this species to

March, 1893.]

AND OOLOGIST.

43

show fight when I was at their nest ; they
were \ery aggressi\e, swooijing down
through the tree, rather too close for com-
fort, while the eggs were being secured.

I made no special effort to locate their
second nest. In fact, I seldom take second
clutches of any species. I am afraid, though,
the tem])tation would have been too great
had I found a second set of this pair, es-
jiecially if they had been of the same rare
tint.

.Vpril, 1892, found me making fre-
quent visits to Sheldon Hill, with the deter-
mination of again finding the nests of my
Huteos, as I almost daily saw one or both
soaring high above the hill. I had looked
long in vain, and ^Vednesday morning, April
27, founil me standing in the edges of the
woods on the east side of the hill, after a
last thorough search, with no nest located
yet. Looking far across the pasture fields
to a timbered side hill bordering the Le-
banon Springs Railroad, I suddenly uttered
an exclamation of delight. Perched high
on one of the trees, in the margin of the
timber, was a big Hawk, and another was
sailing around over the woods. Bringing
my field-glass to bear upon them, I saw they
were Red-tails. I didn't have time to go
over and investigate then, but I went home
confident that in that particular tract of
timber was the coveted prize. Nor was I
disappointed, for on April 29 I visited the
locality and had been in the woods but a
few minutes before I found the nest, forty
feet up, in the first big crotch of a mam-
moth maple. At my approach the female
left the nest with a scream of mingled anger
and despair. A couple of saplings were
felled against the tree ; it's easier to go up
in this manner where the trees are as large
as this one was, even if you have got
climbers. Both male and female again
came back and showed fight, swooping down
through the tree while the eggs were being
packed preparatory to lowering them with
the line. I was delighted to again find

them of the same emerald hue as the set
taken last season. They are of a deeper
shade of green than that set. There is no
particular difference in the markings of the
two eggs : both are specked, sjiotted, and
splashed over the entire surface with bright
reddish brown. Large, handsome eggs.
Sizes, 2.37x1.88, 2.42x1.84. They con-
tained large embryos.

In addition to the above two sets I ha\e
still another green egg of the Red-tailed
Hawk. A boy living at Hancock, Mass.,
just across the line from their town, early in
April, 1 89 1, set several steel traps for foxes
around the carcass of a horse, but caught a
pair of big Red-tails. He took them home
and put them into a box, where the female
soon deposited a single egg. This I pur-
chased soon after it was laid. Comparing it
with a series of Heron's eggs, I find the
shade of green as deep as the average eggs
of Ardca virescciis. Size, 2.32 x 1.79.

Bciijaiiiiu Iloaff.

Stephentown, New York.

The Slender-billed Shearwater.

There are several species of this genus of
ocean-wandering birds met with off the
coasts of the Canadian Dominion, but most
of these occur on the .Atlantic seaboard.
So far as present research extends, only one
species has been discovered on the western
coast of North America, and this is but of
rare occurrence on the shores of British Co-
lumbia. This is the Slender-bill Shearwater
( Puffinus tenttirostris ), a species differ-
ing in the form of its bill from those found
off the Atlantic seaboard, though in its
modes of life and general habits there is lit-
tle or no difference. It is mostly found as-
sociated with the Fulmers or the larger
Petrels, whose habits, resorts, and general
modes of life are much similar, though at
times it is met with near the shores of lonely
i.slands, solitary and alone. It is a species
of consideral)le size and wide expansion of

44

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. iS-No. 3

wing, can swim and dive well, and is capa-
ble of extensive and long continued flights.
Its upper plumage is of a dusky hue, the
lower parts whitish. It receives the name
of Shearwater from its manner of procuring
its food, which is chiefly small fish and other
animal matter scooped up from the surface
of the water and the crests of the rolling
waves, over which it glides with remarkable
gracefulness and rapidity. In its native
haunts and home it is probably more a resi-
dent off the Asiatic shores than the coasts of
America, and in the nesting period it may
be found in tolerable abundance among the
more outlying of the Aleutian Islands.
Among naturalists little or nothing appears
to be known regarding its nesting habits, but
it is probable that it does not differ in this
respect from the other species of Shear-
waters which are known to nest in self-made
burrows and crevices of rocks in small
islands far out at sea, and to deposit as a
set one whitish-colored egg.

Speaking of the Pacific Fulmars, Mr.
Turner says, " With these birds are asso-
ciated in a manner another bird of which I
obtained at Amchitka Island a single speci-
men, which had been thrown up dead by the
sea and so far advanced in decomposition
that to lift it separated the members of its
body.

This dead bird resembled those associated
with the Pacific Fulmers, and was, so far as
possible to identify it, a specimen of Piiffi-
niis tcnnirostris. Natives of After, who
were with me on Amchitka Island, informed
me that birds of this kind (like the dead
one) breed plentifully on the Semichi Is-
lands. A short account of another species
of this genus, called the Mutton Bird { Puf-
finiis tristis), may still further illustrate
some of the peculiar habits of this species,
as in their general modes of life it is proba-
ble they differ but little. The Tristis in-
habits the southern seas. It is somewhat
larger than a pigeon and of a greyish-black
color. It frequents Australia, New Zealand,

and other southern lands for the purpose of
breeding. In September it arrives at its
rookeries in such vast flocks as to darken
the sun, and spend some days in digging
and arranging the holes which are to serve
as its nest. It then returns to the sea.
Late in November, which is near mid-sum-
mer in those latitudes, the Mutton Birds
again appear on their nesting grounds, and
amid much screaming and quarreling, and
an indescribable hubbub, each female takes
possession of a hole, into which she re-
treats and lays a single egg. On this she at
once begins to incubate, and while so doing
goes out only at night. The flesh of these
birds is valued as food, their feathers are also
much prized ; they are therefore eagerly
hunted. Great numbers are destroyed, yet
no perceptible diminution is made in their
numbers by those wholesale slaughters.

William L. Kclh.

Our Talented Blue Jay.

Billy first saw the light of day in the
spring of 1892. He had left the nest before
being captured, but soon became accustomed
to cage life and a diet of boiled potato and
bread and milk.

About midsummer he began to show the
results of good training. His whistle often
brought the dog to the back door when he
was not wanted. It is the dog's duty to
keep the hens off the lawn, but he often
sleeps while on duty, — a " shee," "shee,"
from anyone in the kitchen always had the
desired effect. Billy never slept during the
day and his ".shee," "shee" was as ef-
fectual as a human one. He never would
utter these notes unless the hens were on
the lawn or a team was passing by. His
setting the dog on teams was a trick we
could not appreciate.

Little Frank, 12 years old, reported at the
house several times before he found that
Billy's " Whank, Whank" had enticed him
there. \\'hen Frank started for school

March, 1S93.]

AND OOLOGIST.

45

Billy's " Whank gon cool," was spoken so
plainly that any stranger would know what he
said. In the afternoon his flying back and
forth through his cage, calling " Whank,
Whank," was a sure sign of the little fel-
low's being in sight.

His singing, like the canary, was as good
as going to the Howard Atheneum. To cut
a long story short, he was a perfect mimic.
He would imitate almost any noise, only to
be forgotten when the noise ceased.

But such pets are usually fated to come to
some sad end. A friend, early in February
1893, desiring to increase my family of
Screech Owls, brought me one securely ( ?)
caged in a wooden box. He was at liberty
in the morning and our Billy was dead in
his cage. 'Tis needless to say that Mr.
Scops quickly joined him over the river.

Was this bird anything out of the ordi-
nary? Would another be as interesting aS
he ? I shall try another next season and
you may hear from me again.

A. W. Morse.

Notes from Belchertown, Mass.

Shrikes numerous early in the season.

Dec. 20, Wilson Snipe shot near mill-
pond.

Dec. 26, Jan. 24, noted Yellow- shafted
Flickers.

Jan. 24, 26, large flocks of Snow Buntings :
found a Red Screech Owl in woods, partly
eaten by a fox.

Jan. 26, watched a Bald Eagle for a long
time flying over the pond, which had been
drawn off. There were quantities of fish on
the banks.

I failed to make connections with him.
Saw one poor Lone Meadow Lark.

Bob White were plenty in October.

A few only were shot and the remainder
have wintered safely.

Barred Owls were noted early in Fall.
Pine Grosbeaks seen all the season.

Foxes have been very plenty and I have

seen a number of places where they have

feasted on Ruffed Grouse.

yi W. Jackson.

Mocking Bird in Massachusetts in
Winter.

About February 4, while looking for spe-
cimens of winter birds, I saw a strange bird
that I had never before met with, but
thought little of it until the 14th of Febru-
ary I shot the bird near the spot where first
seen. It was a Mocking Bird {Mimus
Polyglotiis } which confronted me as I
went to pick up my specimen.

The bird had lived here certainly for
about two weeks without succumbing to the
cold of this climate, which shows the bird
can live here even in cold weather. The
only way I can account for its being here at
this time of year is that it must be an es-
caped cage bird. (The bird was identified
by " Coues' Key" and Steam's "New Eng-
land Bird Life.") H. E. Barton.

Duxbury, Mass.

What Killed the Swallows?

While out collecting the 21st of May of last
year, I came across an old stone quarry where
there were a pair of bank swallows flying
around. On inspection I found an unfin-
ished nest of the swallows and an old nest.
The old tunnel ran back some six or seven
feet and was filled with dead swallows ; most
of them were badly decayed. I pulled out
21 of the dead birds and had not cleared
half the tunnel, so there must have been at
least 50 dead birds in the tunnel. I would
like to hear some one's opinion on the sub-
ject, through the columns of this paper. I
also took a set of English Sparrow eggs from
an old swallows' nest in the same quarry.

Erie Morton.

During the past two months we have re-
ceived many articles of interest from our
readers. All of which we will publish at as
early a date as possible. Send tiiem along.

46

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. iS-No. 3

THE

ORNITHOLOGISTr^^OOLOGIST

A MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF

NATURAL HISTORY,

ESPECIALLY DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OF

BIRDS,

THEIR NESTS AND EGGS,

AND TO THE

INTERESTS OF NATURALISTS.

Under the Editorial Management of
FRANK B. WEBSTER, . . . Hyde Park, Mass.
J. PARKER NORRIS, . . . Philadelphia, Pa.

PUBLISHED .\T THE

MUSEUM AND NATURALISTS' SUPPLY DEPOT

OF THE

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER COMPANY,

INCORPORATED,

HYDE PARK, MASS.

The O. & O. is mailed each issue to every paid subscriber.
If you fail to receive it, notify us.

THE GAME LAW.
Can you inform me whether Quail are pro-
tected by the Game Laws of this State or
not? I have been informed that a case was
taken in court at South End (Boston) and
thrown out, because the law had been made
defective by an amendment last winter.

C. C. F.

In regard to the Bird Law, the Massa-
chusetts Fish and Game Association has
found much fault with the decisions ; but I
think any lawyer will say it is a good law.

Section i, Chap. 276, 1886, was repealed
in 1891 and a new act passed in regard to
killing game. See Sec. 3, Chap. 276, 1886.*

Having in possession game referred to in
Section i . Section i having been repealed,
Section 3 refers to nothing at all.

If it had been amended, instead of repeal-
ing Section i, it would have been all right.
But Chapter 142 of 1891! being enacted
after Chapter 276, 18S6, it could not apply.
Therefore, it is unlawful to shoot game men-
tioned in Chapter 142, act of 1891, but not
to have in possession.

f Acts of 1 89 1, Cha]). 142.

"Whoever takes or kills a plover, snipe.

sandpiper, rail, or any of the so-called shore,
marsh or beach birds, between the first day
of May and the fifteenth day of July, or a
wild or passenger pigeon, or a gull, or a tern,
bet\veen the first day of May and the first day
of October, shall be punished by a fine of ten
dollars for every bird so taken or killed."
*Acts of 1886, Chap. 276, § 2.
" \Vhoever buys, sells or has in possession
any of the birds or animals named in this act
and protected thereby, during the time with-
in which the taking or killing thereof is pro-
hibited, whenever or wherever the aforesaid
birds may have been taken or killed, shall
be punished by a fine of twenty dollars for
the birds protected by section one, and ten
dollars for the birds protected by sections two
and four ; provided., koivever, that any per-
son, firm or corporation dealing in game may
buy, sell or have in possession quail from the
fifteenth day of October to the first day of
May, and pinnated grouse, wild pigeons, and
any of the so-called shore, marsh or beach
birds, or of the so-called duck species, at
any season, if not taken or killed in this
Commonwealth contrary to the provisions of
this act.

GAME WHEN NOT TO BE KILLED.

Partridge or Ruffed Grouse — between Jan.

I and Sept. 15, $20.
Woodcock, between Jan. i. and Sept 15, $20.
Quail, between Jan. i and Oct. 15, $20.
Duck of all kinds, between .April 15 and

Sept I, S20.
Plover, Sni])e, Rail, Marsh and Beach Birds,

betiveen May i, and July 15, $10.
Grey Squirrels, Hares, and Rabbits, between

March i and Sept. i, $10.
Deer are not to be killed at any time, Siao.
Insectivorous and Song Birds are not to be

killed at any time, §10.
Trajjping, snaring and ferreting Birds and

.Animals, and setting snares ])rohibited at

all times, J^zo.

'AVe have just received eight very large
Moose Heads, all fresh.

March, 1893.]

AND OOLOGIST.

47

Brief Notes, Correspondence and
Clippings.

The British Guiana government will make
quite an exhibit at the Columbian Exposi-
tion. U7f// a hcalthv climate, \i properly
opened up this country will reveal surprising
sources of wealth. A few years since, gold
was discovered, and now a large column at
the exhibition will show the bulk that has
already been mined.

Sugar raising is another important industry.
J. J. Quelch, Esq., the commissioner, will
spare no pains to show our people what is
south of them. The country teems with
animal life. Mr. Quelch, who is a sportsman
and a naturalist, is curator of the govern-
ment museum. Through his persistent per-
sonal effort he has secured a collection of
the mammals, and brought them for the ex-
hibit.

Collecting in that country is a very dif-
ferent matter from doing it in our climate.
It is with difiiculty that the specimens are
secured, and harder still to cure them.
Good collectors are not as plenty there as
in our country, and the natives have to be
brought into the ser\dce. The character and
style or form of the animals are so different
from what we see that it excites curiosity at
once. There will be over a hundred speci-
mens, consisting of Tapir, Jaguar, Ocelots,
Ant Bear, Ant Eaters, Manatee, Otters, Alli-
gators, Coon, Fox, Deer, Possoms, Arma-
dilla, Squirrels, Monkeys, Sloths, etc. Mr.
Quelch has also brought many of the rarest
and brightest bird skins of the country, and
we would advise our readers, when visiting
the exposition, to call on him.

The Pine Grosbeaks have been very num-
erous at .Vndover this winter. Every time
that I go out I meet with one or more flocks
of from 5 to 20 feeding in the ash, pine and
apple trees. The seeds of the ash are their
principal food, but they also feed on the
apples that remain frozen on the trees.

November 30 I first saw them, but there

had been one or two others shot a few days
before.

I have shot 13 specimens, 4 of which were
males and only one in the red plumage.
There had been 8 or 10 others in the red
plumage shot here. I hope that other col-
lectors are having as good success.

E. Woodi-iiff.

Elkhart, Ind., January 16, 1893.
Editor Ornithologist atid Oologist:

In looking over some recent numbers I no-
tice in the September number, 1892, Mr.
Brotherton's article on the Rose-breasted
Grosbeak in Oakland Co., Mich., and asking
for information as to what other parts of that
State this bird is found in.

Perhaps my notes are somewhat late, but
may be of some use.

During the first week in June, 1892, I
went with a party of campers from this place
to Benton Harbor, Mich., floating down the
St. Joseph River, collecting and observing
the birds as we went.

We found Rose-breasted Grosbeaks com-
mon during the entire trip, especially so in
the central part of Berrien County, from Niles
to a point a few miles north of Berrien
Springs. Took a set of two half- incubated
eggs near Berrien Springs, and saw several
other nests.

The birds seemed to be fully as common
here as they are fifty miles farther south in
Indiana.

Herbert IV. McBride.

On December 22, 1892, I saw a Baltimore
Oriole on our grape arbor, pecking at some
frozen grapes. It was in good plumage. It
was a keen, sharp morning, with snow squalls
in the afternoon. I approached cjuite near
to the bird. .Although I have kept a sharp
lookout, I have not seen it since.

Charles H. Neff.

Portland, Conn.

The communication in February issue,
"A World's Fair Suggestion," was from
Albert Lano.

EXCHANGE AND WANTS.

I inch, one time ... $ .50

I inch, three times . . . 1.20

Dealers' Advert !Semc>i/s — i inch . i.oo

NO VARIATION.

Books for Sale.

$2 00
1 50

2 50

1 75
1 25
1 75
15 00

7 50

7 5C

1 50
6 50

2 00

4 50
6 50

5 00

TAXIDERMY— Webster's, vols. lo and ii O. & O.
illustrated

Batty's, illustrated

Maynard's

Hornaday's
NEST EGGS — Davies', cloth .

Davies', paper

Maynard's, cloth

Capen's, colored
niRDS — Coues' Key

Ridgway's Manual

BUTTERFLIES— Maynard's (N.A.)

Maynard's (New England)

French's (Eastern U.S.)

Harris' Insects

Harris' Insects, colored .

Packard's
JOHN EACHMAN— Memories of his Life
MODERN RIFLES— Gould
TWO YEARS IN THE JUNGLE— Hornaday

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER CO.

JAMES P. BABBITT,
Taxidermist,

And dealer in Birds' Skins, Eggs, Stuffed Birds, and sup-
plies for the Naturalist and Taxidermist.
Send stamp for list.
12 HODGES AVENUE, TAUNTON, MASS.

^INSESPPINS.

Gl2lSS^YES

SUPPLIES^'BOOKI

Illustrated Catalogue for 2 <t stamp

Qi(MK-REED.Wo|clsTERJMlsSt

AGENTS WANTED ON SALARY

or commission, to handle the new Patent Chemical Ink Erasing
Pencil. The quickest and greatest sellmg novelty ever pro-
duced. Erases ink thoroughly in two seconds. No abrasion of
paper. Works like magic. 200 to 500 per cent, profit. One
Agent's sales amounted to $620 in six days; another $52 in two
pours. Previous experience not necessary. For terms and full
harticulars, address,

THE MONROE ERASER MFG. CO.,

La Crosse, Wis., X 457.

CLUB RATES.

Musical Echo, 40-page monthly,

See Advertisement below.

$1.50

Ornithologist and Oologist, i6-page

monthly, i-oo

BOTH FOR ONE YEAR, $2.00.

$10

OO worth of lovely Music for Forty
'Cents, consisting of 100 paces
full size Sheet Music of the b^iKh^
est, liveliest and most popular selections, both
vocal and instrumental, gotten uc In the most
elegant manner, including four large size Por-
traits, gotten up in the most elegant man-,
ner, viz.:

CARMENCITA. the Spanish Dancer,

PADEREWSKI, the Great Pianist,

ADELINA PATTIand

Mrs. DION BOUCICAULT.

ADDRESS ALL ORDERS TO

THE NEW YORK MUSICAL ECHO CO.,

Broadway Theatre Building, New York City,
CANVASSERS WANTED.

THE MINERftLOGlST'S RECORD BOOK

Containing spaces for recording 450 specimens,
by F. R. Stearns. Price, jj and jo cents. For
sale by

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER CO.

Naturalists Supply Depot.

ARTIFICIAL GLASS EYES

1-^or Bircl!« aii<l Animals.

TAXIDERMISTS' TOOLS.

Forceps, Stuffers, Scalpels, Flyers, Needles, Bitts, Vises, &c.

TAXIDERMISTS' SUPPLIES.

Wire. Cops, Tow, Arsenical Soap, Sands. Potters' Clay, Moss,
Shields, Stands, Glass Shades, Leaves, Thread, &c.

COLOGISTS' SUPPLIES.

Egg Drills, Scissors. Forceps, Hooks, Measures, Data Books,
Pink (."olton. Trays, &c.

ENTOMOLOGISTS' SUPPLIES.

Insect Pins, white and black, Cork, Labels, Boards, Nets, &c.

BOOHS treating on all subjects that interest Naturalists.
Also, Birds' l^ggs and Birds* Skins, Taxider-
mists* Collfftin^ Tul>e.

SEND 10 CENTS FOR COMPLETE CATALOGUE.

FRANK BLflKE WEBSTER COMPANY,

HYDE PARK, MASS.

ORNITHOLOGIST

— AXD —

OOLOGIST.

$i.oo per
Annum.

PUBLISHED BY THE FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER COMPANY.

ESTABLISHED MARCH, 1875.

Single Copy
10 cents.

Vol. XVIII.

HYDE PARK, MASS., APRIL, 1893.

No. 4.

Distribution of Cooper's Hawk in
Illinois.

JV. E. Loucks. No. 34.

Summer resident ; has not found it in
winter. Tolerably common.

Nest usually in thick woods near a farm
house ; built in an oak.

Nest composed of small twigs, lined with
a few pieces of hickory bark ; sometimes an
old Crows' or Squirrels' nest is used.

May 3, nest on an old Crows' nest, Hawks'
nest and Crows' nest nearly 4 feet in thick-
ness, 25 feet from ground ; i egg. On May
10, 3 eggs from same nest.

May 23, same woods; same birds (?),
, 1-4 ; incubation begun.

Has not found more than 4 eggs, but 2
sometimes constitutes a set.

Has not found any marked eggs, but a set
from Iowa is marked with reddish brown.

Has found incubated eggs on April 28,
but usually nests first half of May.

Charles Wells. No. 45.

Resident ; common in summer.

Breeds commonly, in early part of May.
Nest 40 feet from ground.

Eggs measure 1.98 x 1.58.

Color, light greenish blue.

C. B. Vandcrcook. No. 77.

Summer visitant, (i specimen February
23, 1891).

Nests : sets on April 17, 1-3 ; May 3, 1-4 ;
May 7, 1-4; May 11, 1-4 ; May 19, 1-3 ;
May 17, 1-4 ; May 15, 1-5. July 13, young
hathced a few days from pair of May 1 1.

Nest in water oak plats where the trees

are very thick and tall, placing the nest
against the trunk of the tree from 20 to 80
feet from ground.

Nest made of small sticks, lined with bark
and sometimes cornhusks.

Set usually 4, 3 and 5 being taken.

Twenty-nine specimens average 1.88 x
1.50.

Largest 2.50 x 1.56 ; smallest 1.80 x 1.42.

Color, bluish white, some with spots and
splashes of reddish brown.

/. C. Elliot. No. 88.

Summer visitant. Tolerably common.

Nests, but not commonly.

Thinks it nests further north, as it is more
common in the spring and fall.

G. IV. Read en. No. 92.

Resident. Tolerably common.

L. E. Baird. No. 95.

Resident. Common in summer.

O. Widmanu, Old Orchard, Mo.

Summer visitant. Common in spring and
fall. Comes and goes with the migratory
birds.

Philo Smith, St. Louis. No. 74.

Resident. Fairly common.

Nests in May, using old Crows' nests partly
made over.

Sets 4 and 5, usually 4. Two sets spotted
with pale brown.

C. P. Fair, Clark Co., Mo?

Summer visitant ; not obsened in winter.

Not common. Nests in dense woods.

May 14, 1-3 ; nest in white oak, 40 feet
up ; composed of twigs, lined with coarse
oak bark. Eggs fresh ; greenish white, one
spotted with dark brown.

Copyright, 1893, "by Frank Blake Webster Company.

'//

'^C

5"

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. iS-No. 4

Burtis Wilson. Davenport, la.

Summer visitor ; tolerably common.

Arrives before April lo ; leaves about
October 20. Breeds sparingly in second
growth timber, on either high or low ground.
Fits up old Crows' nests in oaks 30 feet up.

Nests : April 9, building; May 7 it had 4
fresh eggs ; built on an old Crows' nest, from
which a set of Long-eared Owl had been
taken. May 3, set 1-3, slightly incubated ;
old Crows' nest, 50 feet up, in oak tree.

Ridg-xay. " Natural History Survey of
Illinois."

Cooper's Hawk : " This bold marauder is
a common resident in all wooded portions
of the State."

Keiniicott. "Catalogue of Birds Ob-
served in Cook County, Illinois," 1853-55.

Cooper's Hawk : " Common ; follows the
pigeons in their migration."

H. Prattcu. " Catalogue Birds of Illi-
nois, Wayne and Edwards Counties," 1853-5.

Cooper's Hawk : Wayne, no remarks.

Ridgivav. "Catalogue of the Birds of
Illinois." Bulletin of the Illinois Museum of
Natural History, Vol. I.

Cooper's Hawk : " Resident. Breeds-
Commonly known as the Blue Chicken
Hawk, Swift Hawk, Quail Hawk."

E. W. Nelson. " Birds of North luist-
ern Illinois." Bulletin Essex Institute, \"ol.
VHL, December.

Cooper's Hawk : " Common summer resi-
dent. Arrives the last of .•\pril and departs
the last of September or first of October."

£. yY\- Nelson. " Notes on Birds Ob-
served in Southern Illinois, between July 1 7
and September 4, 1875." Bulletin Essex
Institute, Vol. IX., 1877.

Cooper's Hawk ; Rare.

Cooper's Hawk is not mentioned in \icin-
ity of Cairo, in notes taken there.

" O. iC- O.," Vol. 9, July and August, 1S84.

" Birds collected near St. Louis," Julius
Hurler.

Cooper's Hawk ; Transient, September 24,
October 19.

" O. d O.," Vol. 8, March, 1883.

"Cooper's Hawk," H. A. Kline, Polo, Ill-
inois.

Dates of nests : May 1 1, 1-4, fresh ; May
15, 1-4, fresh ; May 15, 1-5, fresh ; May 17,
1-5, 1-5, slightly incubated.

J). ]V. Ever/nan. " Birds of Carroll
County, Ind."

Cooper's Havvk ; "A rare resident, espe-
cially so in winter. Nest found May 10,
1883."

From the above reports I think we are
safe in saying the Cooper's Hawk is a resi-
dent of all parts of this State, but the major-
ity go and come with the migratory birds.

It nests in suitable localities quite com-
monly, preferring dense patches of scrub and
black oak, on low ground. The nest is a
bulky affair of sticks, lined with bark, placed
near the trunk of the tree ; dimensions, 18
to 34 inches in diameter, 12 to 18 inches
deep. Nesting begins in April and con-
tinues through May.

From 2 to 5 eggs constitute a set, with 3
or 4 the most common.

They are usually a blue or greenish white
and unspotted, but become darker as incu-
bation advances.

Some sets or even one egg in a set may
be blotched or spotted with reddish brown
or drab, but many of the spots will prove to
be blood stains, or tannin stains from the
,oak sticks in the nest, if analyzed.

Measurements of eggs are from 1 .85 x 1.45
to 2.15 X 1.57, with an average of about 1.95

xi-55-

Unfortunately no one seems to know the
period of incubation.

The food of this Hawk consists of mice
and other small animals, reptiles, birds, poul-
try, etc. It is perhaps the greatest enemy
the Quail has. Dr. Strode has observed it
chasing them in their coverts very freciuent-
ly and says it is becoming more common in
winter, as they increase in numbers.

It is the boldest of all the Hawks, coming
into house yards after poultry, and, when its

April, 1S93.]

AND OOLOGIST.

SI

prey has hidden, even lighting on the ground
to hunt for it. A. C. MnrcJiison.

Further Notes on the Distribution of
the Long-eared Owl and Cooper's
Hawk in Illinois

B. T. Gaitlt. No. 8.

Transient. Have but one record for this
locality, August 22, 1890; open grove in
village. February 10, 1877, took one on
outskirts of Chicago, in oak grove.

Cooper's Hawk.

Summer resident ; not common.

Have never noticed them before .•Xpril 15.
Equally abundant as B. borealis.

Four or more pair nested in Glen Ellyn
in spring of 1891, when 2 sets of eggs were
taken, 1-2 and 2-4, both probably from same
birds.

Eggs of set I quite freely marked, chiefly
at larger end, with spots of different shades
of brown and lavender.

Set 2, one egg spotted, another slightly
marked with light brown, the remaining 2
of the normal bluish-white color.

Nests found in rather open, second growth
timber, principally black oak, and in medi-
um-sized trees, about 25 feet from ground,
old Crows' nests being slightly remodeled for
the occasion. Eggs in both instances de-
posited on small pieces of bark, averaging i
inch by 2 inches, probably from dead limb
on same tree.

Set 1-2 taken May 4, fresh ; while set 2-4,
taken May 17, was somewhat advanced.
Nests within a few rods of each other.

A. C. Miirchiso)!.

N. Vickary, Lynn, Mass., reports that a
Labrador Gyrfalcon was shot at Ipswich,
Mass., March 11, 1893 ; also that a Logger-
headed Shrike was brought in to him March
29, and a Mocking-llird on April 4. The
]jarty who shot the Mocking-Bird reported
that there was a ]5air, but he failed to secure
but the one.

Queer Occupant of a Goldfinch's
Nest.

It was a bright winter morning, with the
thermometer dallying among the small fig-
ures, the fields white with their winter over-
coats and silence almost unbroken, not even
the chirp of a Snowbird to break the wintry
quiet, but as I passed into the street and
walked up the deserted road the depressing
stillness of nature was suddenly broken by
the lively chattering of a flock of Goldfinches
which sprang up from the roadside at my
approach, where they had been gathering a
breakfast scant and drj' from the tufts of
grass and weeds whose tops extended above
the snow banks that covered the ground.
There is a cheeriness and life about the con-
fused chattering of a flock of Goldfinches
that gives a charm to the bleak landscape,
though there is little in the note or the
winter garb of the bird to remind one of the
sweet song or the gaily painted songster that
scattered the down from the thistle head
last summer.

With graceful evolutions and soft and
gentle mingling of happy voices, the little
flock gathered in a tree top by the roadside,
the very same tree where a pair of their
number during the heats of last summer
built themselves a nest and essayed to rear
a family. It was a broad branching oak and
one of its far-reaching arms extended quite
over the carriage track, and there among the
dense foliage they built the beautiful nest.
Travellers in their wagons could easily have
raised themselves up and looked into it,
situated as it was in full view of every passer,
but I doubt if any one beside myself ever
obser%'ed the dark spot among the foliage.

As the birds gathered in the top of the
tree that winter's morning I saw in bold re-
lief against the bleak landscape that little
nest still securely held in its place, defying
the storms and gales of winter and ajipear-
ing as sound as when I first looked into it
in the heats of last July. The Goldfinch

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. iS-No. 4

builds a compact nest, soft, firm secure and
substantial, and I have observed them out-
riding sometimes the rigors of even a second
winter and reflecting credit on the marvel-
lous ingenuity and skill of the architect.

It recalls to my mind some curious cir-
cumstances in the history of this nest, chiefly
to note which this article was penned. About
two weeks after I first observed it, apparently
just about completed, I essayed to look into
it one day in passing. Pulling the branch
down till the nest was in easy reach I placed
my hand on it, and to say I was startled but
faindy expresses the feeling with which I let
loose my grasp on the branch as a lively
little animal sprang from the nest like a tlash
almost into my face and thence to the ground.
One of those long-tailed mice that I some-
times meet in the woods had ejected the
rightful owner and appropriated to his own
use the cosy little nest. This tree stood
quite alone beside a much travelled highway,
the branch on which the nest was built ex-
tending nearly at right angles from the trunk,
as before intimated, directly over the wagon
track about twenty feet from it and about
twelve feet above the roadway.

It is the strange and unexpected that sur-
prises us, and of all things to ha\'e found a
mouse in such a situation seemed the very
last thing in the last possible place. The
mouse met a well deserved fate on the spot.
The birds reared their brood in another nest
in the top of a tall chestnut tree near at hand
and the deserted nest still waves a conspic-
uous object at the end of the naked branch
over the street. John N. Clark.

Saybrook, Conn.

.Andrew Downs, the veteran taxidermist of
Halifax, Nova Scotia, died August 26, 1892,
aged 81 years. He was born in New Jersey,
removed to Halifax early in life, where he
was apprentice to his father, William Downs,
a plumber and tinsmith. He traveled ex-
tensively in Europe and America.

Harry Jordan W/iite.

Distribution of the Bobolink in
Illinois.

Since the publication of the list of con-
tributors' names in the February number,
four additional names are herein presented.
It is desired to increase the number of con-
tributors, and we trust that those in this and
adjoining States who ha^e not already re-
sponded will do so soon.

Contributors will greatly oblige by send-
ing their reports in on time. If desired, the
whole yearly report may be sent in at once.

F. L. Charles, Cook County, No. 7.

B. T. Gault, Du Page County, No. 8.

C. F. Tindall, Morgan County, No. 54.
E. S. Currier, Keokuk, Iowa.
County No. 3. J. E. Dickinson.

Very common summer resident. .Arrives
the first week in May ; departs the latter
part of September.

County No. 3. F. .A. Gregory.

Summer resident ; common breeder in
meadows along the creeks.

County No. 6. Gordon Schanck.

Summer resident. .Arrives latter part of
.April ; departs latter part of October. Breeds
abundantly in clover fields from May 15 to
(une 15. Incubation lasts about two weeks ;
eggs 4-6 ; one brood.

County No. 6. O. H. .Swazey.

Summer resident ; very abundant ; breeds
in meadows ; arrives the middle of May ;
departs the latter part of the summer.

Counties 6 and 7. W. E. Pratt.

" Abundant in Lake and Cook Counties,
especially so on the broad prairies just west
and south of Chicago, where hundreds of
pairs breed. In Lake County there is a
nest in* nearly every large field. From the
20th of May to the loth of June, fresh eggs
may be found, and the nest complement
varies from an exceptional instance of 3 to
7, 5 and 6 being the usual number here."
Has found 3 or 4 Cowbird's eggs in a nest
of this bird.

County No. 7. George B. Holmes.

April, 1S93.]

AND OOLOGIST.

53

Summer resident. Arrives about the first
week in May ; departs in the latter half of
August. Males precede females in spring
migration by a few days. Breeds abundant-
ly in June. Says they are occasionally im-
posed on by the Cowbird.

County No. 7. F. L. Charles.

Common and familiar summer resident,
from early May until into .August. Breeds
in open prairies last week in May or first in
June. One brood raised ; eggs 4-7, average
5. Feeds on wild strawberries.

County No. 7. H. Gillingham.

Summer resident ; breeds commonly. Ar-
rives in large flocks. Has seen over fifty in
one flock. Breeds latter part of May and
first of June. Eggs 3-4-5-6 ; one brood.

County No. 7. D. A. Young.

Summer resident. .Arrives the last of .^pril :
departs during .August. Breeds commonly
in fields and prairies from the last of May
until July. Eggs 4-5.

"Birds of Northeastern Illinois." E. W.
Nelson. Counties 6 and 7.

Abundant summer resident. .Arrives the
last of ."Vpril and leaves the middle of ."Xugust.

County No. 8. B. T. Gault.

Summer resident ; common breeder. Ar-
rives first week in May ; departs latter part of
September or first of October. Commences
to assume winter plumage the last of July.

County No. 10. L. W. Nichols.

Summer resident. Common breeder in
swampy pastures among the bogs. Nests in
June and July; eggs 4-5. Thinks only one
brood raised.

Davenport, Iowa, opposite No. 15. B. H.
Wilson.

Summer resident. Arrives May 6 to 10 ;
departs last of August. Abundant in clover
fields and breeds in the early half of June.
Thinks one brood is raised. Eggs 4-5.

County No. 16. Dr. A. C. Murchison.

Transient ; tolerably common. Arrives
first week in May ; has not observed it in
the fall. Occurs in flocks of five to twenty
individuals. Has not found it breeding.

Has found them in County No. i 7 in June ;
thinks they were breeding, as singing males
were observed.

County No. 18. A. Hamfeldt.

Summer resident. Not very abundant.
.■\rrives early in May, generally the first week ;
does not ha\ e date of departure. Nests in
meadows.

County No. 25. R. M. Barnes.

Summer resident ; fairly common. Breeds
in limited numbers in meadows containing
red clover, from May 20th to June loth;
eggs 4-5-7; one brood.

County No. 26. V. Chase.

Transient. Observed a flock of 50 to 75
birds in the spring of 1892. A male was ob-
served through June and July in a meadow;
undoubtedly had a nest.

Keokuk, Iowa, opposite No. 31. E. S.
Currier.

Regards it as a regular but far from com-
mon migrant, passing north the first two
weeks in May. Has observed them as late
as May 24th. [Probably the birds seen on
the latter date remained through the sum-
mer.—W. E. L.]

Clark County, Mo., opposite No. 31. C.
P. Foir.

Regards it as a summer resident, but not
common. Arrives early in May ; departs in
the latter half of July. Has found no nests.

County No. ^t,. Dr. W. S. Strode.

Transient and rare summer resident. Has
increased in numbers within the last few
years. Has not found it breeding, although
obser\ed in summer. Earliest date .April
10, 1889.

County No. t,^. W. S. Cobleigh.

Transient and summer resident. The
greater part of them pass north. .Arrives
by the loth of May. The summer residents
move east instead of south in the fall with
their young.

County No. 34. B. F. Bolt.

Transient ; a few remain. Has been
found breeding. Nests in meadows, diffi-
cult to find.

54

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. iS-No. 4

County No. 34. W. E. Loucks.

Transient and summer resident. They
pass through this vicinity about the latter
part of April or first week in May. Have no
record of fall migration, or departure. This
bird is a rare summer resident and breeds
in clover fields.

County No. 36. D. Meixsell.

Summer resident. .Arrives about the first
week in May. Majority pass northward, mi-
grating at night. Flocks of lo to 20.

County No. 40. G. C. Pearson.

Summer resident from May to September.
Eggs 5-7.

County No. 45. Charles Wells.

Rarely seen. Obser\ed a flock May 3,
1892. [Undoubtedly transient. — W. E. L.]

County No. 54. C. F. Tindall.

Observed flocks in this county early in
the spring. [Undoubtedly transient. — W.
E. L.]

List of birds collected in the neighbor-
hood of .St. Louis, Madison County. No. 73.
Julius Hurler.

Transient, May 2d to loth.

County No. 74. Philo Smith, Jr.

Seen in migrations sparingly.

County No. 75. W. L. Jones.

Transient only.

Vicinity of St. Louis, County No. 75. O.
Widmann.

Regular transient. Migration extends o\ er
three weeks, from ."Xpril 2Sth to May 19th.
Experience with fall migration limited to
one record, September 14, 1892 ; a large
flock of moulting birds in the bottoms.

County No. 77. C. B. Vandercook.

Transient. Passes north in small numbers
the first and second week in May. Has
not observed it in the fall. Known as the
Skunk Blackbird, Ricebird, Reedbird, Rice
Bunting and Meadow Wink.

Catalogue of the Birds of Illinois. H.
Pratten, 'I'rans. .■\gri. Soc. 1853-54. (Wayne
and Edwards Counties, No. 82 and S3.)
Mentions the Bobolink in this list. Found
as a migrant probably.

County No. 88. Rev. J. C. Elliot.

Transient, passing in May. Has not seen
them in the fall migration.

County No. 95. Prof. L. E. Baird.

Transient. Known as the Army Bird and
Skunk Blackbird.

When one glances over the preceding
reports and sums up the distribution of the
Bobolink, it is not difficult to see the posi-
tion this bird holds in the State. It is not a
bird of general distribution, as will be seen
by an examination of the reports.

It is plainly seen to be a common sum-
mer resident in the northern extremity of
the State. Advancing southward, we find it
still a summer resident, although decreasing
in numbers as we proceed, as far as counties
3I) 33' 36 and 40. Reports from the first
three show that it is a rare summer resident,
but the report from No. 40 does not desig-
nate whether rare or common. Here we
can undoubtedly draw the southern limit to
the breeding of this bird, as it is not re-
ported from any point south of the above
numbered counties.

From counties 73, 74, 75, 77, 88 and
95, reports show that the Bobolink is only
transient. Pratten, many years ago, men-
tions the Bobolink in his list of birds,
counties 81 and 82, but says nothing as to
whether transient or summer resideni, but
undoubtedly it was the former. In counties
45 and 54, it is evidently transient, although
in No. 36, directly north of No. 45, it is a
rare summer resident. From Keokuk, Iowa,
and Clark County, Mo., opposite No. 31,
we find it reported a migrant, Mr. Fore
considering it also a rare summer resident
in Clark County, but Mr. Currier, although
his latest date is May 24th, regards it as
only transient. North of this the reader
can trace for himself the occurrence of this
bird, and its increasing abundance as he
proceeds north. In the counties around
and in close jjroximity to Lake Michigan,
the Bobolink .seems to reach the height of
abundance.

April, 1S93.]

AND OOLOGIST.

55

As previously remarked, the southern
limit of this bird as a summer resident is
the central part of the State. Here it is
found in such limited numbers in the breed-
ing season that it is seldom observed.

The Bobolink is transient throughout
the State, as many do not remain in the
northern counties, but pass further north.
From the material in hand, I cannot say
exactly at what date this bird enters the
southern extreme of the State in the spring.
We find it passing through 75 and 77 in the
last few days in April and first and second
week in May, but by comparing the arrivals
in the south with those in the north, very
little, if any, difference in the time is found.
Reports from counties 3, 6 and 7 show that
the Bobolink arrives the last of April or first
week in May. From this it appears that the
bird must travel quite rapidly through the
southern half of the State. The period of
the spring migration in Illinois lasts for
about three weeks, viz., last week in April
and first two in May. Of course there are
exceptional cases of early and tardy arrivals ;
note the early date in county No. 33, April
loth. Mr. O. Widmann sends such an in-
teresting report on the movements of this
bird in the spring, that I take the liberty to
quote :

"The Bobolink, a transient visitant with
us, is one of the most interesting species for
the study of spring migration, for the follow-
ing reasons :

"It is regular in its migration as a bird
can be ; it is a very conspicuous bird, can-
not be overlooked ; it cannot easily be con-
founded with anything else ; males, females,
old and young birds are distinguishable.
In the neighborhood of St. Louis, its north-
ward migration extends over three weeks,
from April 28 to May 19, earlier and later
dates are rare. The time of their regular
transit may be divided into three periods ;

" First period from their appearance in the
last days of April to the fifth of May ; highly
dressed males, singly or in small parties,

always singing, generally seen on wing going
north at all hours of the morning.

" Second period from May 5 to 12; nu-
merous troops of 20 to 40 males, some not
in full dress yet, and first females, compos-
ing 10 to 25 per cent of the troops. Mostly
seen on wing, but also feeding on ground or
concerting in treetops.

"Third period; females predominate,
sometimes 90 per cent of a flock ; troops
of immature males and, toward the end of
migration, young females with obviously plain
headmarkings. The troops of this period
stay sometimes all day at one place, are less
noisy and more on the ground feeding.

" JVJy experience with this species in the
fall migration is limited to one record, Sep-
tember 14, 1882, a large flock of moulting
(blotched) birds on trees in swamp in the
bottomland. I do not mean to say that
they do not pass through these bottomlands
regularly every year ; possibly they do, and
probably they do so without staying long at
one place, but my visits to these places were
too unfrequent and irregular. All I know is
that they do not pass over the same grounds
which they visit in the spring."

Mr. George B. Holmes also reports that
the males precede the females.

In the spring migration, the Bobolinks
move in small flocks of ten to thirty individ-
uals each, pausing here and there to feed
and rest, and the males making the mea-
dows ring with the renowned Bobolink song.

Of the fall migration, data is so meagre
that I am not warranted in advancing any
statements or forming any definite conclu-
sions. The majority of the reports contain
nothing on the fall movements of this bird.
This is not surprising, for the reason that
many of the contributors probably do not
recognize the bird in its duU winter plu-
mage. Mr. B. T. Gault, of county No. 8,
reports that the Bobolink commences to as-
sume its winter plumage in the last of July.
Mr. Widmann's only fall record was made
on a large flock of moulting birds.

56

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. iS-Nn. 4

The dates given in the reports on the fall
migration are so varied and incomplete that
it is difficult to trace any regular movements
in their southward journey. It is reported
from county No. 6 that the bird remains into
October ; county No. 3, departs latter half
of September ; county No. 7, latter part of
August, and in county No. 31 we find record
of its departure in the latter half of July. It
therefore appears that the departure of this
bird in No. 31 is earlier than in the extreme
northeastern county, No 6, whereas it should
be vice versa. Undoubtedly the food sup-
ply has considerable to do with the move-
ments of this bird as it has with others. The
irregularity in the dates of the different lo-
calities is probably due to this. In some of
the counties the food supply may become
exhausted, and in conse([uence thereof the
birds are compelled to change their feeding
grounds quite early in the summer, or they
may move to some resort to congregate with
other restless flocks, eager for their south-
ern departure. Mr. Cobleigh presents a fact
which might to a certain degree help sub-
stantiate the above. He reports that, after
the young are strong enough to accompany
their parents, the Bobolinks move east in-
stead of south in the fall. It is with regret
that I am unable to take up the subject of
fall migration further, but owing to the
meagreness of the data in hand, it would
seem impracticable if not im]K)ssible to
proceed.

The substance of the preceding reports
can be summed up in a very few words :
The Bobolink is transient throughout the
State ; summer resident in the northern
half; aljundant in the northern quarter.

W. E. Lone I; s.
Peoria, 111.

C. W. Boles, Ponkapog, Mass., while hunt-
ing Ducks, shot a fine Otter over his decoys.
It was the finest specimen that we ever saw,
measuring 52 inches and weighing 24
pounds.

A Criticism.

Matter appeared in your issue of Feb-
ruary last which has prompted me to offer
a protest. I trust you will not deny me
space in your columns to enter my objec-
tions, as I assure you that the following
remarks are in no way intended as an as-
persion toward any writer or other person,
but rather as a means of protection for the
readers of the " O. & O." from future in-
flictions of this nature. The first article
referred to, on page 22, setting forth the
valuable work of L. L. Dyche at the coming
"World's Fair," is excellent in scope, and
fully convincing as to Mr. Dyche's ability
as a workman in his chosen province. How-
ever, in the selected matter heralding Mr.
D's powers as a taxidermist, you fail to
record the fact that he had unlimited ter-
ritory from which to select his specimens,
and leave one to infer that the collection in
consideration is from Kansas.

On your front page you advertise Kan-
sas's grand show, and in the article men-
tioned embrace the Moose, Caribou, Orizzly
Bear, Rocky-mountain Sheep, Elk, Wol-
verine and Ocelot. The article is, there-
fore, certainly very misleading, for, if I know
anything of the range of these mammals,
)ione of f/iciii arc found i>i the State
giving this exhibition.* Kansas is justly en-
titled to Coyotes, Foxes, Bisons, Jack Rab-
bits, Antelopes, Lizards, Prairie Dogs anp
Burrowing Owls ; but I cannot understand
why she wants to encroach upon the Mon-
tana Big-horn, Maine Moose ; or why she
will adopt the other incongruous and surpris-
ing species. A group of Horned-toads (so-
called), with a cluster of Burrowing Owls,
Rattlers and Prairie Dogs, living in the har-
mony represented by our childhood's geog-
raphy, would be much more consistent, and
also more comprehensive, than this conglo-
meration of aliens on Kansas' prairies.

* The Elk is, perhaps, an exception, bnt certainly six ro
seven species are here wrongfully accredited to Kans2s.

April, 1S93.]

AND OOLOGIST.

57

The "World's Fair" is to be a wonder-
ful show, and we should all be very proud
of it. And we are proud of it. However,
we should, individually and collectively, try
lo support it by uprightness, and an earnest
desire to have nothing misleading. The
present tendency is to overdo matters and
to assume preposterously. As an instance I
may cite one of two cases which personally
came to my notice.

The commissioners of a neighboring State,
who were intent on making a great exhibit
from their section, undertook to give a
representation of the fish-eating animals of
that State. Finding themselves short of
material, I was requested to supply certain
birds, and furnished them twenty-seven
species of fish-eating birds from my locality.
These birds are to be exhibited as represen-
tatives of that State, although they came from
Michigan.

Another matter worth criticising is the
article or tabulated notes on page 29. I
have no ill feeling toward the writer of page
29, but I feel sure that I am voicing the
sentiments of the large majority of the
readers of the " O. & O." in saying that we
have had altogether too many notes of this
kind in the last few years. A simple list of
eggs, giving the size of sets and the number
of eggs in a collector's cabinet, sounds idle,
vapid, and surely is emphatically nonsensi-
cal. A reader cannot help but think that
the writer is making a spread of his collec-
tion without being able to add anything to
the advantage of his studies. Sco/opax.

[The writer of the above criticism, "Scolo-
pax," does a great injustice to Mr. Thomas
H. Jackson, a list of whose Warblers' eggs
was given on page 29 of the February Orni-
thologist AND OoLOGiST. Mr. Jackson did
not compile the list in question, and the
responsibility of having done so rests with
me.

I thought it would be interesting to the
readers of this journal to have lists of por-

tions of the celebrated oological collections
in the United States, and the communica-
tions that have been received from numerous
subscribers convinces me that I was correct
in the view I took of the matter. That
"Scolopax" does not like them is unfortunate,
but then every one does not think alike.

He is entirely mistaken in assuming that
the lists are published in any spirit of glori-
fication, for besides being interesting to
many readers they sene a useful purpose, in
that they show the average number of eggs
laid by a bird ; this average being derived
from the comparison of the numbers in each
set. — J. P. N.]

J. ^^'. Jackson, Belchertown, Mass., re-
ceived on April 13 a Great Blue Heron and
Loon, on April 8 a Common Tern.- He
states that two Otters were taken during the
winter.

Cold Weather Notes from Stephen-
town, New York.

We had an abundance of cold, cloudy and
windy weather during November, with num-
erous squalls and flurries of snow, the rainfall
for the month being very light. The pre-
vailing weather throughout December was
bright, crisp and cold ; no snow to speak cf
in this locality.

One belated Robin seen November 12,
Tree Sparrows came on November 2, and
abundant from date of arrival.

Last ^^'oodcock recorded November 2.
PhiloJicla minor in this locality is doomed
to the same fate as the Ruffed Grouse — ex-
termination — unless given better protection,
or the mmiber of market hunters reduced.

Red-tailed Hawks noted every few days.
I surprised a fine old male eating a late
Thanksgiving dinner No\ember 26 ; he was
dining on a large plum]3 chicken.

First Snow Buntings December 5 ; a flock
of about one hundred.

I ha\ e looked in vain among the flocks of

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. lS-Xn.4

Tree Sparrows for Junco hyemalis since
November 12.

Screech Owls are very abundant ; the bulk
seen and reported are in the grey phase of
plumage.

Pine Grosbeaks are in abundance ; I have
never recorded them here in such numbers
before. First seen December 7, a single
female feeding on a big white-ash ; next
record December 19th, a flock of six, four fine
red males and two females. Since December
1 9, flocks of from eight to fifty noted daily.
Grateful indeed I am for ample opportunity
for observations on these beautiful birds ;
the first sound I hear as I step out into the
frosty morning air is their pleasant notes,
and I am sure to find flocks every morning
feeding on the juice of crab-apple trees near
the house, or over in the tangle along the
river ; later they feed on the ash, maple and
tamarack.

Why may we not have the Morning
Grosbeak ? Surely he is a bird of the morn-
ing, with all the rosy tints of the eastern sky
reproduced in his plumage.

The closing week of December was par-
ticularly cold, still and bright, from zero to
se\en below every morning, and the forests
covered thick with hard frost which sparkles
like millions of diamonds in the morning
sunlight. Bubo virginiainis makes the
most of the lovely moonlight and goes court-
ing every night, and, judging from the notes
which issue from the woods, his suit is
received with favor. Behold a change as
we cross the threshold of the new year ; a
perfect downpour of rain during the after-
noon and night of January ist, snow about
all disappears, and the ice goes out of the
creeks.

A flock of four Ducks made us a flying
New Year's call January 2 ; species not posi-
tively determined, probably Red-breasted
Mergansers. It soon grows colder and to-
day we are back at zero weather.

BciijaDihi ILiag.
January 4th, 1893.

Some Holiday Trips.

(Continued.)

Our next find of any importance was a
nest of the Hairy Woodpecker, also contain-
ing young — four in number ; two were males
and two females, the former showing the red
on the head very plainly, even at this early
age. The nest was only 2j4 feet from the
ground, in a hole in a living oak. The
growth in the immediate vicinity was very
much stunted, the land being mainly pine
barrens, sand lots and scrub oak tracts, and
this may account for the fact of the nesting
site being at such a low altitude, although it
doesn't explain why the birds chose .such a
locality.

We found two remarkable sets of Balti-
more Oriole's eggs on this trip — one of two
and the other of six, in both of which incu-
bation was advanced. It seemed a peculiar
coincidence that we should secure our small-
est and our largest set the same day within
a few miles of each other.

-X-

May 30, 1890, found me again tramping
over the fields and woods about Lake Cirove,
this time with quite different experiences in
some respects, but less luck on the whole
than in 1889.

The Mourning Dove, which we had found
quite abundant the previous year, were only
fairly so on this trip, but we found a long-
looked for nest. It was about eight feet
from the ground in the first crotch of a good-
sized pine which stood on a well-wooded
hillside. It was made of grasses and con-
tained two fresh eggs. The bird left the
nest and disappeared with great celerity.

It seems a little strange that we have never
found the nest of this bird before, for we
have traversed the pines in this locality
pretty thoroughly for a number of years,
and the nest is said to be easy to find. I
don't remember of ever having seen a Dove
in the pines before ; they are very wild, and
it is almost impossible to shoot them except

April, 1S93.]

AND OOLOGIST.

59

by remaining concealed near where they
pass to and from their feeding grounds in
the sandy lots and stubble fields.

As I was getting over a hedge into a lane,
an Ovenbird, Scnn-jis aurocapiUus, walked
away in such a peculiar manner that I was
led to suspect a nest, and on looking around
a little, sure enough I saw the nest, which
was quite conspicuous. A little cedar bush
had been cut off about four inches from the
ground and had commenced to sprout again ;
at the foot of this the bird had made a slight
hollow and built the nest, with the cedar
bush for a " pillar." It was arched over
very neatly and faced the south, being by all
means the most artistically situated nest of any
bird I ever saw. It was made of grasses and
a little hair, but was so loosely put together
that, on taking it up, it entirely lost its shape,
and gave no idea of its original beauty.

I will close these reminiscences with a
short account of some of our nocturnal ad-
ventures. My notes on the Whippoorwill
say "exceedingly common." On the night
of the 29th, during a walk of two miles, I
must have heard as many as 25 individuals
(I counted up to 15). I stayed in the
country four nights, during each of which
the moon shone brightly (full on June 3)
and the chorus of Whippoorwills was such
as I have never heard, before or since, and
to the ears of a city ornithologist it was pe-
culiarly delightful. Just about 7.30 p.m. a
single bird would open the concert, and
almost at once their weird and melodious
song would resound from e\'ery point of the
compass ; the singing continued with more
or less regularity till after 10 o'clock and I
cannot say how much longer. My host said
he heard one at 3 .a.m. The birds were
quite tame, and by stepping cautiously we
could approach within ten feet of the singer ;
but, unless he sat on the fence, it was impos-
sible to see him. They sang almost as fre-
quently from a stump or the bare ground as
from the fence, but always in one of these
three positions. The song is quite ventrilo-

qual, sounding much nearer than it really is,
and, as one approaches, it does not grow
any louder, thus leading one to think that
the bird is receding. I have been deceived
in this way time and again and have e\en
fired a charge of shot at the place from which
I was positive the sound proceeded, and
where I thought I saw the bird, only to find
that I had missed my aim by about three
feet. The clucking note, preceding the
song proper, was very noticeable.

This wandering over the moonlit fields in
pursuit of these ghost-like birds was a novel
experience, and gave me a very "uncanny"
feeling, manifested by chills up and down
the back and the desire to don an extra
coat.

While walking across a ploughed field
about 9 o'clock we flushed a Vesper Spar-
row from her nest under an overhanging fur-
row ; it was sunk deeper than I ever saw-
one before, and contained three eggs, while
one cold and sandy one lay outside.

The Nighthawk was not as common as
the Whippoorwill ; very few were seen in
the daytime and but few heard after dark ;
the period when the most were seen was
just before the Whippoorwills began to
sing. Then they were seen flying and
"booming" in every direction, the greatest
number being seen on the night of the 30th,
when as many as fifteen were flying over a
space of five or ten acres.

Arthin- H. Ho-.vc//.

Brooklyn, N.Y.

They are having quite exciting' times in
Providence, R.I., and all about a Baby Ele-
phant. It seems that one was taken to
Roger Williams Park on approval. The high
authority decided that the price was beyond
the means of the Zoological funds, while all
the youngsters of the city approved of the
purchase. The press of the city took up
the case, and opened its columns to the boys
and girls. Penny subscriptions are the order
of the day, and we predict that " liaby Roger"
will remain.

6o

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. iS-No. 4

Nesting of the Red-breasted
Nuthatch.

Of all the birds that enliven the woods,
there is probably no family, with the excep-
tion of the Warblers, more interesting to me
than the Nuthatches. Although possessing
neither the beautiful songs nor brilliant plu-
mages of many of our woodland birds, they
yet make up the deficiency in this respect
by their great industry and evident cheer-
fulness under all conditions.

The species are few in number, yet the
family is so widely distributed that there is
probably hardly a locality that cannot count
at least one species among its fauna.

It was my good fortune to spend a part
of the summer of 1890 in the town of Ossi-
pee, beautifully situated among the hills of
east central New Hampshire, a few miles
east of the far-famed Winnepesaukee, so
apdy named by the Indians " The Smile of
the Great Spirit." There, in the forests of
pine, spruce, and hemlock, the Red-breasted
or Canada Nuthatch [S/'fta cai/adensis) is
a resident and a common breeder, and a
good opportunity was afforded me to observe
its nesting habits.

Five nests were found in situations rang-
ing from ten to thirty-three feet from the
ground. The first evidences of their breed-
ing were noticed late in April, when I dis-
covered a pair of birds engaged in excavat-
ing a nest. This was at the greatest elevation
of any found, and was situated near the top
of a dead basswood stub, fortunately acces-
sible by means of several smaller adjacent
trees. The entrance was circular and none
too large to admit the birds. The pair
worked alternately, as is usually the case with
birds that excavate a nest. When one had
been working ten or fifteen minutes it would
appear at the entrance and utter its notes,
like the syllables cJicaap, cheaap, chcaap,
when immediately its mate would ap[iear
and take its turn at the work.

I watched them from time to time, and on

the 17th of May took the nest, containing
seven fresh eggs. The cavity was about
twelve inches deep and was excavated with
considerable skill.

Other nests containing eggs were found
on the 22d, 28th, and 31st of May. They
were all similar in construction to the first
found, being rather slightly made of the fine
inner bark of some tree, probably the bass-
wood. In some of the nests a few feathers
were intermixed with the other material.
The eggs, which ranged from five to seven
in number, were similar in size and color to
those of the Black-capped Chickadees, but
were more pointed than is usually the case
with the eggs of that bird.

In this connection it may be well to men-
tion the discovery of a nest of these species
in eastern Massachusetts. It was found on
the 8th of June, 1887, near my home in
Wilmington. It was in a pine stub near a
dwelling ; was composed of cottony sub-
stances evidendy picked up near the house,
and contained at this date young about half-
grown. The birds had been very abundant
during the preceding winter, and many had
lingered until late in ."Vpril, but these were
the only birds that I observed during the
summer. Edzuard A. Preble.

Dep't .\griculture, Washington, D.C.

Among the Birds of Northern Penn-
sylvania.

The av/ faittia of few parts of this State is
so little known as that of the north-central
counties. Doubtless much that is new and
interesting might be learned concerning the
distribution of our birds, by a careful study
of this part of the State.

The writer had the pleasure of spending
a week in Potter County in the northern part
of the State in the latter part of June, 1871 ;
object was to visit friends at Elmer, about
nine miles from the New York line. No
preparation was made for studying the bird-
life of the \icinity ; indeed, diil not even
have a gun, and so was unable to collect

April, 1S93.]

AND OOLOGIST.

61

any specimens. But, in my rambles about
the town, I noted several differences between
the summer birds of Potter County and those
of my native Mercer County, which may not
be entirely devoid of interest.

Potter County is in the northern foot-
hills of the Allegheny mountains, and rugged
hills, with narrow valleys between, are the
constant feature of the scenery. Lumbering
is the principal business, and large saw-mills
are scattered through the valleys. Some of
the hills have been cleared and burned over,
leaving little vegetation but plenty of charred
logs and stumps ; others are still co\ ered
with " the forest primeval."

The burnt districts were almost destitute
of bird-life, a young Crow which I caught
and a family of Wrens being the only birds
found. Was unable to determine certainly
whether the Wrens were the common House
Wren (^Troglodytes aedoii) or Bewick's
Wren (^T/irvot/iortts beT.cickti),hvA think
they were the latter.

While following a trout brook through a
ravine in the wooded part June 25 th, I was
greatly surprised to see a female Junco fly
up in front of me. It was the first time I
had ever ^ten Junco hvemalis, except as a
visitor from the north-land, brightening our
winter with its cheerful chirp, and was de-
lighted to meet it in its summer home. On
June 27th I met with quite a number of
Juncos, both male and female, this time
among some bushes on the hillside in a place
much like those frequented in winter. Evi-
dently the young were out of the nest and
were following the old ones, keeping to-
gether as they do in winter. Did not hear
them utter any note different from the ordi-
nary " chipping song " heard in winter.
Doubtless the season of song was over ; the
rest of the summer would be spent in the
more sensual pleasures of eating. The Junco
was seen only on these two days, but that
was sufficient to convince me that it is a
common breeder in Potter County.

On the same day that I saw the family of

Juncos (June 27), I was so fortunate as to
meet another bird which I had hitherto
known only as a migrant. While wandering
along the wooded hillside, my ear caught
the charming ditty of the Black-throated
Blue Warbler {Dcndroica cccridcsccns).
F"ollowing the sound, I soon saw a splendid
male, flitting about among the bushes, quite
at home and as gay and as brilliant as dur-
ing the spring migration. During my w-alk
I obsen'ed a second male ; both this one
and the first one continued in song while I
was within earshot. No females were seen ;
doubtless they were on their nests near at
hand. Other Warblers were seen, but, with-
out a gun, it was impossible to identify them.
.\nother family of Wrens were met with,
evidently of the same species as those noted
above.

Another noticeable feature of the bird-
life was the apparent absence of the Brown
Thrasher i^Harporhvnch/is rufiis). Not
one was seen during my entire stay, and "mine
host," an intelligent lumberman, informed
me that it did not occur. The absence was
the more marked as the valley was full of
localities apparently suited to its habits.
Indeed, the whole Thnish family seemed
but poorly represented. But a single Cat-
bird ( Galeoscoptes carolincnsis) was ob-
served, though they were said to be not
uncommon. Robins seemed less common
than in the older and more highly cultivated
districts, while the other Thrushes w-ere
scarcely noticed at all. F. L. Hotiter.

Meadville, Pa.

The trouble with the Exposition managers
at Chicago appears to have been that they
didn't begin to rush things soon enough.

Harry .Austen, Halifax, Nova Scotia, has
in his collection a Red-tailed Hawk in black
plumage.

C;. L. Kent, Belchertown, Mass., reports a
Snowy Owl on March 2.

62

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 1S-N0.4

THE

ORNITHOLOGISTft^^OOLOGIST

A MONTHLY MAGAZINE (_*F

NATURAL HISTORY,

ESPECIALLY DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OF

BIRDS,

THEIR NESTS AND EGGS,

AND TO THE

INTERESTS OF NATURALISTS.

Under the Editorial Management of
FRANK B. WEBSTER, . . . Hyde Park, Mass.
J. PARKER NORRIS, . . . Philadelphia, Pa.

PUBLISHED AT THE

MUSEUM AND NATURALISTS' SUPPLY DEPOT

OF THE

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER COMPANY,

INXORPORATED,

HYDE PARK, MASS.

The O. & O. IS mailed each issue to every paid subscriber.
If you fail to receive it, notify us.

DAVIE'S NEW WORK ON TAXIDERMY.

Mr. Davie has still further increased the
number of plates for his new work. He
now anounces that there will be 90 full-
page plates. We have just received proofs
from several of the new ones.

Plate VI. shows the styles of artificial eyes
that are used, the sizes being in con-
formity with those manufactured by Thomas
HuRST. In connection he proposes to give
a list of sizes and colors required liy many
varieties of Birds and Mammals.

Plate XVI. is from Hawks, showing the
methods of winding.

Plates XL., XLL, XLII. are from speci-
mens mounted by the author.

Mr. Davie is determined to co\er the
whole ground, and the delay in publishing
is due to his making the additions that were
not contemplated at the beginning. The
subscribers will be well repaid for waiting,
and those who do not subscribe may wake
up to find it too late to obtain a copy at
the present price at which it is offered.*

F. J. Carpenter, Mount Kesco, Me., re-
ports the first Oreat lUue Heron on April 10.

*Subscriplions received by us at $5.

WANTED-GOOD ROADS.

We would call the attention of our readers
in this State to the great importance of there
being a permanent Highway Commission,
and request you all to use your influence
with your representatives in the General
Court to secure the passage of the bill sub-
mitted by the Massachusetts Highway Com-
mission. A commission composed of men
from the various parts of the State would
command the confidence of the entire com-
monwealth, and this would not be possible
if but a single individual was aiipointed as
State Engineer to do the work of a com-
mission.

The betterment of the highways is of im-
portance to ail, not only in this State but over
the entire country.

Brief Notes, Correspondence and
Clippings.

.4 photograph of Oliver Davie's new
museum before us, shows a collection of
birds that he has been procuring for the
Ohio State Exhibit. The cases have been
temporarily removed and the birds arranged
on walls and floor in an easy off-hand man-
ner. They are set off by some specimens
of Mr. Davie's work, such as heads of Buf-
falo, Moose, Deer, Peacock Screens, &c.
We hope, when Mr. Davie gets fully settled
down, to give our readers a description of
his rooms and his private collection.

Now is the time to look out for Dermestes.
They are beginning operations, and the in-
troduction of Cryst Alba into the cabinets
is the proper course to take.

Manly Hardy, Brewer, Me., writes that a
neighbor has a live Troupial which has killed
two cats that went to his cage by striking
them with its bill.

Ed Van Winkle, \'an's Harbor, Mich.,
wishes to correspond with all who have made
obser\ation, in the I'pper Peninsula of Mich-
igan, in order to make a complete list of

April, 1S93.]

AND OOLOGIST.

63

birds and mammals. We hope that he may
have a hearty response.

R. M. Barnes, Lacon, Illinois, has recently
added 1600 eggs, collected by George Noble
of Savannah, Ga., to his private collection.

With the opening of the spring collecting
birds' eggs will take a tumble in price. We
fear that the day is coming when the collec-
tors will not get enough to pay for their salt.

J. T. Park, Warner, Tenn., asks if any
reader can inform him if there is an instance
on record where the eggs of the Cowbird
have been found south of 35° or 36° in the
Mississippi Valley ; or any of the nesting of
the American Robin south of 35°.

Carl Fritz-Henning received a Golden
Eagle from Carroll, la., measuring 7 feet
and weighing 1214 pounds.

Also a Bald Eagle from IMontana, meas-
uring 7 feet and weighing a little over 10
pounds.

It seems that the authorities at Central
Park, New York, have been drifting into the
practice of naming the Gorillas, Baboons and
Hippopotamus after prominent members of
Tammany. Since the November election
there has been a grand kick, and now there
will be no more Muldoons in the monkeys'
cage.

The latest article of interest to collectors
is our new collecting tube, with extractor.
It is nicely made, strong and durable. Their
shooting qualities have been well tested.
One charge of powder such as is used for a
i2-gauge shell is sufficient for 6 charges for
the tube. They shoot strong and close, and
do not tear the specimen to pieces. It is
an article that every collector who sees it
will want.

We have before us a photograph of a group
of Flamingo, 7 in number, mounted by W.
E. Balch, which we pronounce the finest
piece of work, with Flamingo for the sub-
ject, that we have seen. We would call the
attention of all to the fact that the hen l.)ird

does not sit straddling the nest stiff- legged,
as held to by quite a number, and in which
we confess we never took much stock. In
preparing the mounting Mr. Balch went so
far as to obtain samples of the mud, clay,
nest material and grass from the locality in
which the birds were taken. This group is
now the centre of attraction at the Fairbanks
Museum.

Charles I. Goodale, the well-known Boston
taxidermist, died at Somer\ille on April 12.
Coming to this country in the pioneer days
of taxidermy, he associated himself with
John Wallace, of New York. From there
he came to Massachusetts, and entered the
employ of Mr. Vickary, who established him
in Boston, where he became the leading tax-
idermist for several years, and his little shop
on Sudbury Street was the rendezvous of the
sporting fraternity. His work was character-
istic of the style that was considered remark-
able a few years since, and would be criti-
cised as not being kept up with the improve-
ment that has been made in the art of late.
Few could cope with him in the amount of
work that he could turn out, nor could any
one say that he did not do all in his power
to please his host of friends and patrons.

To the Horned Lark.

When February yields.

From lanes and farrowed fields,

Her billowy drifts of January snow,

And softening south winds blow ;

The Lark, with clear, exhilarating notes, —

As, high in air, she sings, and singing floats

On poised and fitful wings, —

Her springtime message brings.

In stubble fields, at rest.

She builds her snow-girt nest,

And, silent, broods her eggs, while March winds

blow.
Yet milder, softer grow.
Then feeds her young, frail, clamorous, hungry

things,
Qiiaint emblems of the fruitage simimer brings
When showers of April rain
Have kissed the growing grain.

/'. B. Piiilwdy.

Owatonna, Minn.

EXCHANGE AND WANTS,

I inch, one time

.

$ .50

1 inch, three times

1.20

Dealers' Adi-crtisements- — i inch

1. 00.

NO VARIATION.

Books for

Sale

nd II 0. & 0.

•

TAXIDERMY — Webster's, vols, lo a

illustrated ....

$2 00

Batty's, illustrated

150

Maynard's

I 25

Hornaday's

2 50

NEST EGGS — Davies', cloth .

175

Davies', paper

I 25

Maynard's, cloth

I 75

Capen's, colored

15 00

BIRDS — Coues* Key

7 SO

Ridgway's Manual

7 50

BUTTERFLIES— Maynard's (N.A.)

I 50

Maynard's (New England)

6 50

French's (Eastern U.S.)

2 00

Harris' Insects

4 50

Harris' Insects, colored .

6 50

Packard's

s 00

|()HN r.ACHMAN— Memories of his Life

-^ 00

MODERN RIFLES— Gould

2 00

TWO YEARS IN THE JUNGLE— Hornaday

',.00

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER

CO.

JAMES P. BABBITT,
Taxidermist,

And dealer in Birds' Skins, Eggs, Stuffed Birds, and sup-
plies for the Naturalist and Taxidermist.
Send stamp for list.
12 HODGES AVENUE, TAUNTON. MASS.

MlNSEOPPIM

GI^ASS'EYESI

SUPPLIES/^BOOk!

Illustrated Catalogue for 2 i stamp

AGENTS WANTED ON SALARY

or commission, to liandle the new P.-itent Chemic.tl Ink Erasing
Pencil. The quickest and greatest selUng novelty ever pro-
duced. Erases ink thoroughly in two seconds. No abrasion of
paper. Works like magic. 200 to 500 per cent, profit. One
Agent's sales amounted to $620 in si.v days; another $32 in two
pours. Previous experience not necessary. For terms and full
hariicnlars, address,

THE MONROE ERASER MFG. CO.,

La Crosse, Wis., X 457,

CLUB RATES.

Musical Echo, 40-page monthly, . • $i-.SO
Ornithologist and Oologist, 16-page

monthlv, i-oo

BOTH FOR ONE YEAR, $2.00.

THE CYCLONE TRAP.

FOR CATCHING SMALL ANIMALS.

This Trap is the sharpest and surest working one ever
offered to the public, and every collector should have them.
^ sent by mail, postpaid, for ^5 Cents.

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER CO..

Hydk Park, >L\ss.

Naturalists Supply Depot.

ARTIFICIAL GLASS EYES

For Birds aiitl Aiiiiuals.

TAXIDERMISTS' TOOLS.

Forceps, Stiiffers, SLalpt^ls, Flyers, Nc(.'.ilL-s. F.itts. Vises, &c.

TAXIDERMISTS" SUPPLIES.

Wire, Cops, Tow, Arsenical Soap, Sands, Potters' Clay, Moss,

Uay, .
ad, &c.

Shields, Stands, Glass Shades, Leaves, Thre;

OOLOGISTS' SUPPLIES.

Egg Drills, Scissors, Fprceps, Hooks, Mea-^iures, Data Books,
Pink Cotton, Trays, &c.

ENTOMOLOGISTS' SUPPLIES.

Insect Puis, white and black, Cork, Labels, Boards, Nets, &c.

BOOKS treating on all subjects that interest' Naturalists.
Also, Bir<U* Kggs and Birds* Skins.

Taxidermists' Collecting Tube.

SEND 10 CENTS FOR COMPLETE CATALOGUE.

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER COMPANY,

HYDE PARK, MASS.

ORNITHOLOGIST

— AXD —

OOLOGIST.

PUBLISHED BY THE FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER COMPANY.

ESTABLISHED M,\KCH, 1875.

$1.00 per
Annum.

Single Copy
10 cents.

Vol. XVIII.

HYDE PARK, MASS., MAY, 1893.

No. 5.

Alexander Wilson.

" Alexander Wilson had genius, and not
much of anything else. Very little learning,
scarcely any money, not many friends, and
a paltry share of the world's regard while he
lived."

I extract the above from the historical
preface of Coues' "Key" in "Forest and
Stream" for May 29, 1884, by R. W. Shu-
feldt, M.D., U.S.A. I know it was written
in a kindly spirit, but it is likely to carry an
erroneous impression of Alexander Wilson
to those who have never had the pleasure of
reading all his works. To simply admit that
Wilson had genius does not do him justice.

Wilson was born in 1766. At the age of
thirteen he was apprenticed as a weaver,
which at that time could be only about one
remove from a pauper's life. I know this
from a forty years' connection with the man-
ufacture of woolen goods ; but if anything
further is needed, we get it from the fol-
lowing extract from his " Groans from the
Loom " : —

" To hang like a scarecrow in rags,
And live o'er a seat-tree on naught,
Good Gods ! shall a mortal with legs.
So low, uncomplaining, be brought?"

Although Wilson had a terrible dislike for
weaving, he served faithfully for three years,
or until August, 1782, when he wrote the
following lines on his indentures :

" Be't kent to a' the warld in rhime
That wi right meikle wark an' toil,
For three lang years I've sert my time,
While's feasted wi the hazel oil."

This is written in a much better hand than
one would expect from the fact that he had
had no opportunity for education. But then
modern scholars hardly consider penmanship
learning, and yet he was but sixteen years
old. If he got any schooling, it could be
but a little and of a very poor quality. After
his apprenticeship was completed he served
four years at the loom in various places,
during which time he wrote all his earlier
l)oems, which he published in 1790 in an
octavo volume of 308 pages, when he was
twenty-four years old. During the time that
this work was in the publisher's hands Wilson
made a peddling tour through the east of
Scotland seeking subscriptions with a pros-
pectus, and after the work was issued he
l)eddled the book from door to door, only
two hundred copies being issued with the
date of 1790, which he sold, one of which
and a copy of the 1791 edition are now be-
fore me. His peddling excursions, which
continued for three years, were not finan-
cially successful, but the freedom of such a
life was just what Wilson craved, and they
were no doubt among the most interesting
years of his life. Wilson had genius at
twenty-four and was a wonderful student of
human nature. He knew the short-comings
of his fellow- men too well ; hence his love of
solitude in after life.

Let us skip back to 1 790, when Wilson
was but twenty-four years old. We find him
selling from door to door the \ olume of his
poems, 308 pages, 8vo., old style leather
binding. This book he had written, pub-
lished, and was peddling. He did not seek

Copyright, 1893, by Frank Blake Webster CoMfANY,

66

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-N0. 5

a publisher, but published it himself ; nor did
he seek to sell it through dealers, but sold it
himself. Yet. he was but twenty-four and
with "little learning." Where he ever got
the money to do this will forever remain a
mystery. At the time he was selling this
book he was peddling dry goods, and even
the renowned "Yankee peddler" of to-day
has not improved on his method ; and if
any fair-minded man will read his diary dur-
ing this peddling trip he will admit that he
was a genius at twenty-four, and a thorough
student of human nature. To know human
nature too well is to drive one to live in the
woods by daylight, and into the garret at
dark to play " the flute " and be called " mel-
ancholy." We should like to copy the clos-
ing paragraph in the introduction to Wilson's
poems, edition of 1790, but space or time
will not permit.

In 1794, or four years after the above
mentioned volume was published, we find
Wilson in America, with impatience his
master as he left the ship at New Castle,
Delaware, preferring to walk to Philadelphia.
It was on this trip that he saw and shot his
first Red- headed Woodpecker, which he
admired so much. In due time he arrived
in Philadelphia, in a strange land "with little
money" and that borrowed. His travels
and change from the life of a weaver at not
over a dollar per day to that of a school-
master for little, if any, more, and often much
less, is well known to all ornithologists.
From these scant earnings he often had
money for " Duncan " to help him buy his
farm and support his family, and published
his own matchless work beside.

I have before me a letter written by Wil-
son to his friend Bartram, dated August 16,
1804 (unpublished). He had just seen for
the first time a Pileated Woodpecker and
had evidently never heard of one at that
time, and yet in Vol. 4, 181 1, we find a rare
illustration and a good description, ^\'as it
genius or learning that enabled him to ac-
complish this in so short a time? If he had

few friends and little money, how did he
make out to go to Pittsburg by stage, then to
buy a boat, which he named " The Ornithol-
ogist," and travel in this way several hun-
dred miles ; then leaving the boat, buying a
horse and travel through the then wilder-
ness of Kentucky and other Southern States
to New Orleans on horseback, often getting
mired in the morasses, and yet taming and
having as a companion an Illinois Paroquet?
If one wants to know Wilson, he should read
his visit to the grave of poor Lewis on this
trip. How did he travel through the whole
.Atlantic seaboard on horseback ; how did
he make out to travel through the New Eng-
land States into Vermont, New Hampshire
and Maine?

We have before us a letter dated Boston,
October 12, 1808, written on common un-
ruled letter paper. The first page, besides
date and address, contains fifty-nine lines,
second page 63 lines, third page 63 lines,
with 18 lines on the outside page — used at
that time to fold, as no envelopes were then
used — making 203 lines of exceedingly fine
penmanship, almost as distinct as print to-
day, after the lapse of seventy-six years. In
a commercial life this would be considered
learning, but in a profession we fear it would
not count. Wilson had few friends we admit ;
but every friend he had was thoroughly honest,
and his friendships only ended with life. If
there is on record in the English language
the superior or equal of Alexander AVilson as
a friend, or as a man, we have never seen
it. When he was struggling to earn money
to publish his work, and working almost
night and day for a mere pittance, he divided
that money with Duncan, and wrote with it
the most cheering letter. Who but Wilson
could do this? To benefit his fellow-men
by dividing his last hard-earned dollar was
no sacrifice to him.

Every American historian should read
Wilson's " Foresters," not as a poem (poets
do not walk from Philadelphia to Niagara
Falls and back in the late fall), but for the

May, 1893.]

AND OOLOGIST.

67

interesting facts it contains. Only Burns
could have crowded more facts into as few
words, and even he could not have made it
more interesting, as the following brief, ran-
dom extracts will illustrate : —

" A knapsack crammed by friendship's generous

care,
With cakes and cordials, drams and dainty fare."

And writing of Bucks County, he says, —

"For wheat, fair Qiiakers, eggs and fruit re-
nowned."

I have five editions of " The Foresters."
There are se\'eral more that I have not
yet been able to find. Four editions prove
that it was appreciated. I think I have seven
different " Lives of Alexander Wilson," and
have not yet secured the one by Mrs. Bright-
wood. In conclusion, let me advise all to
read Alexander Wilson ; read all you can get
of his writings, and, like the writer, you will
thank God that he never studied Greek or
Latin. His works will live and his style re-
main popular with the millions when techni-
cal works will only be sought by technical
scholars and shunned by the general reader.

The cause of all Wilson's troubles was
"honesty." The world used him roughly
for this, but he was not to blame, for he was
born so and could not help it. He died in
1813. This planet of ours has given birth
to millions of human beings, some of them
very learned, but Wilson's equal has not yet
made his appearance. Jos. M. Wade.

P.S. — The above was written some nine
years ago. It may interest some of the
readers of " O. & O.," and that is the only
excuse for not destroying it during those nine
years. The writer has given but little atten-
tion to bird life or ornithologists.

A very interesting article has recently
appeared in the " Manchester Union," Man-
chester, N. H., entitled "The Hawk Family,"
illustrated by eight cuts of a superior charac-
ter. ^Ve would advise our readers to send
for a copy.

Distribution of the Mocking-bird in
Illinois.

J. E. Dickinson. No. 3.

Has seen one specimen (about 1876 or
1877) in full song; but does not think it
occurs in a wild state.

F. A. Gregory. No. 3.

Has never observed it.
W. E. Pratt. No. 6.

Does not mention it.

B. T. Gault. No. 8.

Mocking Bird.

No record by me for this locality or north-
eastern Illinois.

L. W. NicJwls. No. 10.

Has never found it in this State.

A. Hafnfcldt. No. 18.

Has not met it.

Dr. A. C. Aliirc/iison.

A very rare summer resident.

Have met only 3 specimens. One nest
found in a hedge 6 feet from ground, 50
yards from house ; composed of strings,
weeds, stalks, grass, etc. ; 4 eggs hatched,
but were taken by snake. Eight eggs (from
Alabama), average .98 x .68 ; largest 1.04 x
71; smallest .93X.65. The color is light
greenish blue, with dots and blotches of rus-
set; in 3 specimens the ground color is hard-
ly visible. The only other specimen was a
male in full song, shot the middle of May.

R. M. Barnes. No. 25.

Occurs as a very rare straggler.

One observed in May, 1891, a male in full
song.

Virginias Chase. No. 26.

Has not met it.

Dr. W. S. Strode. No. 33.

Has not met it.
\V. E. Loiicks. No. 34.

Has not met it himself.

D. S. Mcixsell. No. 36.

Rare summer visitant.

Nests rarely ; 3 found.

First. June 3, 1889, in hedge fence 3 feet
from ground ; made of small sticks, grass,

68

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-N0. 5

stems, etc., lined with roots and grape-vine
bark ; 3 half grown young.

Second. A few days later, in scrub oak 5
feet up, 4 young.

Third. May 28, 1890, 8 feet up in a dog-
wood tree ; 4 eggs, color, greyish blue, blotched
with chestnut red or yellowish brown.

Measure, .90 x. 71, .89 x .70, .90 x 72, .91

X.73-

Has obsened the birds several times in

hazel thickets last summer.

G. C. Pearson. No. 40.

Was at one time common, but now only
occasionally met with.

CJi aides Wells. No. 45.

Has not met it.

W.L.Jones. No. 75.

Resident. Breeds in hedges, and pastures
where there are crab-apple trees.

C. B. Vandercook. No. 77.

Rare resident. Noted on October 16,
1886 (i) ; April 21 (i) ; April 8, 1889 (i) ;
October 11, 1889 (i) ; March 23, 1890 (i) ;
December 9, 1890 (i); January 7, 1891
(i) ; December 24, 1892 (i). Has exam-
ined 8 nests, all placed in hedges or brush
piles, made of twigs, fine grass, rabbit's or
horse hair and hempen fibers. Size outside,
4 inches deep ; diameter, 8 inches ; inside,
3 inches deep, lYz inches diameter.

Set, 3 or 4 eggs; average size, .93X.74;
color, pale greenish, marked with large and
small spots of chestnut.

Set 1-3, April 28, 1892; set 1-4, May i,
1892.

Rev. J. C. Elliott. No. 88.

Summer resident. Not so common as
formerly. Nests in osage orange hedges,
sometimes in orchards.

G. W. Rcarclc7i. No. 92.

Resident. Tolerably common.

Nests usually in haw trees, crab-apple trees,
brush heaps, etc. Nests are usually one-half
mile apart. Build from 2 to 15 feet from
ground.

Nest about 1st of May.

Set, 3 to 5 ; average 3. Color, dirty gray-

ish brown, profusely speckled with darker
brown.

One pair raised broods in his garden last
year.

O. Widmann, Old Orchard, Mo.

Well known inhabitant. Met with at all
months of the year. Cannot stand severe
winters.

Arrives from middle of March to middle
of May ; in some years full numbers do not
arrive until June. The first song has been
heard as early as February 17, after a mild
winter, but in 15 years nine dates for first
song are found as late as April and some-
times not until the latter part of it. As a
rule first song is not far from date of arrival,
but sometimes they keep silent for over a
week. They sing all summer, even in hottest
days of July.

Has never heard the song betvveen August
4 and October 6, but from that date to Nov-
ember 1 7 they are not infrequently heard to
practice. Is not sure that they make two
successful broods in a year, because all early
broods that came to his knowledge came to
an untimely end.

P/iilo Smith, St, Louis. No. 74, Bond
County.

Resident, but not common.

Nests ; seems to prefer osage orange hedges.
A large bulky nest, like Brown Thrush, 3 to
7 feet from ground. Found from May 5 to
June 10, the last being second set. Set, 4
and 5.

C. P. Foil-, Wayland, Mo.

Summer resident. Not abundant.

Arri\e May i st, leave about August i st.

Breed sjjaringly.

May 10, 1887, 1-4, in wild plum tree, 6
feet from ground, comiiosed of twigs, weed
stalks, grasses, etc., lined with wool ; roughly
made.

Young were taken from the nest, caged
and hung on a porch, where the old birds
continued to feed them.

At the same time a second nest was made,
similar to first, in a plum bush 30 feet from

May, 1S93.]

AND OOI.OGIST.

69

the house. Four eggs laid and hatched.
These were also caged and fed by old birds
until they were full fledged.

C.J. Lenten, Uniontown, Ky.

Resident, but not numerous in winter.
More common on high lands than low.

Robert Ridgway. " Natural History
Survey of Illinois. — Ornithology of Illinois,"
Vol. I.

" In Illinois, as in many other States, its
distribution is very irregular, its absence
from certain localities apparently in every
way suited to its requirements being very
difficult to account for. Thus, while one or
two pairs breed in the outskirts of Mt. Car-
mel nearly every season, it is nowhere in
that vicinity a common bird. Thirty miles
further north, however, in the vicinity of
Olney, where the country is more open, I
have found it almost abundant, on one occa-
sion six males having been seen and heard
singing along the roadside during a three
miles drive from town.

" Mr. H. K. Coale informs me that he
saw a Mocking-bird in Starke County, Ind.,
60 miles southeast of Chicago, January i,
1884; that Mr. Green Smith had met with
it at Kensington Station, 111., and that several
had been obsened in the parks and door-
yards of Chicago. In the extreme southern
portion of the State the species is abundant
in suitable localities, and is resident through
the year." (Olney is in No. 79 on the
map.)

Robert Kennicott. " Catalogue of Birds
Obser\ed in Cook County, Illinois." (Trans.
111. State Agric. Soc, I, 1853-55.)

"Rare; known to nest in Cook County."
(No. 7).

H. Praftei/. " Catalogue of the Birds of
Illinois, Wayne and Edwards Counties."
(Nos. 82 and 83.) Trans. 111. State Agric.
Soc, I., 1853-55.

" Mocking-bird." (No remarks made.)

Ridgway. " Catalogue of the Birds of
Illinois." Bulletin of the Illinois Museum
of Natural History, Vol. I.

" Entire State, but very local, even in
southern part, where resident."

"O. d- O.," Vol. 9, July and August, 1884.

" List of Birds Collected near St. Louis,
Mo., Julius Hurter." (Madison County, No.
73. map.)

" Summer resident ; abundant."

"0. & O.," Vol. 8, Februar\', 1883.

A. H. Mundt, Fairburj^, Livingston County
(No. 23 on map).

" Mocking-birds have built here for sev-
eral years. Though scarce, are increasing
every season."

E. W. A'e/sofK Bulletin Essex Institute,
\'ol. VIIL, December. " Birds of North-
eastern Illinois."

" Mocking-bird : A very rare summer res-
ident. I know of but few instances of its
occurrence in the vicinity of Chicago. Dr.
Hoy has recorded six nests obtained in the
vicinity of Racine, Wis."

S. IV. Nelson. " Birds observed in
Southern Illinois between July 17 and Sep-
tember 4, 1875." Bulletin of the I'.ssex In-
stitute, Vol. IX., 1877.

Cairo and vicinity.

" Mocking-bird : Rare. Only observed
at Mound City." (Six miles above Cairo.)

Not given by Everman in his " Birds of
Carroll County, Ind."

W. S. Cobleigh. No. 33.

Has found it a summer resident. Arrives
about the middle of May. .Are quite rare.
Has found it breeding. Nests placed in haw
trees about 6 feet from ground ; composed
of twigs, rootlets, etc., lined with feathers.

Nests about the last of May. Thinks they
raise two broods.

Set, 4 to 6 eggs, of a greenish ground
color, marked with blotches of chocolate and
purple; size, .98X.78.

Charles W. Tindall. No. 54.

Summer resident. Not common.

Nest on June 2 1 . Two pairs seen during
two years, from 1890 to 1892. Nest con-
tained 3 eggs, hatched on June 25.

From the information at hand, it would

70

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. iS-No. s

appear that the Mocking-bird occurs as a
summer resident in nearly all parts of the
State, very rare or perhaps a straggler in the
northern third of the State, yet Kennicott
gives it as nesting near Chicago and Dr.
Hoy records 6 nests near Racine, Wis.

It is found in various localities as a sum-
mer resident in the middle third, in some
places being even tolerably common. In
Fazewell County it has been found quite reg-
ularly during the nesting season. In the
southern third it is even abundant in some
localities, while in others it is rare or seems
entirely wanting. It seems to prefer the
lower side of the Illinois River and to follow
it up — even as far as Chicago — without
crossing it to any great extent.

The distribution of the Mocking-bird is
very uncertain. In one county it will be
found and in another adjoining it will not be
seen, or is very rare. To all appearances
the localities are equally suitable for it.

One drawback to its study is the fact that
by the average person Thrushes, Catbirds or
even Shrikes are often called Mocking-birds,
making any report except from a " book "
observer unreliable. Most of the reports
give them as preferring a hilly country where
there is plenty of sand.

The nest is placed in some kind of a thorn
tree or brush pile and is so nearly like that
of the Brown Thrush as to need no descrip-
tion. It is usually not over 6 feet from the
ground.

The date of nesting varies greatly in this
State, extending from April to June ; but the
general opinion is that two broods are reared
in one season.

The number of eggs varies from 3 to 6,
with an average of 4.

The eggs vary greatly in size. Davie gives
.94 X .71 as a common size.

A. C. Murchison.

I found the nest of a white-bellied Nuthatch
May 15, with nine fresh eggs ; nest in oak 30
feet from ground. G. Pluii/n/cr, Boston.

My First Day of Egg Collecting.

Egg collecting was far from being a science
at Omaha when Charley Meyers and I en-
tered the High School. We found about
eight fellows there with collections ranging
from 20 to 120 varieties, and the man who
had the 120 collection was the only one who
had really read or made any study of his
collecting ; the others had heard that there
were books about birds and eggs, but
guessed that they didn't amount to much.
Most of them looked with admiring awe at
the 120-man, and talked knowingly among
themselves of Kingbirds and Buntings, and
boasted of two sets of Doves' eggs in one
day.

Charley and I were both taken with the
idea of collecting, and likewise gazed admir-
ingly at the 120-man, who had gotten every
kind of egg around Omaha, so rumor said,
and for a while we also talked of getting
numbers of common eggs that we ought to
have been shot for taking. We went into
the subject with a good deal of enthusiasm,
and after a little we caught and passed all
but two or three of the other boys, and along
towards the close of the season we discovered
a book in the public library that was devoted
to birds and eggs and was not half so dry as
one would think, and from that we gathered
the idea that perhaps the 1 20-man had not
gotten every kind of egg that flourished near
Omaha. We read that book quietly, and
after a while it began to dawn upon us that
off in the woods near the river there was no
good reason why there should not be Crow
and perhaps Hawk nests, a possibility that
nearly took our breaths away, for no collec-
tion in town boasted of a Hawk's egg, and
the only Crow's was one in the collection of
the 120-collector, and he had gotten it by
exchange with a collector in another city,
and he held it as the pride of his collection.

\\'hen we recovered from the shock of the
idea, we held further communion with the
book and became certain that those river

May, 1893.]

AND OOLOGIST.

71

woods, which were five miles from town and
never been explored so far as we could as-
certain by careful questioning, contained a
mine of wealth for collectors. We were
greatly surprised to read that any birds
nested in March, and we hardly believed
it; we knew that none of the fellows there
ever started out until May, and May first
was considered too early to hope for much
success.

We determined that next spring we would
make those other fellows open their eyes if
that book, which was written by a man
named Coues, was at all reliable, and ac-
cordingly we took the first holiday and
tramped off to the woods to verify our sus-
picions if possible. They were verified.
We found that the woods comprised a big
marshy area of ground, with numbers of big
Cottonwood trees scattered through ; and fif-
teen minutes after entering the edge we spied
a bulky object in a tree some distance off,
and racing over found that it was really an
old nest, and a big one. A Crow's nest
without doubt, we assured each other, and
shook hands gleefully. During the next
hour we found three more wrecks, and then
went home satisfied and full of wild enthu-
siasm and excitement, which we found hard
to hide at school the next day.

It was a good while till spring, though,
and we cooled off some, read our book care-
fully, ordered a bigger drill for the prospec-
tive eggs, made a couple of larger and deeper
collecting boxes, and completed arrange-
ments by getting a ball of heavy twine to
lower the boxes and eggs from the nests.
" It will be awkward lugging all that stuff
along, but it would be too risky bringing
those eggs down in our mouths." We were
ready to tackle a colony then.

April 19th — a day I shall always remem-
ber, I believe — was the day we set for our
hunt. The book said the last of March or
the first of April, but that was ridiculous.
It was too cold for a bird to sit all day on a
nest then. The man that wrote that book

was a little imaginative, we said, and the
19 th was probably too early, but we would
go then to make sure.

As the day grew near we became nearly
wild with the exciting prospect ; though, as
we afterwards confessed to each other, neither
of us had but a faint hope. Those nests had
looked so old.

The iSth was muggy, and we were blue,
for we were forbidden to go if it was rain-
ing. We cheered each other u]3, though, and
as we parted at school I told Charley I would
be there all right in the morning. I was to
call for him, as he was nearest the woods,
and I was to be there at 4.30 so we could
get there by good day-light and have plenty
of time for a long hunt. I woke at three,
three-quarters of an hour before I needed
to ; but I hurried into my clothes and went
out doors. My heart sank, for though it was
too dark to see it felt wet and I knew it was
going to be a bad day. I went dismally in
when suddenly it flashed over me that I was
forbidden to go if it was raining. It -vasn't
raining, and I gobbled my breakfast cold,
tied up my lunch, grabbed my box and
rushed off before it could begin. One
whistle brought Charley out, declaring that
I was late and that he had been waiting an
hour and a half ; but on consulting the watch
that I had borrowed from my brother we
found that I was twenty minutes early, and
that he had been waiting about sixteen. We
aimed for the edge of town, and had hardly
reached the outskirts when a steady drizzle
began ; but that was nothing now, and we
sang and whistled and once in a-while gave
wild yells to let off the excitement we felt.

I looked at the watch as we reached the
edge of the woods and found that it was
5.15, and then I tripped over a root and
threw it accurately at a log near by. The
hands went on a strike immediately, although
the watch was not a repeater, and we were
minus the time. We were a little put out at
that, for the rain was still with us and there
could be no sun to tell time by. Charley

72

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. iS-No. 5

remarked that I was a lunkhead at first, but
we concluded that our inner boy would
notify us when it was lunch time, and plunged
into the woods.

For half an hour we tramped through the
wet grass and saw never an old nest even ;
then through the mist I spied a big mass of
something in a tree a good ways off. I
thought I did at least, and pointed it out to
Charley, but it was so indistinct that we both
became doubtful about its being a nest and
hesitated about going after it, for it looked
a good half a mile away. It was the only
thing we had seen, though, and we started
for it, and it apparently started for us at the
same time, for we approached it with aston-
ishing rapidity. We found that the fog and
mist gave the distance effect, afterwards. It
ifas a nest, and when we got within about
300 feet of it a huge bird suddenly reared
itself on the edge, took a brief look at us,
spread its wings, and with three flaps it had
disappeared among the trees. But we had
seen it. " A hawk ! " Charley yelled, and in
a moment we were at the foot of the tree,
dancing with delight. It was an awful tree
to climb when we came to look at it ; a large
Cottonwood with the nest a good 60 feet
from the ground, and not a limb below 50
feet. That didn't bother us much, for we were
both good climbers, but what did bother us
was the action of that Hawk. According to
the books we had read she should have cir-
cled around with shrill cries, and occasionally
darted fiercely at our heads ; but instead of
that, she had apparently gotten disgusted with
the climate and gone South. That was
what Charley suggested as he wrung the
water out of his hat so it would not drip
down his neck. I suggested that she had
gone after other Hawks to help fight us, and
Charley said perhaps I had better take his
hatchet up with me. (I forgot to say that
as I had found the nest I had the privilege
of climbing it. What idiots boys are ! And
yet, now I think of it, I saw grown men not
long ago fighting for tickets that would en-

title them to walk six miles in a procession,
carrying a greasy and ill-smelling torch, to
celebrate a victory that did not mean half
so much personally as that nest did to us.)
I thought that the box and ball of string
were enough to carry, and dispensed with
the hatchet and trusted to Charley to scare
the Hawk off with sticks if she came back,
and up the tree I went with a heart beating
high with hope.

It was a terrific climb, for the tree was
wet and slimy, and I clawed down dirt into
my eyes, and my feet refused to take hold,
so that I was just about breathless when I
reached the nest and peered over the edge ;
but all that I had left came out in a wild
yell of joy, for there were three eggs in the
nest that looked as big as moons. " Three
beauties," I called to Charley, and he im-
mediately fell to executing a startling war
dance, while I sat on a limb and s\nt out
the dirt and waved my hat.

I can feel yet the crawly feeling I had as
I wrapped the eggs and lowered them in the
box. I think that if they had fallen by any
chance I would have hit the ground before
they did. When I reached the bottom
Charley had stopped standing on his head
and was blowing one of them. Then we
concluded that the book man was not a
falsifier, for those birds were nearly grown.
Charley said that the first one stuck his wing
out of the hole and waved it, but I didn't
believe that. We blew ourselves purple in
the face, but got very poor results ; then we
bent pins and straws and did a litde better
(neither of us had ever seen an embryo hook
then) ; but after nearly half an hour's work
we gave it up and packed the eggs up with
the bigger part of the innocents still in them.
We looked at them lovingly as they lay in
the box, — as large as duck eggs, but nearly
round, two finely specked with brown and
the other a dirty white. (Western Red-
tails, we found afterwards from that book.)
Then we shook hands heartily and started
out again.

Mav, 1893.]

AND OOLOGIST.

73

In ten minutes we saw another nest, and
Charley brought down a beautiful set of five
Crow's eggs. They were fresh and blew
easily, and very soon they were packed and
we were off again, happy as larks. After
some pretty wet tramping we found another
nest and then another, but both were empty,
and we were just beginning to realize how
wet we were when we found a curiosity.
We saw a cpieer looking thing in a low tree,
and making our way over to it found that it
was a dead Crow, which was hanging head
down, with one foot caught in a little crotch
in a branch. The poor thing was very
skinny, and had evidently died of starvation
there.

After that we unanimously concluded that
it was lunch time, and picking out the driest
log we could find we sat down. It rained
steadily, and we were chilled and wet, but I
hardly ever ate a better lunch. And as we
ate we talked of the 'success we had had,
and of the morrow at school and the envy
of the other boys, till we got warm over the
talk and started off eagerly again. After
about half an hour we found another Crow's
nest and fi\e more eggs. .^ set for each I We
grinned idiotically at each other. Then we
came to a thick part of the woods and sep-
arated so as to cover the ground thoroughly,
walking in parallel lines. Fifteen minutes
later I was startled by a resounding yell,
" Add, come here ! " I went with a rush
and found Charley dancing around in front
of a low tree covered with grape vine. His
eyes were sticking out, and he was brandish-
ing his hatchet wildly at a bunch of sticks in
the vines. "Wh-wh-what is that thing," he
cried, and as I looked I stared in amazement
too, and gave it up. There on the nest was
something brown and yellow and black, and
over the side nearest us hung what was cer-
tainly a flat bird-tail, but staring at us directly
over the tail was a queer striped face, with
a big pair of hairy ears. The only thing I
could think of was a monkey, but monkeys
don't have flat tails, and as we jabbered ex-

citedly the beast itself solved the mystery
by turning its head squarely the other way
and scrambling awkwardly off the nest and
flapping into an adjoining tree, where it sat
and snapped its beak at us \iciously. It was
an Owl, an American Long-eared Owl, as
we found from the book. The thing had
simply been facing the other way when we
came up and had turned its head to look at
us, and then put up its ears. We had never
seen one before — that was all.

Charley was up in the vines in a minute
then, and in a minute more was on the
ground with five beautiful glassy white eggs.
I won't tell you what we did then. It was
justifiable anyway. We had come out with
fear and trembling after Crow's eggs, and
had found not only Crow's but Hawk's and
Owl's ! It surpassed anything we had ever
read of, and we rejoiced accordingly.

They were perfectly fresh and blew easily
with tiny holes and were soon packed up and
we were off again. That ended the day,
though. We tramped till five o'clock as
nearly as we could tell from the rain and
gathering gloom, and then started for home,
aiming to get there for a 6.30 supper. Five
miles through the rain we went, with drip-
ping clothes and tired limbs, creating some
surprise as we walked through the city streets,
but we didn't mind. I wouldn't stop at
Charley's, because I wanted to get home and
hurrah, and also because I began to think
that it was later than we gave it credit for
being, and I didn't want to be late for a hot
supper. I wasn't.

I got into the house at exactly 2.20, to
my intense surprise and disgust. We had
been utterly fooled by the darkness of the
day and perhaps by our own tired feeling,
and I thought with indignation of the root
I had fallen o\'er. \\'e could have had two
hours more but for that measly watch ! But
when I got rubbed down and into dry clothes
and settled comfortably at the table, with hot
coffee and toast which my dear mother
stopped her work to prepare, and spread all

74

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-N0. 5

my eggs in state on the table in front of me,
I concluded that it was all right anyway, and
I sat and grinned at mother and told the
tale of the day and the noon lunch that we
must have eaten before 10.30, and expati-
ated on the triumph at school on the mor-
row with a blissful content which only you
who ha\e had similar experiences can ap-
preciate. A. C. To~Mnsend.
Washington.

[I trust that Mr. Townsend will send more
of his delightfully written experiences.

Nesting of the Brown Pelican.

In 1 89 1 I was spending some months in
Florida, and learning of a large rookery of
the Brown Pelican, several of us resolved to
visit the spot. Accordingly, on February
17, six of us sailed for the island in the
yacht "Lida," fully prepared to secure speci-
mens of birds and eggs. I will describe this
island as to locality, as there are numerous
other breeding grounds in the State. The
spot known as Pelican Island is about six
miles south of Uricco* on the Indian river,
which, as the readers may know, is only a
lagoon, but has received the name of river
from its long, narrow, shape. This strip of
salt water lies along the east coast of the
State and is separated from the Atlantic by
a long narrow strip of land, which is inter-
sected at wide and irregular inten-als by
inlets to the sea.

When we came near the island, a low, flat
and irregular piece of soil of doubtful forma-
tion, at no place above four feet elevation at
low tide, the birds rose in great numbers.
But it was only when we took the small boat
and approached the nests that the scene be-
came impressive. The huge birds raised in
vast flocks and with a noise like thunder.
They flew about, and mostly settled again in

*A little south o( 28 degrees north latitude, Ilrcvnrd County
Fla.

the water just out of shot-gun range. We
variously estimated their numbers. Some
placed the number of birds at 10,000, but I
feel safe in saying there were easily half
that number. We watched their peculiar
ways of fishing, which are worthy of study,
and I wish you could afford space for a de-
scription. Many 6f the birds, nesting ones
probably, flew within range, and fell easily
to the guns of the party, and we secured an
abundance of specimens, in fact many more
than were needed. The writer tried hard
to stop the slaughter, but failed miserably ;
the carnage only ceasing when the ammu-
nition gave out, and the blood-thirsty north-
ern tourists had no further means of butch-
ering. This practice, a most pernicious one,
is the direct means of decimating the bird
fauna of the South. Nearly all northern
tourists think that Florida birds are there
for the purpose of gratifying their love of
shooting. The result is very great destruc-
tion.

There were several hundred nests, all told ;
mostly built on the ground, sand, generally
within a few yards of the water, and often
not over six inches above high tide. The
nests were of coarse dried grass of different
kinds, and when first built appeared to have
a nest-form, but in time, especially after the
young birds had gained some size, lost all
resemblance of a nest and were spread out
in a most shiftless manner. A few nests
were built in mangroves at the edge of the
island, and these were largely composed of
twigs for a foundation, but the upper part
was as shiftless and dirty as the surface
structures in a short time. The island was
at the most four acres in extent.

Considering the number of birds, there
were very few nests, and my ojjinion was
formed that the frequent incursions on the
site by the considerate bird protectors ( ?)
was the direct cause. Many nests contained
both eggs and young, while some nests held
young two weeks or more old. These big
young, covered with down, and, sitting up.

May, 1893.]

AND OOLOGIST.

13

hissing at one from the nests, loolted ex-
ceedingly grotesque. Many large young sat
speechless, from the fact that good-sized fish,
head down, filled their mouths and grillets.
The protruding tails of the fish were waved
in the air as the frightened nestlings swayed
about and attempted to disgorge the fish.
Although the spines of the dorsal fins pre-
sented the wrong way, as the fish are almost
always swallowed head first, still not a few
did disgorge their last swallowed fish.

The average number of eggs is undoubt-
edly three, but a few nests contained four,
and many nests but two eggs. It was diffi-
cult to secure sets of fresh eggs complete, as
very often a nest was found to hold fresh and
badly incubated eggs, and then again, but
rarely, young with fresh eggs. The shell is
covered invariably with a thick coating of
calcareous matter, and as the eggs are gener-
ally stained by lying in the nest, it is only
possible to have clean specimens by scraping
them or getting freshly laid eggs.

The young for the first few days are naked
and most disgusting looking objects. \\'hen
very young they must be protected from the
sun's rays, which are very strong in Florida
even in February. At the time of our trip
the temperature in the sun was about 90°
Fahr. or more. Quite a number of the very
young succumbed to the heat while we were
there. Although the larger young can swal-
low a good-sized fish, and we identified five
distinct species by dissection and from those
disgorged, still the very young are supplied
with dessicated fish food, and it is my belief
the old ones disgorge the food for them at
an early age, after the manner of the Herons.

This rookery has been in existence for
years, according to the natives, and was once
of much greater extent. The birds must have
begun nest building in December and per-
haps in November in order to have young
of a capacity to swallow a twelve-inch mullet
by the middle of February. The birds fre-
quently fly immense distances for their food,
and may be seen fishing at most any point

off the shore, where they ride the waves as
easily as does a Duck swim on an inland
lake. When flying, the birds draws in its
head and doubles its neck, and looks, with
its long bill, like an enlarged edition of a
Woodcock on the wing. As an object to
shoot at, it requires no skill whatever, as it
can't be missed, and morever is easily injured.

Of course we secured a good lot of eggs.
We were not egg-hogs, but at the same time
remembered our friends at the north. More-
over, it was one chance in a lifetime. I at-
tempted the feat of eating a cooked egg, but
found it rank, and totally unfit for food. A
starving man could eat it, but as for me, I
prefer other \'arieties of egg vittles.

We made careful dissections of several
specimens and many peculiarities in the
animal's economy. In the anatomy, nothing
was more remarkable than the joining to-
gether of the clavicles with the sternum. In
other words, the wish-bone was joined at its
apex with the breast-bone into one bone.
This gives a remarkable appearance to the
skeleton, and is a condition which I have
found in no other family of birds.

I stopped one night at a house near the
Pelican roost. There was a boy lived there
who had visited the island and secured several
eggs which were ready to hatch. He was
governed in his selection by hearing the
young birds peep within their shells. The
eggs were taken home and deposited in a
large vacant room. During the night in
March, the temperature being about 90°
Fahr., two of the young birds emerged from
their shell, and made the night hideous with
their discordant, stridulous notes. In the
morning we found that one of the young
birds had scrambled fully twenty feet from
the place where it had hatched.

This instance is recorded as evidence of
the effect of heat aside from that afforded
by the incubating bird, and to show that
young birds, Pelicans at least, can free them-
selves from the egg shell without assistance.

G. Sirrom.

76

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-N0. 5

Nest of the Sharp shinned Hawk.

This species is rather a rare resident in
the vicinity of Listowel or any other part of
Ontario that I have visited ; and though it
is recorded as " abundant " in British Col-
umbia, and as being " partially migratory,"
yet it did not come under my observations
during my passage through, and short resi-
dence in, that " sea of mountains." How-
ever, every season since I began recording
my avi faunian observations a few of the
species have been noted every season in this
vicinity, chiefly in the summer months, and
occasionally in the months of February and
March. And in my earlier days, in Peel and
North Wallace, I had noted it as one of the
worst enemies of small birds, wild and tame
pigeons, and young domestic fowls. Accord-
ing to my observations, the favorite habitat
of this species is thick swamp woods, being
but seldom seen in the more open, hard-
wood timbered lands ; though, if it has a
nesting home in some neighboring swamp, it
often is seen hovering, kite like, over the
the tree tops, or dashing swiftly across the
fields in quest of prey. Again it may be
seen, on a mid-summer day, going through
the trees of an orchard, seeking for the nests
of small birds as a small bird would do in
search of insects, and when it has discovered
the whereabouts of a flock of young chickens
it will revisit the place, day after day, until
it has appropriated every individual to its
own special use or that of its young, unless
the mother hen becomes doubly watchful, or
a period is put to its marauding with the
contents of a shotgun. Its nesting place is
generally in some thickly timbered swampy
evergreen wood. Some ten years ago I dis-
covered a nest with four eggs of this species ;
I afterwards described it in " The Canadian
Sportsman and Naturalist." This nest, which
was quite a bulky affair and composed wholly
of the small dry branches of tamarac, was
placed in a cedar tree, about thirty feet off
the ground. Since then no other occupied

nest of this bird had been discovered till the
summer of 1891, when I became aware that
a nest containing the young of this species
was situated in a piece of deep swamp near
the northeast corner of Wildwood, but being
desirous that the birds would return and nest
again in the vicinity, I did not disturb them
or even go in to see the exact position of
the nest.

On the 30th of April, 1892, as I was doing
some work near by, and on the alert to catch
every sight and- sound of bird life that effected
my surroundings, the notes of some bird that
seemed strange to me came out from the
centre of the swamp, and for some time I
was at a loss to know what species could be
their author. At length a Sharp-shinned
Hawk, flying across an open in the wood
and uttering similar notes, revealed the mys-
tery of cause and effect. I had made a dis-
covery ; these were the love and nesting notes
of a female Sharp Shin, and she was about
to nest in the same vicinity where I knew
that the species had nested the previous
summer, so I resolved to watch proceedings ;
and three or four days after, as the notes still
continued to be heard, I went in to investi-
gate. .'\s I approached the place where the
hawk was perched, she flew towards and
over me, darting out her claws and repeating
her wkack, -whack, iv/iacks, and tzvecf,
tweet, tweets, in her most wrathful manner,
and then flew to a short distance, where she
continued to exercise her voice from a higher
standpoint.

After considerable search I discovered a
large nest in a cedar tree about 20 feet off
the ground, to which I climbed up, but
found that it was evidently the nest occupied
by the Hawk last year ; and thinking that it
might be again occupied, I left, and a week
later returned, and found that no repairing
had been done ; so I concluded that she
must have a new nesting site nearer the
place where I first discovered her, and which
she still continued to occupy ; and after a
closer looking into the tops of the neighbor-

May, 1893.]

AND OOLOGIST.

77

ing balsams I espied what I supposed to be
the beginning of a new nest ; so I left again
and did not return till the 23d of May, when,
as I saw no Hawk and heard none of her
notes, I tapped the tree, and out flushed the
bird. The nest still appeared unfinished and
light could be seen through it, but as the
climb was easy, and only about 16 feet up,
I mounted and found that there were three
eggs in the nest, which was but a shallow af-
fair, and wholly composed of small dry
branches and twigs. Two days after I found
that one more egg had been added, so I took
the set, and found them very beautiful speci-
mens. The ground color is whitish, with a
bluish tint, but each egg is differently marked
and blotched with chestnut or amber brown.
They are of a spherical shape, being about
equal ended, and average about 1.50 by 1.18.
For about eight or ten days after both Hawks
were noticed in the vicinity, but after the
first week of June they disappeared for the
season, and I am of the opinion that the
species nest but once in the year.

William L. Kelh.

Late Nesting of the Bob-white.

In your issue of January, 1892, page 8,
are mentioned two late dates of finding the
eggs of the Bob- white, Quail, or Virginia
Partridge. These dates are given as August
30, 1891, and September 12, 1889, and
are referred to as late dates.

About the tenth of November, 1891, Ira
Johnson, of Kalamazoo, a most reliable man,
found a nest of this species containing twelve
eggs. St was situated in a brush pile and
gave evidence that it had been deserted.

It may be claimed by doubters of this
date that the nest had been deserted a
month or two, but this does not seem prob-
able, for the weather had been very cold,
and yet the eggs gave no evidence of having
been frozen. I think this date the latest
yet reported from Michigan, but I doubt
not that many hunters in the Union could

give some remarkable records. It is well
known that the Quail, or Colin, as it is now
called by sticklers, has been found breeding
almost every month of the year, and the
females have repeatedly been found frozen
stiff on their eggs in Februar}' and March.

Regarding the above record, it is well
known that the opening of the season for
Quail, November ist, had long passed when
this nest was found, as Mr. Johnson was
hunting Quails at the time and had been
out for several days. The eggs had not
been incubated, and some made fair speci-
mens. G. Sirroin.

Kalamazoo, Michigan.

A Home Among the Birds.

The above title is an exact description of
my home ; situated as it is in the midst of an
apple orchard, it is surrounded by birds' nests
as well as trees. Within three hundred feet
of the house were to be found the following
nests, all containing either eggs or young :

3 Robins,

1 Bluebird,

4 Chipping Sparrows,

3 Chimney Swift,

2 Pewee,

4 Least Flycatchers,
2 Baltimore Orioles,
I Kingbird,

I Catbird,

I Yellow Warbler,

I Barn Swallow,

I Rough-winged Swallow,

I Red-eyed Vireo, and

I Ruby-throated Hummingbird.

And undoubtedly there are some that
have escaped detection. Who of the many
readers of the " O. & O." can do better?

S. R. Iiigcrsoll.

Will not our readers send us more articles
for publication? Every one can relate
something of interest.

78

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-N0. 5

ORNITHOLOGISTp.^^OOLOGlST

A MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF

NATURAL HISTORY,

ESPECIALLY DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OF

BIRDS,

THEIR NESTS AND EGGS,

AND TO THE

INTERESTS OF NATURALISTS.

Under the Editorial Management of
FRANK. B. WEBSTER, . . . Hyde Park, Mass.
J. PARKER NORRIS, . . . Philadelphia, Pa.

rUBLISHED AT THE
MUSEUM AND NATURALISTS' SUPPLY DEPOT

OF THE

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER COMPANY,

lNCORPOR.\TED,

HYDE PARK, MASS.

The O. & O. is mailed each issue to every paid subscriber.
If you fail to receive it, notify us.

Brief Notes, Correspondence, and
Clippings.

Editor of "O. d- O."

I have found out something that I think
is worth knowing, perhaps, — the cause of
the Snowy Owls being so scarce the past
winter. A fisherman just arrived from Ice-
land says the winter has been so mild this
year that they have not had a hard frost the
whole winter. I am satisfied this is the
cause. What do you say? JV. J'icka/y.

Editor of " O. & O."

I have a simple and excellent receipt for
drying eggs, and if it is not already old to
your readers, I would ask that you publish
it : for it is by far the best I have ever known.
The old way of drying them by absorption
on blotting paper oftentimes causes a valuable
egg to be broken near the hole, caused liy
the egg sticking to the paper. Now my
way does away with blotting paper, and the
art of drying is done perfectly, and instantly.
This is my way : After blowing the eggs, and
after rinsing them with water, hold them
over a hot stove or anything where hot air
may touch the egg (hole down) ; and if you

have never seen it done, I think you will be
wonderfully surprised at the rapidity in which
the water is forced from the egg, and how
soon dried.

All copyrights reserved. ( ?)

Edwin C. Davis.

Gainesville, Texas.

The question has often been asked, "What
do you recommend for a small collecting
gun?" In view of giving an answer, we have
tried several and find that the X. L. gun is
one that we can recommend. We had a
44-calibre chambered for a 45 Winchester
shell, and it works to perfection.

But a i2-gauge gun, with one of the col-
lecting tubes, of course is the gun — and is
an outfit for everything that is required.

" F. B. Webster: Dear Sir, — The orni-
thological collectors of this country will cer-
tainly thank you for the collecting tube you
have devised. It is the best and cheapest
thing of the kind that I know of. I have
thoroughly tested its quality in my Colts'
i2-guage, with results which are of "the
utmost satisfaction. Success to you.

Oliver Davie.

Columbus, Ohio, May 13, 1893.

Reading I. C. Green's article in March
"O. & O." on the breeding of the Duck
Hawk on Mt. Tom, I would say that in
October, 1892, a farmer brought to me a
young Duck Hawk that was shot near Mt.
Tom range. I mounted it and now have it
in my collection. It is a fine specimen.

J. \V. Jacksoti.

I received on April 20 an Albino Robin.
I also heard of an .\lbino Crow seen at
Monson, Mass. C. K. Reed.

I can report my first set of AVild Turkeys'
eggs for 1893, — a set of 12 beauties taken
in Stoddard County, Mo., April 27.

Philo W. SmitJi, Jr.

Several collections of eggs are on exhi-
bition at the World's Fair, Chicago.

May, 1S93.]

AND OOLOGIST.

79

American 'Woodcock.

The American Woodcock is very seldom
found in the vicinity of Detroit now, but
there are still a few swamps where they can
be found. In one of these swamps about
three miles from the city I first made my
acquaintance with their nest. The swamp
was a dense mass of brush and tall weeds
on the northern side of Voight's woods. On
May 24, 1 89 1, I started out here, hoping to
collect a few sets of eggs, with my chum, Harry
Allis. We had fair luck and were returning
homeward when I started a female 'Wood-
cock from nearly under my feet, and there
was a nest containing two nearly full-fledged
young. The nest was only a slight hollow,
lined with fine grass. I hid a short distance
off, and soon I heard the old bird chuckle
and call to the young, much like the com-
mon domestic hen does. The young crept
out of the nest, and crept slowly away, hid-
ing under the plants as they went. The
next day. May 25, I went out alone to the
swamp, and found two other nests contain-
ing young ; the first had three young who
could fly a little, and the second two half-
fledged young. I was feeling rather dis-
couraged over the result, although I knew it
was very late for them. Going on farther to
a denser part of the swamp, I had seated
myself on a hillock when I espied a nest
containing four eggs in a clump of bushes
under a small tree. The nest was composed
of dried grass and leaves, and was quite a
large structure. The eggs were very hand-
some, being a creamy buff, dotted with red-
dish brown, and were a trifle incubated. I
felt so elated o\er my find that I just stood
and looked at them for several minutes until
my senses came back, and then I packed
them carefully in my collecting box. On
June 8th I went out again with J. Claire
Wood, and we flushed several and Mr. Wood
shot two. Since then the swamp has been
burnt down and ploughed up. This was
my first and only set of eggs. On June i,
1889, H. .'\llis and I went collecting in a

dense swamp east of Highland Park. We
had a good success, getting a set of four
Myrtle Warblers, two Black-billed Cuckoos,
Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, etc. I started a
Woodcock from a clump of bushes, and she
circled around and around the place, and
seemed very disinclined to leave. I searched
carefully for the nest, but without success,
although I am certain one was there. The
Woodcock is a very wary bird, and you can
seldom surprise them. In fact they usually
surprise you by their sudden uprising and
the peculiar noise made by their wings.
The Woodcock is a summer resident here,
arriving the latter part of March and staying
till October. They are nocturnal and re-
main in dense underbrush unless flushed.

B. H. Sxva/cs.

Detroit, Michigan.

Breeding Habits of the Ruby-throat
at Ballston, New York.

This little gem in feathers arrives from its
winter home in Guatemala and Mexico
about the loth of May, the males usually in
advance of the females. After devoting
about two weeks to rollicking and courtship
they proceed to find a suitable location for
their nest. In this different members dif-
fer very much, some choosing high, open
woodlands, others dense thickets, but by far
the greater number resort to the orchard
near the abode of man, and there, on a hori-
zontal limb at no great distance from the
ground, they commence the construction of
one of the handsomest of nests, composed
of vegetable down and covered with lichens
which are held in place by numerous cob-
webs. This piece of bird architecture is
built by both birds and takes from five to six
days to complete. The female then deposits
her complement of eggs and incubation be-
gins at once and is the work of the female,
the male standing guard, or securing food
for his mate. .\t the end of 8 or 9 days
the young are hatched, and then for the
next two weeks the parent birds are kept
busy from daylight until dark finding food
for these hungry mites. At the end of this
time they are large enough to leave the nest,
and in a few days more are left to shift for
themselves. About the first of September
they are off for the south, the old ones a few
days in advance of the young.

/i. 5'. Ingersoll.

SPECIAL PRICES FOR 1893.

For those not listed, see our regular Catalngue.

POST EXTRA.

A.O.U. Nos.

3

Horned Grebe

4

American Eared Grebe

5

St. Dominijo Grebe

6

Pied-billed Grebe

7

Loon . . . .

y

Black-tbroated Loon

n

Red-throated Loon

12

Tufted Puffin

'3

Puffin . . . .

2/

Black Guillemot .

2<}

Pigeon Guillemot

30

Murre . . . .

30a

California Murre .

3'

Brunnich's Murre

31a

Pallas's Murre

3^

Razor-billed Auk .

35

Skua . . . .

37

Parasitic Jaeger

40

Kittiwake

4-

Glaucous Gull

47

Great Black-backed Gull

49

Western Gull

51

Herring Gull

Sia

American Herring Gull

53

California Gull

54

Ring-billed Gull .

[56]

Mew Gull

58

Laughing Gull

59

Franklin's Gull

63

Gull-billed Tern .

64

Caspian Tern

65

Royal Tern .

67

Cabot's Tern

69

Forster's Tern

70

Common Tern

71

Arctic Tern .

72

Roseate Tern

74

Least Tern

75

Sooty Tern .

[76]

Bridled Tern

77

Black Tern .

79

Noddy . . . .

So

Black Skimmer

86

Fulmar . . . .

[90]

Manx Shearwater .

9-

Audubon's Shearwater .

104

Stormy Petrel

1 06

Leach's Petrel

117

Gannet . . . .

118

Anhinga

$0 20
13

20
6

80
75
50
60
12
20

40

12

15
15
40
12
40

35
20

25
20

15
10
20

15
20
12
20
10
30
20
20
10
5
5
12

5
15
80

S
20

S

2,5

50

I 00

30

15
25

19

20

20a

23

23b

25

26

28

29

30

32

33

13S]

39

40

41
42
43

44
46

51

52

54

55

58

59

60

67

69a

171]

72
72a

77

179]

82

83
84
86

87
88
90

91
92

93
94
195]
96

97
98

99
200
201
202
203
207
208
211

Cormorant

Double-crested Cormorant
Florida Cormorant
Brandt's Cormorant
Baird's Cormorant
American White Pelica
Brown Pelican
Man-o'-War Bird .
American Merganser
Red-breasted Mergansei
Mallard
Black Duck .
European Teal
Green-winged Teal
Blue-winged Teal .
Cinnamon Teal
Shoveller
Pintail .
Wood Duck .
Redhead

American Golden-eye
Barrow's Golden-eye
Old-squaw
Harlequin Duck .
Spectacled Eider .
Greenland Eider .
xVmerican Eider
Ruddy Duck .
Greater Snow Goose
White-fronted Goose
Canada Goose
Hutchin's Goose .
Black-bellied Tree-duck
Whooping Swan .
American Flamingo
Roseate Spoonbill
Wbite Ibis .
Glossy Ibis .
White-faced Glossy Ibis
Wood Ibis
American Bittern .
Least Bittern
Great White Heron
Ward's Heron
Great Blue Heron .
European Blue Heron
American Egret
Snowy Heron
Reddish Egret
Louisiana Heron .
Little Blue Heron
Green Heron
Black-crowned Night Heron
Yellow-crowned Night Heron
Limpkin ....

Ling Rail ....
Clapper Rail ....

6

15
50
10

10

ORNITHOLOGIST

— AND —

OOLOGIST.

$1.00 per
Aiimini.

PUBLISHED BY THE FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER

rSTADLISHED 7.TARCH, 1875.

COMPANY.

Single Copy
10 cents.

Vol. XVIII.

HYDE PARK, MASS., JUNE,

1893.

No. 6.

Some Prairie Birds.

Years ago, when northwestern Iowa was
a vast prairie, out into which few settlers
had ventured and the monotony was seldom
broken save by some wood-fringed lake or
a herder's shanty, I drove to that region
about Spirit Lake, Iowa, which is now so
well know'n as a summer resort. My way lay
along the Iowa River, from the head waters
of which stream, westward, was the great,
fiat prairie, interspersed with marshes and
small lakes, about which swarmed countless
numbers of shore birds. Here were troops
of White Cranes, some far a-marsh, guard-
ing their nests, Brown Cranes, Canada Geese,
fighting each other and whipping the water
into foam ; Long-billed Curlews ; Godwits ;
Red-bellied Snipes ; Golden Plover ; Up-
land Plover ; American Bitterns ; Ducks of
many kinds : Mallard ; Pin-tails ; Red-heads ;
Spoon-bill, Blue-winged Teal and occasion-
ally a flock of White Pelicans settled on the
shores and waters of a lonely lake ; their
great white forms glistening brighter than
the waters on which they floated. Swans
were frequently seen ; and Night Herons
could be observed moiling among the bogs.

The larger number of these species re-
mained during the summer and the natural-
ist had a wide and interesting field for re-
search. One memorable afternoon in early
May I left the tent in kindly shelter of the
fringe of woods on Crystal Lake, Winnebago
Co., Iowa, the lakelet in whose sparkling
waters classic Iowa River finds birth. Fol-
lowing the stream as it wound about-through

flat meadows or by low, gravelly hills, I
reached the immense marsh lying north
from Eagle Lake. Here were secured a
number of the large, drab-and-spotted eggs
of the White Crane. They had chosen the
' centre of the marsh for a nesting-place, and
there, a mile from the higher shores, the
j mother birds could be seen upon the nests,
j which were formed of soft grass gathered
together in a firm heap about one and one
half feet high, and placed on firm sod, out
j of water, but very near it. In the top of
this heap was a very slight depression for
the eggs. LIpon these nests the birds sit in
the same posture that a goose assumes, the
legs protru<ling behind. They often let the
head and neck lie down along the side of
the nest in a wearied way, which is usual for
the Canada Goose, especially if the hunter
is near. LIpon my approaching the marsh
these birds mo\ed away with stately tread,
walking much faster than I cared to do, yet
apparently taking it easy. The White Crane
is certainly a strikingly handsome bird in
its wild retreats. One does not tire of
watching their peculiar movements. When
walking at a distance they appear almost as
tall as a man. They are far more alert and
much wilder than the Brown Cranes.

Several sets of Brown Crane's eggs were
taken. Their nests being uniformly in the
water, formed by tramping rush stalks down
until the pile reached the surface, these
nests often float about with the mother birds
upon them.

So interested had I become that on look-
ing about only a vague, red glow lay close

Copyright, 1893, by Fkank Blake Webster Companv.

82

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. iS-No. 6

along the horizon, shadowed by grim, cold

clouds ; and the night was upon me, seven
miles from camp, with many marshes between
and not a road nor cow path, alone ; too light
clad for the night's chill. Casting about for
directions and landmarks I began the lonely
trip, and long before the dark line of ridges
was reached there was utter darkness. Now
I had come upon a marsh, hip-deep of
water and saw-grass. Through it I waded,
fearing to lose the way should I deviate.
.At length the hills were reached, bestrewn
with great boulders, among which was dififi-
cult walking, the prairie grass having been
burned away by a recent fire. Against one
of these great stones I stumbled, when from
off its top flew an Eagle, fanning the night
wind into my face, and disappearing from
directly over me. For a moment could be
heard the heavy beating pinions, and then
all was still but the ever whistling night wind.

Along this ridge and on and on 1 wandered,
misguided by a red glow sent up against the
cloud by a distant prairie fire. Lost ! and
for a moment the cold chills crept up along
my frame and a strong effort was necessary to
compose the nerves. Then at length my
foot struck a path which led me to the lake,
where weary and worn I spent the few re-
maining hours of that frosty night.

Next day I was wheeling on across the
prairies towards Spirit Lake, and the far
sweeps of vision from occasional elevations
were inspiring. Lying away to the west
were the dim flats of Kossuth County. Not
a sound, no shrubs for sighing winds; the
wheels rolled muffled on the ])rairie grass.
At one point, where the ground lay more
rolling and dryer, were many Long-billed
Curlews, the males guarding their nests, and,
hovering near the wagon, uttering that pe-
culiar mellow whistle so characteristic of the
wild, free prairie. Soon I was delighted to
see an old Curlew flutter from the horse's
feet leaving the four speckled eggs exposed.
Further on a mother Curlew led her mottled
downy chicks from danger.

Then a Marbled Godwit flew flapping from
her nest of chocolate-colored eggs. In this
locality a number of prairie wolves strolled
leisurely along just out of gunshot. One
sneaked away from a newly dug burrow.
Now and then a jack rabbit sprung from its
"set" to disappear like a spectre. Yellow-
legs and rhalarope picked up their meal
from the wet meadows ; while the flocks of
Golden Plover that wheeled about over the
burned tracts were the delight of a sportsman.
Occasionally were fields of blue anemone.

,/. ir. I'rvstoii.

Baxter, Iowa.

(To be continued.)

Distribution of the Black-Crowned
Night Heron in Illinois.

% E. Dickinson. No. 3.

Summer resident ; abundant. Arrive April
5th; leave October. Breeds in colonies in
oak groves adjacent to swamps or creeks.
Nest placed from 25 1045 feet high — com-
posed of dead sticks. Sets found from May
10 to early June. Has found nearly hatched
young and birds building in same colony on
May 27th. Set, 4 to 5 ; 6 eggs average 2.10
X 1.50; largest, 5.04 x 1.5 1, smallest, 1.99 x
1.54 ; color of eggs, blue. Common names,
" Qua bird," " Onak," " Shite Poke."

F. A. Gregory. No. 3.

Summer resident. Not common.

Breeds in colonies.

Nests in second growth timber from 2 to
3 feet high, of twigs loosely laid together.
Eggs may be seen from below.

Full sets found May 12.

Sets, 3 to 5 ; 4 average.

Measurements, 2.01 x 1.51, 2.04 x 1.52,
2.00 X 1.50, 2.02 X 1.50. Average, 2.02 x
1.51.

Color, pale bluish green, but are much
stained and dirty as incubation advances.

{('. E. Pratt. No. 6.

June 30, 4 young.

{.\s this is his only note of the nesting of
this bird in Lake and Cook counties, we may

June, 1893.]

AND OOLOGIST.

83

conclude it is not common as a summer
resident. )

L. W. Xichols. No. 10.

Summer resident. Has seen it at all times
of the nesting season but has not as yet found
a nest.

Dr. A. C. MitrcJiisoii. No. 16.

Sunmier resident. Abundant in suitable
localities. Breeds in a large colony in the
northern part of the county. Nests in a
large swamp, placed upon the tops of the
marsh grass, which had been bent down until
it laid upon the water, covering nearly ten
acres. Variously composed, green rushes,
cat tails, and grass in some, others of twigs
and sticks brought from a grove nearly two
miles away. From 3 to 10 in. high and 12
to 18 in. diameter, nearly flat, very carelessly
put together.

Nest about June i. (.About 120 doz.
fresh eggs were taken from this place on this
date by an egger.) Set 2 to 4 ; 3 average ;
not more than 4 were found in any nest.

Color when fresh is a greenish blue ; some-
times quite blue, fading to a lighter shade
when exposed to the sun a short time.

A set of 3 measure 2.23 x 1.41, 2.08 x
1.40, 2.36 X 1.43 ; another 2.21 x 1.53, 2.07
X 1.47, 2.02 X 1.48 ; a set of 4, 2.05 x 1.47,
2.02 X 1.5 I, 1.93 X 1.46, 2.02 X 1.48; a set
of 3, 2.25 X 1.49, 2.01 X 1.49, 1.87 X r.40.
Average 15 eggs, 2.10 x 1.46 ; largest 2.36 x
1.43; smallest 1.87 x 1.40.

A. Hamfeldt. No. iS.

Has not met it. Is sure it does not breed
in a radius of 20 miles of Ottawa.

R. M. Barnes. No. 25.

Has never met it. Thinks it may be found.

Virginius Chase. No. 25.

Has not found, except as a migrant. (Has
been taken in the county on " Spoon River "
and " Indian Creek " frequently, but does
not breed. — A.C.M.)

W. S. Strode, M.D. No. 2,7,-

Has not met it.

W. S. Cobleigh. No. :2.,t,.

Summer resident. Arrives about the first

week of May ; found in small numbers. Not
found breeding in 33.

Is found along the Illinois river and
marshes.

Sets 3 to 4 ; eggs measure 2.15 x 1.45.
Elliptical, pale bluish-green.
W. E. Loucks. No. 34.

Migrant. Not common ; has only found
it in the spring. Does not think it breeds.

D. S. Meixsell. No. 36.

Has not met it.

G. C. Pearson. No. 40.

Seen occasionally ; was formerly plentiful.
Charles Wells. No. 45.

Has not met it.
W. L. Jones. No. 75.

Summer resident, from .April 20 to Sept.
10. Common in the bottom lands and
swamps. Nests, but no notes taken.

C. B. ]'andercock. No. 77.

Has not found it.

y. C. Elliot. No. 88.

Has not met it.

G. W. Rearden. No. 92.

Not known.

O. Widmann. Old Orchard, ]\Io.

Migrant. Near St. Louis from .April 16
to 29. None later than May 5.

Philo Smith, Jr. St. Louis.

Has no experience with it.

C. r. Foir. A\'ayland, Mo.

Has never met it.

Bitrtis Wilson. Davenport, Iowa.

Summer resident ; common along streams,
and ponds sheltered by woods.

Arrives last of April, leaves first of Sep-
tember. Probably breeds. No good breed-
ing place in vicinity.

"a d- O." July and August, 1S84.

" List of Birds collected near St. Louis,
Mo.," Julius Hurter.

"Black-Crowned Night Heron, summer
sojourner."

Ridgivay. " Birds ascertained to breed
at Mt. Carmel." Given by E. W. Nelson,
in 1875, Bulletin of the Essex Institute.

Black-Crowned Night Heron : Rare.

84

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-N0. 6

E. W. Nelson. "Birds of Northeastern
Illinois." Bulletin of the Essex Institute,
Vol. III., December.

Night Heron : " Common. Owing to its
frequenting the almost impenetrable wild
rice swamps, this species would be o\er-
looked on a transient visit to their haunts.
The first of July, 1874, I saw a few young of
the year in the Calumet marshes, but it was
not until June, 1S76, that I learned anything
regarding their habits in this State. The
middle of this month, I visited Grass Lake,
Lake County, 111., some miles west of Wau-
kegan. This "lake" is simply a widening
of the Fox River, which flows through its
centre producing a shallow lake about one
mile wide and three miles long. While col-
lecting near a large patch of this wild rice
we were surprised to see a number of Night
Herons arise from the interior of the patch
and commence circling about, uttering hoarse
cries. Upon examining the place we were
still more surprised to find that the birds
were breeding in this improbable location.
During this and the following day we exam-
ined, within an area of two acres, at least fifty
nests of this species. They were all jilaced
in the midst of particularly dense bunches of
rice, the stiff, last year's stalks of which, con-
verging slightly near the roots, formed a base
for their support. The nests were well built
structures, composed of innumerable small
pieces of dead rice stalks, varying from two
to ten inches in length.

" The nests averaged from ten to fifteen
inches in diameter at the top and from ten
to thirty in depth. So firmly were they
built that I several times stood upon a large
nest, to take a more extended view, and did
it but little damage. A few contained fresh
eggs, and a few had young from one to ten
days old, but the majority contained eggs
with half-embryos. The parents exhibited
great solicitude while we were in the vicinity,
but were so cautious that we only succeeded
in shooting two."

Robei-t Kennicott. " Catalogue of Birds

observed in Cook County, 111." Trans. 111.,
State Agric. Soc, I., 1853-55.

Night Heron: A. nycticorax. (No re-
marks made.)

Robert Ridgivay. " Catalogue of Birds
of Illinois." Bulletin of the Illinois Museum
of Natural History, vol. i.

Black-Crowned Night Heron : " Resident
southward, at least in mild winters ; summer
sojourner northward. Knowp as (^uak,
Qwan Bird, etc."

Everman. "Birds of Carroll Co., Ind."

Night Heron : ".Apparently a very rare mi-
grant. On the evening of April 5, 1878, I
shot a female in fine plumage at a small
pond in Camden."

The Black-Crowned Night Heron seems
to be \ery generally distributed over the
State as a summer resident, and very abun-
dant in certain localities where suitable
breeding places can be found. It is a win-
ter resident in the southern part of the State,
though the greater number winter much
further south. The time of arrival is about
the first week of April, and departure about
the first of October or last of November.
It is usually found in abundance wherever it
is found during the breeding season, from its
habits of nesting in large colonies, but dur-
ing the nesting season it may travel thirty
miles from the nest in search of food, large
flocks coming from a swamp over twenty
miles away to feed at a lake near this place
(Kewanee) every night during the nesting
season. So far I have knowledge of but four
of these nesting places in the State : one in
Winnebago County, one in Lake County,
one in Henry and one in Kankakee counties.
Two of these are built in trees and two on
the grass in a marsh.

The nests, when placed in trees, seem to
be very carelessly made ; one observer notes
that the eggs can be seen from below.
When the nests are placed in a marsh they
are very substantial affairs, howe\er, and
many of them will bear the weight of a man
without great damage.

June, 1893.]

AND OOLOGIST.

85

The " town " in Henry County differs
somewhat from the one described by Kenni-
cott, as the Herons had broken down the
tall marsh grass to the level of the water,
over several acres of ground, forming a floor,
and on this the nests were placed, over about
three feet of water. \\'hen the nest is placed
in trees, sticks are used in its construction,
but almost anything is used in a marsh.
Some were composed of sticks carried from
a grove about a mile away, others of marsh
grass, rushes, wild rice, stalks, etc.

The nests were from three inches to one
feet high, nearly flat topped and not well
arranged.

How many nests this " town " contained
I do not know, but 120 dozen fresh eggs
had been taken from it about a week before
my visit.

1 did not find more than four eggs in any
nest and two or three were by far the most
common sets.

When fresh the eggs are a beautiful bluish-
green, but exposure to the sun bleaches
them very rapidly to a very pale bluish, and
in a set the first egg laid can readily be dis-
tinguished from the eggs laid on the suc-
ceeding days by its paler color.

The eggs vary in size from 1.87 x 1.40 to
2.36 X 1.43. However, eggs as broad as 1.53
are sometimes found.

The food consists of almost any kind of
worms, shellfish, small fish, etc.

" It is shot in great numbers in AN'inne-
bago County on account of its destruction
of young game fish." — Dickin.son.

A. C. Aliirc/iisoii.

My Outfit.

The strangest nesting place of a bird that
I have ever seen was one of an English Spar-
row, noticed last June. On a crossbar on a
telegraph post hangs an old oil can, in the bot-
tom of which is a rust-eaten hole, and through
this the Sparrows found an entrance, made
their nest, and raised their young without
molestation, and undiscovered by any other
person, though it was on the side of the rail-
way and near the main street. — I/'. L. K .

So many articles have already been written
about what a collector should encumber him-
self with, that I may be scoffed at for sug-
gesting the following : —

Nevertheless the only outfit that I ha\e
found available, and the one which I use to
the exclusion of all others, is that given below.
To begin with, over my ordinary underwear
I don a medium weight dark-colored woolen
shirt. The one I use now is a black and
grey check and has two large breast pockets.
Next in order comes a pair of woolen panta-
loons that are complete with four capacious
pockets and a set of belt loops, six in num-
ber. It will be found much safer to rivet
these on or they will be liable to rip out.
The pockets of my pants all have flaps to
button down snug and thus [irexenl possible
loss.

For a belt I use one of hea\y russet leather
with buckle riveted fast like a pistol belt. In
fact, the one I am using now is an old holster
belt I used on the p'ains.

For shoes I use hand-sewed heavy calf
that lace above the ankles and have tops
large enough to admit the bottoms of my
trousers. By wearing them in this way they
answer the purpose of leggins which I avoid
as a " delusion and a snare."

An old dilajjidated structure, of a doubtful
color, with a jagged rim three inches across,
answers for a hat, and as a coat I use my fall
shooting coat, which I had made of water-
proof canvas to button close about my throat.

This coat is a jewel. 1 1 is perfection itself.
Vou will understand and admit ( ?) this when
I tell you it originated with myself and was
built on my lines. Therefore, I find no fault
with the coat.

I don't know how many pockets I had put
into this coat, but I do know there are none
too many and there is room for no more.
It is in these pockets that I carry the rest of
my outfit, which consists of jack-knife, com-
pass, matches, and folding drinking-cup.

86

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-N0. 6

My collecting boxes are subdivided cigar
boxes lined with woolen blanketing. The
appartments are then filled with cotton. I
also carry some sheets of paper to wrap any
birds I may secure, and a small tin box filled
with bran. This latter I dust in the eyes
and mouth and brush about the vent and
the shot wound before plugging with cotton.

As a collecting gun I have used of late
years a single barrel, twelve gauge, semi-
hammerless. This " swings " just right and
I prefer it to my double barrel for collecting
purposes. It weighs just seven and a quarter
pounds. I generally carry about a dozen
shells loaded with "dust" and a few loaded
with larger shot.

Last but not least comes the question of
lunch. On this subject opinions must vary,
and for my part I am willing that they should.
When I am to be gone from daybreak until
dark I carry a couple of boiled eggs and four
slices of buttered bread. This is usually
sufficient for my wants, but when it is not I
stop at some farmhouse and regale myself on
doughnuts and milk. Thus I travel.

Arthur J/ Farmer.

.'\moskeag, N.H.

An Old-time Outing.

At the time described in the following
sketch, the Wild Turkey was still to be found
in great numbers in certain parts of Illinois.
The Virginia or Red Deer was also at this time
to be found, but in greatly reduced numbers.
At the present time probably not a dozen
Wild Turkeys can be found within a radius
of ten miles and the Deer has been extinct
for many years. It is with a feeling of regret
that the writer recalls the fact that he con-
tributed his mite towards exterminating this
noblest of America's game birds. Between
the year 1863 and 1875 not less than three
hundred Turkeys fell victims to his wood-
craft and marksmanship.

Perhaps not even in their palmiest days,
could the famous hunting grounds of Ten-

nessee and Kentucky excel those of Central
Illinois for their abundance of wild game.
A half century ago, the valley of the Illi-
nois river, with its tributaries the Sangamon,
Spoon, and Rock rivers, simply teemed with
Deer, Turkey and smaller game.

There was one particular locality, to which
this article will be confined, that was espe-
cially a paradise for the hunter and sports-
man. It was called "California Bend," and
was formed by the junction of the Spoon
with the Illinois river. In the angle formed
by these streams grew one of the finest for-
ests in the United States. The trees were
principally of the shell-bark hickory and the
pecan, along with more or less of the water
elm, sycamore, ash and silver-leaved maple.
Underneath and in the more open spaces were
thickets of persimmon bushes, and around
the little lakes the pawpaw, the only repre-
sentatixe of the fruits of the tropical south
found growing in the northern clime, was also
to be found in considerable numbers.

Thompson's Lake, five miles long and one
mile in average breadth, bounded this forest
on the north.

In the fall of the year the Wild Turkeys
would flock to this bottom region and, feast-
ing upon the pecans, wild grapes and the
abundance of insect life, would grow very fat.

Many years ago, when yet in his teens,
the writer accompanied by his father and
a neighbor named Cameron, both famous
hunters and dead shots with the rifle, resorted
to this " Bend " for a three days hunt. Arriv-
ing just at sunset after a drive of twenty
miles we camped for the night in close prox-
imity to an immense sycamore, known to
many hunters who had visited this region
as the "great bee tree." The time was early
in November, and the weather was pleasant
and the evening balmy. Tents were not so
common then as now, but having plenty of
blankets and comforters with us, we soon
improvised a very satisfactory shelter; fas-
tening a couple of blankets along the top
side of a great fallen tree trunk and pegging

June, 1893.]

AND OOLOGIST.

87

the lower side to the ground and stopping
up the rear opening with branches of trees,
and then, with a great roaring fire in front
and a bed of leaves a foot thick to spread
our quilts upon, we felt independent of the
weather. After supper we retired early, that
we might be thoroughly rested and out be-
times in the morning for a big day's work.
But it was a long while liefore sleep came to
our eyes ; the great trees roaring overhead, the
hickory nuts rattling down in every direction,
the honk .' konk '. of the wild (jeese and
the more low whispering notes of the Ducks
as they wended their way to the lake, and
last but not least a serenade by a pair of
those strange, ghoulish creatures, the Barred
Owl, who never fails to visit a camp-fire in
the deep woods, and where two or three of
them, by their great variety of notes, would
lead a novice to suppose that there was at
least a score or more.

We had come prepared to down this great
tree, bringing with us two sharp axes, a cross-
cut saw, a barrel, buckets, etc., and at day-
break in the morning the axes were ringing
out merrily on the frosty air. The seniors
of the party were skilful axemen and experts
in felling trees, and yet it was high noon
before the giant sycamore, over six feet in
diameter and sound to the centre, came
thundering to the ground, bearing with it
several smaller trees that grew underneath.
In those early days it was an unwritten law
among the early settlers that the finder of a
bee tree was entitled to the right to cut it
and possess the bees and honey. .As 1 re-
marked before, this tree had been known to
contain bees for several years, and more than
a dozen different hunters had cut their ini-
tials in its smooth bark. Vet on account
of its immense size none cared to asstmie
the task of cutting it down. The results
amply rewarded us for the labor required
to fell the tree. After subduing the bees
with smoke, we slabbed off a great sec-
tion seven or eight feet long from one side
of the fallen tree, and the amount of honey

exposed to view greatly surprised us. Slices
of well filled comb four feet long by two in
depth were taken out. The barrel was filled
full of comb and liquid honey dipped up
from the cavity of the tree.

Finishing up the bee tree, we ate our din-
ners, to which the honey was quite a wel-
comed addition, and at once prepared for
an afternoon hunt. The seniors were armed
with rifles and the writer with a light double-
barreled shot gun. ^\'e were to hunt to the
north of camp, Cameron to make a detour
to the w-est. My father and I were to hunt
together, bearing to the east, and we would
rendezvous at the foot of Thompson's lake,
distant about two miles.

The Red and (jray Squirrels were barking
all about ns, but they were too small game
for this occasion and did not interest us. K
half mile from camp we struck Turkey signs.

The leaves under the pecan trees were
freshly scratched up, and evidently they were
not far off. From the direction in which the
leaves were scratched we soon determined
the course in which the flock was travelling,
and with guns ready for immediate use we-
stole along noiselessly in pursuit, with ears
strained to catch the first sound, and eyes
seeing everything that stirred in the thickets.

Directly quit', quit I some distance in
our front warned u;; that we were up to them
and were discoxered, but almost simultane-
ously with the first warning notes of the rear
guard, leader of the flock, my father's rifle
leaped to his shoulder and rang out sharp
and clear. The Turkeys flew and ran in
every direction, but two or three knowing in
which way the danger lay. One fine young
gobbler, alighting in a tree off to the left, had
scarcely folded his wings till he tumbled to
the ground at the crack of my gun.

My father's shot had also been effective,
and picking up the two Turkeys we secreted
ourselves between the trunks of a large double
soft maple tree, that some tempest had torn
up by the roots and blown to the ground.
For about fifteen minutes everything was as

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-N0. 6

still as the grave. Then away off amoni; the
trees to the east of us, came the call note of
of the Turkey, ceoiik, ceouk, at first in-
distinct and low, and then louder and with
more confidence. Producing a caller, made
from the smaller bone of the first wing joint
of the Turkey, my father placed it to his
mouth and produced so good an imitation
of the call notes of the Wild Turkey that an
old hunter could not ha\e told the difference.
The call notes were now heard on all sides
of us, and we could hear the Turkeys getting
down out of the trees in every direction. In
a short time we could hear them cautiously
approaching the place where we lay con-
cealed and after a few minutes of intense
waiting aid watching several appeared in
view, but ihe distance was too great yet for a
sure shol. My father signed to me to hug
the ground, and again his caller rang out
ccouk, ceouk, ccouk.

They now approached more rapidly, and
were soon at close enough cjuarters. Slowly
and cautiously getting the ends of our guns
over the log in our front, at once followed by
just enough of our heads, with hats remo\ed,
to glance along the barrels, our guns sjioke
at once, and two more Turkeys were writhing
and flapping in death's agony upon the ground.

Again everything was quiet, and piling up
our dead Turkeys we decided on a still hunt,
each fellow for himself. Separating, we went
in different directions, and although I flushed
several Turkeys from the dense underbrush,
they were too ipiick for me, and got away
without injury. Hunting about for nearly
an hour without success, I was about to give
up the quest and return to our dead game,
when a shot a quarter of a mile away rang
through the woods, and in a few minutes
afterwards three Turkeys lit down in an open
space of the woods a hundred yards away.
Concealing myself behind a tree I waited till
they came within about sixty yards of me,
and then gave them both barrels at once.
Two of them again took to wing, but one
remained flopping upon the ground. In a

short time mv father came uj) ; he had also
secured another one. This made six out of
the flock, which we estimated at about
twentv. \St had several times heard the
report of Cameron's gun, but could only con-
jecture in regard to what he was shooting.
He now, however, put in an appearance, his ■
eyes shining and his whole demeanor indi-
cating excitement. He carried in one hand
a Mallaril Duck, and his first words were,
" I got him."

"Got what?" we interrogated, glancing
rather contemptuously at his I )uck.

"The finest Buck in the Illinois bottom,"
he said.

Gathering up our Turkeys we accompanied
him to his game, about half a mile away. It
was indeed a fine Buck, with great beautiful
antlers. He was shot squarely through the
body just behind the shoulders and had made
only a few jumps before he fell dead. Hang-
ing our game up to limbs of trees, we decided
to go to camp, load up everything, and drive
to the game, load it in the wagon, and then
go on to the foot of the lake and camp for
the night. This we did, selecting our camp-
ing place just as the sun was going down.
We were back in the timber about 200 yards
from the edge of the lake, but could see
glimpses of the water glistening through the
trees. The noise and fuss of the water fowl
we could plainly hear. Going out where we
could have an unobstructed view we were
surprised at the great numbers of water fowl.

There were simjjly square acres of the
lake's surface, covered with Ducks, Geese and
Brant. Lower down and at the water's edge
on the opposite side there was a little llock
of a half dozen Pelicans. They loomed up
so large in the reflection of the setting sun
that they appeared like small white boats,
floating on the lake.

The seniors of the party determined to
try for a shot at them. Slipping back to the
woods they went down the lake until they
got a large log lying near the water, be-
tween them and the Pelicans.

June, 1S93.]

AND OOLOGIST.

89

Dropping down on their hands and feet,
they crawled to this shelter, and then, lying
on their stomachs, took a long and careful
aim at the great birds.

At the crack of their rifles all the birds
arose on the wing except one, whose head
fell forward in the water, and after swimming
about in a circle for a few seconds, lay still
in death.

The report of the guns, as it reverberated
over the water, caused thousands of Ducks
and Geese to take to wing ; the air was
black in every direction with great circling
flocks. Dropping down in the thick flag
my opportunity soon came, and as a big
flock of Mallards came circling over me I
arose to my feet, and bang ! bang ! each
report followed by a Duck tumbling headlong
to the earth. When the Pelican was ob-
tained it was found to be shot through the
body at the butt of the wings. It was a
wonderful shot ; the distance was greater
than 200 yards. Each party claimed that it
was the other that killed the Pelican, and
to this day (they are both yet living, very
aged) they will have it that way.

It was now night, and we busied our-
selves cooking supper, of which venison steak
formed a part, dressing the game, which con-
sisted in removing the entrails of the fowls
killed and piitting a handful of salt on the
inside.

The Deer was half skinned, and treated in
the same manner. By the time supper was
over and the camp for the night made com-
fortable, we were ready for something else.
An outing to this famous region was never
considered complete without a Coon hunt.

We had provided for this sport by bring-
ing with us two good dogs, somewhat noted
for their skill in hunting the Tree Fox. So
far we had kept them chained in camp, |.>artly
to guard it and partly because, if allowed to
go with us when hunting Deer and Turkey,
they would be all the time treeing Squirrels,
and would frighten away the larger game liy
their noise.

We were now ready for a Coon hunt, and
the two dogs were more anxious to be off
than we were.

Going around to the north side of the
lake where the fishermen had been hauling
their great seines we rightly supposed the
Racoons would be allured to this side, to
feed upon the refuse fish that lay along the
shore. We had scarcely gotten well upon
good Coon ground till the dogs announced
something treed. A few minutes work with
our axes on the leaning, soft maple brought
it crashing to the ground, and a minute after
a terrible battle was going on between our
dogs and a large Coon ; but our canines
were experts in this kind of business and
soon had put a quietus on Mr. Procvoii
lotor. Suffice it to say that we returned to
camp, after tramping four or five miles, bear-
ing with us three large and fat Coons. We
were thoroughly tired after our day's work,
but so well pleased with its results that we
scarcely thought of the fatigue.

As we crawled into our bunks the wind
was whistling and moaning through the trees,
the sky was overcast with threatening clouds,
and the weather was growing colder every
minute. Winter was evidently going to
break in upon us, and sure enough at day-
break next morning it came with a regular
blizzard, — snow, rain and sleet all mixed up
together.

We had intended staying over another
day. At daybreak the seniors of the party
started to do up some more of the Turkeys,
while 1 was left to guard camp and shoot
Ducks, and shoot them I did ; they were
flying through the air so fast that, after kill-
ing about a dozen, I desisted, deeming it
useless to slaughter so many ; besides I had
hard work to keep my fingers from freezing
in loading and handling the cold gun.

In an hour or two the Turkey hunters
came back, having killed but one, which fell
to Cameron's gun. They announced that
hunting in such a storm was no good, and
after a council we all decided that home was

90

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. iS-No. 6

the best place for us. We at once hitched
up and decamped, and in spite of the bliz-
zard which we had to face, we were as merry
a little party as ever came to the " Califor-
nia I'.end." \Vhat a ])aradise to the liunter
and naturalist was this region in those days.

What a change has come over it now_
This fall, in October, I visited it again. The
great forest of hickory and pecan is nearly
all cut away.

Immense fields of corn \vere waving
where once the wild denizens of the woods
had full sway. Two railroads ran through
" California liend."

Not much is left of its original wild splen-
dor. The lake is still there, teeming with
thousands of fish, and the water fowl still
come, but in greatly reduced numbers.

li: S. Strode, T/ D.

Lewiston, III.

Nesting of Gambel's Quail in the
Colorado Desert.

Gambel's Partridge iyCallipepla ganihcW)
is one of the very few game birds which in-
habit the desert exclusively, and for this
reason they are not likely to become exter-
minated for a long time, as is the case with
many others, for there are few sportsmen
however ardent, who care to take a hunting
trip over the scorching sands of the desert,
when game equally palatable is to be found
at their very doors.

It was my good fortune to take a trip over
the Colorado Desert this spring, and for the
first time in my life I saw the beautiful Gam-
bel's Quail at home.

Starting from Julian, San Diego Co., Cali-
fornia, we descended the east side of the
mountains, and after a day's travel found
oursehes on the edge of the desert. From
here we traxeled for three days over rocky
and sandy roads and trails, until we arri\ed
at Fish Springs, not far from the edge of the
great Salton Sea, which caused so much anx-
iety two years ago by threatening to, and in
fact it did, overflow its banks, and cover the

tracks of the Southern Pacific R.R. and en-
danger the works of the salt company at
Salton. The spring is a circular hole about
thirty feet across and of unknown depth, the
usual story of a liottomless pit l)eing aiiplied
to it. It recei\es its name from the fact that
in it live numbers of tiny fish from one to
two inches long. The water is rather alkaline
and impregnated with sulphur.

The next day we entered the Mesquites,
and here, for the first time, met the object of
our search, Clambel's Quail.

We were first made conscious of the bird's
presence by hearing its familiar call. I say
familiar, for it is very similar to that of the
Valley Partridge, so common about home.

I made off in the direction of the sound,
and soon saw a pair of the birds run into a
thick Mesquite bush. Any one who is fa-
miliar with a Mesquite thicket will know why
I did not follow. For the sake of those who
are unacquainted with the plant, I would say
that going through them is much like going
through a thicket of briers with thorns an
inch long, and thorns that will not bend or
break either. They come as near being like
a thicket of thorny locust trees as anything
else I can think of. Well, I decided to go
around that Mesciuite bush, and did so just
in time to see one of the birds dive into the
next. I fired at its retreating form, and was
gratified at hearing a heavy fluttering under
the brush. By crawling on hands and knees,
I succeeded in pulling it out, a fine male.
Soon afterward I killed a female, which, upon
skinning, was found to contain a well-devel-
oped egg. During the afternoon I succeeded
in taking two specimens of Phainopepla
{P/ia/nopcp/a 7ictc/is).

That night we camped at .Aiiua Dulce
(Spanish words meaning " Sweet Water " ) . I
do not know why it is so called, for the water
is only a little less salty and sulphury than
the other watering places on the desert.

As I was starting out, just at sundown, in
search of a suitable place to set my trajis,
for I was collecting both birds and mammals.

June, 1893.]

AND OOLOGIST.

91

I flushed a bird from beneath a small bush
about a foot high.

Examination revealed a depression in the
ground in which rested eight creamy white
eggs, blotched with brown and lilac. I kit
them undisturbed, hoping to find a full set
and get the parent bird on my return. J wo
days later, when I again visited the spot, the
eggs were as I left them and the parent no
where in sight, so I was forced to take the
incomplete set. This was on April 5, which
I think is about the proper date to look for
eggs of this species.

At Walter's station, on the Southern Pa-
cific R.R., I found Gambel's Quail quite
plentiful and succeeded in taking four more
specimens, which, with some taken on the
home trip, made a total of nine skins, and
one incomplete set of eggs the result of the
trip.

Gambel's Quail is slightly smaller than
the Valley Quail {callipcpla califormca
vallicola), with a brown crown instead of
the ashen gray of the latter. On the breast
is a heavy smoky patch which takes the place
of the beautifully mottled breast of the Valley
species. The whole tone of the bird is lighter,
the plume being nearly jet black. The spe-
cies ranges in this State as far north as San
Gorgonio Pass, where it hybridizes with the
Valley Partridge. It also extends through
Arizona and New Mexico, but always is found
in the vicinity of water. Generally it is shyer
than the Valley Quail, but I consider a week's
trip after them worth a month's with the
latter. Fred. W. Koch.

Twin Oaks, California.

J. Parker Norris has added to his cabinet
a fine set of four eggs of the Duck Hawk,
taken on Mount Tom, Mass., on May 6,
i<S93, by H. W. Smith. They are beautiful
specimens.

The Condor, when rising from the earth,
always describes circles in the air, and can
rise in no other way.

Malformations in Birds.

Numerous instances of malformations in
birds and mammals have been brought to
my notice, but I have never seen a case,
aside from this one, in which the capacity
of the mouth was curtailed in the slightest
degree. \\'e are all familiar with the gap-
ing mouths of young birds in the nest, and
it would seem to an observer that the chief
aim of these nestlings was to open the beak
to the widest extent" and engulf the food
brought to them by the old birds. Yet if
one will but recall the manner of feeding
the young in the case of the common Turtle
Dove, passenger Pigeon and domestic Pigeon,
it will be quickly seen that a wide distension
of the mandibles is not always necessary.
The young of these species secures its sus-
tenance from the crop of the parent birds.
The food taken by the old birds is mace-
rated and mixed with a milky substance,
and is then regurgitated into the mouth of
the nestling, as all have obser\'ed. This
peculiar process gives rise to the not inapt
term " sucking doves."

One day when hunting for sijccimens in
the month of June I saw two Turtle or Mourn-
ing Doves, evidently a pair, feeding in a
field, and quickly detected a marked pecu-
liarity in the manner of one of them. The
oddity would not pick up its food in the
usual manner of Doves, but invariably
dropped its head on the right side and
seemed to scoop up the substance. After
watching it for a time, I shot it. It was a
healthy, well-nourished female, and had re-
cently been setting, as absence of abdominal
feathers proved, and at the time had young
undoubtedly, as indicated by the condition
of the crop.

The whole left side of its bill was closed
by a tenacious yet elastic tissue which held
the mandibles together. This tissue also
covered the tip of the bill and extended
three sixteenths of an inch back from the
tip on the right side. On the left side there

92

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. iS-No. 6

was but slight enlargement at any part, but
the region about the nostril was somewhat
corrugated. On the right side the imiier-
fect mandibles were exceedingly delicate
and slender, and more resembled the squab
bill than that of an adult bird. The o]ien-
ing to the mouth was over five eighths of an
inch in length, and could be spread by a
little pressure to slightly over one -fourth of
an inch, though it may be doubted if the
bird could distend it to this width. Nature;
which had so oddly formed this bill, had
evidently endeavored to make amends for the
deformity by giving great mobility to the jxarts.

It is singular that a bird in this condition
should have reached maturity, but it is most
remarbable that it should rear young. One
point is evident to all ; no species outside
of the Pigeon family could receive or furnish
nourishment when in this condition.

Morris Gibhs, M.n.

Kalamazoo, Michigan.

A Few Facts about the Turkey
Buzzard.

During the last two months I have been
travelling through the Southern Atlantic
States ; and being fortunate in having my
own private car, I was better able to learn
the following facts about the Turkey Buzzard.

For fear some may think me negligent in
not giving the Latin name of this bird, 1 will
freely confess that my knowledge of Cssar's
language is confined to that gentleman's first
three books, and I do not think that the
Turkey Buzzard is mentioned therein.

The Buzzard is justly named the scaven-
ger, and it was only a few years ago these
birds ridded the Washington market of much
of its garbage.

The first noticeable characteristic is the
flight. The wings are seldom flapped, the
bird soaring for long intervals with scarcely
any exertion. It often seemed as if it woiild
fall sideways over on its back as it gracefully
swayed one way and then another. As it
swayed from siile to side away up in the sky,

it strongly reminded me of a ship rolling in
a heavy swell. Its powers for making head-
way in a wind are not great, and it- is com-
pelled to beat one way and then another in
order to make any progress. 1 once noticed
one on a windy day crossing a small field,
and where many other birds would have
quickly vanished it took the Buzzard a long
time to cover two hundred yards. It is
forced to run some distance before being able
to rise from the ground. On the ground it is
extremely awkward.

They are easy of approach when gorged,
and hesitate to leave their food ; sometimes,
however, I ha\e been unable to get near
them. I ha\e seen many carcasses from
which odors of all degrees emanated, but
which had been left untouched by the Buz-
zards ; this I cannot account for. When any
offal is discovered by one of these birds, it
soars high above, sinking gradually ; their
eyesight must be powerful, as hundreds will
soon see the lucky one and gather around
to partake. The eyes of any dead animal
seem to be the favorite morsel, as they are
always the first to be picked out.

A'. //. White, Jr.

Chestnut Hill, Mass.

Nesting Habits of the Great Horned
Owl.

It appears to be generally believed by
ornithologists and oologists that the Great
Horned Owl will occupy the same nest for a
number of years, even after being frequently
molested. Although my experience is some-
what limited, owing to the scarcity of that
specie in this locality, as only five nests have
come under my observation, it does not es-
tablish the fact to the contrary, and yet it
has been my misfortune in every case to find
it otherwise.

My first was an open nest in a large beech
tree, and contained three young Owls when
found. They were left in the nest to mature
unmolested, with the hopes of collecting a
set of eggs there the following sea.son. The

June, 1893.]

AND OOLOGIST.

93

next spring I visited the nest frequently,
but no owls appeared in that locality.

My second was an open nest in a beech
tree and contained two young Owls, about
half grown when found. They were allowed
to mature in the nest unmolested, and in the
following spring the nest was unoccupied.

The third and fourth were both open nests
and found by Albert and Elmer Durfee.

From one of these nests they took a set of
three eggs and the other contained young
birds, which were left in the nest undisturbed.

I visited both of these nests the following
spring and found them unoccupied, and no
Owls could be seen in the woods.

The fifth nest was found by myself, situ-
ated in a hole in the side of a basswood tree,
from which I took a set of two fresh eggs on
March 20, 1892 ; and up to the present date,
March 24, 1S93, there is no appearance of
the Great Horned Owl occupying the same
cavity this spring.

I should like to hear from other collectors
with more extended experience on this sub-
ject, so that we might be able to ascertain
what proportion of Great Horned Owls' nests
found, have been occupied the following
season. James B. Pitrdy.

Plymouth, Michigan.

Notes on Arkansas Flycatchers in
Towner County, North Dakota.

Last season I took notes of two nests of
the Arkansas Flycatcher. It was the first in
my three years' collecting here that this
species was noted, and the fact of their nest-
ing here the same year added a double in-
terest to me. The first time I saw them
was June 12, and my attention was attracted
by their cries, and it is a peculiar cry they
have, too ; once heard, not easily forgotten.
This pair was seen and heard nearly every
day, and we noted them looking in all sorts
of places for a spot to build, which they finally
did the last of the month. The site they
finally selected was on an old binder that
stood within ten rods of the school-house

where from twenty to thirty children were
playing every day.

The nest and eggs vv-ere taken July 5, by
E. S. Bryant, of Phcenix, N.Y., who was
collecting here at the time. The nest con-
tained three eggs, which were fresh. The
set was not complete, or at least I did not
think so, but Mr. B. w-as to leave for home
the next day and he wanted them. This
pair of birds left and did not return to the
vicinity again.

I took the other set July 16. The nest
was placed on a part of the wind-mill pump
at the railroad station and was within reach
of my hand from the ground. The nest was
bulky and composed of various materials,
this set was complete, four eggs ; incubation
one half or more. This nest was seen by
Mr. B. just before he left and we thought
that it was the same pair of birds building a
second nest. I did not go near them, with
one exception, until I went to get the eggs,
as I did not wish to call any attention to
them. From the closeness of the dates of
the two sets of eggs, there must ha\e been
twopairof birds when we had noticed but one.

It seems strange that these birds should
have chosen such exposed places when they
are usually credited with being very shy.

Several pair were seen on the shores of
Devil's Lake, but none were seen at Turtle
Mountain during the season.

In January issue of " O. & O." Mr. James
B. Purdy writes of the breeding of the
Canada (ieese in captivity as something
rather unusual. I know of several flocks
here. I have seen one goose raise two
broods. The first year, 1891, she laid and
hatched four eggs and raised them to ma-
turity. She was then three years old. Last
season the same goose laid twelve eggs ;
eleven hatched, one egg was unfertile. Ten
goslings were raised and are now ali\e.
They run out in all kinds of weather, but
are protected nights and have plenty of
care. Can give fuller particulars if required.
Elmer F. Jitdd.

94

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-N0. 6

THE

ORNITHOLOGISTp.iS>OOLOGIST

A MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF

NATURAL HISTORY,

ESPECIALLY DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OF

BIRDS,

THEIR NESTS AND EGGS,

AND TO THE

INTERESTS OF NATURALISTS.

Under ihe Editorial ^L^nagement of
FR.'\NK: B. WEBSTER, . . Hyde Park, Mass.

J. PARKER NORRIS, . . . Philadelphia, Pa.

rt'BLISHED AT THE

MUSEUM AND NATURALISTS' SUPPLY DEPOT

OF THE

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER COMPANY,

1NC0RP0R.\TED,

HYDE PARK, MASS.

The O. & O. IS mailed each issue to every paid subscriber.
If you fail to receive it, notify us.

Editor of "O & or :

I have tried your new auxiliary barrel, and
found it e.xceeded my highest expectations
for shooting. It throws dust shot with force
enough to kill large birds at seventy-five feet,
and does not shoot small birds to pieces. 1
also find it a great saving in ammunition.

//. L. Moiilcux.

Fresno, Cal.

I took a fine specimen of Richardson's
Owl the 20th of February, the first I have
ever seen here, although 1 have heard of such
an Owl being seen.

Other bird life consisting of flocks of Snow
Flakes, now and then a White Owl and a
few Shar])-tail Grouse. Elmer T.JiidJ.

Finds.

March 25, Great Horned Owl, 3 eggs, in
white oak ; April 9, Crow, 5 eggs, in soft
maple ; April 9, White-rumped Shrike, 3
eggs, in osage; April 12, Crow, 5 eggs.

Carl Frltz-Heinihig.

Boone, Iowa.

Please send us notes of your collecting
trips. They will be welcome.

An American Egret was shot by E. W.
Champlin, in cedar swamp, Ocean View,
R.I., first of June. C. G. Diiiiu.

We received in March a Pig. It had i
head, 4 ears, 2 bodies, 8 legs — a perfect
darling. C. K. Reed.

Worcester, Mass.

Editor of O. & or :

This morning I took down the key to my
"museum," which has been closed since
November, when I finished arranging the
results of my summer's collecting. I opened
up the room, dusted out, looked to my nests
and eggs to see if they were all right, and
examined my bird skins to see that none
were spoiled. Then I got down my note-
book and journal and started to look over
them. P)efore I had got very far, I remem-
bered that it had been some time since I had
wTitten to the " O. & O.," so I picked up a
few sheets of paper and commenced looking
for items of interest.

I did not do much collecting last season.
To commence with, I sprained my ankle
just about the time the birds commenced
laying, and was only able to do a little col-
lecting around the cemeteries.

April 17, as I was going along one of our
principal streets, a bird came fluttering down
on top of my head. I was rather surprised
on looking down to behold a Least Bittern.
As it was flying over it had struck one of the
tall buildings. This is a rare bird for this
vicinity, this being the only one I ever found,
or rather the only one that ever found me.

June 17, found a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher's
nest about two miles south of the city. It
was in the crotch of a young oak tree about
10 feet from the ground. It contained
young.

I found eight nests of Goldfinch, only one
contained eggs, howe\ er. This is the largest
number ever found by me in one season.

December 9, saw a Chipping Sparrow in
a tree in the park. W. E. I\/tilllke>i.

Grand Rapids, Mich.

June, 1893.}

AND OOLOGIST.

95

Poor Datas.

I have got just a few words I want to say
in relation to this important subject, and
this time it is not the young collector as
much as the older one that is at fault. My
experience has been that the men that ha\ e
had the most experience write the poorest
datas.

I have during the last few seasons (and
probably a lot of my brother collectors can
sympathize with me) received datas from
quite a number of the different States, and I
tell you they are a curiosity in themselves.
Some of them would puzzle a lawyer to tell
what State the nest was found in, to say
nothing of getting any nearer to the bird's
place of abode.

Now, gendemen, do not think because
voii are familiar with the names of your
different lakes, ponds, flats, different kinds
of trees, bushes, etc., that every other col-
lector in the wide world is also.

Now here is one before me, written for a
set of American Coot. Yes, I guess they
were taken in California, I can make that
out, but that is as near as I can get to it.
Now California is quite a large State, and
sometimes it would be a great convenience
to know whether they were taken in the
northern or southern part.

Here is another one written for a set of
White-rumped Shrike. There is no number
on it, no set mark, and when they come to
the most important part of the data (the
description of the nest), they write, as large
as life : " Nest in a shade tree accompanying
eggs."

Now that collector forgets that we were
not with him when that set was taken. \\'e
do not know whether it was in a birch or a
pine tree, whether it was in the heart of a
great city or in some wild barren woods ;
whether it was six feet high or sixty, and it
would be hard to tell whether the nest or
the tree went with the set ; but as the tree
was not sent, I suppose it meant the nest.

Now all of this trouble could be easily
avoided by a little care. Do not write a
data so that whoever receives it has got to
guess at the larger part of it. Take time.
Write them plainly. Give all the details in
regard to the nest that the data will allow,
and I feel satisfied that you will receive the
blessing of every collector that has any
dealings with you.

Charles S. Butters.

Haverhill, Mass.

Large Eggs of the Field Sparrow.

In reviewing some back volumes of the
" O. & O.," I noticed the article in November
number, 1888, "Remarkable eggs of the
Field Sparrow," by Mr. J. P. Norris, in which
he records an unusually large egg, measuring
•79X.55. It is one of a set of three, the
others being of normal size.

I have in my collection a still larger set,
both in size and number, it being a set of
five collected by me June 9, 1884. All of
the eggs in this set are abnormally large,
measuring as follows : .81 x .55 ; .80 x .54 ;
. Sox. 53; .77X.51,; .7SX. 51. The nest
was built in a hazlenut bush, two feet from
the ground, in a bushy jsasture.

To illustrate the great ^•ariation in size
and shape of the eggs of this species I will
give the measurements of a set of four col-
lected May 26, 1 89 1, the nest just raised
from off the ground in a bunch of goldenrod :
.62 X .52 ; .63 X .52 ; .64 X .50 : .67 x .52.

This is one of our most common birds in
the breeding season, and displays as much
variation in the situation of the nest as in
their eggs. I ha\ e found them on the ground
under a small bush or bunch of weeds, barely
raised from the ground in a tussock of grass
or small bush ; also to the height of five feet
in a bush or brier. I remember one nest
built in a bush under a large tree in a heavy
piece of woodland, but they are generally
.situated in a scrubby, bushy field.

G. L. IL

Bethel, Conn.

SPECIAL PRICES FOR 1893.

POSTAGE MUST BE ADDED.

The a\ L'ra^e postal

11 a cigar box oi E^i^^ i-^ id cent

A.O.l

. Nos.

3

Horned Grebe

4

American Eared Grebe

^

St. Doinino-o Grebe

C

Fied-billed' Grebe

7

Loon . . . .

9

Hlack-throated Loon

1 1

Red-tbroated Loon

ij

Tutted Puffin

1,3

Puffin . . . ,

- /

IJlack (kiillemot .

-y

Piyeon Guillemot

3"

^[l^■re . . . .

30a

California Murre .

31

15nninich".s Murre

31-1

Pallas's Murre

3-!

Razor-billed Auk .

35

Skua . . . ,

37

Parasitic Jaeger

40

Kittiwake

4:;

Cilaucous Gull

47

(ireat Black-backed Gull

49

Western Gull

51

llerrina; Gull

51a

American Ilerrint; Gull

53

California Gull

54

Rint;-bil!ed Gull .

[5^>]

Mew Gull .

58

Laugbino; Gull

59

Franklin's Gull

63

Gull-billed Tern .

64

Caspian Tern

65

Royal Tern .

67

Cabot's Tern

69

Forster's Tern

70

Common Tern

71

Arctic Tern .

/-

Roseate Tern

74

Least Tern

75

Sooty Tern .

[76]

Bridled Tern

77

Black Tern .

79

Xodd\- . . . .

80

Black Skinuuer

86

Fulmar . . . .

[90]

Manx Shearwater .

9-

^Vudidion's Shearwater .

104

Stormy Petrel

106

Leach's Petrel

117

Gannet . . . .

iiS

Anhinija

119

Cormorant

120

Double-crested Coruiora

1 20a

Florida Cormorant

122

Brandt's Cormorant

123b

Baird's Cormorant

1-5

American White Pelican

126

Brown Pelican

12S

Man-o'-War Bird .

1-9

American Meri^anser

130

Red-breasted Merganser

'3-

Mallard

133

Black Duck .

[13S]

European Teal

$0 20
13

20
6
So
75
50
5"
12
20
40

15
40
12
40
3S
20
60

^5
20

15
10

15
15

20
10
30
20
18
10
5
5
12

5

15
75

S
IS

S
3"
40
75
30
15
25
15

20

15
So
60

139 Green-winged Teal

140 I>lue-winged Teal .

141 Cinnamon Teal

142 Shoveller

143 Pintail .

144 Wood Duck .

146 Redhead

151 American Golden-eye

152 Barrow's Golden-eje

154 Old-squaw

155 Harlequin Duck .

159 CTi'cenland Eider .

160 American Eider

167 Ruddy Duck .

169a (ireater Snow Goose

[171] White-fronted Goose

172 Canada Goose

172a Hutchin's Goose .

177 Black-bellied Tree-duck

[179] Whooping Swan .

182 American Flamingo

183 Roseate Spoonbill

1S4 White Ibis .

1S6 Glossy Il:)is

187 Wliite-faced Glossy Ibi>

188 Wood Ibis .

190 American Bittern .

191 Least Bittern

192 Great White lleron

'93 Ward's Heron

194 Great Blue Heron .

[195] European Blue Heron

196 American Egret

197 Snow\' Heron

19S Reddish Egret

199 I^ouisiana Heron .

200 Little Blue Heron

201 Green Heron

202 Black-crowned Night Heron

203 Yellow-crowned Night Heron

207 Limpkin . . . . .

208 King Rail

21 1 Clapper Rail .

212 Virginia Rail

[213] Spotted Crake

214 Sora

[217] Corn Crake .

21S Purple Gallinvde .

219 Florida Gallinule .

[220] European Coot

221 American Coot

223 Northern Phalarope

224 Wilson's Phalarope

225 American Ayocet .

226 Black-necked Stilt

22S American Woodcock

[229] European Snipe .

230 Wilson's Snipe

[243] Dunlin .

249 Marbled Godvyit .

2S2 Black-tailed Godsyit

[2sS] WiUet .

[260] Ruff

261 Bartramian Sandpiper

ORNITHOLOGIST

— A^D —

OOLOGIST.

PUBLISHED BY THE FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER COMPANY.

ESTABLISHED MARCH, 1875.

$1.00 per
Annum.

Single Copy

10 cents.

Vol. XVIII.

HYDE PARK, MASS., JVLY, 1893.

No. 7.

Canadian Eagle.

It was during the recent winter that, being
in Montreal, Canada, I had the good fortune
of acquiring from the dean of a medical in-
stitution a grand specimen of the Golden
Eagle (^Aquila C/irysaetos).

The facts of the procural of this Eagle are
the following : It was shot on Montagne
Rougemont (Johnson Mountain) in a sugar
bush owned by the above dean and operated
by his habitant or farmer.

This mountain is situated at a distance of
36 miles from Montreal and 3 miles from
St. Cesaire, Rouville Count}', P.Q. Johnson
Mountain is a bold, rugged, wooded emi-
nence rising to a height of perhaps two
thousand feet. It, however, seems higher on
account of its being almost solitary amongst
vast level stretches of farms, for which this
section is noted and which extend miles in
all directions.

But to continue. This eagle was shot the
1 8th of March, 1893. I received it frozen
and mounted it a few days afterwards.

I here append a few measurements which
I took after the thawing out of the bird.
They were taken as carefully as possible,
from the sole fact, as you perhaps know, that
Eastern specimens of the Golden Eagle are
few and far between :

Sex, female ; weight, 10 lbs. 14 oz. ; extent,
84 inches (7 feet) ; wing, 27 inches; length
(beak to tip of tail), 35^^ inches; length
(beak to end of claw) , 34 inches ; tail, 1 5
inches; thigh, 7j^ inches; tarsus, 5 inches;

toe (middle,) 2?/^ inches; toe (hind) 1)/^
inches; claw (inner), 2% inches; claw
(hind), 2% inches; mandible (tipper, with
cere), 3 inches.

One can judge of the strength of such a
bird when the tape, stretched around its
thigh, indicates 7 inches, and around its head
nine inches ; whereas the girth of the body
around closed wings measures 27 inches.

It is on close examination that you per-
ceive just how those long, bear-like claws
and powerful mandibles, combined with a
powerful thick muscled raptoral body, and
lastly that immense stretch of wings, can
with ease make a Hare give its last squeak ; a
Grouse whirr for the last time ; a stray Lamb
carried exultingly upward ; and, as history
sometimes tells us, a child left by its mother
fiown away with and devoured at leisure.

The weight of a large Bald Eagle, of which
I have measurements, was but 9 pounds ;
though in extent, with tape stretched across
its wings, gave the grand spread of 7 feet 4
inches.

That Golden Eagles have for years past
been breeding on this Canadian mountain, I
doubt not, for on many a rocky crag could
their eyries have been built and they have
reared their young in safety from man ; for
rarely are those crags inspected, if ever, by
enterprising oologists or even ornithologists.
Even that highly educated dean didn't know
whether it was a large Hawk or an immature
Bald Eagle ! But the feathered tarsus plainly
revealed its identity. Albert M. Roberts.

Holyoke, Mass.

Copyright, 1893, by Frank Biake Webster CoMrANy.

98

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-No. 7

Spring Notes from Philadelphia.

Unfortunately, I have not had enough
leisure to make observations on the migra-
tion every day, but have been tied down to
a few days each week.

I noted the first Robins and Crackles in
any numbers on March 12. Song Sparrows
came about the same time, and , immense
flocks of them could be found among the
willows in the meadows. On March 27th
a few stray Warblers showed up, chiefly
Yellow-rumps. The Woodpeckers and Fly-
catchers came at about the same time. By
April ist the Tree and Fox Sparrows had all
left, and I think the Juncos and White-
throat Sparrows left about the same time. I
was away for two weeks then, and had to
trust to hearsay. By April 21st the War-
blers were coming in numbers, they being
Yellow-rumps, Yellow Red-poles, Black-
throated Blue and Black- throated Green.

May I St I was out all the afternoon in
woods and fields, and saw, besides the above
many S Maryland Yellow-throats and Black-
white Creepers.

May 3d I was out again, and saw many
9 Maryland Yellow- throats, and fewer ^'s.

On May ist I saw no ?, which seems to
mean that the sexes migrate separately.

May 7lh I saw many Wood and Brown
Thrushes, and many pairs of Oven-birds.

May 9th I walked along the bank of the
Schuylkill in Fairmount Park, and had a most
delightful afternoon. It was quite warm,
and with very little breeze. The sun was
bright and the air full of the scent of flowers.
Birds were singing all around, but I recog-
nized very few of the songs. Among those
I knew, that of the Catbird was prominent.
I saw one sitting on a grapevine, singing
away for all he was worth. I stole up near
him, and began to squeak and whistle in a
manner that would have frightened any other
bird, but it only angered him. He turned
towards me, and tried to drown me out with
his song, and when I stopped, gave several

curious notes, probably of triumph at silenc-
ing a rival. One in particular was very cu-
rious, quite different from anything I have
ever heard before. It was a quick, low
cuttyJniiikcrhunk in a hoarse, tremulous
tone. While I was looking around for more
birds, I heard a song that I've often heard
before and never traced. I worked hard
over this one, stealing right under the tree
whence it came. It was a loud, clear wisk-
eiiciv thrice repeated, making the woods
ring. I swept the trees with my glasses, but
no bird could I see, which was most aggra-
vating, for it seemed as if he was nigh at
hand. Finally, I threw a stick up among
the boughs, and a little brown bird darted
out, and lighting in a bush quite near,
after remarking c/iick, chick, repeated his
zvislicnc~v. I looked at him carefully, and
decided he was a Wren very quickly ; but
which one, I don't know yet. He was ruddy
brown above, dirty white beneath, with a
pronounced, gray superciliary line, and an
ashy cheek-patch. His tail was short, but I
couldn't see the pattern. He seemed larger
than the House Wren. His bill was about
two thirds of his head, I should say.

On walking further, I saw in a thicket a
Thrush that I think was the Olive-backed,
but it was too dark to see well.

Down at the shore I looked over to a
little island, about thirty feet out, and in a
willow there I saw a pair of what I am firm-
ly persuaded were Blue-gray Gnatcatchers.
They hid down among the branches, and
from there dropped into the long grass, and
were lost to view. Back in the woods I saw a
Wilson's Thrush and many Warblers, chiefly
Maryland Yellow-throats. I saw a few $
Black-throated Blue Warblers, and one in-
conspicuous Olive and Gray Warbler that I
think was the ? Black- throated Blue.

Up in the woods on the hills back of the
river I flushed Uvo Golden-winged Wood-
peckers, and saw a Least Flycatcher and two
Pewees. Herbert W. Congdon.

1336 Spruce St., Philadelphia.

July, 1893.]

AND OOLOGIST.

99

A Taxidermist's Gun.

I was in a predicament. Probably I am
not the only one. I was going to school
five days in the week and working on a
"ranch" every Saturday.

I could not take my shotgun to school with
me, nor could I hunt on Sunday ; yet I
couldn't slight the birds, and the spring
days were passing rapidly without much ef-
fect upon my collection. Something had to
be done, and to the best of my financial abil-
ity I did it.

One evening I created no small sensation
in the family by coming home from school
bearing in state an old 45 calibre " Colt's
Navy" that had crossed the plains in 1849.
It was a villianous looking weapon, to be
sure, and a little out of date, but it's a poor
gun that's not better than no gun at all.

The gunsmith cut the rifling for fifty cents
and my Indian tamer was transformed into
a bird call. The barrel proper is but 8
inches long, but with paper cartridges I
brought a California Cuckoo completely life-
less from the top of a willow 30 or 40 ft. high.

A convenient clarinet case of my brother's
makes my outfit complete and with the un-
offending disguise of a less dangerous instru-
ment, my pipe (as the teachers call it) ac-
companies me on my 4 mile walk to school
every morning.

It is not a perfect taxidermist's gun, but
many a specimen in my cabinet 1 owe to
this magic " pipe." If my brother student
be cramped by a school-boy's pocketbook,
let him go anil do likewise, and according
to my experience he will be repaid.

Loye Miller.

Riverside, Cal.

Notes from Iowa.

I will mention a few of my finds of this

, season. A nest and two eggs of the Brown

Creeper ; nest between loose bark and body

of Cottonwood. Eggs partially incubated;

bird shot. A nest of common Crow contain-

ing nine eggs. A set of five albino eggs of
the Bluebird. \ set of five Catbird eggs,
spotted with dark brown, and a set of two
Krider's Red-tail Hawk — not bad for rare
or unusual sets. I have collected skins of
Yellow Prothonotory, Chestnut-sided, Black-
throated Blue, Black-throated Green, Bay-
breasted, Pine Creeping, Magnolia, Blue-
wing Yellow,Golden-winged, Tennessee, Myr-
tle, Nashville, Prairie and Golden Crowned
Warblers and Yellow-breasted Chat. Quite
a fair result for one season. All were shot
with a 22 calibre Merwin Hurlburt, Junior,
rifle and shot cartridges. G. H. Berry.

Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Nesting of the Hooded Warbler.

This beautiful little Warbler is one of the
rarest Warblers I have the pleasure of study-
ing. They usually arrive here the first week
in May and soon commence their nest build-
ing, and full sets are completed by the first
week in June. They choose for their nesting-
site some large piece of woods, usually high
land, well filled with small undergrowth, and
then place their nest in a small thick beech
or maple bush, usually from 12 to 24 inches
from the ground ; but I took a set this
season thirty-nine inches high.

The nest is a plain structure, composed
of dried leaves and vegetable material, occa-
sionally lined with a little horse hair and a
few spider webs outside. It is quite bulky
for the bird, and one would think easy
enough to find ; but when you enter a large
piece of woods so well filled with small under-
growth that you cannot see ten feet ahead
you will find it quite necessary to get down
on your hands and knees to look for their
nests.

I have found them readily, and have looked
two or three hours in this way for them ; yet
the longer I look the stronger are the ties
for that particular nest. You rarely ever see
the male bird, and if the female is sitting
you have nothing to guide you : but even

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-N0. 7

then the Cowbird has often found it ahead
of me and left her mark.

I think the most secreted nest of the
Hooded Warbler I ever found had been
visited by the Cowbird.

Although I find nests of other species of
Warblers, I take more pleasure in looking
after Sylvania mifrafa nests under those
difficulties than any other, unless it is the
Blackburnian, although I have never been
able to find but one set of their eggs. I suc-
ceeded in taking seven sets of the Hooded
Warbler this season, five sets with four eggs
each, and two sets of three. I have never
taken a set of five. Eighty per cent, in my
experience contain four eggs.

Aim on E. Kibbe.
Mayville, N.Y.

Detroit, Mich., 1891 Notes.

April 29. I went out along Green Avenue
to-day and took my first 1S91 eggs — sets of
four and five. Song Sparrows from nests
along the road. Saw my first Bobolink.

May 2. Bluebird ; set of five eggs from a
nest in hole of poplar.

May 15. Meadow Lark; set of six eggs
from a well hidden nest in a field at foot of
Medbury Avenue. The Lark does not seem
to breed here as commonly as in former
years.

May 24. H. Allis and I went collecting
in the swamps near Voight's woods.

Olive-backed Thrush ; I found two nests
containing four eggs each. The nests were
in low bushes, and were shrouded over with
green leaves, and were very jaretty structures ;
each contained a Cowbird's egg. I never
found any nests of this Thrush before.

Brown Thrasher ; set of three eggs from
nest in a small bush. The 9 made a great
fuss when disturbed.

Yellow-billed Cuckoo ; found a nest con-
taining one fresh egg, and another two half-
fledged young.

Wilson's Thrush ; took a set of four eggs
and one of the Cowbird. The \'iery does not

breed here as commonly as the Wood Thrush.
Took one egg of the latter.

May 27. Wilson's Thrush, three eggs, and
Catbird four eggs. H. Allis shot a $ Myrtle
Warbler, but we failed to find the nest, if
there was one.

May 31. Wood Thrush; set of four fresh
eggs. This Thrush is a most exquisite song-
ster, particularly in rainy weather, when his
clear, ringing notes seem to be far sweeter.

June 5. L Claire Wood and I went col-
lecting in Chestnut Ridge. Took a set of
five Bluebird eggs from a hollow jjost. Wood
killed a very large Woodchuck in the woods.

Scarlet Tanager ; found a nest in an iron-
wood tree, 16 feet up, containing four incu-
bated eggs. Claire shot the $ and ? . The
nest was extremely fragile. The Tanager
breeds very rarely here, the only other nest
I know of being one Mr. Wood took on
Belle Isle on June 12, 1887, with one egg.

Red-shouldered Hawk ; a nest in a tall
oak tree, containing three young. The nest
contained two snakes.

Crow ; found a nest with four large young
nearly ready to fly. I took one home with
me and it remained till .August, 1S92, when
it died.

June 8. Wood and I went out to High-
land Park. Took a set of four spotted eggs
of the Wilson's Thrush, and 3 Catbirds.
Shot two Woodcock in a swamp, and two
Scarlet Tanagers, $ Redstart, Yellow-billed
Cuckoo, Ovenbird, Wood Phoebe, Vesper
Sparrow, Brown Thrasher, etc., in the woods.

June 10. Went collecting on Grassy Island
in the Detroit River, with the Wood brothers.
We collected 68 Marsh Wren, 36 Florida
Gallinules, one set of Eight Horned Grebe,
three sets of Black Terns, two of three and
one of two ; and one set of one Red-winged
Blackbird. We had hard work getting them,
as the sharp reeds cut our legs and bodies
up badly.

June 12. We went down to the marshes
again and had splendid success, getting fifty
Gallinule, 35 Coots, 40 Marsh Wrens, 76

July, 1S93.]

AND OOLOGIST.

Black Tern, 20 Horned Grebes, 20 Pied-
billed Grebes, one Blackbird and two Least
Bittern eggs. The Black Tern were in
swarms. A pair of American Bitterns nest
here, but we couldn't find the nest.

June 30. Found a nest of tne Wood
Phoebe at St. Clair containing one egg and
two young. The nest was a most beautiful
structure of lichens saddled on the bough of
an apple tree.

July 30. Saw a fine Bald Elagle flying
down the St. Clair River. It lit on a tele-
graph pole on the river wall for a few min-
utes. Miss M. Ellen Lane saw him again
later.

July 31. American Goldfinch; set of four
eggs from nest in an apple tree 15 feet up.

B. II. Sivales.
Detroit, Mich.

Old Orchard, St. Louis Co., Mo.

"Who can do better?" asks Mr. S. R.
Ingers;.ll ("O. & O.," XVHL 5, page 77)
after naming 14 species nesting within 300
feet of his " home among the birds."

While this may be an excellent showing
for some parts of the country, it could hardly
be considered extraordinarj' in this Missis-
sippi Valley.

To the general reader who has not taken
actual measure, it is proper to say that a 300
foot limit line around a country house incloses
a much larger area than one might suppose.

Within 300 feet of my house I counted
not less than 280 trees of 30 different kinds,
besides a large kitchen garden, flower garden,
vineyard, part of a pasture, part of 2 ponds,
outbuildings, lawn, rockroad, etc.

It is true that I took pains to attract birds
by putting up bird-boxes, stumps with holes,
brush piles, etc., and also that birds are never
molested. They can eat all the peas, cher-
ries, berries, pears and grapes they want
(and I think the whole damage don't amount
to 50 cents a year) ; they can drink all the
water they want, build wherever they want

and can make all the noise tBey want — the
more the better.

The following is a list of all the birds found
nesting within the 300 foot limit ; the num-
bers mean pairs, not nests ; some breed, of
course, more than once in a season, and in
some boxes three broods are raised in one
season, for instance, two broods of Bluebirds
and afterwards a brood of House Wrens.
Woodthrush, i ; Martin, 7 :

Kingbird, i ; Robin, 2 ;

Chippy, 2 ; Great-crested, i ;

Mockingbird, 2 ; Field Sparrow, i ;

Phoebe, i ; Catbird, 4 ;

Towhee, i ; Pewee, i ;

Thrasher, i ; Cardinal, i ;

Traill's, i ; Bluebird, 2 ;

Rose-breast, i ; Swift, i ;

Tufted Tit, i ; Indigo, i ;

Redhead, i ; Bewick's Wren, i ;

Baltimore, i ; Flicker, i ;

House Wren, 6 : Orchard O., 2 ;

Mourning dove, i ; Maryland Vellow-
Br. Grackle, 4 ; throat, i ;

European Tree Spar- Warbling Mreo, 2 ;

rows, many pairs; Bluejay, 2.

Another sjiecies reared within 300 feet is
the Molothrus. One young Cowbird was
reared by a Pipilo and another by a Pewee.
An extension of 150 feet would add such
species as Horned Lark, Dickcissel, Meadow
Lark, Lark Finch, etc.

O. \Vidi)iaiin.

A Utah Egging Trip.

One beautiful morning we left .American
Fork bound for the lake, our party consisting
of the captain, an old sea dog who still " hank-
ers " after the water but pretends to go with us
boys to see that we do not get drowned, also
two young friends, interested in anything that
flies, and myself. On the way to the lake
we met a boy who said he had just scared up
a bird with an awful long bill, so we impressed
him into the sendee and he took us to a fine
nest of four Wilson's Snipe, eggs all laying
with their points together in a nest of dry

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. iS-No. 7

grass in a littfe hollow close to an irrigating
ditch. Gathering them into a collecting box
we proceeded to the lake and in a very few
minutes had the moorings to the " Sea Gull "
cast off and were standing off towards a large
slough or swamp that we proposed to explore.

The day looked windy, and I might ex-
plain that the mountain squalls are peculiarly
violent here ; but on this day we did not
care for the looks of the weather as we were
off for specimens. Anchoring off the mouth
of the creek that empties into the lake from
the swamp, we soon were in the small skiff
and pushing up the creek through the tules.
Every moment some one would see a Yellow-
Headed Blackbird's nest or a Tule Wren's,
which we would examine ; but it was unsat-
isfactory collecting the latter, as each pair of
birds appear to construct at least five decoy
nests, and hence it was a long task to get
many nests with eggs. Every litde while
some other nest was discovered and we found
on reaching the yacht that we had a set of
10 Mallards, three sets of American Coot,
one set of American Bittern, and one set of
some kind of (ioose or Swan. The latter
eggs were in a large nest floating on the
creek, but were spoiled and had evidently
been left by the old birds on account of the
rising water.

We next set sail for the opposite shore of
die lake, some ten miles distant, where we
arri\ed in a short time. Leaving the cap-
tain to run the yacht, we boys went ashore
and walk for some five miles along in the
sage bushes and found in this walk ten sets
of Sage Thrasher's eggs. This bird was the
commonest of any we observed on the west
shore of the lake, and every nest we found
w-as built in a greasewood bush about two
feet from the ground, and constructed of dry
greasewood twigs and lined with bark and
sheep wool. The eggs were four and five,
but five principally, and were most beauti-
ful, being of an irridescent green with brirk-
red spots.

We found a Burrowing Owl's nest and

hailed the yacht for something to dig it out
with, but as a couple pair of oars did not
make good spades we ga\e it up as a bad
job. Just about this time one of the boys
discovered a Blow Snake, which got away,
but it seemed to be at least six feet long, and
indeed this is not an unusual length for this
snake. .About three o'clock the wind, which
had been quite strong, began to develop into
a little gale and we were obliged to go aboard
and get the yacht off the lee shore. We made
for Pelican Point, some six miles distant, in
hopes of rounding the same and obtaining
shelter, but the wind increased so suddenly
that by the time we were about five miles it
was blowing so that we were obliged to take
in even the close-reefed jib sail and anchor.
The boys not appreciating supper in the
high seas that were running, we all put off
for the shore, where they discovered a dug-
out in which lived a Danish family. On
learning our plight they took us in and were
hospitality itself. I do not suppose that
many of the readers of the " O. & O." have
seen a dug-out, but for solid comfort in a
hard storm out on the sage plains or desert
I would prefer a good, large, clean dug-out
to any camp I know of.

By the following morning the storm had
lifted somewhat and we managed to get our
skiff into a large patch of tules and swamp
that was near, and here we found many more
Yellow Heads and Mudhen's eggs. A Loon
was out in the lake, but my rifle either could
not go straight or else I could not point it
straight, and I only succeeded in frightening
it away. About noon we got up a corner of
our jib sail and made a run before the wind
of ten miles to Springville Lake, where we
arrived at one o'clock with two sea-sick boys
on board. On entering the gap into the
lake we anchored in perfectly calm water and
right in the midst of a perfect archipeligo.
The little boat was immediately called into
service and we began explorations. Almost
the first thing that we saw was an island simply
covered with Great Blue Herons and we

July,, 1 893-]

AND OOLOGIST.

103

counted about 60 nests built fiat on tiie tules
(tiiere being no trees in that part of the
countrj'). After talcing some good sets of
these eggs, we went all around among the
islands and found some American Eared
Grebe and also one set of Western Grebes,
three eggs. These Grebes, or Hell Divers
as they are called locally, build a floating
nest on the still water, and construct the
same of tules ; the eggs are therefore not
more than t\vo inches from the surface of the
water. As we were all tired and provisions
growing alarmingly low, we concluded to go
home. If I gave a description of that I fear it
would be simply a description of high waves,
sea-sickness and terror for all the boys and
delight for the captain. Never was I more
glad to get on dry ground again with my eggs,
for on the trip home wouldn't I have given
them all for some assurance that we would
get ashore safely.

The next day my cabinet bore evidences
of a good addition, and, after all, was not
this a trij) to look back upon and feel proud
of? H. C. Johnson.

American Fork, Utah.

Nesting Habits of the Great-horned
Owls.

We have found three nests of this species
during the past few years near the river Si.
Lawrence. The first some years ago in a
small tamarack tree, which in May held two
young just able to fly. -This nest had pre-
viously been a Crow's. The second in 1892,
in a second-growth white pine. It was a
disused squirrel's abode, and on the 25th of
April contained two young about a fortnight
old. The young were not molested, but this
year there were no signs of Owls in those
woods. This year we found a nest in a
white birch on the nth of April; it con-
tained two eggs ; incubation advanced. The
same nest last year and the year before was
tenanted by the Red-shouldered Hawk,
which is our most common Hawk in this
locality. This is all I know of the habits of

Bubo Virgi7iianus, except that we have
kept one in confinement for several years, in
fact since it was a nestling. I have it still.

C.J. r.

Leeds Co., Ont.
Nesting of the Broad-winged Hawk.

I enter Buteo lafissiiniis as a tolerably
common breeder here, as I know of four
nesting localities within five miles of this
village, and had I time to explore suitable
territory during the meeting season, doubt-
less many more would be found.

Speaking of the Broad-wing, calls up
pleasant remembrances of my first acquain-
tance with the nesting of this species, and
it was the first Hawk's egg to enter my col-
lection. Although it was taken over ten
years ago, the scenes and incidents of the
trip are as fresh in my memory as though it
were yesterday. I have no need to refer to
my note-book to give the data.

May 6, 1883, 1 was searching for nests in
the large tract of timber known as the
" Eight)' .^cres." Coming out on the brink
of a hill, where the forest slopes down to the
banks of Black Brook, the object for which
I had so long and eagerly tramped the woods
met my view, sitting quietly on her nest.
Some distance below I saw a Hawk and I
hurried down. She reluctantly left at my
approach, but kept about the nearest trees
uttering her sorrowful, pleading notes until
I left the vicinity. The tree was a rather
scrubby white oak, easy to climb. I was
soon at the nest, twenty-five feet up in a
crotch near the top. It was small in diam-
eter, but deep and with a shallow nest cavity.
There on a lining of bark strips, scales of
hemlock bark and green sprigs of hemlock,
lay a beautifully marked egg. The mark-
ings are bright russet, on a ground color of
greyish-white, with a slight tinge of green-
ish. They are very heavy, and evenly dis-
tributed over the entire egg ; very little of
the true Erround color shows ; here and there

I04

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-N0. 7

specks and spots of lilac show through the
russet. Size, 1.9 1 X 1.57.

During the succeeding years I have taken
quite a presentable drawer of eggs of our
breeding Hawks, but my first egg is the gem
of them all.

On May 5th, 1892, I was afield up the
valley of Black River in a scattering piece
of mixed timber. An old nest in a good
sized yellow birch showed signs of being re-
paired. A visit on the morning of the 13th
showed the nest nicely built up, with green
twigs of hemlock showing in the sides. A
vigorous pounding on the tree flushed no
bird, so I turned to leave and there on the
lower limb of a tree not two rods away sat
a female Broad-wing. I strapped on the
irons and went up to find the nest all ready
for their reception, but no eggs. Several
visits during the next twelve days did not
warrant a full set. I went up again the 26th
and found two eggs, clean and fresh, one
about half as large as the other. I brought
them down, then changed my mind, went
back up and left them in the nest. I climbed
up again on the 28th, still only two eggs,
which I now took. The owner protested
with her sad, supplicating notes. The larger
egg is faint bluish-white, sparsely spotted
and specked with umber-brown, portions of
the surface slightly granulated, somewhat
flattened on one side; size, 2.00 x 1.59.
The smaller is unmarked, pale greenish-
white, pointed at one end, shell very thick
and rough : size, 1.76x1.30. It contained
no yolk, but, besides the white, several pieces
of tough substance resembling the inner lin-
ing of the egg. The nest was twenty-seven
and a half feet from the ground, and, as I
have before stated, was an old one rebuilt,
thickly lined with inner barks, chunks of
lichen, covered red-oak bark, pieces of rotten
wood, sprigs of green hemlock and several
wing and tail feathers of the owners. Great-
est outside diameter twenty-eight inches ;
smallest, fifteen inches ; inside diameter,
eleven inches ; depth of nest cavity three
inches. Boi Jaiiiiii Hoag.

Stephentown, New York.

A Peculiar Nesting Site of Coccy-

zus Erythropthalmus.

During the present season I have taken
seven clutches of the above species, and have
been familiar with the bird from my early
boyhood, but had yet, up to June 4th, 1893,
to find a nest on the ground. In this case
the nest was placed in a clump of weeds
and within two inches of mother earth. The
bird was flushed, and both bird and nest
were typical. Two eggs, partially incubated,
made up the clutch. I should be glad to
hear from other collectors concerning their
experiences in this direction.

C L. Jiro-viiclL

Nyack-on-Hudson, N.Y.

Notes from Riverside, Cal.

I took, this spring, a very queer specimen
of Brewer's Blackbird. It is a young male,
but instead of having the brownish cast of
the young, it is a hoary ash on breast and
throat, and the first four primaries of each
wing are snow white. Otherwise it is nor-
mal plumage.

September, 1892, I secured from a flock
feeding in sunflower ticket a female Carpo-
dacits frotitaUs. The plumage is white,
with the markings of the female of this
species outlined in [lale brownish buff, 'i'he
bill and feet are flesh color ; the eyes are,
however, the usual dark-brown.

I would like to know something about the
range of the Black Rail [Porzaiia jaiiiar-
cenc/'s). I secured a fine specimen here
August 13, 1892, while mowing alfalfa hay.

Loye Miller.

Riverside, Cal.

Benjamin F. Goss died at his home in
Pewaukee, Wisconsin, on July 6, 1893, aged
7c years. He was an oologist of consider-
able prominence, and his death will be
lamented by his many friends.

We have just printed a price-list of Birds'
Eggs, which will be sent on application.

July, 1893.]

AND OOLOGIST.

105

Sketch It.

How many of my readers do not keep a
note-book? Scarcely one, if he be a natural-
ist. To claim to be a student of nature and
and not keep a note-book would call forth
as much scorn these days as would be pro-
voked by the assertion that a man was a mer-
chant when people knew he didn't even
keep a ledger.

Therefore I will take it for granted that
we all keep our obsers-ations recorded. If not
for the public, at least for ourselves.

Now next winter, and the succeeding
winters and summers, which I hope you
may all pass pleasantly, you will be looking
over this year's note-book. You will read
how you saw that handsome Duck Hawk in
the White Mountains or those rare Warblers
in the swamp. Then you will turn over a
page and read how you scaled the moun-
tains and swung over the ledge for those
eggs and found young, or how, after weary
hours' searching for the home of that Cape
May, you found an old nest, vacant these
three years. All this and more you will re-
call with pleasure as you are snugly settled
in your library, caring naught for the gale
outside.

You will laugh as you think of the hard
words you thought when you were disap-
pointed, and you will try to bring those
happy remembrances up before your vision.
But you can't. No, sir, they won't come.
You will confuse scenes of trout fishing and
that fine shot at the Woodcock with the
sight that greeted your eyes as you hung
suspended two hundred feet in midair, or
you will remember that morning on the
marshes with the Mallards coming in in big
wedges, and you will hear the boom 1 boom !
of your double, followed by the splash-h-h,
thud, thud, as those five came down to two
shots.

All this or something just as misleading
will be mixed in with your ornithological
ideas and you can't help yourself. That is.

you cannot unless you sketch it. " Sketch
it?" "Yes; why not?" "Why, I can't
sketch." "Perhaps not, but learn."

You couldn't walk once, but you learned.
You couldn't read — you learneil. You
couldn't write — you can now. How is it?
Why, you learned, of course.

Well, then, learn to sketch, and when you
go on a trip take your sketch-book along.

Whenever you see anything that interests

you and you enjoy, sit down and sketch it.

Yes, sir, sit right down and sketch, sketch,

sketch. That's the way to learn. Try it.

Try again and you'll succeed.

Arthur M. Pariiicr.
Amoskeag, N.H.

\. H. B. Jordan writes that a Rubythroated
Hummer met death in a peculiar manner at
their mill at Johnsonburg, Pa. It flew into
the bleachery window, and, encountering the
flumes of chlorine, dropped dead in an in-
stant as if it had been shot.

Two sets of eggs of the Passenger Pigeon
just received are the first that we have had
sent in for a long time.

Now that business is again starting uji,
pay your small bills. They are really of
more importance than they appear. Sub-
scribers should think of this. It is necessary
for the continuation of a publication. The
printer's bill must be paid.

Alligator eggs are soon to be very rare,
those at least from Florida. Where we used
to have them offered by the thousand, we
now seldom hear th;m mentioned.

Two lobsters were recently caught at the
Cape weighing 19 and 17 lbs., respectively.
They were preserved.

Summer Birds of Green County, Penn.,
by J. Warren Jacobs, Waynesburg, Pa. It
is a list of Birds found in the locality during
the breeding season, describing localities
frequented, dates of nesting, etc.

T06

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-N0. 7

THE

ORNITHOLOGISV^OOLOGIST

A MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF

NATURAL HISTORY,

ESPECIALLY DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OF

BIRDS,

THEIR NESTS AND 'EGGS,

AND TO THE

INTERESTS OF NATURALISTS.

Under the Editorial Management o(
FRANK B. WEBSTER, . . . Hyde Park, Mass.
J. PARKER NORRIS, . . . Philadelphia, Pa.

PUBLISHED AT THE
MUSEUM AND NATURALISTS' SUPPLY DEPOT

OF THE

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER COMPANY,

lNCORPOR.\TED,

HYDE PARK, MASS.

The O. & O. IS mailed each issue to every paid subscriber.
H you fail to receive it, notify us.

WHO WILL ANSWER?
Editor of O. (('■ O. : I wrote you quite a
while ago asking a question that \-ou pub-
lished, but there has never been an answer to
it. I'lease try it again. " What is authen-
tically known in regard to the rapidity of flight
by different species of birds, and which is
considered the swiftest?"

Yours truly,

Jas. B. B. Smith.

BIRDS OF MICHIGAN-A REVIEW.

During the past month of June there ap-
peared a very comprehensive list of the Birds of
Michigan. This new work of one hundred
and fifty pages, embraces three hundred and
thirty-two species and races of birds found
in the peninsular State, with copious notes.
These notes are especially entertaining in
their reference to the food of birds, and in
many places the master hand of the author
is evident. This is particularly noticable in
the occasional descriptions of the food habits
of some insectivorous species, where the ob-
servations are very interesting.

The author of this work is Professor A. J.
Cook, State entomologist of Michigan, a
gentleman eminent in his profession, and an

instructor in various departments of science
at Michigan .Agricultural College.

The professor has given evidence of his
ability in selecting the most appropriate notes
from the great mass of material at hand.
Michigan has been for many years one of
our leading states in the study of ornithology,
as it is the home of a large number of orni-
thologists. These students have, with scarce-
ly an exception, assisted Professor Cook.
The result has been that the combined ob-
servations have been boiled down, systemat-
ically reduced and sifted ; and we can safe-
ly say that the whole list is as exact as it is
possible for any compiler to construct it from
a general collection of notes. In fact it is
but proper to acknowledge it as a marvel in
compilation.

There are several incongruities and a few
absurd errors, some of which are absolutely
ludicrous in their glaring stupidity. How-
ever, the author has wisely shielded himself
and escaped possible criticism by embracing
these infirmities of inaccurate observers
within evasive quotation marks.

Michigan's bibliography is necessarily
large, and the very nearly complete list of
catalogues and articles fills t^velve pages.
This list presents notice of all available
written matter from 1832 to 1893, inclusive.
The first catalogue of the Birds of Michigan,
by Dr. Abr. Sager, 1839, embraced 164 spe-
cies. Dr.M. Miles's list, 1861, contained
203 birds, and Dr. Morris Gibbs's catalogue,
1879 embraced 309, species and races.

We are pleased to note that the departed
friends and fellow ornithologists, W. H.
Collins of Detroit, Hon. I). Darwin Hughes
and Charles W. Gunn of Grand Rapids, and
Dr. H. A. Atkins of Locke, are quite fre-
quently quoted. In fact each one, living
and dead, who has advanced Michigan orni-
thology in a literary way has received due
credit, while many collectors and observers
who do not write are referred to in the text.

In addition to the above matter is a re-
sume of the game laws, together with mater-

July, 1893.]

AND OOLOGIST.

107

ial pertaining to protection of birds. The
typographical and press work is excellent
and cannot fail to be satisfactory.

In addition to Michigan notes, many
observations refer to Ohio, Indiana and Wis-
consin. Space forbids my speaking more
fully, or I would enumerate the outsiders to
whom we are indebted. Suffice it to say
that the work is, properly speaking, a very
complete treatise on the birds of the Great
Lake Region and will interest all. L.

Brief Notes, Correspondence and
Clippings.

T. k. lames writes from Meriden, Conn.,
that he has a young Chipmunk that is nearly
white and is about half grown. It has a
brown patch on one shoulder and a few spots
on the back.

A word or two more about Pine Grosbeaks.
As they are strangers here, this winter they
created quite an amount of notice. E\ery
day or two some one would ask the question.
What new birds are these around here? On
February 5th, when I arrived home from
church, my 12-year-old girl ran to meet me
saying, " O, papa, I have caught one of those
Pine Grosbeaks ; he was so tame I put my
hand right on him while he was eating horse-
brier berries." I have kept him (I say hiui
for I think it is a male, as he sings very
sweetly, although it has not the red plumage)
in a cage since that time. Once a week I
bring in a small pine tree and let " Dick "
out for a nice time, which he seems to enjoy
very much. He is very tame ; will alight on
our heads and makes himself very much at
home in general. He feeds freely on oats,
pine buds, sand, apple and other seeds, and
has a very nice time bathing in a saucer of
water.

On \\)X\\ 20, in answer to a rap on my
door, a friend says, " I have a bird here ; I
would like to know what it is." So we took
out the bird, which was stuffed into'a large

paper bag with a lot of paper wound around
his head and throat filled with old rags.
Well, to tell the truth, I was stuck for a min-
ute, but told him I guessed it was a Turkey
Buzzard, which proved to be the fact when
I looked him up. This is the only one I
have ever heard of in eastern Massachusetts.
Have they been taken in this vicinity before ?

C. C. Foster.
West Duxbury, Mass.

A full plumaged Bald Eagle was seen by
E. G. Duncklee at Blue Hill on June 4.

April 30 I found a Bluebird's nest in a
somewhat peculiar situation, k two quart
milk can, which had been used in a ceme-
tery to hold flowers, had been placed in the
fork of a l)ush right side up, and the bird at
this time had five eggs in it, entering and
leaving the can by the top. I was somewhat
curious to learn what effect a heavy rain
would have on the bird ; but one we had
soon after, apparently had no effect as the
can probably leaked, preventing the bird
from being drowned out.

July 4, while roaming over the country, I
came across an old building which had been
used as a carpenter shop. Of course I had
to investigate. Up stairs on a projecting
board next to the ceiling, I found a Pewee's
nest with five eggs, while in the basement
among the floor timber I found a Robin's
nest containing four young birds. On an
offer of fifty cents apiece, I have the young
fellows of the neighborhood on the rampage
after Bat's eggs. Rufiis H. Carr.

Brockton, Mass.

Here are a few of my " finds " this year :
April 29, Crow 4, Cooper's Hawk 2 ; May
28, Sore Rail 10; June 11, Indigo Bunting
3 ; June 20, Phoebe 6 ; May 20, Phoebe 5 ;
May 21, Vesper Sparrow 4 ; May 24, Vesper
Sparrow 4 ; May 28, Yellow Warbler 2 ;
July 29, (loldfinch 5 ; July 30, Goldfinch 6.

On April 29, 1893, I collected a set of
two fresh eggs of the Cooper's Hawk from
a nest 75 feet up in a beech in a thick piece

io8

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-N0. 7

of timber in Highland Park. This is the
first nest of this species I ever found, al-
though the bird is sometimes seen. I shot
the male a short distance off.

B. H. SzL'alcs.
Detroit, Mich.

In Oliver Davie's book on birds, an ac-
count is given of the eggs, etc., of the Black
Swift taken at Yesler's wharf on salt water.
Would say that I have been here since 1888,
when they were claimed to have been taken.
I have never seen the Swift on salt water.
On Lake Washington (fresh water), a lew
miles distant, they are abundant, occasion-
ally flying within gunshot, .'\round Yesler's
wharf Purple Martins are plenty and were
during 18S8. The Swift seems to keep away
from habitation, and Yesler's wharf in 1888
was the scene of great bustle and activity.
I have watched the Swift and think they
breed in hollow trees inland. Mr. S. F.
Rathburn and the writer thinks, perhaps,
those eggs found in 1888, at Yesler's wharf,
were Purple Martins. I would be glad to
hear from the owner of the set of eggs.

Frank H. Rciiick.

Seattle, Wash.

He was a happ\' naturalist,

Well versed and of repute.
For with the learned Ph.D.'s

lie would often dare dispute.
He worked on ornithology.

For this his favorite was,
Also delved in entomology

And conchology and its laws.
He could talk of cerripedes

In language quite astute,
And when he spoke jaw-breaking names

His friends all thought him cute.
But now no more he talks of birds,

No more afield he's carried,
The trouble isn't that he's dead,

But simply this — he's married.

J B. H. Cayy.

W. E. Mulliken, care of C. & W. M. R.R.,
Grand Rapids, Mich., wishes the address of
all ornithologists. He proposes to get out a
directory.

Carl Fritz-Henning is engaged in a work,
" Notes on the Birds of Boone County,
Iowa," which he expects will cover 420
pages, with 40 plates drawn and colored
from nature. He hopes to complete it dur-
ing the present year.

We are constantly receiving letters from
entire strangers asking us to send small lots
of goods. They do not seem to entertain
the idea of enclosing cash for same, and get
indignant if their attention is called to it.
If, to accommodate, we send the goods, we
then have to whistle for our pay. We wish
it to be understood that we are now doing
a strictly cash business.

It isn't every spring chicken which has
friends who swoop down upon the sufferer
in time of trouble, bringing a new suit of
clothes. Mrs, W. H. Pearson, who lives on
the east side of the river near Farmington
Fall village, has a freak of nature in the shape
of a spring chicken. The chicken was born
as other chicks are born, but it failed to grow
as the others did and the down upon it grad-
ually dropped off, so that now its skin is en-
tirely bare of feathers, and the little body on
tall legs, and with its head, presents a ludi-
crous sight. The other chickens peck its
bare skin and drive it away from the food,
so that it wanders off alone and picks up its
food when a chance to " snatch something
and run" presents itself. Mrs. Pearson has
made a "coat and vest" for the naked
chicken in which he struts about the yard
like the long-legged dude.

TANNINE,

1 Bottle Tniis 13 Fox Sikius.

THOUSANDS HAVE USED IT

$1.00 PER BOTTLE.

See .\dvertisemciit in February issue of the O. & O.
FR.\NK BL.\K.E WEBSTER CO., Hyde Park, Mass.

EXCHANGE AND WANTS.

I inch, one time

I inch, three times

Dealeys' Advertisements — i inch

NO VARIATION.

$ -SO

1.20
1. 00

ORNITHOLOGIST

— AND —

OOLOGIST.

$i.oo per
Annum.

PUBLISHED BY THE FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER COMPANY.

ESTABLISHED MARCH, 1875.

Single Copy
10 cents.

Vol. XVIII.

HYDE PARK, MASS., AUGUST, 1893.

No. 8.

Distribution of the Yellow-Headed
Blackbird in Illinois.

Winnebago County, No. 3.
J. E. Dickinson. Has never obsened it,
but has seen specimens which were shot in ,

the Kiswanke Bottoms, about ten miles south '

j

of Rockford.

F. A. Gregory. Has not observed it.

Lake County, No. 6.

Gordon Schanck. An abundant summer
resident. Arrives in the latter part of March
or the first of April ; departs in October or
November. Breeds commonly in sloughs,
from May 15 to June 15. Nests attached
to reeds i ^ to 2 feet above the water. Eggs,
5 ; incubation about two weeks ; one brood.

O. H. Swazey. Has not observed it, but
hears that it is found within ten miles of
Lake Forest in some swampy regions.

Lake and Cook Counties, Nos. 6 and 7.

W. E. Pratt. Common summer resident.
Found in colonies at Calumet and Mud
Lakes, Cook County, and Grass Lake, Lake
County. Commences laying at Grass Lake
the first of June and about a week earlier at
Calumet and Mud Lakes. Has never found
them at any of the various small sloughs, and
regards them as restricted to the above
named lakes. Eggs 3 or 4 ; only one set
of 5 ever observed. Has found a Cowbird's
egg in a nest of this bird.

Cook County, No. 7.

George B. Holmes. Summer resident ;
fairly common. Breeds in swamps.

F. L. Charles. Breeds abundandy at Cal-
umet Lake. Does not occur near .Austin as
there are no large sloughs in that locality.

H. Gillingham. Has not met it near
Oak Park.

D. A. Young. Summer resident, .'\rrives
the first part of May, departs during October.
Found in colonies in the larger marshes,
where it breeds commonly in the latter part
of May or first of June.

" Birds of North-eastern Illinois." E. W.
Nelson. Cook and Lake Counties. "Very
common summer resident in large marshes.
Arrives the first of May, commences nesting
the last of this month. Owing to the re-
stricted locahties inhabited by this bird, it is
very slightly known among the farmers, even
those living next the marshes generally think
it an uncommon bird."

Du Page County, No. 10.

B. F. Gault. Considers it rare in Du Page
County. Reports that it is a common sum-
mer resident at Calumet Lake, Cook County,
and found sparingly in Fox Lake region,
Lake County.

DeKalb County, No. 10.

L. W. Nichols. Summer resident, but found
sparingly on account of the absence of suit-
able localities for nesting. Very common in
McHenry County, No. 5, where it breeds
around the lakes and sloughs. Earliest
breeding date May 22 ; latest July 24 ; eggs
4 to 6.

Davenport, Iowa, opposite No. 15.

B. H. Wilson. Has never observed it.
Said to breed in a small slough near Musca-
tine, Iowa, but did not find them on a visit
in August.

Henry County, No. 16.

Dr. A. C. Murchison. Summer resident.
Arrives last week in March, .\bundant in

Copyright, 1893, by rRA>iK PWVKS WrpstpB COMPANY,

no

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-N0. 8

the northern portion of the county ; rare in
the southern. Breeds commonly in the
latter half of May or first of June. Over 200
nests found in one day. Eggs invariably 4 ;
one brood.

La Salle County, No. 18.

A. Hamfeldt. Has not observed it, al-
though there are many prairie sloughs in the
vicinity.

Marshall County, No. 25.

R. M. Barnes. Summer resident ; rare.
Never found it breeding in the county, but
it breeds commonly a few miles north of the
county line (Putman County, No. 24). One
brood raised ; date of nesting depends on
the stage of the water. Has taken eggs from
June I to July 6.

Stark County, No. 26.

X. Chase. Has not observed it.

Keokuk, Iowa, opposite No. 31.

E. S. Currier. Has seen but one, which
was with a flock of (Crackles. Reports that
it is said to have been seen late in May at
Grove Pond, Clark County, Mo.

Clark County, Mo., opposite No. 31.

C. P. Fore. A rare bird. One or two
individuals observed in the spring of 1888.
Formerly observed in company with the Red-
wings.

Fulton County, No. 33.

W. S. Cobleigh. Transient. Can be seen
associating with flocks of Cowbirds and
Grackles in the spring migration. Does
not remain to breed.

Ur. W. S. Strode. Has not observed it.

Peoria County, No. 34.

B. F. Bolt. Transient but rare. Has
never found it in the summer and does not
consider it a breeder.

W. E. Loucks. This bird passes through
this locality in very limited numbers accord-
ing to my observations.

Tazewell County, No. 36.

D. Meixsell. Has observed it in flocks
of other Blackbirds in the spring migration.

Vermillion County, No. 40.

G. C. Pearson. Summer resident. Ar-

rives with the Red-wings in parties of 30 to
100 birds. Departs in September in im-
mense flocks. Nests in sloughs and feeds
on seeds and small grains and insects.

Logan County, No. 45.

Charles Wells. Reports no swamps in his
locality (Atlanta) and so has not observed it.

Morgan County, No. 54.

C. F. Tindall. Does not mention it in
his report.

Madison County, No. 73.

List of birds, etc. Julius Hurler. A rare
transient. May 4 one specimen.

Bond County, No. 74.

Philo Smith, Jr. "One bird killed in
Carlysle and several seen in Fulton County."

St. Clair County, No. 75.

W. L. Jones. "A very rare visitant;
does not breed."

O. Widmann. Regards it as a rare strag-
gler. Single mdividuals, females, were met
May II, 1882, and May 9, 1885, in com-
pany with Bobolinks and female Red-wings.

Marion County, No. 77.

C. B. ^'andercock. Has no record of it.

Perry County, No. 88.

J. C. Elliott. Has no record of it ; is not
acquainted with it.

Gallatin County, No. 92.

C. J. Lemen. Has not observed it.

Cj. W. Rearden. Transient. Passes
through in April and May in flocks of 5 to
20 individuals.

Jackson County, No. 95.

Prof. L. K. Baird. Has not met it.

A species of irregular distribution and re-
stricted to certain localities.

The geographical range of this bird in Il-
linois is difficult to define. Essentially a
bird of the prairie sloughs, its restriction to
them accounts for its irregularity in the state.
Although Illinois is generally considered a
prairie state, the settlement of the country,
the drainage and culti\ation of. the land has
caused the rapid elimination of many of these
prairie sloughs. Consequently the resorts of
the Yellow-headed Blackbird are few and far

August, 1893.]

AND OOLOGIST.

between. The river sloughs, in close prox-
imity to wooded districts, seem to be avoided,
but those bordering open lakes and rivers are
undoubtedly its rendezvous. As Mr. Ridg-
way has said, " the geographical range of the
Vellow-headed Blackbird is quite co-exten-
sive with the treeless districts of the western
half of the continent."

Referring to the reports, we find it reported
from counties 5, 6 and 7 as very abundant;
in No. 8, considered rare ; in No. 10, found
sparingly. Here we have a group of five
counties, in three of which the bird is abun-
dant, and two in which it is found sparingly.
The numerous lakes and large sloughs in the
former three, and the absence of them, com-
paratively, in the latter two, is evidently the
cause of this. Reported from Xo. 3 as not
found near Rockford, but has been found in
the Kiswanke Bottoms, ten miles south. Re-
port from Davenport, Iowa, opposite No. 15,
clearly indicates its rarity in that vicinity-
In No. 16, reported as found in great abun-
dance in the northern part of the county,
and its comparative absence in the southern
portion quite conspicuous. Due to the
northern portion having extensive sloughs.
From Ottawa, on the Illinois River, No. 18,
reported as not found, although there are
numerous prairie sloughs. Inasmuch as this
county is quite large, and being represented
by only one report, that from the central por-
tion, I think the bird may be found breeding
in some other part of it. I am strengthened
in my belief as Mr. Barnes reports it as breed-
ing commonly in No. 24. In No. 25, re-
gards it as a rare summer resident. From No.
26, reported as not found, probably owing
to the absence of marshy districts. In the
vicinity of No. 31, reports show that it is of
rare occurrence, evidently passing as a tran-
sient. In the central part of the state, in
Nos. 33, 34 and 36, reported as a rare mi-
gratory bird. From No. 40, Mr. Pearson
writes that it is a summer resident. In the
southern half of the state it seems to be of
T9.XC occurrence, if found at all. No record

of it from Nos. 77, 88 and 95. In the vi-
cinity of St. Louis, reported as a rare straggler,
but from No. 92 it is said to pass through as
a migrant. Perhaps the Wabash River is ac-
countable for this, as it is the highway for
many transient species. I quote the follow-
ing from Mr. Ridgway's excellent work, " Or-
nithology of Illinois " : " The Vellow-headed
Blackbird appears to be confined to the prairie
districts of the northern ])ortion of the state ;
at least there seems to be no record of its
occurrence elsewhere. The writer thought he
once heard its note at Mt. Carmel, but was
unable to discover the bird and may have
been mistaken ; but he was never able to find
it on the prairies of Richland County, in
marshy situations where the red-wings were
abundant." \\'hile glancing over the list of
birds observed in the middle and southern
parts of the state by Robt. Kennicott, I find
the following concerning the Saffron-headed
Blackbird : " This bird I observed near Xan-
dalia in July. I am informed that it nests
in various parts of Southern Illinois." Van-
dalia is in Fayette County, No. 67, and if
the bird was found here in July, it certainly
must have been breeding. This list was pub-
lished in the year 1855, and we would prob-
ably err should we suppose that the present
range of this bird is the same as it was thir-
ty-eight years ago. However, it may yet be
found in certain portions of the southern half
of Illinois, but we are yet to hear of it.

The reports do not contain sufficient in-
formation on the migration of this species to
permit dwelling on the subject. In the spring
migration, the Yellow-head mingles with the
Red-wings, Crackles, Bobolinks and Cow-
birds. Mr. Pearson writes that the Yellow-
heads arrive in the spring with the Red-wings,
and depart in the fall in immense flocks.
Mr. \Vidmann communicates that he observed
female Yellow-headed Blackbirds in company
with Bobolinks and female Red-wings. The
recognition of this bird is not difficult, being
easily identified at sight. It is not to be
overlooked, if to be found, as it is quite con-

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-N0. 8

spicuous among other birds, especially the
Blackbirds.

Due allowance must be given to such ob-
stacles as work of this nature has to contend
with, such as the vacant localities not repre-
sented by reports, the ability of the observer
and the amount of experience each has had.
However, summing up the reports we have
on hand, we have the following :

The distribution of the Yellow-headed
Blackbird is subject entirely to the character
of the country. The sloughs on the prairies
and surrounding open lakes and rivers are its
habitat. It may be found breeding in a cer-
tain slough, whereas in another, apparently
just as suitable to its requirements, it is to-
tally absent. Prefers large sloughs to small
ones. In Illinois its distribution is not gen-
eral, and very irregular in that portion wherein
it is a summer resident. In the southern half
of the state occurs a transient species, and,
according to reports, is extremely rare, and
in some localities has not been found at all.
It may possibly be found as a rare winter
resident in the extreme southern portion.
In the northern half of the state it is restricted
to favorable localities where it breeds. Found
in great abundance in the counties adjoining
Lake Michigan, especially so at Calumet and
Grass Lakes, and in the northern part of
Henry County, No. 16. So restricted is it
to the localities wherein it inhabits, that a
casual observer, even in the neighborhood of
its resorts, would consider it a rare bird.

IV. E. Loucks.

Peoria, 111.

Nesting of the Saw-whet Owl.

As the nest of the Saw-whet Owl is con-
sidered quite a find and I have had the good
fortune to take several sets, I will give some
of my experience in that line, thinking it may
interest the readers of the " O. & O." .\bout
two miles from this village is a tract of mixed
timber land of 1 00 acres, more or less, com-
posed of about three-fourths hard and one-
fourth of soft wood timber, containing many

old growth trees and old stubs, a favorite re-
sort for Hawks and Owls. Previous to this
season I had taken two sets of Saw-whets
from an old maple stub in this piece of woods
and last season found the nest in the same
place, containing young birds. As this brood
was raised unmolested, I thought my chances
for taking a set from the same nest were
excellent this season. After three visits to
the stub this year I made up my mind that I
should have to look in some other tree for
my Saw-whets, as I had seen nothing of them
and it was getting later than the usual time
for their nests. I was thoroughly acquainted
with this locality, but it is something of a
task to search carefully a piece of timber of
this extent, and after a long and diligent
hunt I began to think that my collection
would not be enriched by the eggs of Nyctala
Acadica. On approaching an old beech stub
I was suddenly surprised to see the round
head of an Owl looking down at me from an
old Woodpecker's hole twenty feet from the
ground. At this sight my spirits went up
and at the same time my coat and vest came
off and I prepared to "shin" up to the
nest. Perhaps some of you know how easy
it is to shin a tree that the bark has peeled
from and left smooth as a flag staff, .^dd to
this the fact that the stub was two feet in
diameter and it is not very surprising that I
came down suddenly after an ascent of eight
or ten feet. I also discovered after two trials
that the tree would not be safe for anyone to
climb to the top of, as it leaned quite a little
and was nearly rotted off at the base. This
put a different aspect on the matter, and I
began to devise some way by which to get
the eggs which I felt sure were waiting for
me at the bottom of that old nest.

I decided that I should want at least a
rope and an axe ; so I went home and got
these articles and returned with a man to
assist me. The first thing was to put the
rope around the tree and take a loop in it,
then push the rope as far up the tree as we
could reach with a pole, nearly twenty feet,

August, 1893.]

AND OOLOGIST.

113

Then I took the other end of the rope and
climbed a small tree a few feet from the stub
and fastened it so that the stub could not fall
in the direction that it leaned. We then
cut several poles and propped the stub on all
sides as high as we could make them hold.
After this we cut a larger pole with a crotch
at the top and leaned it against the stub, this
pole reaching within four feet of the nest.

All my preparations being made I now
proceeded to climb the large pole, the Owl
watching me all the time. When I got with-
in a few feet of the nest she dropped back
out of sight and did not show up again. Be-
fore reaching into the nest I took the pre-
caution to put a glove on my hand, knowing
that Owls have pretty good claws. At the
same time I reached into the nest the Owl
reached up and grabbed me by the finger
with both claws, I promptly pulled her out
and gave her a toss and reached in again
prepared to take out an egg. I was doomed
to disappointment, however, as the nest was
empty. I was a good deal surprised, as it was
fully two weeks later than when I found the
nest with young last year. After all this
work I thought I would leave the rope for a
few days to see what the Owl would do,
hardly thinking it would return to an empty
nest after being so rudely thrown off. At the
end of a week I returned and found the same
Owl staring down at me with the same sur-
prised expression. This time I was in better
luck and found four fresh eggs and three
dead mice in the nest. I confiscated the
eggs, leaving the mice for nest eggs, and
three days later took two more eggs from the
nest.

Passing by the nest about two weeks later
I saw the Owl again and was very much sur-
prised to find four more eggs, slightly incu-
bated. These I took against my wife's most
vigorous protests, as she thought I ought to
be satisfied with one set from this pair of
birds, but Saw-whet Owls do not nest in
every stub, and I thought a bird in the hand
was worth several in the bush. I have not

been past the nest since and do not know
whether the Owl kept on laying in the same
nest, but shall visit it in the spring and hope
to find her at home. It was surprising how
the Owl returned to the nest after being
thrown off at least five times and robbed of
her eggs three different times. Each time
she followed the same course, crouching to
the bottom of the nest and fighting for her
treasures, and after being thrown off would
dash past within a few inches of my head,
trying to frighten me away.

I took a set of Red-bellied Nuthatch in
much the same manner as the Owls' nest.
It was in a shaky fir stub, about twenty feet
up, and would not begin to bear my weight,
so I took along a boy weighing about sixty
pounds. I cut a small fir sapling, which
reached nearly to the nest, and held it up
against the stub while the boy scrambled up.
He then rested on the top of the sapling
while he whittled out the nest and took eight
fresh eggs. In taking a set of broad-winged
Hawk from a huge birch it was necessary to
carry a twenty-five foot ladder a mile. Two
fresh and handsomely marked eggs made
this a very satisfactory piece of work. The
way of the collector is hard and fraught with
many difficult and dangerous climbs, but
when success has crowned your efforts it is
pleasant to think how some of your treasures
were earned. Fred B. Spaiildiiig-.

Lancaster, N.H.

Bird Notes from Western North
Carolina.

July I St, of the present year, I took an
excursion to Craggy, a large mountain near
Asheville. Following is a list of birds ob-
served on the mountain : Black- throated
Blue Warbler, Black-throated Green \\'arbler.
Arcadian Flycatcher, Wood Thrush, Caro-
lina Junco, Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Tit-
mouse, Indigo Bird, Bluebird, Mountain
Solitary Vireo and Robin. Robins and
Juncos were the only birds at the summit of
the mountain.

114

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-N0. 8

On the same day I found a nest of the
Carolina J uncos. It contained two eggs,
and was situated under an overhanging bank
beside a much-used trail. One egg was
spotted with reddish-brown, sparingly on
sides and small end, heavily on large end.
The other was also spotted with reddish-
brown, but the spots formed a ring around
the large end. The nest was made of root-
lets and horsehairs, which last were probably
obtained from the horses pastured on the
mountain.

Robins are not very common here in sum-
mer, but their numbers are increasing every
year.

A few years ago Wild Turkeys nested on
a spur of a certain mountain not far from
Asheville. .Mi'itot Davis.

Biltmore, N.C.

Austin F. Park.

The death of Austin Ford Park occurred
yesterday afternoon at his residence, 62
Seventh street, after an illness since Au-
gust from typhoid fever. The deceased had
been a resident of this city more than fifty
years and was widely known as one of the
most devoted and best informed ornithol-
ogists. For many years Mr. Park had been
a successful solicitor of patents, having had
an office in the Boardman building since
1854. His work in this line had brought
him in contact with some of the most prom-
inent inventors of the country. He was a
kindly, genial man, and possessed the affection
of a wide circle of friends.

Mr. Park was born in Canaan, Columbia
County, May it, 1825, and after a prepara-
tory education in the common schools and
at the Columbia boarding school at Chat-
ham he came to this city and entered the
Rensselaer polytechnic institute in May,
1840, receiving in September of the same
year a certificate, signed by Professor Amos
Eaton, that he was well qualified for the
degree of civil engineer but was not old

enough to come under the law. Mr. Park
continued a student of engineering, astrono-
my and other branches then a part of the
institute curriculum until March, 1841,
when he received the degree of civil en-
gineer. The young engineer did not lea\e
the institute on .receiving this degree, but
remained as a student of chemistry, geology,
botany and natural history through the
summer terms of 1S41 and 1842, laying
then the foundation of that exceptionally
large fund of knowledge which served him
so well in after years and was the founda-
tion for the taste for scientific subjects
which was a pre-eminent characteristic of
his life. Mr. Park remained as a student
and assistant teacher at the institute through
the winter terms of three years, and in 1843
and 1844 was engaged in engineering and
surveying in and near this city. In March,
1845, the institute honored him with the
degree of Master of Arts. In the succeed-
ing May he entered the employ of Phelps &
Gurley, with which firm he remained for
nine years, engaged in making mathematical
and philosophical instruments. During this
time he invented and patented several tele-
graph instruments. After severing his con-
nection with Phelps & Gurley, Mr. Park com-
menced business as a solicitor of patents,
the practice of which profession he contin-
ued until the illness which caused his death.

Mr. Park was married in 1857 to Miss
Caroline Esther Wood, daughter of Aaron
Wood of this city. Mrs. Park survi\ es her
husband.

For many years Mr. Park was a commis-
sioner of deeds of the city. He was one of
the founders of the Troy scientific associa-
tion, and had occasionally lectured before
that organization, his addresses being listened
to with great interest.

Mr. Park was captain of company (I,
twenty-fourth regiment, N. G. S. N. V., from
December, 1869, until March, 1873.

Mr. Park was the possessor of one of the
finest collections of birds in the countrv.

August, 1893."!

AND OOLOGIST.

"5

The collection, many specimens of which
were found by himself, embraced nearly
every species of bird life in North America,
and even now, in its apparently perfected
state, was considered by Mr. Park still un-
finished, so devoted was he to his wish for
a collection that would be second to none.
It was not an uncommon thing for him to
be seen tramping through the woods and
marshes in this locality in search of new
specimens. He possessed an almost infinite
fund of information concerning the habits of
the denizens of the air. His collection is
estimated to be worth from S8,ooo to Sio,-
000. Mr. Park has furnished the informa-
tion for several interesting articles on birds
which have appeared in the "Times."

The funeral services will occur from j\Ir.
Park's late residence to-morrow afternoon
and will be private. The burial will be at
Oakwood cemetery. — Troy, N.T., Tiiiics.

A Peculiarity in the Nesting Habits
of the Virginia Rail.

Although I have talked with a large num-
ber of persons and read quite a few books on
this bird [Rall/is virffii/iamis), I have been
unable to hear of, or find, a feature in the
nesting-habits similar to the following.

The first instance of the kind that has
come under my notice, occurred on May 30,
1 89 1. My brother and I were hunting in a
small marsh in the vicinity of Dedham, Mass.,
for Rail's nests in jiartirular. We had not
been long at work when my brother called
out to me that he had found a Virginia's nest
with nine eggs. Being at some distance, it
took me perhaps three minutes to reach him.
While I was on the way, he had been hunt-
ing within a few yards of the nest and, when
I came up, we immediately went to it. To
our surprise and, at the moment, disgust we
saw the old Rail standing among the eggs
and, in the most cool and deliberate manner
spearing them with her long bill. We made
no delay in driving her off but not before she

had completely smashed three of the eggs,
and driven her bill clear through another
without otherwise injuring it. We have the
remaining six still, and in my eyes, on ac-
count of the eggs drilled by the bird herself,
they are more valuable than a full set of nine
which lies beside them. By the way, nine
eggs is the regulation set laid by the Virginia
Rail in these parts, although occasionally
seven makes a full set.

The peculiarity of the above mentioned
marsh is the strictness of the society, one
might call it, kept by the birds there. While
Virginia Rails and Short-billed Marsh Wrens
^Cistotlioroiis stc/lar/'s) abound there, I
have never seen a Sora Rail {/'orzaiia Car-
olina) nor a Long-billed Marsh Wren ( Cis-
tothorous paliistris) nor have I heard of
one ever being seen there. This is all the
more strange, as a marsh not a mile and a
half distant is reasonably well stocked with
all four birds. This has nothing to do with
the subject, it is true, but it has always seemed
so singular to me that I do not omit it.

Since the nest first mentioned, I have found
a large number ; my brother has also done so.
In each case we were careful to handle the
eggs and place them in different positions to
see if the art of fencing would be repeated ;
but, until this year, the birds simply re-
arranged the eggs and continued to set. The
second and last case of the kind happened
while hunting in a diffeient marsh in the
early part of last June. I had been hunting
for Marsh Wrens' nests but had found nothing
of importance but a few Short- bill "decoys,"
which 1 marked, until my dog showed me a
Virginia's nest containing the remains of nine
eggs, whicli had all been broken in the same
manner as those in the first nest. In some
of these eggs the damage done amounted to
very little more than a thrust clean through,
but the majority were badly broken. I am
sorry to say that no reason can be given for
this case, as the eggs had been washed clean
by recent rains, leaving the residue in the
bottom of the nest, which pro\ed that the

ii6

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-N0. 8

breaking had taken place some time before
I found them. I forgot to mention that, in
the first instance, neither the eggs nor the
nest were in any way disturbed beyond part-
ing the grass above in order to see the eggs
distinctly.

I will add here that if Short-bill " decoys "
are found in June, it is well to mark them
and pay another visit about the middle of
July, as of the nests just mentioned one held
seven eggs and another six when visited
about a month later. J. //. Boxvles.

Ponkapog, Mass.

August Nests and Birds.

During the last twenty days of August I
fourtd and examined eighteen nests of the
American Goldfinch, or Thistle-bird. All
were situated in untrimmed hedges of osage
orange, growing from eight to fourteen feet
high, and within a radius of two miles from
town. Other observers note this bird's nest-
ing in orchards, especially in young apple
trees, but I carefully explored all the or-
chards in this neighborhood without finding
a single nest of the Goldfinch except in
hedges. The nests were usually placed
about three-fourths the height of the hedge,
on an obliquely ascending branch, fastened
around it and smaller outgrowing twigs. One
nest was saddled on a horizontal limb and
was not supported by smaller twigs, though
several thorns aided in giving a firm base to
the structure. There is much variation in
the construction of the nests, especially in
the external depth, which ranges from two
to nearly four inches. One nest, made of
fine bark fibres, was well rounded and closely
woven, and covered without with fragments
of gossamer, which gave it a grayer appear-
ance than most of the other nests. Within
was a layer of whitish horse hair, and within
the latter was the downy bed of thistle. An-
other nest' contained many fibres of a yel-
lowish brown bar-k, had no hair in its lining,
and its cavity was larger and deeper. One

nest had much dried " pepper-grass " woven
into its walls. The female sitting upon the
nest is not easily alarmed, but when driven
from her home she will perch upon an ad-
jacent limb and utter the syllables "pee pee"
oft repeated in a very plaintive tone. No
nests were found containing more than five
eggs, which seemed to be the usual full com-
plement. In all cases the eggs were fresh,
except one set of four and another of three
heavily incubated. Three nests contained
young recently hatched, and several more
nests were in various stages of construction.

Another late-nesting bird is the Vellow-
billed Cuckoo. Within the second and third
weeks of August I found seven nests of this
species, all in the hedge above described.
In all cases the nests were placed on hori-
zontal branches, frequently where two cross-
ing limbs gave a firm foundation for the
loose structure made by this builder. The
nest was usually at a point above half the
height of the hedge. It is a loosely con-
structed affair, though firmer and deeper
than the nest of the Mourning Dove, and
quite similarly situated, and the Cuckoo sit-
ting upon the nest, when approached from
the rear, may be easily mistaken for the
Dove. One nest was built of heavy sticks
and roots, some of which were one-fourth of
an inch in diameter and eight inches long,
laid loosely together, with dried leaves, corn
husks, grapevine bark and rootlets inter-
mixed. The cavity was three inches across
and one inch deep, though most of the nests
were shallower. Another nest had for bed-
ding two inches of corn silk, with many
stalks of the corn bloom or tassel laid among
the sticks. Four of the nests each contained
three fresh eggs, two nests contained two
fresh eggs each, and the remaining nest held
two newly hatched young, one egg just
hatching and one decayed egg.

Late nests of the Black-throated Bunting,
" Dickcissle," were placed in untrimmed
hedges at distances from the ground varying
from five to eight feet. I found four such

August, 1S93.]

AND OOLOGIST.

117

nests in the hedges on two sides of a square
six-acre lot grown with weeds, in the edge of
the town. These nests were made externally
of dried " pepper-grass," a middle layer or
wall of coarse weed fibres, with a linning of
fine dried grass or horse hair. Nests found
in June were from six inches to two feet
from the ground, in low bushes.

The deserting of their nest by some species
is a curious phase of bird-life. In August I
found many such nests of the Red-winged
Blackbird and of the Black-throated Bunt-
ing, containing from one to four eggs exter-
nally perfect though with addled contents.
This has been an eminently dry season, and
it is well known that some birds will desert
their eggs and even their young under such
circumstances. My attention being called
to the deserted nests of these two species in
this month, a possible explanation has sug-
gested itself to my mind. These species are
more or less sociable in their nesting habits,
and both cease nesting in our locality early
and suddenly. After August ist the voice of
" Dickcissle," heard incessantly till that time,
became suddenly silent, though the species
remained to skulk in the hedges and weeds
for another month. The Red-winged Black-
birds left in flocks about the beginning of
August, though they passed and repassed, and
are even still here today. With both species
nesting came to an abrupt end when many
individuals were yet incubating, but the in-
stinct of sociability and migration overcame
the maternal instinct and consequently nests
were deserted in order that the owners might
depart in company with their fellows or join
them in their manner of life.

It is a matter of surprise to many students
of bird life that the Red-winged Blackbird
frequently nests away from the vicinity of
water. In this locality orchards are favorite
nesting places of this species, without regard
to the vicinity of water, though colonies of
these birds occupy the swamps also. It
nests frequently in hedgerows, such nests
being usually solitary, while every orchard

hereabouts has its family or colony of Red-
wings. P. M. Silloivay.
Virden, 111.

The Downy Woodpecker an Enemy
of the Codling Moth.

It is an accepted fact, I believe, among
ornithologists and entomologists, that the
Downy Woodpecker feeds upon the larva of
the Codling Moth. I was not aware, though,
until a few days ago that the larva were ex-
tracted from the apples. Standing beneath
a large pippin tree on the morning of July
25, a fine red-headed male Downy dropped
down mto it; with a loud "good morning"
he soon moved out among the outer
branches, commenced picking an apple and
quickly pulled out a worm and de\oured it,
then passed along inspecting the apples un-
til he found one with a little pile of excre-
mental pellets on the surface, which told of
the presence of the larva inside, which larva
was in the stomach of Mr. Downy in less
time than it takes to tell it. I watched him
repeat the operation again and again. Never
once did he open a sound apple.

It seems a pity that the average farmer is
so prejudiced against one of his best friends,
but then its " that darned little sapsucker "
whose harmless boreings he imagines will
injure his apple trees. Beujanii}i Hoag.

Stephentown, New York.

Two barrels of Buffalo horns in the rough
just received, reminding us of old times. In
the rough hardly expresses it ; they no doubt
have lain on the plains exposed to the weather
for the past twenty years. One would hardly
believe that by removing the outside they will
show a jet black, and will take a high polish.

We believe that the best protection against
the ravages of Dermestes, in the case of a
mounted mammal or head, is to wash the out-
side with a very delicate solution of Arsenical
soap. We consider that there is* absolutely
no danger to the health from a specimen so
preserved.

ii8

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. iS-No. 8

THE

ORNITHOLOGISV^OOLOGIST

A MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF

NATURAL HISTORY,

ESPECIALLY DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OF

BIRDS,

THEIR NESTS AND EGGS,

AND TO THE

INTERESTS OF NATURALISTS.

Under the Editorial Management of
FR-^NK. B. WEBSTER, . . . Hyde Park, Mass..
J. P.ARKER NORRIS, . . . Philadelphia, Pa.

PUBLISHED AT THE

MUSEUM AND NATURALISTS' SUPPLY DEPOT

OF THE

FR.\NK BL.^KE WEBSTER COMP.\NY,

INCORPORATED,

HYDE PARK, MASS.

The O. & O. IS mailed each issue to every paid subscriber.
If you fall to receive it, notify us.

We hope that our readers will bear with
patience the delay in our publication.

We publish with this issue August, Sep-
tember and October numbers, which will be
followed by November and December com-
bined. The general depression in business
strikes hard, especially that which may be
considered a luxury. When the wolf is at the
door, the demand for land and marine cu-
rios and bird notes goes down — or up per-
haps better expresses it. A great number
of our subscribers have been unable to pay
for 1893. When the tide turns we hope to
hear from you.

Under the McKinley tariff the duty on
glass eyes was advanced from 45 to 60 per
cent, and now if the proposed bill is passed
it will be 35 per cent. This proposed rate
is certainly enough. We were told a few days
since that a small maker of glass eyes in this
country remarked that there would be no
change in the duty on eyes, as he had good
friends in A\'ashington who would look out for
it. Ve gods, think of hearing such a speech in
broken English. Perhaps all the Ameri-
can taxidermists are ready to pay extra for
anyone's good friends in Washington? We

do not believe in free trade, but in common
sense — justice to all.

Harry R. Taylor at one time a favorite
writer for the "O. >S: O.," has began a new
enterprise in the publication of The Nidi-
ologist, a monthly illustrated magazine de-
voted to ornithology and oology. While
published on the Pacific coast, it will con-
tain notes of interest to the collectors from
Maine to Florida. The first two numbers
are clean and brieht. We wish Mr. Tavlor

One of our exchanges refers to a dishonest
Eastern dealer. We do not question but that
some one had been " working " the West, but
it is just a little harsh on all Eastern dealers
to cast suspicion this way. Name the party.

" Your publication is not fit for a boy to
read " was the reply we got from the party
when we sent a bill for the past year's sub-
scription.

In looking over our correspondence we
found where he had written three times for his
copy. He was so anxious to get it that he
could not wait for us to get it out.

During the past month, a number have
sent in their subscriptions for 1894, and in
two cases for 1895, notwithstanding they had
not received the " O. & O." for 3 months.
They will receive it for the full time that they
subscribed for.

We distinctly announce that no persons in
our employ, while in Boston, are with us now,
or are in any way authorized to represent us.
"We have no office in Boston, and do all our
business from Hyde Park.

The eastern papers contain many refer-
ences to an unusual amount of large game
being taken in Maine this season. We pre-
sume "Jock" Darling has had his share, for
there are reports in circulation that he started
in early.

August, 1893.]

AND OOLOGIST.

119

Brief Notes, Correspondence and
Clippings.

A boiled deer's tongue is as fine a morsel
as one could ask for. Try one. ^Ve are
having them just now.

Several cub Bears, quite small, have been
noted in the Boston market in November.

We understand that the society of the
American Ornithologists' Union had a meet-
ing recently in the vicinity of Boston.

A. E. Kibbe, Mayville, N.Y., notes the tak-
ing of a set of eggs of Red-eyed Vireo ;
unmarked, pure white.

A large White Owl was seen near the barn-
yard at Wonson Farm, East Gloucester, Mass.,
Nov. 1 7 . One of the boys shot at him twice,
but failed to s:et him.

A little cyanide of potassium put on the
tongue of an animal causes almost instant
death. It is the most humane way of killing.

Knowing that you are interested in any
new discoveries in taxidermy, I will describe
a skin just received. .\ friend in Illinois, a
physician, who has imported some Indian
game birds, sent me the skin of a black par-
tridge, saying their druggist had tried to
mount it and hoped it might be of use to
me. The legs had been cut off at the knees,
head unskinned and eyes left in. Then a
piece of stiff brass wire had been run through
the skull, but only reached half way down to
tail and was perfectly loose ; then some wads
of cotton had been filled into the neck, then
a wire had been run through base of tail and
fastened into a medium sized cork stopper,
which had nothing else attached to it. Then
a stiff brass wire had been run through each
leg and cut off even with sole of foot ; a
little cotton stuffed into each thigh round
the wire, and neither fastened to anything
else or even bent. No stuffing of any kind

was put in and body left open. No eyes
except the natural ones ; one leg and one
wing were off when it reached me. In spite
of all this I have made quite a bird of it, but
for a mounted bird it beat all I ever saw.

— //.

We continually receive letters from part-
ies asking for a receipt for tanning skins.
We have tried several and have not found
them practical. We do know that " Tan-
nine " will do the work.

We received during the summer two lob-
sters, one weighing 17 and the other 19
pounds. Both were taken at Cape Cod.
Mounted under convex glasses, they made a
striking appearance.

The Wood Thrush.

From the time that our great statesman
and ex-president, Thomas Jefferson, who
" followed this bird for miles without ever
but once getting a good view of it," and who,
"for twenty years, interested the young
sportsmen of his neighborhood to shoot him
one," down to the present date of advanced
ornithology and oology, much has been said
and written in regard to this favorite bird.

His beautiful song and habits and their
nests and eggs have been so often described,
that it seems almost impossible to say any-
thing further in regard to this bird which
would be interesting, especially to the older
students of ornithology and oology ; and
yet I feel it my duty to make one correction
in regard to the material of which its nest
is composed, for the benefit of the younger
students and more especially for some of the
older ones, who study more from books than
from Nature.

Davie, in his second edition of " Nests
and Eggs of North American Birds," says
that its nest is " composed of leaves and
grasses, with a layer of mud ; " and in his third
edition, the same author says : " On the out-
side, it is composed of leaves, grasses, and

I20

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-N0. 8

stems of weeds, which are gathered when wet
and become solid and firm, and between
these are tracings of mud.''

Now, in all the years of my careful obser-
vations, I have never been able to find a sin-
gle nest of the Wood Thrush which contained
any mud except where small patches of it
had adhered to the decayed vegetation used
in its construction, seemingly more by acci-
dent than intention. My correction there-
fore is this, that the solid part of the Wood
Thrush's nest, usually called mud, is com-
posed of very old decayed vegetation and old
rotten wood pulp. I do not make these
statements to in any way injure Mr. Davie's
valuable works, for I priEe them highly, and I
think it would be proper here to state that
various other publications have made the
same mistake ; and if any ornithologist who
seems to differ with me on this subject will
carefully examine the nest of the Wood
Thrush, I feel sure that he will agree with me
that no mud is intentionally used in its con-
struction. James B. Piirdv-

Plymouth, Michigan.

Falcon Harbor, Bowdoin Bay, North
Greenland, Aug 13, 1893.

Editor " O. & O." : I am writing up my
correspondence and will drop you a line to let
you know that we are here all right. I have
been off on a reindeer hunt all night with
good success. Mr. Davidson and I spent
twelve solid hours, the entire night in fact,
although we had daylight all the time, in
hunting the deer. We ran across some fif-
teen or more, but did not get them all by any
means. You should have seen us skirting
the edge of the ice-cap, climbing crags and
fording glacial rivers, clothes and all, with
our sealskin suits and rifles. I would like
the pleasure of showing you my fur clothing
and rifle, the latter a heavy 45 calibre Win-
chester repeater, the latest and finest make,
a gift from Lieut. Peary. I am very sure
that both you and Mr. Brown as well would

have enjoyed the day»we put in at Duck Is-
lands, where we secured a great number of
birds and where I found several pairs of
birds nesting, despite the late date of our
visit. Previously I had been tramping and
collecting in Newfoundland, Labrador and
South Greenland, in fact, I shot the first
game of the expedition, having secured five
Black Guillemots and a Kittiwake Gull at
Holsteinburg. At Godham I secured a quan-
tity of Snow Buntings, one being in complete
winter costume, several Lapland Longspurs, a
fine pair of Guillemots, and four Ptarmigan, the
two latter sets forming material for two good
bird groups. A large quantity of birds and
eggs were also obtained of the Eskimo.
Here at Bowdoin Bay we have Snow Bunt-
ings in plenty, Ravens, Burgomasters, etc ;
last night on our reindeer trip we secured a
couple of young Eiders with our rifles, as my
repeating shot gun had, of course, been' left
behind at camp. A large quantity of King
Eiders were seen at LIpernavik. I would
like to send you a lot of natural history notes
and tell you something about this country,
the ice-cap, glaciers and icebergs — I was
in swimming within 100 yards of one this
afternoon — and many other things, but I
have not got the space nor the time. It is
quite likely that a couple of us will organize
an exploratory and collecting expedition soon
after our return to America ; we are studying
navigation to that effect, and in addition I
am making a study of practical meteorology.
I do not know whether I ever spoke to you
about Labrador or not, but it is a grand game
country ; at one place where I visited they
had killed 1 200 deer since Easter, at least
so I was informed by the Moravian mission-
aries. I must close now as I have got some
writing to do for Mr. Peary. You will, I
know, excuse this writing as I am writing out
of doors in a sealskin suit. I should be very
glad to receive a letter from you if you could
find time to write. George H. Clark,

Naturalist to Lieut. Peary's Arctic
Expedition.

ORNITHOLOGIST

— AND —

OOLOGIST.

$i.oo per
Annum,

PUBLISHED BY THE FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER COMPANY.

ESTABLISHED MARCH, 1875.

Singe Copy
10 cents.

Vol. XVIII. HYDE PARK, MASS., SEPTEMBER, 1893.

No.

Two Days Egging in June.

Last summer, June 14, 3 o'clock in the
morning I was at Ames, Iowa, waiting for
my friend, to wliom I iiad written that I was
coming to spend a few days with him in the
field. Knowing that Amon could not be in
Ames until about five o'clock, I got an early
breakfast at the Railroad Lunch Counter and
then started for the woods east of town.

In the east the sky was tinged with red —
glorious dawn of day and awakening of bird
life. The first note comes from the Purple
Martin ; the Pewee, Brown Thrasher and
Robin soon follows. Now the domestic
Cock of the barnyard crows loud and lustily,
cooing of doves in the distance and the
Cuckoo's notes near by follow in quick suc-
cession. Bird life begins in earnest — Robins,
Pewees, Thrushes, Whip-poor-wills, Martins,
Bluebirds, Kingbirds, Blue Jays, all start up
at one time, as it seems, and form Nature's
orchestra. From the fields near by come the
notes of Meadow Larks, Bobolink and Quail.
I stand still enraptured at the beauties of
nature that surround me ; suddenly two woKes
come running along the ravine at my left and
arouse me from my reverie. .Seeing me, the
shaggy fellows scamper off on a gallop and
cross the railroad track further down, just as
the west bound passenger comes thundering
along.

Rap a tap tap. The Woodpecker is at
work getting his breakfast ; he certainly proves
the old adage about the early bird catching
the worm to be true. The mosquitoes by
this time were out in full force, and " on to

their job," so I concluded to retrace my steps
to the station. Arriving at .\mes a few min-
utes later, I was in time to meet my friend.

The drive to his home, ten miles distant,
was a delightful one. Willow and osage
hedges were scattered all along the road —
favorite nesting places of Thrushes, Doves,
Robins, etc.

The first set of eggs that we collected on
the way to .Amon's home was a Catbird's,
three eggs in set, nest placed in willow.

Set II. Mourning Dove ; the nest was
placed in osage hedge. The Turtle 1 )oves are
common in our locality and can nearly always
be found feeding in country roadways.

Set III. Mourning Dove; nest in osage.
The nest contained only one egg, very small
in size, .75 X .55. My friend has in his col-
lection one set of three eggs.

Set IV. Brown Thrasher ; nest was made
of twigs, dried leaves, strips of bark and fine
roots, lined with hair. Three eggs in set,
thickly sprinkled over the entire surface with
reddish brown specks.

Having put this set in my collecting box,
we drove along leisurely until the notes of an
Oriole attracted our attention.

"There he is," said my companion, as he
pointed to the pretty "Lord Baltimore"
swinging on a leafy bough, " but I do not
see the nest."

We tied the horse and began to investi-
gate, but could not find the nest.

We had been looking for the nest about
five minutes, when a pretty barefooted coun-
try lassie came out of a little cottage that
stood by the roadside. Luckily for us, my

Copyright, 1893, by Fkank Blake Webster Company.

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-N0. 9

friend was acquainted with the fair maiden,
and asked her if she could tell us where the
Oriole's nest was. For reply, she pointed to
a limb right over our heads, and sure enough
there swung the purse-shaped nest of the
Baltimore Oriole with the female on the nest.
The nest was made of strips of fibrous bark,
strings, hair and wool woven firmly and
neatly together and fastened to a slender limb,
showing the marvellous skill by which ele-
gance and strength are combined. The nest
and three pretty pale blue eggs, spotted and
lined with umber, are now in my collection.
Two of the eggs are finely lined with \nnber
on the larger end, the other one is heavily
marked on smaller end.

After taking set V., we drove along briskly
and were at Amon's home in half an hour ;
here we rested a while and then started out
for a day in the fields and woods.

Set VI. Kingbird; four eggs in set, creamy
white, one spotted on larger end with rich
umber and chestnut red, on smaller end few
spots of chestnut. The others spotted with
chestnut red and lilac.

Set VII. Kingbird ; two eggs in set, blotched
and spotted with umber, chestnut red and
lilac.

Set VIII. Mourning Dove ; two eggs in set.

Set IX. Brown Thrasher ; three eggs in
set, ground color, pale greenish, with minute
specks of reddish brown over the entire
surface.

Set X. Red-winged Blackbird ; four eggs
in set, oval, pale blue, dotted and lined with
umber and reddish brown on the larger end,
with shell markings scattered over the surface.

Set XL Catbird ; four deep bluish green
eggs in set. Nest made of dry leaves, sticks
and twigs, lined with fine roots and grass,
placed on raspberry bush, three feet from
ground.

Set XII. Green Heron; five eggs in set,
light greenish blue, elliptical. The herony
is in a grove of maple trees on the Gibson
farm and has been their breeding place since
1888. Squaw creek is the most important

body of water near the herony, lying about
one mile to the south-west. Near the creek
and between it and the herony is a large
pond ; it is here that the herons get frogs and
the larvae of several insects, especially those
of the dragon fly, which lurk in the mud.
The Green Heron is common in Boone and
Story counties and can always be found along
the Des Moines river and Squaw creek, from
the latter part of April to about the first of
September.

During my summer rambles I have often
seen the silent and motionless fellow stand
like a statue, with his head drawn in, on the
lookout for an unfortunate frog or minnow,
suddenly giving a quick, sure stroke, and all
is up with poor froggie.

My friend took eggs from the " Gibson
Farm Herony" June 3, 1891 ; a set of five
on May 24 ; and set of six June 6 of the
same year. In 1892 he took a set of four.

This is the only place that I know of in
Story County where the Green Heron breeds.

Set XIII. Yellow Warbler; four eggs in
set, greenish white ground color, spotted,
forming a wreath around larger end, with
rich umber, reddish brown and lilac gray.
Nest cup-shaped, made of slender stems of
plants, grayish fibres and hair, lined with
horse hair and plant down, fastened on the
side of limb and small twig.

Set XIV. Yellow AVarbler ; three eggs in
set, ground color a decided green, heavily
marked on larger end with rich umber ; the
markings on one of the eggs form wreath on
larger end. Nest cup-shaped, made same
as the one just described with the exception
of the lining, which is composed mostly of
horse hair and very little of the plant down,
which forms the bulk of the lining of the
other nest.

Set XV. Brown Thrasher ; three eggs in
set, color same as set IX.

Set XVI. Bob White ; eight eggs in set.
Nest placed on ground, near fence : was
made of dry grasses, weeds and lea\es.
Found another nest (deserted) with four eggs,

September, 1893.]

AND OOLOGIST.

Set XVII. Yellow Warbler; five eggs in
set. Nest and eggs like set XIII.

Set XVIII. Yellow Warbler ; four eggs in
set, beauties ; they are in the " Amon Shearer
collection," so I cannot describe them.

Set. XIX. Catbird; four eggs in set; in
the "Amon Shearer collection."

This was the last set that we took, and by
6 o'clock we were home, feeling well satisfied
with our first day's egging. The evening
was passed pleasantly in telling stories, and
once in a while friend Amon, accompanied
by his sisters, would favor us with sweet music.

It was along towards the "wee hours"
when Amon and I " turned in " for the night.
.\lthough tired and sleepy we could not help
talking about sets taken during the day.
Amon had just finished telling me about a
" lucky find " the year before. In return I
told him of my first set of Great Horned Owl
eggs. I must have been rattling away for
about ten minutes, and when all was told I
asked my companion what he thought of it.
No answer — his thoughts had gone to the
" happy hunting ground."

Our plan was to be out early the next
morning, so I followed his example and —
snored.

Amon was up bright and early the next
morning ; had his farm work done and col-
lected set of Catbird eggs before I " tumbled
out" of bed.

The set of pretty Catbird eggs was lost ; it
happened this way :

When .Amon found the nest in the orchard,
he took the eggs and thought to surprise me
with his early find. Opening the door of the
bedroom he placed them on the floor be-
tween the door and bed.

About ten minutes later he returned to see
if I was up (of course I wasn't) ; then he
walked right in intending to wake me, un-
fortunately forgetting about the Catbird eggs
on the carpeted floor. Of course he steppeil
on every one of them.

After breakfast we started out. (-)ur first
find was four pretty eggs of the Brown

Thrasher ; nest was placed three feet from
ground in willow.

Set XXI. Yellow Warbler ; this set of fine
eggs is the lightest in color that I have ever
seen. Three of the eggs have a wreath on
the larger end, formed by faint spots and
blotches of drab brown. One has tiny
specks of lilac reddish brown and umber.
The other egg is pale blue, with only three
tiny dots of brown. Nest same as XI Y.'

Set XXII. Chipping Sparrow ; four eggs
in set, bluish green, spotted with dark um-
ber, purplish and gray lilac, the markings
forming a circle on the larger end of two
eggs. Nest built in wild plum free and
made of fine grasses, roots and fibres, linetl
with horse hair.

Set XXIII. Barn Swallow ; five eggs in
set, white, marked with spots of bright red-
dish brown over entire surface. Hundreds
of nests of this beautiful swallow were placed
under the eaves of the barn where this set
was collected.

Set X.XR'. Barn Swallow; six eggs in set,
color same as XXIII.

We took the nest belonging with this set
of six eggs because it was a fair specimen of
the Barn Swallow's work. It was comjiosed
of pellets of mud mixed with grasses and
lined with feathers.

Set XXV. Yellow Warbler ; four eggs in
set, greenish white ground color, spotted with
umber, reddish brown and lilac, forming
wreath on large end. Nest cup-shaped,
made of stems of plants, fibres, hair and
plant down.

This is the last set that we collected, going
home early so could we blow them before I
returned to my home.

The season was late for a successful col-
lecting trip, but the ones we did get are
beauties and much thought of by Amon and
me. Carl Fritz-Heniiin<r.

F. H. Holmes, Berryessa, Cal., called
on us while on his return trip from a pilgri-
mage to Harry Austen's "den."

124

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-N0. 9

The Pelicans of Michigan.

At rare intervals we read of captures of
Pelicans in Michigan, and these records have
assumed such proportions as to lead me to
think that the White Pelican, at least, is no
more to be considered a great rarity among
us. Undoubtedly this species is to be found
in our state each season, but as it may select
wild and litde known quarters, it rarely comes
to the notice of competent observers.

The species was known in our upper pe-
ninsula, about 47 degrees, as long ago as
1856. Two specimens were shot in St. Joseph
County about 42 degrees north latitude.
One was taken in St. Clair County, 43° N.
lat. 82° 30' W. long., and is now, I believe,
in the university museum. Mr. Adolph
Beerstecher, of Center^ille, Michigan, has
mounted state specimens. Then on page
143, 1892 " O. & O." is recorded a capture
at Dorr, Allegan Coimty, Michigan, about
43° N. lat., 85° 30' W. long.

The White Pelican breeds to the west of
our state, and was reported from N. Dakota
for many years, and undoubtedly nests there
now. It also reaches in its summer range
well up into the British Possessions. As it
is preferably a fresh water feeder, it follows
that there are few, if any, sections of our
possessions where it may not be found, at
least as an occasional straggler. The Mis-
sissippi valley must be, in the main, the
course of migration to those birds nesting
in British America and the northern confines
of our states ; and it follows that singles,
pairs, and perhaps occasionally small de-
tached flocks, will be seen during spring and
fall in Michigan. It is not improbable that
the species was once found breeding in our
upper peninsula.

The Brown Pelican has been embraced
as a state species by a single collector. The
late W. H. Collins, of Detroit, Michigan, a
most reliable observer and capable taxider-
mist, wrote me that a specimen was captured
near Romeo, Macomb County, in the spring

of 1882. If this secord is correct, and I
have never had cause to doubt Mr. Collins'
observations, then it is remarkable as a
nothern note, but more surprising as a rec-
ord from the interior, for the Brown Peli-
can is eminently a salt water bird. The lo-
cality of this capture, about 43° N. lat. and
83° W. long., is certainly surprising. How-
ever, reasoning from analogy, we have no
reason to doubt this record, either from ob-
servations on the same species near to our
state, or from notes of many other species of
salt water birds which -straggle to the great
lake region. Moreover, we know that this
bird does straggle over the lower course of
the Mississippi and its tributaries, and we
cannot as yet give the limits of this occa-
sional variation. G. Sirrom.

A Few Observations on the Crested
Flycatcher.

The Crested Flycatcher is quite common
in this district, and as I have taken a great
interest in these birds, I concluded to form
a better acquaintance with them this year, so
I placed a box of the right dimensions in a
large oak tree in my back yard. The first
Flycatchers were seen here about April 27.
On May 13, as I sat on the back porch, a
pair of Crested Flycatchers came and lit in
the tree where the box was. From this time
I watched them carefully.

I did not see anything more of them until.
May 19. I woke up and looked out to see
the birds, for I heard them from the tree.
Yes, they were carrying the first material
into the box. By the 2 2d the nest was com-
pleted to my notion, but the necessary article
had not yet been found. The box was half
full of grass, chicken feathers, fish scales, and
rubbish ; but the snake's skin was wanting.
On the 26 th, however, an ample supply was
found and the nest seemed to be going
through a renovation, for certain articles
were thrown out and the snake's skin put
instead. After about a double handful was
added the nest was complete. On the morn-

September, 1893.]

AND OOLOGIST.

125

of June 2d the first egg was laid, and on
June 3d another and the third on June 4th.
This completed the set and the process of
incubation was commenced.

The eggs were as heavily marked as any
I have seen, which fact made me wish to
take them, but I concluded to let them
hatch and feel amply repaid that I did.

The female sat the longest on the eggs
and when she was tired she stepped out on a
limb, uttered her ]jeculiar cry and flew away.
The male generally came around before she
returned, then she would soon relieve him.
On the 2 1 St of June the eggs hatched and the
young were fed by both parent birds. The
time it took to hatch the eggs, as you may
see, was seventeen days. I don't know
whether this is a litde fast or slow. The
young were fed on small grasshoppers, katy-
dids, and other small insects.

There were innumerable skirmishes with
Blue Jays. Each one, however, turned out a
victory for the Flycatchers. They would dart
at the Blue Jays in much the same manner
their cousins the King Birds do. The young
left the nest on the afternoon of June ist.
They remained about the place for some
days and then left. I think these birds did
very well to hatch and rear their young
under such di-sadvantages, for there was a
yard of seven cats that watched them very
attentively, and every bird escaped from their
clutches. J'^J'» C. Brozt'ii.

Carthage, Mo.

A Vacation in Pennsylvania.

The twelfth of June saw us seated in a D.
L. & W. train, speeding across the flat Jersey
country toward the Water Gap on the Dela-
ware. Previous to 1893, my summers had
always been spent in the mountains of north-
ern Vermont, and this southern country of
Jersey seemed almost tropical. From the
car window we saw, instead of the familiar
stone walls of Vermont, picturesque snake
fences suggestive of Jersey lightning, though
covered with graceful vines. I afterwards

found those very vines far from pleasant.
" But that is another story."

As our train sped on, we saw the distant
Blue Ridge come nearer and nearer, until
we found ourselves looking out on as charm-
ing a country as can be found anywhere,
{'he hills were not high compared to real
mountains, but they were wonderfully beau-
tiful, being craggy and wild, covered with
forest, broken here and there by a little farm.
.■\s we sped through the woods, I could imag-
ine it when quiet, with the cautious Fox stand-
ing on some log, looking up and down the
track, while a Grouse clucked in alarm at sight
of him. After a most glorious ride, and what
was very satisfactary to the inner man, a very
good dinner, we reached the Water Gap.
My brother had sent a carriage up from the
city, and we spent a few minutes in tying it
securely to Mr. W.'s big wagon ; then step-
ping in, we had a grand twenty-mile drive
through the fragrant mountain air, saturated
with sunshine. As we drove along the ridge,
we looked down into the Delaware, alternat-
ing in deep still pools and noisy white rapids.
Farther on we crossed that famous old trout
stream where gentle Thaddeus Norris loved
to fish, the Brodhead. As we rounded a
curve beyond it, a little flock of dainty Caro-
lina Doves rose with a soft whistling of wings,
and, flying up the hillside, we heard them
cooing to each other with that bell-like plain-
tive note — wellnigh a song. Once on the
plateau, we drove through a country dotted
with farms, with nut trees and orchards along
the road. There we found the gaudy Balti-
more Oriole in quantities, all busy as bees.
\Ve saw a few of Baity' s shy cousin, the
Orchard Oriole, and I heard his song for the
first time, though he was an old friend of
my brother's.

As we rattled along over an excellent road,
we made inquiries of our host, Mr. W., as to
getting a horse for the summer. We found
our advent had created quite a stir, and all
the old nags of the country had been dieted
and physicked for a week past. ,\% the re-

126

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-N0. 9

maining miles dwindled, the sun sank lower
and lower, and when we reached the Dela-
ware valley again, at the Bushkill, the sun
was setting, and we heard the wierd picink
of the Night Hawks overhead. As we drove
through a shady copse, we heard the liquid
notes of Whip-poor-will, and soon the valley
was filled with their sadly musical notes.
Just before we finished our drive, we heard a
ghastly gurgling scream, or groan, repeated
several times, and looking toward the moonlit
sky we finally saw a small Owl fly out on
silent wings. I have ne\er identified any owl
notes with their authors, but I took this to
be a Screech Owl.

The next morning I was awakened by a
rollicking song, and saw a Red-eyed Vireo
singing away within a couple of feet of my
open window. Hearing a strange song, I
dressed hastily and went exploring. It was
a perfect summer morning, an ideal time for
an ornithologist to be awake. The air was
filled with music, and everything had an air
of enchantment, in the early sunlight, that
made it seem more than ever like a foreign
country. Surely, I thought, I shall like Penn-
sylvania more than Vermont ; and now the
summer is over, I am inclined to think it is
a fine place and Pike County its best corner.

Hunting up my strange song I found it
came from a gorgeous Scarlet Tanager,
perched on a dead locust limb, within twenty
feet of the piazza. I looked around for his
nest, and soon found it, a frail bunch of sticks
with the mother bird showing through it. It
was placed in a flat crotch of the same tree,
in a bunch of verdure hanging directly over
the road, not over fifteen feet up. .4s I
watched the quiet little matron, I heard a
familiar call, that sad, simple little refrain,
pee-wee, followed by a flutter, and a quick
snap as a moth went to its doom. I soon
found Pewee's nest, a dainty lichen-covered
cup, in an upright crotch in a limb almost at
the top of the next locust, along the fence.
Looking lower, I saw a Chipping Sparrow at
work on a nest, low enough to reach by stand-

ing on the fence. After the little spizellae
came into the world, I often got up and
watched them, and when they flew I took
the nest.

Going round the house, I saw a Phoebe
fly hurriedly away from the piazza, and it
took little search to find the clumsy mud
nest on the cross beam, with its five little
gap-mouth birdlings. We watched those all
summer, too, and missed the little black-eyed
mother when the brood flew, and she flew
with them. In a big basswood at the back
of the house, I heard an Oriole singing away,
and presently he showed me his swinging
cradle, not a whit afraid for me to admire it
from the lowly station I occupied. As I
reached the corn crib there was a clatter of
wings and a Blue Jay went off up the moun-
tain s,CTtammg Jay, Jay, Jay, till the moun-
tains mocked him. In the orchard behind
the kitchen I heard a sharp chehee, cliebee,
and found the Least Flycatcher, looking sour
and glum as though his breakfast was want-
ing. 1 began to sympathize with him, and
went in to prospect, scaring a dainty little
Hummingbird from the glowing nasturtiums.

After breakfast my brother and I started
off fishing, and though we had a very good
time, we saw nothing of interest to the " O.
& O." We found Brown Thrashers every-
where ; Catbirds nearly as common, and
Baltimore Orioles in every orchard. I think
the best way to give an idea of what we found
would be to tell what we didn't find. I
never saw so many species of birds in so
short a time in my life ; from the "canaille ''
of birds to the "noblesse," all had their re-
presentatives. The common Sparrows, as
Chippy, Grasshopper, Field, Song, Savanna,
were dancing around the vines in the fence
corners, and solitary Kingbirds sat haughtily
on fence poles. The glorious melody of the
Wood Thrush came from the forest across
the field, while the Oriole and Song Sparrow,
with homelier melody, swelled the chorus.

The warblers were very few as residents.
The omnipresent Golden Warbler, the to me

September, 1893.]

AND OOLOGIST.

127

rare Parula, were the only ones in the woods
and fields. In the swampy thickets the
Maryland Yellow-throat and Golden-crowned
Wagtail appeared, while on the river banks
the Redstart and Water Thrush held sway.
The Bobolink was unknown, the Cowbird
not common, but both Orioles were every-
where if you were in their confidence enough
to find them. Save the Red-tailed Hawk and
an occasional Sharp-shinned or Red-shoul-
der, and the lordly White-headed Eagle, the
Hawk tribe was scarce. What three or four
species did show up were few in number.
The Flycatchers 'were all there { I mean the
common ones of this latitude and longitude)
except Traill's and the Yellow-belly. I saw
one Olive-sided Flycatcher, but the rest,
even the Acadian, were fairly common.
Blue Jays were rampant, but Crows scarce.
I found no Grosbeaks, but only Chewink,
Goldfinch and Indigo, besides the plebeians
of the field. Ruffed Grouse were thick^
Quail and Woodcock neither rare nor com-
mon. The noisy and meddlesome Robin,
whom I heartily dislike, was there too ; and
of the Woodpeckers, the Downy, Hairy and
Flicker were common, the Pileated rare, and
the rest unknown to me there. Chicadee
was a rare resident, though common back in
the coniferous forest.

The Red-eyed and Warbling \'ireos were
in great numbers, but those were the only
ones of their family. The common House
Wren was the only one I found, though I
looked for others of the family. Barn and
Kave Swallows were common ; Bank and
^Vhite-bellied rather rare. Chimney Swifts
were in great numbers in the many deserted
houses. The Carolina Nuthatch was fairly
common ; the Carolina Dove very common.

On the islands of the river we found the
Spotted Sandpiper and Green Heron. Here
also the dashing Kingfisher caught minnows
and sprung his rattle triumphantly. I think
that is a pretty accurate list of what birds I
found resident. There are several rare resi-
dents I am not at all sure of in \h§\x identifi-

cation, so I leave that till later. I have said

nothing about the migrants ; they will come
later.

Now about the White-headed Eagle.
I've heard them slandered most foully, even
in the school reader, which should be patri-
otic. I found these magnificent birds fairly
common, two pairs being within five miles,
and young ones strung around everywhere.
There were a few Ospreys in the river, but
never have I seen them molested by the
Eagles. Perhaps it was because dead shad
were so plenty, but we must give the Eagle
his due. I never saw those Eagles quarrel
with anyone, even a Kingbird, whom Job
would have squabbled with, save one tres-
passing Eagle, who quarreled over a dead
fish with one of our young Eagles. Then
there was screaming and a superb chase,
wheeling round in magnificent curves, flying
with a speed that seemed incredible until you
heard the pinions roar as they wheeled. Fi-
nally the trespasser fled — no, not fled, he
majestically sailed away, " every inch a
King."

I know of no sight more sublime than that
of an Eagle soaring in one of those contem-
plative moods they sometimes have, soaring
in superb great circles, slowly rising until the
gazer, fascinated, finds the superb fellow
nearly invisible, and then to hear the wild
call to the queen, as the royal pair sail away,
swift as arrows, to their roosting place. I
believe that sight would make the most pain-
fully practical person feel a gush of delight —
that they had been permitted to see our na-
tional emblem under such perfect conditions.
I suppose he is a thief and a robber, but he
is tnie to his mate, and has so many noble
qualities that one must forgive the little in-
consistencies. Herbert IV. Congdo)i.

Capen's " Oology of New England " is
nearly exhausted. We know of only 6 co-
pies in the market; we have 4 and F. H.
Latin 2, The price is $15, colored plates,
1"he plates have been rjestroj'edt

128

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-N0. 9

Ducks in Southern Wisconsin.

Probably the greatest sport to be had by
the hunters of this locality is with the Ducks.
Nothing, in bird shooting, can be compared
to ducking, especially shooting over decoys
when the birds are flying well. We have
quite a list of ducks here, which I give, hop-
ing that it may be of interest to ornitholo-
gists and sportsmen alike. To me it is al-
ways an interesting group in either way.

1. Merganser aviericanus, American
Merganser ; Sheldrake. This bird is a toler-
ably common migrant, but is not much hunted
on account of the rank, " fishy " taste of its
flesh.

2. -1/ scrrator, Red-breasted Mergan-
ser. A rare migrant ; table qualities same
as last.

3. Lophidvtes citciiUatits, Hooded Mer-
ganser ; Fish Duck. .'\n abundant migrant,
and in the fall very fair eating, although in the
spring the flesh is very fishy, as with the two
foregoing Fish Ducks.

4. Alias boschas, Mallard, "Green-
head" {$). As line a table Duck as we
have ; rather a common summer resident
and an abundant migrant. Rarely decoyed,
but many are shot in the creeks and ponds
before the sea-ducks arrive. Late in the fall
they may be found in the corn-fields.

5. ,-J. o/'.vfwrf?, Hlack Duck. .\ tolerable
common migrant, having the same general
habits of the Mallards.

6. A. ainericatia, Baldpate. Common
migrant. Does not decoy very well and is
usually taken with long shots. Very good
eating.

7. A. caroltiici/sis, (Ireen-winged Teal.
This pretty little Duck is a common migrant,
arriving early, so as to afford good shooting
in the rice marshes and small ponds, along
with the Blue-wing and Wood Duck. Often
found feeding in company with the Coot and
(Irebe.

8. A. discors, Blue- winged Teal. A
common summer resident ; fine table bird.

g. Spattda clypeata. Shoveller, Spoon-
bill. A rare summer resident and tolerably
common migrant. .A few summer in retired
places and are shot now and then during the
fall. Said by some sportsmen to be " fools "
and easily deceived, but all that I have ever
seen were very wary. .A fine table fowl.

ID. Dafila acuta, Pintail, Sprig-tail. A
tolerably common spring migrant but very
rare in the fall. Not very often secured of
late.

11. Aix sponsa, ^\'ood Duck. This
Duck is an abundant summer resident of me
wild-rice marshes and retired ponds, and
many are shot in the early fall, the sportsman
turning out for them on September i, as they
do for Chicken farther west on the first day
of the season. Rarely taken in full plumage.

12. Avf/iya americaiia, Redhead. A
tolerably common migrant. Decoys well in
the spring off the points of the larger lakes.

13. A. valllsneria. Canvas-back. Tol-
erably common migrant, but rather late.
Not many are shot.

14. ,1. affinis, Lesser Scaup Duck, Blue-
bill. Rare summer resident, but abundant
migrant, sometimes in very large flocks.
Decoys well and gives good shooting.

15. A. collaris, Ring-necked Duck,
Blue-bill. A migrant with the last, and in
about equal numbers.

16. Glaucionetta claiigiila ameri-
cana, American Golden-eye, Whistler. Very
rare summer resident and abundant migrant.
Decoys well, often diving or swimming into
the stool.

17. G. /jV<7«(//(rn', Barrows' Golden-eye.
An accidental migrant. Four were taken in
the spring several years ago on Delavan Lake.

18. Charito)ictta alheola, Bufflehead or
Butterball. .An abundant migrant, easily
decoyed. .A very beautiful little Duck when
in full plumage.

19. Oide7nia a/iicricatia, American Sco-
ter. A very rare visitor during the migra-
tions. A flock of six appeared this fall on
November 12.

September, 1893.]

AXD OOLOGIST.

129

20. Eristnatura rubida. Ruddy Duck.
A common migrant. Dives well, often com-
ing up in the decoys when you are looking
in the air for your game. Easily secured, a
quick shot usually bags the whole flock.

21. Chen hyperborea. Lesser Snow
Goose. Rather common migrant, though
rarely taken.

22. £ranta canadensis, Canada Goose ;
Common Wild Goose, .^n abundant migrant.
Only a few are taken as they light usually in
the center of the lakes or fields, where they
are not easily secured.

In the above list no Ducks are given as
summer residents where only an occasional
winged bird remains over from the spring
migration, as is not rarely the case.

Ned HoIIistcr.

Delavan, Wis.

Notes from Maine.

One day during last May I was told that a
boy had collected a set of Mocking-bird's
eggs. I immediately went to see him and
was shown an egg. It was one of four, the
others having been swapped off, as he told
me, and they looked to me, so far as I could
remember, much like the Mocking-bird's
eggs that I had in my collection. He had
destroyed the nest and refused to tell me
where he had found the birds : but I told
him to look out well for a second set, and to
let me collect it, as I wished to get birds and
all. When I next saw him, however, he said
that he had already collected the second set
and was saving them for me. I got the eggs
and also the nest, but the birds were nowhere
to be seen. On closely comparing the eggs
with those of the Mocking-bird's, I found
them entirely different, but not so much so
as to make me think them anything else.
Only a week after I found out that I had
made a bad mistake, for I found a pair of
Loggerhead Shrikes around the place where
the nest had been. The four eggs, when
compared with a set of the White-rumped,

showed no difference at all. The nest was
declared a Shrike's on first seeing it and
without being told about it by a friend, who
is verv familiar with the breeding of the
White-rumped. It was placed in the middle
of a field about seven feet up in an apple
tree. It is made of horse-hair, cow-hair, cot-
ton, twigs, grass, string and feathers, one of
which on the bottom (outside) of the nest
looks as if it may have come from one of the
birds.

On June 10 I collected a fine set of five
eggs of the Purple Finch. This bird is not
very rare, but its nests are not often found,
as they hide them very nicely in the top of
some thick tree in the woods. I found this
one, however, in an apple tree, while looking
for something else. It was utterly impossi-
ble to see the nest farther off than two or three
feet, so well was it hidden.

June 10, a set of Blue-headed \'ireos was
found in a maple within fifty feet of my home.
The nest was only slightly pensil and was
about ten feet from the ground and seven
from the trunk of the tree. When I took
the set, the bird stayed on the nest until my
hand was so near that she hit it as she flew
up. Four eggs.

On this day I also got a set of Least Fly-
catchers with six eggs in it. The nest was,
if anything, a little smaller than usual and the
eggs were almost crowded as they lay in it.
I never before heard of a set with more than
four in it.

I also got last summer two sets of Indigo
Buntings — one with three, the other with
four eggs — and a set of Vellow-billed Cuck-
oos with two eggs.

In writing before of the Loggerhead Shrike,
I intended to say that on April 21, 1891, I
shot a fine specimen, which is now in the
collection of Rev. Mr. J. B. Caruthers, of Ber-
lin Falls, New Hampshire. The bird was
all alone and seemed to be looking for prey
of some sort when I shot it.

yoJin L. Goddale.
Saco, Me.

130

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-N0. 9

THE

ORNITHOLOGIST^^^OOLOGIST

A MdNTHI.V MAGAZINE OF

NATURAL HISTORY,

ESPECIALLY DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OF

BIRDS,

THEIR NESTS AND EGGS,

AMI Ti> "1 Hi-

INTERESTS OF NATURALISTS.

Under the Editorial JSLiiiagement of
FRANK. B. WEBSTER, . . . Hyde Park, Mass.

J. PARKER NORRIS, . . . Pliiladelpliia, Pa.

I'L'BLISltED AT THE

MUSEUM AND NATURALISTS' SUPPLY DEPOT

OF THE

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER COMPANY,

lNCORPOR.\TED,

HYDE PARK, MASS.

The O. & O. IS mailed each issue to every paid subscriber.
If you fail to receive it, notify us.

W'lW the correspondent who sent us some
time since notes, five pages, headed Lams
Praiiklinii, please communicate. A\'e acci-
dentally separated it from his letter, and
wish signature for publication.

INTERESTING TO NATURAL HISTORY COL-
LECTORS.

Postmaster Dayton has been informed
that a proposition submitted by the Post-
master General to the International Postal
Bureau to admit specimens of natural history
to the international mails at the postage rate
and conditions applying to " samples of
merchandise " has been rejected by a vote
of the countries composing the Universal
Postal Union, and consequently all such
specimens (except those addressed to Can-
ada or Mexico) must be fully prepaid at
letter rates ; and dried animals and insects
cannot be sent under any conditions, being
absolutely excluded by the provisions of the
Universal Postal Union Convention, regard-
less of the amount of postage prepaid there-
on. 'Phis will prevent the exchange of such
specimens between collectors, natural history
museums, etc., by international mails, and
no package known to contain them can be

accepted at a post-ofifice for mailing to for-
eign countries.

Natural history specimens (other than
dried animals and insects) may be sent to
Canada as " merchandise " at one cent an
ounce. They may also be sent by parcels
post to Mexico and to all other countries
with which the United States has parcels
post conventions.

Brief Notes, Correspondence and
Clippings.

And now they are having a Gay old time
of it in Maine over the question of stocking
up of the state with fowls of the air and
beasts of the fields.

" Hornaday's Taxidermy" is sold all over
the world. A letter just received from India
mentions it as being " the book." It is a
work that should be in the hands of all
sportsmen, — as the time would certainly
come when a reference to its pages would
be worth several times the cost. There has
been no book published on the subject that
begins to compare with it. Sent jiost paid
from this office for S2.50.

Is it Mount Tacoma or Ramier? is the
question that seems to be agitating people
in Tacoma. The Tacoma Academy of Sci-
ences says it is Tacoma, and that settles it.

The "Cyclone " mouse trap for the tak-
ing of small mammals, is the best one in the
market. Every naturalist should have them
on hand, as for the common mouse they are
the trap of the day. 'Pwo by mail post
paid for 25 cents.

During the heavy storms this fall two
records were made of Man-o'-War birds on
the New Kngland coast.

Editor "O. & O." : The "O. & O." came
the other day and now lies on my desk com-
pletely reail through. Where have all ihe
old writers gone? I still see Widmann is in

September, 1893.]

AND OOLOGIST.

131

the ring, and I believe Preston had some-
thing in the June number ; but where is
J. M. W. and his"hawky" (Red-tail) notes.
He has not gone back on the Red-tails, has
he? Why not something from his quill
again? Let Preston tell us how he found
White Cranes' eggs in northern Iowa again
— would much rather they were another
set — and stir up the rest of our old writers.

Shooting along the Illinois has begun, in
fact it never stopped. Sandpiper and Vel-
low-legs were quite plentiful along the Illi-
nois not long ago, and the former are now.
Jacks have arrived in goodly numbers since
the rains, and the market has an abundance
of them. ir. E. Loucks.

Peoria, 111.

The " Forest and Stream " issue of Decem-
ber 2 1 contains a photograph of a pair of
Capercailzie mounted by George E. Browne
of Dedham, Mass., who is connected with us.

NO'IES FROJI BERRESSA, CAL.

I notice in July " O. & O." a correspond-
ent from Riverside asks about the range
of the Black Rail. I have seen several on
the marshes at the southern end of San
Francisco Bay. While walking along a
slough at high tide on December i, 1892,
I flushed two together and secured them
both. On February 29, 1892, I secured
another, and also a Yellow Rail. At one
spot on the marsh near a small stream of
artesian water I have seen specimens of the
Black, Yellow, Yirginia, California Clapper
and Sora Rails. I would like to know how
far west the Yellow Rail has been reported
as occurring. I have been informed that it
has never before been taken in California.

I have taken two and have seen one or
two others. I see Mr. F. H. Renick, of
Seattle, Washington, speaks of having never
seen the Black Swift on any but fresh water.
A couple of years ago a friend of mine shot
several flying about the cliffs on Monterey
Bay, and I have seen those and the White-

throated near the same place, often in the
company of Cliff and \'iolet-green Swallows.

R. //. Beck.

The Flight of Birds— A Reply.

In response to Mr. James Smith's query
in the July Orntihologist and Oologisi, I
would say that the true Falcons are perhaps
the swiftest aerial navigator among the Avian
fauna. As to species, we are led by exten-
sive personal ob.servation to doubt if any bird
can excel the Duck Hawk in swiftness of
flight. While seeking and taking the eggs
of this Falcon we have had ample opportu-
nity to observe its habits. The rapidity of
its progress when upon the wing is almost
inconceivable. At one moment it may be
within range of an ordinary shot-gun ; in an-
other, it is a mere speck in the sky; and in
a third, it is lost to human vision. Again it
may be observed to shoot downward from the
region of the clouds with a velocity compar-
able to that of an arrow leaving the bow of
an archer. The Duck Hawk is remarkable
not only for its swiftness but also for its power
of flight. It is probable that this bird is
capable of traveling at a rate of one hundred
and fifty miles an hour, and it has been as-
certained with certainty that it can maintain
for a considerable time a rate of at least one
hundred miles an hour. Hence it is not
strange that it is often seen far from any of
its native haunts and breeding places — a
fact which gave it the name Peregrine, from
the Latin pcregriniis, " a wanderer."

Among other birds which possess great
power of flight are the Petrels ( Proccllaria )
including the Albatrosses, the Stormy Petrel,
etc., which maintain themselves upon the
wing for long periods of time. Other oceanic
birds are remarkable for both power and
swiftness of flight. An Eider Duck has been
known to cover ninety miles in an hour.

Those acquainted with the principles and
mechanism of aerial navigation can demon-
strate by physical examination and dissection
of the species mentioned that they are ana-

132

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. I S-No. 9

tomically constructed for great rapidity and

force of flight.

For a full description of the nesting habits
of the Duck Hawk, the reader is referred to
an article bv the writer entitled " Taking the
Eggs of the Peregrine Falcon," in the Ooi,-
cxiisT for June, 1893.

y. Hobart Egbert.

Notes on the Sharp-shinned Hawk.

The Sharp-shinned Hawk is a resident with
us, but not at all common, especially during
the summer months.

I have only succeeded in finding two nests
in a number of years' collecting.

The first was found about May, 1878, in a
grove of small pines ; situated in one of them,
and about twenty feet from the ground. It
contained five eggs, which I secured.

About two weeks later, in passing near the
nest, I decided to take another look at it.

I did so, and also took a second set of
eggs from it. There were four in this clutch,
and they were smaller than the first ones and
not so finely marked.

My second nest was found May 29, 1892,
and discovered to me by the actions of the
birds, as when I was about fifty yards from it
they both came flying about me and became
very noisy.

This nest was also in a pine tree, close in
to the trunk and resting at the base of a limb.

It was thirty-five feet up, and composed of
pine twigs, without lining of any kind.

While I was at the nest both birds sat in
a tree about twenty feet distant and seemed
very much disturbed at my presence. Sev-
eral times they darted close to my head and
perched within a few feet of me, but at the
least movement would fly off a short distance.

The eggs, which were very slightly incu-
bated, were five in number and are as follows,
the ground color in all being a grayish white :

No. I. A little more pointed than any of
the others. Marked mostly about the centre
with a wreath of burnt umber and russet, the

rest of the egg being covered with small light
brown spots: T.41 x 1.2 1.

No. 2. Marked with a broad band of burnt
umber and russet in the centre, the rest of the
egg being covered with small light brown
specks : 1.4 1 X 1. 1 9.

No. 3. About one-half marked with burnt
umber, forming a sort of cap to the egg, the
balance slightly marked with small spots of
light brown : 1.41 x 1.17.

No. 4. Marked about the larger end with
burnt umber and russet, the rest of the egg
being covered with splashes and spots of
light brown : 1.40 x t.2i.

No. 5. In this egg the ground color is a
clearer white than in any of the others.
Marked around the centre with a wreath or
band of russet and a little burnt umber.
This is the only egg in the set showing any
lilac, it having a few splashes of this color,
principally toward the larger end. It is by
far the most handsome egg in the clutch.

In all of them the umber looks as if it had
been slightly washed in some places.

Thinking I might take a second clutch
from this nest, as in the one previously found,
I went back to it about two weeks later, but
it was apparently deserted as there were no
birds to be seen.

I also looked at it this last spring (1893),
but without success.

Two other nests, of which I have record,
were found in pine trees, one in a cedar tree,
and one was in a hole formed by the rotting
of a limb of a chestnut tree. This latter was
occupied for two consecutive years and then
the tree was cut down.

All of these nests were in Biiltimore
County, Maryland.

Willi a III II. Fi slier.

Baltimore, Md.

E. W. Norcross, of Boston, while on his
vacation in Vermont, shot a beautiful white
Robin. It seemed to have been deserted
by its family and was flying about the fields
alone. Brcivster.

ORNITHOLOGIST

— AND —

OOLOGIST.

$i.cx) per
Annum.

PUBLISHED BY THE FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER COMPANY.

ESTABLISHED MARCH, 1875.

Single Copy
10 cents.

Vol. XVIII.

HYDE PARK, MASS., OCTOBER, 1893.

No. ID.

A Nest of Hen Hawks.

Dr. Merriam says that Fish Hawks, A.O.
U. 364, do not breed as far up the Connect-
icut river as Hartford, but as they are al-
ways very common here about the middle of
April, I thought he might be mistaken. So
I watched the meadows where they fish
pretty closely, and also asked my brothers to
keep an eye open for big nests. As what I
am going to write has nothing to do with
Fish Hawks, I may as well say right here
that, though I once saw one with weeds on
her feet, we didn't find any nests, and I
guess that Dr. Merriam knows what he is
talking about alter all.

The boys had been fishing for Alewi\es in
these meadows and, April 22, they told me
that they had several times seen " a big
bird, not a Fish Hawk," fly out of a large
nest which I had watched for the last four
years without seeing it used.

So I got my climbers and rowed up there.
The water sometimes covers this place to a
depth of fifteen feet, and there is always
more or less there every spring. I saw the
bird, a Red-shouldered Hawk I found later,
and on going up to the nest saw that it had
been repaired a trifle and contained four
eggs. They were a dirty white, more or less
spotted with brown, mostly in small spots
but some blotches. The spots are no
thicker at one end than at the other. The
eggs are about the size of a small hen's egg,
rounder perhaps. They were almost ex-
actly like a set of five, well incubated, that I
took from a neighboring tree on the 30th
of last April. They measured 2. 16. \ 1.66,

2.20xr.68, 2.18x1.70, 2.04x1.65, and

2.16x1.68.

By the way, it took me nearly two weeks
to blow one of those eggs. I had to fill it
with water and let the infant soften before I
could get him out.

As I had those five already, 1 decided to
leave this set in the nest and watch them.
I found in the nest, beside the eggs, about
six inches of the tail of a grass snake. The
old lady had taken it to bed with her !

I went away as quietly as I could and
came back again on the first of May, but
the eggs had not flown yet. But on the
8th, when I went next, I thought some-
thing was the matter before I got to the
nest, for the female called up her mate, who
stayed most of the time in a grove of maples
near by, and together they made quite a
noise. Each time before she has slipped
off the nest as quietly as possible.

On going up I found one egg hatched
and another with a hole in it three-quarters
of an inch in diameter. The bird's bill was
moving about weakly but he didn't seem to
be making any effort to get out ; getting his
wind, perhaps. There were only a few
small pieces of the shell in the nest, so I
think the old bird threw them over as soon
as the chick hatched. Of the other two
eggs, one was still whole and the other was
cracked a little where the bird was pushing
out from the inside.

The chick that had hatched was quite
pretty, being covered thickly with light grey
down, which was nearly three-fourth inches
long on the head. The belly was entirely
bare. The litUe fellow peeped quite lustily

Copyright, 1893, by Frank Blake Webster Company.

134

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. iS-No. 10

as soon as he heard me coming up, or per-
haps he was cold. His eyes were open and
of a greyish color. There is a stuffed Hawk
about three days' old at the Peabody mu-
seum in New Haven. It looks just as this
one did.

On the 13th, when I went next, all the
eggs had hatched and the shells were all
taken away. There was a surprising differ-
ence in the size of the chicks, the first out
being three times the size of his youngest
brother. The smallest looked as if he was
just out of the egg.

May 20th he had disappeared. The poor
little chap was probably starved out. See
Darwin on the " survival of the fittest."
There is not as much difference between
the other three as before. They have grown
fat on the food that the little one would
have had.

I gave them two young E^nglish Sparrows,
hoping that they would acquire a taste for
those dirty little immigrants, but they were
not hungry. There was a half-eaten frog in
the nest, also some fresh maple leaves. I
don't see why the bird brought them there.
They could not have come themselves, as
they were attached to a twig about six inches
long, and besides there are no maple trees
in the immediate vicinity, only black oaks.
Perhaps the chicks used them as fans to
keep the flies off !

The oldest chick found his voice to-day.
He balanced himself on his tail — his legs
are still much too weak to hold him — and
squawked at me quite bravely. Rather
feebly to be sure, but my brother in the
boat thought it was the old one at a dis-
tance.

On the 27 th the primaries had begun to
show. The largest Hawk got up on his legs,
but would have tipped over backward out of
the nest if I hadn't put my hand there.
The others simply sat up straight and opened
their mouths — too surprised to speak. There
was a green willow stick in the nest over
three feet long, with the leaves all on it.

Can any one tell me what they do with
these green things?

June 5th the wing feathers were four
inches long, and the tail an inch and a half.
There were many large feathers on the
back, less on the breast and only a few on
the head. The shoulders ha\e a decidedly
reddish tinge.

\\'e have a regular programme now, which
the birds follow whenever I go up. As
soon as I come in right above the edge of
the nest, which is practically a sphere of
sticks about two feet in diameter, merely
flattened on top and softened with leaves,
up jumps the largest with wide open mouth,
and begins to back off. When I think he
will surely fall over the edge of the nest, he
stops and stands there swaying about in a
very reckless manner. He reminds me of
a chicken which has had too much bread
and whiskey. He seems to impress it upon
his brothers " that something's up " — -which
is me. 'Phey sit up and open their mouths
and stick their legs straight out in front and
stare with an expression that is a combina-
tion of surprise and fear which would make
a fortune for any taxidermist who could re-
produce it. Here's an idea for some of
our rising young naturalists : a nest full of
young Hawks staring in surprise at a stuffed
monkey appearing above the edge.

When I climb down they tune up and
keep on squawking until I get nearly to the
bottom. If I touch them or make any sud-
den movements they begin sooner.

June 12th the plumage had increased a
good deal, but they still have a thick coat of
fuzz underneath. The legs are covered down
to the knee joint. The under parts are
white, spotted with brown, and the back a
darker color.

They were all standing up when I got in
sight of the nest, and as I went up very
quietly they didn't seem much frightened.
I made one perch on my hand by pushing
against his toes. He didn't seem to mind
it much, nor did he yell at all until I started

October, 1893.]

AND OOLOGIST.

13s

down. There was some green grass and
lots of maple leaves in the nest.

They had flown when I next visited the
place on June 17th, and I think from the
looks of things that they left some time be-
fore the 15th. On climbing the tree I
found one of them lying on his back dead.
Had all of them been killed instead of fly-
ing off safely? The dead one smelled pretty
rank, but I don't think he had been dead
more than three or four days. Many of his
bones seemed to have been broken, but per-
haps, being young and tender, they had
softened.

Possibly he had had a scrap with his
brothers, but I think if they had been so
rude as to kill him, they would have finished
the business by eating him up ! None of
his parts were missing, though. Then, too,
if it had been much of a fight he would have
fallen over the edge. He might have starved
to death, but I don't believe he would have
gone off so quickly, as he seemed as well as
the others on the 12th. On the whole, I
don't see what killed him.

From watching this nest or Hen Hawks,
I found that it takes over two weeks, and
probably three, for Red- shouldered Hawks'
eggs to hatch, and about forty days or some-
thing less than six weeks before the young
leave the nest ; that they eat frogs and
snakes, which was well known before, and
that the parent does not break the egg to
let out the young one — about which, I be-
lieve, there has been some discussion. I
never saw any feathers in the nest or any in-
dications that they had been eating birds.
Further : the primaries come out first, in
their third week, and the tail feathers a lit-
tle later, while the body feathers do not open
out until about the fifth. They are not able
to stand up at first — this family did in their
fourth week — but they can prop themselves
upon their tails and howl after the first week.
How much of this would 1 have found
out if I had taken the eggs? I think that
tour or five sets at most, to show the varia-

tion in color, is enough for anybody's collec-
tion. If it is necessary to know the average
number of eggs laid by a bird, why can't it
be found just as easily by leaving the eggs
and taking notes instead? I think such
lists as the Jackson collection, in the Feb-
ruary number, are interesting and useful,
but I would be more interested and more
instructed by some good notes on the breed-
ing habits or nests, rather than the mere eggs.
The egg is simply a product of nature which
the bird has nothing to do with, but the
shape and location of the nest depend
wholly on her ingenuity. Therefore I think
a collection of, or notes upon, nests is more
interesting than anything which has to do
wholly with eggs.

But what I want to know is, what killed
that young Hawk, and why did the old one
bring so manv green leaves to the nest?

Henry R. Buck.

Notes from Greenland.

During a short sojourn in Copenhagen in
January of this year, I visited the Zoological
Museum of the town, as during my previous
stay in Greenland I had become interested
in the ornithology of that icy land. I ex-
amined especially the Greenland bird skins,
under the guidance of the inspector of the
museum, Mr. H. ^Vinge. As (Jreenland be-
longs to the North .American territory, I
think your readers will be interested to learn
of the most remarkable observations that I
made.

A recent acquisition of the museum was a
collection of bird skins taken on the shores
of Eastern Greenland, north of 65 deg. N.
lat., by the Danish expedition, which had just
returned after having explored that hitherto
unknown part. The most remarkable were 2
skins of Anser segetiini, Bean Goose, both
taken in June, 189 i . (.As I remember, June
5 and June 17). This makes it very proba-
ble that it breeds in those tracts. To my
! knowledge these are the first specimens

136

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-N0. 10

taken in Greenland or America. It is a
very common bird in Iceland, and it is a
wonder that it has not been taken before in
Greenland. I also saw a downy young Bar-
nacle Goose, only a few days old. Three
young ones had been taken. The exact
place of ca])ture of this and the Bean Goose
I do not remember. I can only say that it
was on the shore of Eastern Greenland, be-
tween 65 and 70 deg. N. lat.

The naturalist of the expedition, Mr. Bay,
intended to publish the results of the voyage
in " Meddelelser fra Greenland, " but at what
time it will be published I do not know.
Mr. Winge showed me a skin from Green-
land of the European Ilimiido R/tst/ca,
which I did not embody in my little book,
"Birds of Greenland."

This is, so far as I know, the first sure
American taken specimen of this specie.

I also saw five Someteria skins from
Godthaab, in South Greenland, taken by Mr.
Krabbe. I myself do not know Someteria
I " nigra and Mr. Winge considers this form
a \ariety only of .S'. Mollissima ; but he said
that these skins (or at least those of the five
which had the most distinct V shaped mark)
were perfectly alike and inseparable from
the Pacific Eider. The marks on Nos. i
and 2 were very distinct as in ^. Spectabilis.
On No. 5, the mark was not continuous, but
only consisted of a few black feathers, which
nevertheless distinctly enough defined the
V. Nos. 3 and 4 were transitions between
Nos. 2 and 5. 'I'his might strengthen Mr.
Winge's opinion, but that you Americans will
of course accept it that they should be
hybrids between .S'. Mollissiina and S.
Spectabilis is quite out of the question.
Sooner might No. 5 (and perhaps Nos. 3
and 4) be a hybrid between S. Mollissijna
and S. I ' nigra.

I may add that Mr. Winge is our chief
authority in ornithology.

A. T. Hagcrnp.

Kolding, Denmark, April 10, 1893.

[Received AprU 27, 189S — Editor.]

Music on the Wing.

Shelley, in his "Ode to a Skylark," gave
to that bird, for his aerial song, a celebrity,
which has never been awarded to some of
our less classic birds.

■ It is true that the English Skylark excels
all American song birds, in the altitude he
attains and in the strength and continuation
of his song ; yet which of our readers can
tell those of his native birds that sometimes,
" like an embodied joy whose race is just
began," leave earth and, soaring upward,
send forth melody, which in point of sweet-
ness may well vie with that of any bird.

In writing this article, I desire to call the
attention of the readers of the " O. & O."
to a beautiful observation which, as far as I
know, has received little notice — the sing-
ing in the air of some of our common birds.
Whether this act comes under the head of
instinct, or an inward exultation of which
we have no knowledge, I am unable to say ;
though it appears to me that the term " in-
stinct" is too general, and when I see a Blue
Grosbeak spring up from the earth and, fly-
ing aloft in the clear blue sky, pour out a
song which is usually sung from the top of
some low shrub, then, to me, it seems un-
reasonable that the word instinct should be
applicable to this interesting performance.

Every bird seems to seek a more or less
elevated situation while singing, though it is
curious that some will sing while flying, and
that others, even though of the same family,
never vocalize on the wing. Bearing that
in mind, we know not what bird, in a mo-
ment of happy feeling, may become trans-
formed into a veritable Skylark, and give us
a sweet surprise as the following, the first
of these phenomena I had seen. While out
in a field, I heard, far above my head, the
familiar notes of our little Indigo Bunting.
Looking up I discovered him, a mere speck,
sailing and singing away at that height as
though in raptures.

I had never seen this before, and was

October, 1893.]

AND OOLOGIST.

137

much struck with it, for it certainly was
pleasing and a subject worthy of study, alone
in the questions — what birds sing on the
wing? and what prompts it? besides the
many other speculations which it will pre-
sent to a lover of nature. Since I have
several times seen this aerial flight of P.
cyanea, accompanied with song. The
Indigo Bunting always selects the top of
some tree near his nest as his special singing
site ; and there his charming notes may be
heard at almost any time of day. Strange,
though seldom, is that inspiration which
carries this modest little creature to sing
high up in the air, as though the earth were
no longer worthy of its presence.

Having observed this in the Indigo Finch,
I was led to look for similar characteristics
in other birds. I found that the Blue Gros-
beak, Mocking-bird, and some of the Vireos
all give us "music in the air." The Mock-
ing-bird has a queer way while singing of
flying straight up for about twenty feet in
the air, then dropping down on the same
branch in a flood of song.

^Vith the exception of the Mocking-bird,
none of our true Thrushes sing while flying,
though all of them give cries of distress and
anger in the air.

Who has not scanned the space overhead
and strained their eyes to discern the ori-
gin of those simple quavering notes chickcr-
cliick-cJicc, cliickcr-cJiick-chce, and whose
sense of grace and beauty is not gratified at
the sight of the .American Goldfinch, or
Yellowbird, as he sees him ploughing through
the air, now up, now down, like some fairy
bark riding the waves, each rise and fall in
perfect time to his cadences? These notes
of the Goldfinch are not the same as that
"luxurious nuptial song" which he warbles
so joyously in the spring; and, till the other
day, I had never seen this pretty bird flying
and singing in a manner so happy that it
threw me into ecstaties.

I was in an old orchard — that interesting
wreck so often the scene of ornithological

marvels — at about eleven o'clock. The day
clear and bright had inspired the birds all
around to song ; when suddenly from some-
where, I knew not where, a Goldfinch came,
and with such exquisite grace of flight he
soared round and round, that I remained
gazing up at him in amazement, rooted to
to the ground until he disappeared in a tree,
ceased singing, and thus broke the spell.

Of course all the readers of the "O. iS: O."
have seen that amusing feat of the ^'ellow-
breasted Chat, as he flutters in the air \vith
out-stretched legs and jerks out a jumble of
curious noises, both with wings and throat ;
all have been pleased with the gentle warble
of the Bluebird, flying to his mate ; and have
heard the love call of the Cuckoo as he
wings his silent way. These alone are full of
interest when we consider how few birds
sing at all in the air ; but to those lovers of
nature who have never seen some of our
common birds mount on their wings, un-
accustomed to sustain a high flight, as though
caused by some sudden inward exuberance
of feeling, and sing in a way which will cer-
tainly give pleasure to all that witness it, to
those who desire to reap " the harvest of a
quiet eye," is this written with the ho]ie that
they may find in this study half the enjoy-
ment that I have found. Hcnrv Avlctt.

Ayletts, Va.

Something About Owls.

It is commonly believed that the Owl is
one of the most destructi\e birds freciuenting
the woods of North America. That it is vo-
racious, is well known ; and it is generally
believed to be injurious to both the farmer
and the sportsman ; to the former because it
destroys his chickens, and to the latter be-
cause it preys on various kinds of game. It
is also believed to feed largely upon song
birds. Actuated by these impressions, it has
always been customary to destroy these birds
whenever and wherever possible. Indeed,
the war that has been waged against them
has been so active and long-continued in

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-N0. 10

this locality that the birds, though formerly
numerous, are now nearly extinct ; and in
every part of the United States they are be-
ing rapidly exterminated.

Not long ago the Agricultural Department
at Washington, for the purpose of learning
what proportion of the carnivorous birds were
really injurious and what beneficial, sent a
large number of circulars to various parts of
the country, and even as far as Alaska, ask-
ing people to send the stomachs of all carniv-
orous birds to Washington for examination.
A large number of persons responded, and
two thousand seven hundred stomachs were
received by the department. Of these eight
hundred and fifty were the stomachs of va-
rious kinds of Owls ; sixteen species being
represented.

These were all opened, and the contents
carefully examined by expert naturalists, and
the report of the examination has lately been
issued, in a neat volume of two hundred
pages.

From this report we glean the following
facts : —

Of the Barn Owl, which is found more or
less abundantly over the entire country,
thirty-nine stomachs were received. Seven
of them were empty, four contained insects,
one a Pigeon, three other small birds, and
the balance contained small Rodents, such as
Mice, Rats, Gophers, etc.

Of the Long-eared Owl, found from Mex-
ico to Hudson Bay and from Nova Scotia to
California, one hundred and seven stomachs
were examined. Of these, but one contained
a game-bird (a Quail). Fifteen contained
other birds, one a Squirrel, and the remainder
contained Mice.

Of the Short-eared Owl, distributed over
the entire country, one hundred and one
stomachs were examined. Eleven contained
small birds, one contained part of a Rabbit
and seventy-seven contained Mice.

Of the Barred Owl, inhabiting the entire
country east of the Rocky Mountains, one
hundred and nine stomachs were examined,

Five contained poultry or game-birds,
thirteen contained other birds, five contained
Squirrels, four contained Rabbits, and the
others contained Mice, Frogs, Lizards, etc.

Of the Great Grey Owl, which is very rare
south of the fortieth parallel, nine stomachs
were examined. All of them contained small
Rodents, and one in addition contained a
Snow Bunting.

Of the Saw- Whet Owl, also rare below the
the fortieth parallel, twenty-two stomachs
were examined. Seventeen contained Mice,
one a Sparrow, one insects, and three were
empty.

Of the Screech Owl, common throughout
the entire temperate zone, and the best
known of all the Owls, two hundred and fif-
ty-five stomachs were examined. One con-
tained a Pigeon, thirty-eight contained other
birds, ninety-one contained Mice, and one
hundred contained insects.

Of the Great Horned Owl, found from
Central America to the Arctic circle, and
which seems to be the black sheep among
Owls, one hundred and twenty-seven stomachs
were examined. Of these, thirty-one con-
tained poultry or game-birds, eight contained
other birds, twenty-nine contained Rabbits,
five contained Squirrels, and but thirteen
contained Mice.

Of the Snowy Owl, which is rare south of
the fortieth parallel and west of the Rocky
Mountains, thirty-eight stomachs were ex-
amined. Two contained game-birds, nine
contained other birds, two contained Rab-
bits, and twelve contained Mice.

Of the Hawk Owl, which, by the way, is
seldom found as far south as the LInited
States, but one stomach was received. That
came from Quebec, and contained a Mouse.

Of the Burrowing Owl, which belongs ex-
clusively to .America and is found from Pata-
gonia to Manitoba, thirty-two stomachs were
examined. Three contained small mammals
and the remainder contained insects.

Of Pygmy Owl, rare east of the Rocky
Mountains, but sI.n stomachs were e.'samined.

October, 1893.]

AND OOLOGIST.

139

None were were found to contain either
poultry or game.

Of the Elf Owl, the smallest known spe-
cies, three stomachs were received. All of
these contained insects.

These figures, while they may not be able
to do away with ignorant prejudice, show
that the Owls, with the possible exception of
the Great Horned Owl, instead of being
ruthlessly slaughtered, should be protected.
C. O. Ormsbee.

Montpelier, Vt.

The White-faced Glossy Ibis.

This beautiful and interesting species is
but a rare summer visitant on the southern
coast of British Columbia. Mr. Fannin, in
his check list of the birds of this Province,
records the the taking of but two specimens
within its boundaries ; one at Salt Spring Is-
land off the coast, and another at the mouth
of the Frazer river. Its native haunts and
home are chiefly in the southern regions of
Texas, and westward into Arizona and also
southward through Mexico to tropical .Amer-
ica. In some parts of Texas it has been
found congregating in great numbers north-
wards. On the east of the Rocky Mountains,
it has been found in southwestern Kan-
sas, but its occurrence there, or in the inter-
mediate regions, north of New Mexico, is
rare. In southern California it is only occa-
sionally seen. At Santa Barbara, Mr. Streater
records it as " Migrant, not very common.
I have only noticed the bird in spring." Mr.
Bryant, in his " Birds of Farallon Islands,"
says, " One bird was shot in the spring of
1884, from a flock of half a dozen." In
size and general plumage, this species differs
but little from the Glossy Ibis ; the chief dis-
tinctive features is its white face. In length
this species is about twenty-four inches, and
each wing from ten to twelve ; the tail is four
inches, and the bill four and a half, the tarsus
being three inches, and the middle toe and
claw also three inches. The claws are slen-
der and nearly straight, the head is bare only

about the eyes and between the forks of the
jaws, the bill is of dark hue. The color of
the general plumage is of a rich chestnut hue,
changing to glossy dark green, with purple
reflections on the back of the head, wings
and other parts. The plumage of the young
is greyish-brown, with white streaks on the
head. This bird nests in communities, not
only with its own species, but also in the so-
ciety of Egrets, Herons and other waders that
nest in similar positions. The places select-
ed for nesting purposes are extensive, reedy
and tule marshes and on the tops of broken
down, and among growing reeds and water-
grasses the nest is placed. It is rather well
and compactly built, and (juite distinguish-
able from the more clumsy platform-like
structures of the Herons. It is composed
of dry stocks of reeds, tules, and other veg-
etable materials that it finds in the vicinity.
The standing reeds being interwoven into
the nest, helps to keep it out of the water.
The set of eggs is generally three in number,
and average about 1.50 x 1.30 of an inch.
The time for nesting is April and May.

From MS. " Avi-fauna of British Colum-
bia." Williaiii L. Kclls.

Listowel, Ont.

Here are some of my best clutches for the
year: May 15, Meadow Lark, 6. May 24,
Brown Thrasher, 3 ; Olive-backed Thrush, 4,
4; Wilson's Thrush, 4 ; Yellow Warbler, 5.
May 25, American Woodcock, 4. May 27,
Wilson's Thrush, 3. May 31, Wood Thrush,

4. June 5, Scarlet Tanager, 4. June 8,
Wilson's Thrush, 4. June 10, Black Tern,
8 ; Horned Grebe, 8 ; Least Bittern, 2 ;
Florida Gallinule, 36 eggs ; Marsh Wren,
68. June 12, Black Tern, 76 eggs; Coot,
35; Gallinule, 53; Pied Bill Grebe, 20;
Horned Grebe, 20 ; Marsh Wren, 4. June
30, Wood Phoebe, i egg and 2 young. July

5, Yellow Warbler, 3. July, 31, Goldfinch,
4. June 5, Red-shouldered Hawk, 3 young ;
Crow, 5 young. 6'. H. B.

St. Clair, Mich.

140

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-N0. 10

The Marsh Hawk.

The Marsh Hawk or Harrier( Circus Juid-
sotiitis) is one of our commonest Hawks.
It generally arrives in this locality about the
middle of March, and from that time till the
last of November can be seen sailing over
the prairies and fields in search of its prey.
Unlike most Hawks, it can be readily recog-
nized at a distance by means of the white
tail coverts. I shot my first specimen of
this species on April 9, 1892. It was hov-
ering around over a spot on the prairie, and
finally lit on the ground, and I shot it. On
going to retrieve the game I found it had in
its talons a large field mouse, variety {Arvi-
co/a ripariiis) ; the mouse was still alive,
but badly lacerated. The bird was a fine
male, of a bluish-gray color above and white
below, sparsely streaked with light reddish-
brown. It measured L. 19; \V. 14; T. 9.
The iris was a pale straw color. The male
of this species is about as beautiful a Hawk
as can be found. On June 4, 1892, while
wading through a small slough, I saw a Hawk
fly from a clump of grass and fly off over a
hill. I went over to the nest, which was in
the middle of the clump of grass and float-
ing in water about two feet deep. It was
about sixteen inches across, rose about three
inches above the water and was nice and dry
inside, neatly hollowed, and composed of
small sticks, rushes, reeds, small rose busli^
slough grass, and lined with fine dry grass.
I left the nest to see what the Hawk would
do. She circled around quite a ways off,
seemingly unconcerned, and then came back
to the nest. I then returned, and gathered
in the five eggs, which were a dirty white
color, unmarked, with incubation advanced.
My next find of this species was May 73,
1893. While I was hunting, a Hawk flew
up from the ground in front of me. On in-
vestigation I found a nest containing three
beautiful fresh eggs. They were so different
from the Marsh Hawk's eggs I had found
before, that at first 1 thought they were of

another species. The nest was on the ground,
about half way up on the north side of a high,
steep hill, composed of large weed stalks,
mostly placed on the lower side of the nest
to make up for the slant of the hill. It was
lined with fine dry grass. The ? bird was
soon joined by the $ , and flew screaming
around very high up in the air. 1 came
back to the nest about two hours afterward
to try and secure the ? bird. She left the
nest as before, and as she made a low swoop
my companion shot her. Took the eggs,
which were of a jiale bluish color, two of
them rather thickly blotched over the whole
surface with a very light brown with a lilac
tinge, looking like miniature eggs of the
Red-tailed Hawk ; while the third egg was
thickly spotted wfth many small and a few
large spots, all of a clear brown color. The
? Hawk measured 21 inches in length, W.
'5/4 ; T. 1%. She was considerably larger
and more courageous, though not as beauti-
ful as the male bird. The back was brown,
without any bluish tinge, and with the
streaks underneath larger and darker. The
iris of this bird was brown.

This occasion was the only time I ever
heard a bird of this species utter a sound.

Rndolph M. Anderson.

Forest City, Iowa.

A Day's Shooting.

One day in October a friend named (leorge
G. Dyer and myself started out to get some
sea birds to mount. We went down to the
dock and, hoisting the sail of my small boat,
we started off. We first went to the upper
part of the lake to see if there were any Ducks
feeding. While sailing along I saw a bunch
of Coots or White-wing Scoters come in from
sea and light. Pointing the boat's head in
their direction, I told my friend to ])ut some
heavy shot in his gun and I did the same.
I sailed the boat within 50 yards of them be-
fore they rose. 1 heard the report of my
friend's gun, but did not see what he killed.
As an old cock come my side of the boat niy

OcTOUF.R, 1893.]

AND OOLOGIST.

141

first barrel was a clean miss, but I had the
satisfaction to see him double up at my sec-
ond. George had missed his Duck with the
first barrel, but wing-broke another with his
second. We did not stop to chase the
wounded Duck but picked up the one 1
killed and started down the lake. On the way
an old Cormorant came over us ; we both
fired at the same time and down it came
completely riddled. -•Xs we sailed near a
small island my friend said, " What kind of
a bird is that sitting on the water near the
shore?" I soon saw that it was a Red-
throated Loon. It was badly woun<led, and
George easily killed it. I saw a number of
Gulls feeding on some kind of a dead ani-
mal the other side of the island ; .so beaching
the boat we .started after them. We sepa-
rated and crawled toward the birds. When
I was within 40 yards I raised my gun to fire,
but at that moment two puffs of smoke arose
from the grass not 50 yards from me and I
saw a number of birds fall ; but as the others
rose I shot one for each barrel. \\'hen we
counted the Gulls, we found that there were
I Herring Gull, 4 Kittiwakes and 2 Com-
mon Terns.

As we had all the birds we could use, we
started back to the boat and kept on our
way down the lake. After sailing about a
mile we saw a flock of Ducks off to the right
of us. I turned the boat's head toward them,
but they arose and came within about seventy
yards of us. George had a charge of BB
shot in his gun, so he blazed away and had
the pleasure of seeing one of them fall. Pick-
ing it up we found it was a V'elvet Scoter.
As it was then about 3 o'clock, I turned the
boat about and we started for home. On
the way I shot an Osprey that came sailing
over. It was dark when we reached home
with our birds. Just before we arrived at
the house an Owl flew past. We could not
get a shot at it. Reaching home 1 began
work on the liirds we had killed.

Claude G. Dim II.
Ocean \'iew, R.I.

A Day's Ramble.

Sunday, May 24, 1893, was a beautiful
day, warm and pleasant, just the one for a
ramble in the woods. Starting at 10 o'clock,
I went north to the city limits, taking a car
there and riding to Gross Park, a little vil-
lage about two miles out. I arrived there
at 1 1 o'clock and went to the Chicago river,
which flows through that district. What a
river ! On one side a vast prairie and on
the other thick woods — a muddy, sluggish
stream with no current. Following the ri\er
to the north, the woods are thick and dark,
while now and then I jjassed a clearing and
saw tree trunks that had been blasted by
lightning, where they had fallen years ago.
" What an untold joy it is to find oneself on
a fine day in the woods with nature." The
ground was covered with all kinds of wild
flowers, while wild grape vines covered many
of the old oak trees. Ivy and other vines
were there. Wild rose bushes were plenti-
ful and wild violets were all over, while large
dandelions looked like sheets of gold. The
cherry and apple trees were abundant. Moss
of all shades, from light to dark green, cover
rocks and trees. Sitting down on a large
rock in the shade, within a stone's throw of
the river, I watched the birds fly by and lis-
tened to their songs. The hammering of the
Woodpecker near by in a tall tree, seeking
a soft spot in the wood to make a home, was
interesting. The harsh cry of the Jay was
heard now and then, while a Crow was seen
flying to the north. Silence for awhile, then
broken by the song of the Thrush and Robin,
while Blue Birds, Mreos and Catbirds flitted
from tree to tree. Large Toads hopped
about; while Frogs were plentiful. They
were quiet. Now a Grass Snake glided by
me, perhaps in search of food, so I let him
go peacefully. I started for home, as it was
getting late and arrived in time for supper,
wishing that I could sjicnd days like this in
woods. Philip D.

Chicago, III.

142

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-N0. 10

THE

ORNITHOLOGISTp,^^OOLOGIST

A MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF

NATURAL HISTORY,

ESPECIALLY DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OF

BIRDS,

THEIR NESTS AND EGGS,

AND TO THE

INTERESTS OF NATURALISTS.

Under the Editori^tl iM aiiagemcnt of
FRANK D. WEBSTER, . . . Hyde Park, Mass.
J. PARKER NORRIS, . . . Philadelphia, Pa.

rnRI.lSHED AT THE

MUSEUM AND NATURALISTS' SUPPLY DEPOT

OF THE

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER COMPANY,

1NC0RP0R-\TED,

HVDE PARK, MASS.

The O. & O. IS mailed each issue to every paid subscriber.
If you fail to receive it, notify us.

The next thing in order will be the Nov.
and Dec. " O. & O."

sportsman. Mr. Plummer was engaged in
the leather business in Boston. For eight
years he has been a constant caller at our
office. During his last call he said, " One
of the greatest pleasures I have is the time
I devote to my collections."

Being of a kind, bright and genial dispo-
sition, he had many friends who will mourn
his (lei)arture.

GORDON PLUMMER.

Gordon Plummer died of pneumonia at
his home in Brookline, Mass., on November
25. He was well known by the sportsmen
and the older naturalists in this State.

Mr. Plummer was early in the field, send-
ing a collector to California in 1882. At
the time of his death he possessed a collec-
tion of skins that are remarkable for their
perfection of plumage and make up. He
also possessed a collection of mounted birds,
the work of nearly all the leading taxider-
mists of Massachusetts and New York city.
It was his rule, whenever he saw a specimen
that was superior to his, to procure it and
discard the inferior one. The result was
that his collection is the finest private one
that we ever saw, not large in numbers, but
gilt edge. During the past year he devoted
his leisure time to making a collection of
eggs and was displaying the same care in se-
lection. A Labrador Duck from his collection
was purchased in 1892 by Rothchilds. In the
November, 1892 "O. & O." " Muskeget Is-
land " fully represented his feelings as a

Brief Notes, Correspondence and
Clippings.

We are in want of the following skins for
a special purpose. If any of our readers
have them among their duplicates for ex-
change we would be pleased to hear from
them: A.O.U. Nos. 315. 293. 353> 37 ', 372,
373e, 373d, 374, 37Sa, 379. 379<i, 381, 382,
392, 417, 650, 658.

Archie Van Leer writes that he thinks the
Play House of the Satin Bower Bird in the
Smithsonian display at Chicago was one of
the best things that he saw. He also says
that Kansas made the best display of tax-
idermy.

Winter birds have been scarce thus far.

We have just had a Coati Mondi placed
in our hands for sale. It is tame and is
quite a pet.

Any of our readers who have Albinos that
they wi.sh to dispose of will please send par-
ticulars at once.

Wanted, a set each of the eggs of Corn
Crake and Ruff.

A subscriber asks if we can furnish a pet
Coon? Who has one? Another one wants
a stuffed Whale, to use out west to exhibit
next summer.

Wanted, A i skins, Hoelboels Grebe, Short-
billed Gull, Am. Golden Plover; all males
in full plumage. .Also two females Black-
throated Blue Warbler.

October, 1893.]

AND OOLOGIST.

143

Any one wishing to hire a first-class tax-
idermist will do well to communicate with us.

You can help us very much by renewing
your subscriptions for 1894.

The " Nidiologist," in its last issue, pub-
lishes a Connecticut dealer as attempting to
palm off hand colored eggs on the unsus-
pecting. If such is the fact it is well '« have
it ventilated.

We have received a number of interesting
articles from our readers since our July issue.
Continue to send them in ; the more we
have on hand the better \ariety we are able
to give in each issue.

The article " Notes from Greenland " by
Mr. A. T. Hagerup is of unusual interest.
We know that our readers will unite with us
in extending an invitation to send us other
communications.

Harry R. \\'ilder, of Riverside, Cal., called
on us recently. He is one of our eastern
collectors who has gone west to locate. He
is interested in the honey business, but keeps
his eve on the birds at the same time-

A CORRECIIOX.

In \'ol. 14, page 57, i88g, of this Maga-
zine I reported the capture of a Little Horned
Owl from Yellow Medicine County, this
State, which was really only Asio accipi-
trinus. I the same report I mentioned a
Great Gray Owl, which is only a ? Nyctea
nyctea. Albert Lano.

NOTES FROM BOONE, IOWA.

August 27 I collected a set of fourteen
Quail eggs, bird on nest. One week later
a boy found a nest with thirteen eggs. These
are the latest records of the nesting of the
Bob White that I have for Boone County.

September 17 a fine Albino Red-winged
Blackbird was brought to me by Frank
Brown, who shot it that day at Clear Lake,

north of the city. It is a perfect Albino,

pure white with the exception of the lesser
wing coverts, which are a delicate pink ; eyes
pink. This handsome fellow was with a
flock of about two hundred lilackbirds, all
of normal color. It measured : Length,
8.10; extent, 12.00 : wing 4.00 ; tail, 3.01 ;
bill, 0.60.

The Smithsonian display at Chicago was
alone worth the expense of the trijj.

Carl Frit-- Uciiiiiiii<-.

A OLTCK FLIGHT.

The Pigeon flying season of 1892 in Phil-
adelphia, Pa., was opened with the journey of
three birds — Forty Minutes, Mctor and
Bowdoin, belonging to Daniel Connelly, Bos-
ton, from New York city, and the lead for the
Columbian prises has been taken by the best
speed as yet to the credit of the Boston birds,
and by a greater distance than has been made
at so early a date since 1884.

The start was from the tower of Madison
Square Garden by Mr. J- V. Gottschalk at
9.15 o'clock. The report rendered by wire
gave the cipher of the countermark placed
on the bird in New York before the start and
12.15 P-^'- ^s the time of arrival.

The air line distance covered is about
174.6 miles. This, at the figures reported,
would give an average speed of 1707 yards
per minute, and the mile in 61.8 seconds.

The countermark having been reported the
day of the start gives the jiroof of the dis-
tance being covered in the daj-, and the bird
therefore has the lead for both the Colum-
bian prize and for the Clipper trophy for the
best form over 1000 miles ; the Outing prize,
for the greatest number of miles as yet cov-
ered ; the George W. Childs and the S. M.
P. A. trophies, for the greatest distance in
the day, and with the possibility of making
a claim for the special prize offered for the
best break in the record for speed from the
metropolis to New England.

Editor " O & O " : I will open the year of

144

ORNITHOLOGIST

[Vol. 18-N0. 10

1893 Wednesday by starting on a snow-shoe
trip of 100 miles after Owls' eggs, followed
by one, as soon as migration begins, to the
famous Devil Lake County.

Last year I collected 640 eggs, 71 varie-
ties ; this year will swell the list a little, con-
sequently the snow-shoe trip.

Hope to add a Bald Eagle to my Rap-
tores as I have heard of one out 70 miles
in a little patch of timber on the prairies.
Prairies ! A multitude of thoughts that one
word contains ; dreary in winter, inviting in
spring, beautiful in summer and glorious in
autumn. What medicine for the sick and
hard-worked clerk or business man of the
cities would be a few weeks of life here.

A good team of horses and dogs, guns and
a place to sleep, then let business take care
of itself.

Few can realize how much benefit such a
trip is unless it has been their lot to receive
such benefit.

To be born in New York State and raised in
North Dakota is not the luck of many men.
For 14 years this has been my home. Saw
the Elk in plenty when too small to hunt,
Deer and Antelope. It is a fine place for
the hunter or naturalist.

Will give another note in the spring, after
the season is passed, telling how successful
it was. Alf. East gate.

Grand Forks, N.D.

" What is authentically known of the ra-
pidity of flight by different species of bird.s,
and which is considered the swiftest?"

To Mr. Smith's question, I believe it may
be answered that the Falcons are the swift-
est, and as far as my experience goes it
seems to me that the Duck Hawk is swifter
than any other species.

It easily overtakes any bird within the
range of its vision, and does so with incred-
ible velocity.

A Bobwhite, once fired at by me, was
overtaken by a Duck Hawk in the distance
of two hundred yards, though the Hawk ap-

parently had to fly three times as far as its
quarry before it reached the latter.

On another occasion two Duck Hawks
were seen pursuing a flock of tame Pigeons.
These were far above their pursuers, and
while in that position were safe. But the
Falcons began to "ring," or ascend in cir-
cles till the smaller bird, the male, got his
"pitch" first, then, with astonishing swift-
ness, he overtook the Pigeons, whose rapid-
ity of flight is very great. When the Falcon
began his swooj), at about an angle of twenty
degrees with the flight of the Pigeons, these,
though going very fast, seemed in compar-
ison with the progress of their pursuer
scarcely to move, as he shot like an arrow
through the flock. Other instances of the
swiftness of flight by Falcons might be given
but these seem to show that no bird flies as
fast as the Falcon. ^Vm. C. Avery.

Greensboro, .'\la.

NESTINC OF HUDSONI.VN CHICKADEE IN M.-VINE.

On July 10, 1S93, while I was walking in
the spruce forests in Cutler, Washington
County, Maine, a small bird suddenly flew
from the lower, branches of a small spruce
tree near an opening in the woods.

I thought she had just left her nest, and
upon investigating found it in a natural cav-
ity in the stub of a small hard-wood tree
which had been destroyed by fire some years
before.

I waited some time for the bird to return
to identify it. In the course of fifteen min-
utes she returned, and flew into the hole
which contained the nest.

When she came out, in about a minute,
I shot her and found she was a Hudsonian
Chickadee.

The entrance to the cavity was about 16
inches from the ground, and the cavity itself
was about eight inches deep.

The nest was compact and large, made of
rabbit's hair and moss. It contained six
young birds, a few days old.

Gardner W. Hall.

ESTABLISHED 1875.

ORNITHOLOGIST

— AND —

OdLOGIST.

VOL. XVII

JANUARY,

CONTENTS.

'I'lie First Spring Outing ...... John X. Clark

-V List of tile Bird.s of Randolpli Conntv, Ind.. with
some notes on tlie Mammals of the sanie county
Domestication of the Canada Gooae
Nesting of tlie Cerulean Warbler ....

.\ Few Days Among the Bine-winged Warhlers
.\ Comparison of the Nesting Habits of the Long-
billed and Short-billed >Iarsh Wren .
Winter Notes from Stephentown. New ^'urk
Karly Nesting of the California Thrasher
Distribution of Illinois Birds .....

Abnormal Coloring of a Song Sparrow's Kggs
Brief Notes, Correspondence and Clijiping^
Nesting of the Carolina Wren .....

fJNsses O. Cox
James B. Purdv
■philo W. Smith. Jr.
Lsaac S. Reiff . " .

C. W. Bowles .
Benjamin Hoay
IL >L H.

Dr. A. C. Murchison
G. L. IL .

M. L. C. Wilde.

$1 .00 PER ANNUM. SINGLE COPY, 10 CENTS.

PUBLISHED BY

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER COMPANY,

HYDE PARK, MASS.

Entered at Hyde Park PostofBce as Second-class Matter.

FRANK B. ARMSTRONG,

])i;\i-i:n IN

Birds' Skins and Eggs,

/.v.' oil 'XS I IL L E. TEX A S.

Will i^'ive special attention to the collection, for
scientific purposes, ot all Birds, Beasts. Reptiles
native to the interior and border of Mexico, and
will furnish careful data in regard to .same.
Correspondence respectfullv solicited.

FRANK B. ARMSTRONG.

H. H. & C. S. BRIMLEY,

R.\I-EIGH. N.l .
COLLECTORS.

First-class Bird and Mammal Skins and Ksi4"s.
Also Reptiles. Batrachians. Embrvos. etc., in al-
cohol. Full data in all cases. Write frn" price-list.

(schluter's), J

Brii^'ht luid Jo puHHi'ii . Beat ^utth'fv A/<i</(\ j

To Dealers we call attention to tlie fact that!
they come on papers and can be easil\ liantlled. j
Cork. Cones. Cases. Nets, and Tools.

FRANK BLAKK WEBSTER CO.

WHAT

A DIME WILL DO!

Every BOV and CURL who !oves to read splendid Stories.
Sketches, and beautiful Poems should subscribe for THE
AMERICAN YOUNG FOLKS, a beautiful Illustrated
Monthly M.igazine, established in 1875. Its stories are the
\'ERY REST that can be obtained from the foremost writers of
Juvenile Literature, and every issue is filled with good things.
The regular subsuription price is $1.00 a year, but if vou will

CUT THIS OUT ^"o^^r^r niLVER 'DIME

and your name and address, we will send you the ^la^.^7^le
Six Months nn trial. Address,

AMERICAN YOUNG FOLKS,

Manchester, N.H.

Lily of the Desert.

A great Novelty: grows in sand. Bulbs $i.oo each.

We make a specialty of Xative American Palin
and Evergreen Tree^i and Flower Seeds. Bnlbs,
Ferns. Cacti and other plants.

ORCLTT SEED .\ND PLANT CO.,

San Diego. Cal.

Send 25 cts.'for .seed of Eathvrns splendeus.
"THE PRIDE OF CALIFORNIA."

AGENTS WANTED
To introduce tlie iii'.sT ski.i.ixg ak i kle
I.N THE WORLD. Liberal commission. Exclu-
sive territory, .\ddress. with stamp.

II. A. MIMAW. M.D..

El.KllART, InD.

THE NATIONAL EXCHANGE i;;^:^aTJr-:iHnmp Course of Reading

BU.slXESS CORRESPONDENCE Talt.ht nv Mail. ,v "^

Address, with stamp, linx 704, Elkhart, Indiana.

GEORGE B. BADGER,

Oollector*.

CAREFILLV PRliP.^RED

BIRDS' AND MAMMAL.S' SKINS,

With full scicntitic data.
Also Beautifully Finished Fur Kugs.

C'orrespondence solicited.

SANTA CRUZ. CAL.

PHYSICAL CULTURE.

Sfiui stamp for particular--. Aikiress.

BOX 704, ELKHART, IND.

QTAMPS, COINS, CURIOS.t'tS

1 J 'f""'",''^ "'•""P,!")^- AGENTS WANTED.

^^ A torty-eight pa^e Com, ■ — -■ — —

Stamp and Curio Catalogue for stamp. \V. V. GREANV, 827
Brawan Stkket. San Kl^•■\NClsc<>. C\(,

I^ox' Stilt?.

A Skin <it the Newfoundland Caribou, with e.vtra large. 6ne
antlers. The skin is in pickle, ready to mount.

A Skin of Polar Hear, medinni, with from iceth and claws:
perfect; 110 bnnes. Will nmniit all ri^ht.

A fine la

WANTED.

.Moose H(.;kI: lloril'. Jiuist lie extr.T l.Tr^e,

FR.VIVK BLAKE AVEBSTER CO.

1IV1>K I'AUK, M.\SS.

SAFE, DURABLE FENCE; ONLI }S0 PER MILf.
25o to T. A TOTI nWWT.T? S «""« one-half the cost
ili A£« 17 - U W « Xj JS.i3 3„o,-^ dangerous barbs

A fVAn-fre """"« $200.00 Perf\^^lm

MiS"ni9moni/i and expenses <k^Cl9ll

60o;er,
rol.

_ }F^

>^iT\ The best locfti and traveling agents wanted every-
<i^l — > where. Write at once for circulars and choice ter-
ritory; addressA. G. Hulbert, Patentee, care ot

Jlllll Factory Catalogue with 200 engraved designs and
/JJ I prices, B«nt free to any who want fancy Iron and
ShJI wire work or city, cemetery and farm fences, eto.

This Numbe

Contains r
the Article on j

'[KANSAS' GRAND SHOW, [b.:,:„: s,r

1^ bian Exposition.

By Lewis Lindsey dyche.

ESTABLISHED 1875.

ORNITHOLOGIST

AND

OOLOGIST.

VOL. XVIII.

No. 2.

FEBRUARY,

CONTENTS.

Distriljution of the Lonij-Earecl Owl and Cooper's
Hawk in Illinois . . ...

I^ewis Lindsey Dvclie ......

In tile Great Dismal Swamp ...

The .\cadian Owl in Philadelphia Coimt\ , Pa.

.Vre Spotted E<;j;s of Native Goldfinches Common.'

Eggs of Warblers in Collection of Thomas H.Jackson

Brief Notes. Correspondence, and Clippings

Winter Residents of Milton. Wisconsin

,V World's Fair Suggestion .....

W. E. Loucks .
Chicago " Inter-Ocean '
T. Gilbert Pearson .
M. L. C. Wilde
Harvev M. Hall

Floyd Coon
Albert Lane

26

28

2S

29

$1.00 PER ANNUM. SINGLE COPY. 10 CENTS.

PUBLISHED BY

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER COMPANY,

HYDE PARK, MASS.
Entered M Hyde Park Postoflfics a; Second-class Matter.

ATTENTION, COLLECTORS AND SPORTSMEN.

FREDERICK L. SMALL, MANAGER,
PASADENA, PASCO COUNTY, FLORIDA,

his i>crsnnal attention ;

( ianie and Fish plciitilii!. I.')catiMn jierfect for securing health.

l..-rnis Jow.

FRANK B. ARMSTRONG,

I)E\I.i:U IN

Birds' Skins and Eggs,

BJiO irXS VILLE. TEXAS.

Will give special attention to the collection, for
scientific purposes, of all Birds, Beasts, Rejutiles
nati\'e to the interior and border of Mexico, and
will furnish careful data in i-egard to .same. .
Correspondence respectfully solicited.

FR.VXK B. ARMSTROXG.

H. H. & C. S. BRIMLEY,

R.^LEIGH, N.C.

COLLECTORS.

First-class Bird and Mammal Skins and Eggs.
Also Reptiles, Batrachians, Embryos, etc., in al-
cohol. Full data in all cases. Write for price-list.

Elkhart, Indiana.
List and Terms loc.

WHRT

A DIME WILL DOI

Ever\- BC_>V and GIRL who loves to read splendid Stories,
Sketches, and beautiful Poems should subscribe for THE
AMERICAN YOl'NG FOLK.S, a beautiful Illustrated
Monthly Magazine, established in 1875. Its stories are the
\'EKV iiEST that can be obtained from the foremost writers of
Juvenile Literature, and everj' issue is filled with good things.
The regular subsi.ription price is $1.00 a yuar. but it you will

CUT THIS OUT

and return it
to us with

A SILVER DIME

and your name and address, we will send you the magazine
Six Months on trial. Address.

AMERICAN YOL'NG FOLKS,

Manchester, N.H.

THE NllTlONflL EXCHANGE

B

USINESS CORRESPONDENCE Taight bv Mail.
Address, with stamp, Bo.\ 704. F-lkhart, Indiana.

GEORGE B. BADGER,
Oolleotroi-.

CAREFULLY PREPARED

BIRDS' AND MAMMALS' SKINS,

With full scientific data.
Also Beautifully Finished Fur Rugs.

Correspondence solicited.

SANTA CRUZ. CAL.

Lily of the Desert.

A great Novelty ; grows in sand. Bulbs $i.oo each.

We make a specialty of Native .\merican Palm
and Evergreen Trees and Flower Seeds. Bulbs,
Ferns. Cacti and other plants.

ORCL'TT SEED AND PLANT CO.,

Sax Diego, C.\i..

Send 25 cts. for seed of Lathvrus splendeus,

"THE PRIDE OF CALIFORNIA."

nGENTS WANTED

l\ To introduce the HEST si:i.lim. .srticle
IN THE WORLD. Liberal commission. Exclu-
sive territory. Address, with stamp.

II. A. ML'M.VW. M.D..

Elkh.vrt. Ixd.

Home Course of Reading

PHYSICAL CULTURE.

Send .stamp tor particulars. .Vddress.

BOX 704, ELKHART, IND.

QTAMPS, COINS, CUR10S,i^'.:'^r

^ ,,s.,es m the »tamp line. AGENTS WANTED.

\^^ A fnrly-eight page Coin. ■

Stamp and Curio Catalogue for stamp. W. F, GREANV, S27
Bkwsan Stkkrt, San' FKANriscr>, Cm.,

^RFt, DURABLE FENCE; OMY $80 PER MfLt.
95o to T A TWT) O WNT.TIS 5"^e one^half the cosl

A tfVAr%<l-C^ '"''^^ ^200.00 Per^^^t.

>48;^riX9n;onf/7 and expenses ^Cl9ll
The best local and trnvellns afients wanted every-
where. Write at once for circulars and choice ter-
ritory addressA. G. Hulbert, Patentee, care oC

_ m£i^£:mir^^^^(^st. touii: mo:

I Factory Catalogue with 200 eneraved designs and
prices, 8«nt free to any who want fancy Iron and
wire work or city, cemetery and fann fences. eu».

ESTABLISHED 1875.

ORNITHOLOGIST

— AXD —

OOLOGIST.

VOL. XVIII. ^fc-^ .-«...^^,^ ^^^ 3_

MARCH,

CONTENTS.

Distrilnition of the Cooper's Hawk in IlliTiois

Some Holiday Trips .....

Jiesting of the Duck Hawk or. Mt. Sugar Lo:it,

The Pine Grosbeak in Michigan

Notes from Cobb's Island and \'icinity

Green Eggs of the Red-tailed Hawk

The Slender-billed Shearwater .

Our Talented I31ue Jay ....

Notes from liclchertown, Mass.

Mocking Rird in Massachusetts in Winter

What Killed the Swallows.'

Brief Notes, Correspondence, and Clippings

$1 .00 PER ANNUM.

Mass.

.V. C. Murchison
-Vrthur H. Howell

I. C. Greene
Scolpax

William II. Fisher
Henjamin I loag
William L. Kells
A. W. Morse

J. W. Jackson .

II. E. Barton
Erie ■Nlfirton

3.=;
37

.V)

■t'.
4-
4.?
44
45
45

4.1
47

SINGLE COPY, 10 CENTS.

PUBLISHED r,V

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER COMPANY,
HYDE PARK, MASS.

Enlcrc<l at Hyde Park Posloffice as Second.class -M.iUcr.

OUR NEW CATALOGUE.

OUR NEW CATALOGl'E, which lias been promised, is no\<- under way and will soon
be issued. We shall mail a copy to all who have sent us a request for s.-.me accom-
panied by lo cents. Copies will also be sent free of charge to our regular customers —
that is, to those who have ordered goods since December ist, 1S92.

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER COMPANY,

Hyde Park, Mass.

FRANK B. ARMSTRONG,

DEALER IN

Birds' Skins and Eggs,

BR O WNS VILLE, TEX A S,

Will give special attention to the collection, for
scientific purposes, of all Birds, Beasts, Reptiles
native to the interior and border of Mexico, and
will furnish careful data in regard to same.
Correspondence respectfully solicited.

FR.\NK B. .VRMSTRONG.

H. H. S C. 8. BRIMLEY,

R.M.EIGH. N.C.

COLLECTORS.

First-class Bird and Mammal Skins and Eggs.
Also Reptiles, Batrachians, Embryos, etc., in al-
cohol. Full data in all cases. Write for price-list.

T fl M M 1 M P ^ Bottle Tans 12 Fox SkJus.

1 rVlV Ix. i IX 1— t THOUSANDS HAVE USED IT.

$1.00 PER BOTTLE.

See Advertisement in February issue of the O. & O.
FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER CO., Hvue Park. Ma-^s.

GEORGE B. BADGER,

Oolleotor,

CAREFULLY PREPARED

BIRDS' AND MAMMALS' SKINS,

With full scientific data.
Also Beautifully Finished Fur Rugs.

Correspondence solicited.

SANTA CRUZ. CAL.

WHAT

A DIME WILL DO!

Ever>' liOY and CURL who loves to read splendid Stories,
Sketches, and beautiful Poems should subscribe for THE
AMERICAN YOUNG FOLKS, a beautiful Illustrated
Monthly Magazine, established in 1875. Its stories are the
\ERV BEST that can be obtained from the foremost writers of
Juvenile Literature, and every issue is filled with good things.
I'he regular siibsLription price is $1.00 a year, but if you will

CUT THIS OUT

and return it
to us with

fl SILVER DIME

and your name and address, we will send you the magazine
Six Months on trial. Address,

AMERICAN YOUNG FOLKS,

Manchester, N.H.

WILSON MS8. FOR SALE.

f HAYE a large amount of Manuscript, Drawings and works
* of Alex. Wilson, Audubon, and others, and a good many
valuable Books, Plates, &c., with a large collection of eggs;
all of which I will sell in a lump lot for $1,000. Real Estate
security is as good as money. I have no time for idle corres-
pondence. Money can be made out of it to divide it up.
Address,

JOSEPH M. WADE,

Columbia Street, Dorchester, Mass.

BOOKS ON TAXIDERMY.

T.\XIDERMy .\ND ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTING.

lllustrnted. By W. T. Hornaday $2.50

METHODS IN THE .\RT OF T.i^XIDERMY. 75

Pages of Illustrations. O. Davie. In press. . . 5.00
These are the Latest and Best.

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER CO.,

Naturalist Supply Depot,

Hyde Park, Mass.

Home Course of Reading

PHYSICAL CULTURE.

Send stamp for particulars. Address,

BOX 704, ELKHART, IND.

QTAMPS, COINS, CURIOS.lLU^r

II 'f "« '" .t'lVamp Ime. AGENTS WANTED.

\_ft \ forty-eight page Com,

Stamp and Curio Catalogue for stamp. W. F. GRE.^NY, S27
i'.KANNAN Street, San Francisco, Cal.

dome
Made

SAFE, DURABLE FENCE; O/ILY fSO PER MIU.
T, A 'Krn _ OWTTP.ftS *""' one-half the cost
IjJXaif - V W VIXjD.0 ,„,^ dangerous barbs

ASf GntSmont/i and expenses CdSlI
The best local and traveling amenta wanted every-
where . Wrlteatonce fur drculara and choice ter-
ritory: address A. G. Hulbert, patentee. care of

Factory Catalojfue^th 200 ensravcd designs and
prices. s«ntfree to any who want fancy Iron and
wire work or city, cemetery and farm fencea.eta.

OUR NEW COLLECTING TUBE. WITH EXTRACTOR. NOW READY.

PRICE. — Tube, $2.50: W;id Cuttei-, 40c. : Decapper. 30c. : Loader. 30c. : 50 Shells, 60c, ; Primes, 25c.

ALL SENT COMPLETE FOR $4.00.

fi;\\K r.iAKi; \VKr.--ri;i; (umi-anv. Hvde Park. Mass.

ESTABLISHED 1875.

ORNITHOLOGIST

AND-

OOLOGIST.

VOL. XVIII. ^.-^^aa^^^sr^^^^ No. 5.

1893.

CONTENTS.

Alexander Wilson ..... Jos. M. Wade

Distribution of the Mocking-bird in Illinoi- . . A. C. Murchison

My First Day of Egg Collecting . A. C, Townsend

Nesting of the Brown Pelican . . . G. Sirroni

Xest of the Sharp-shinned Hawiv . . William L. Kells

Late Nesting of the Bob-white . . . G. Sirrom

A Home .\mong the Birds . . . R. S. IngersoU

Brief Notes, Correspondence and Clipping-

American Woodcock . . . . B. H. Swales

Breeding ll.ibits of the Rubv-throat at Ballston, New

York . . . . . . R. S. Ingersoll

Si. 00 PER ANNUM. SINGLE COPY, 10 CENTS.

PUBLISHED BY

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER COMPANY
HYDE PARK, MASS.

Entered at Hyde Park Postoffice as Second-class ,%L-\iler.

6,

70
74
76

7S
79

79

Every man who owns a gun should have one of our Collecting Tulies. — F. B. Webster Co.

CLUB RATES.

Musical Echo. 40-page monthly. . . $i-,io
Ornithologist and Oologist, iG-page

monthly. i.oo

BOTH FOR ONE YEAR, $2.00.

FRANK B. ARMSTRONG,

lil'.AI.KK IN

Birds' Skins and Eggs,

/>'/,' on X^' I '//, LE. TEX A S.

Will give special attention to the collection, for
scientific purposes, ot all Birds. Beasts, Reptiles
native to the interior and horder of Mexico, and
^vill furnish careful data in regard to same.
Correspondence respectfully solicited.

FR.WK B. .\RMSTRC)\f;.

H. H. Sc C. S. BRIMLEY,

KALEIGH. N.C.

COLLECTORS.

First-class Bird and Mammal Skins and Eggs.
Also Reptiles, Batrachians, Emhryos, etc.. in al-
cohol. Full data in all cases. Write for price-list.

SUPPLIES/^'BOOKS!^

Illustrated Catalogue for 2 <t^ stamp
CMS.K.REED.W^rcesterJm^^

WANTED.

R

REMIXGTOX CANE GUN. ::-Calibre.
Must he in good condition.
Also wanted ^'ol. i-2, O. & O.

PHILIP LAURENT,

i,^o6 Chestnut Street,

Philadelphia. Penn.

WHAT

A DIME WILL DO!

Eveiy BOY and GIRL who loves to read splendid Stories,
Sketches, and beautiful Poems should subscribe for THE
AMERICAN YOUNG FOLKS, a beautiful Illustrated
Monthly Magazine, established in 1875. Its stories are the
VERY pf;st that can be obtained fvoni the foremost writers of
Ju\cnile Literatuie, and every issue is filled with good things.
The regular subst.ription price is $1.00 a vcar. but if you will

^;;^rw,rfl 'SILVER DIME

and vour name and addres.s. wc will send you the ma^n/uie
Six Nl.inth- iMi inni. Address,

AMERICAN YOUNG FOLKS,

M.\NCHHSTEI*, N.H.

WILSON M8S. FOR SALE.

CUT THIS OUT

JAMES P. BABBITT,
Taxidermist,

And dealer in Pikds' Skins, Eggs, Stuffed Birds, and sup-
plies for the Naturalist and Taxidermist.
Send stamp for list.
i^ HODGES AYENUE. TAUNTON. MASS.

---' EYESr

1 HA\'E a large amount of Manuscript, Drawings and works
* of Alex. \Yilson, Audubon, and others, and a good many
valuable Books, Plates, &c., with a large collection of eggs:
all of which 1 will sell in a lump lot for $1,000. Real Estate
security is as good as money. I have no time for idle corres-
pondence. Money can be made out of it to di\ide it up.
Address,

JOSEPH M. WADE,

Colimibin Street. Dorchester, Mass.

BOOKS ON TAXIDERMY.

; TAXIDERMY AND ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTING.

Illustrated. By \Y. T. Hornaday, .... $2.50
METHODS IN THE ART OF TAXIDERMY. 75

Pages ot Illu^^trations. O. Da^■ie. In press. . . 5.00
These are the Lntest and Best.

FR.VKK BLAKE WEBSTER CO.,

Naturalist Supply L>epnt.
HvLT Taki^. Mas^.

AGENTS WANTED ON SALARY

or commission, to handle the new Patent Chemical Ink Erasing
IVncil. The quickest and greatest selhng novelty ever pro-
duced. Erases ink thoroughly in two seconds. No abrasion of
paper. \Yorks like magic. 200 to 500 per cent, profit. One
Agent's sales amounted to $620 in six days; another $32 in two
i>oiirs. Previous experience not necessary. For terms and full
harticidars. address.

THE MONROE ERASER MFG. CO.,

La Crosse, \Yis.. X 457.

QTAMPS, COINS, CURlGS.te'^r

^ issMM in ll.c: bUmp hn>;. AGENTS WANTED.
\^ .-\ fnity-eignt page Com. - - -

■^t.inip ami Curio Calalogiie for slanip. W. 1\ I i t\l'" AX\', ^2-

IllANSAN .'^THIvK'L', SaN FkANCISCo, Cai..

Home
Made
Net-
ting.

SAFE, DURABLE FENCE; ONLY fSO PER MILS.
25o W T A ICTXI n'Urwri'R C saue one-half the cost
BOe B8rAia.X<l^ - V W 1< JiXVO „„„,■£, dangerous barbs

A tvg%r%4'^ ""''"' ^200.00 P«''^^oell
/%S^6ni9mont/i and expenses ^^Cl9ll
The best local and traveling agents w.anted every-
where. Write at once for circulars and choice ter-
ritory; address.*.. G. Hulbert, Patentee, care ot

Factorv Catalogue with 200 entT-aved dcBlcns and
:l prices. s»nt free to any who want fancy Iron and
II wire work or city, cemetery and farm fences, eUi.

OUR NEW COLLECTING TUBE. WITH EXTRACTOR. NOW READY.

PRICE, — Tube, $2.50; Wad Cutter, 40c. ; Decapper 30c. ; Loader, 30c. ; 50 Shells, 60c. ; Primes, 25c.

ALL SENT COMPLETE FOR $4.00.

FRANK BLAKE WKBSTKR ( <:).Ml'AXy, HVDE PARK, MASS.

ESTABLISHED 1875.

ORNITHOLOGIST

— AND

OOLOGIST.

VOL. XVIII. .--'^» «»^=^^^ No. 6.

1893.

CONTENTS.

Some Prairie Birds . . . . .

Distribution of the Black-Crowned Night Heron in

Illinois ......

My Outfit ......

An Old-Time Outing . . . . .

Nesting ot Gambel's Qiiail in the Colorado Desert
Malformation in Birds . . . . .

A Few Facts about the Turkey Buzzard

Nesting Habits of the Great Horned Owl

Notes on Arkansas Flycatcher in Towner County,

North Dakota
Finds .......

Poor Datas ......

Large Eggs of the Field Sparrow-
Si. 00 PER ANNUM.

J. \V. Preston

A. C. Murchison
Arthur M. Farmer
W. S. Strode, M.D.
Fred. \V. Koch
Morris Gibbs. M.D.
R. H. White, Jr.
James B. Purdy

Elmer F. Judd
. Carl Frit/.-Henning
. Charles S. Butters
. G. S. H.

SINGLE COPY, 10 CENTS.

PUBLISHED BY

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER COMPANY,

HYDE PARK, MASS.

Entered at Hyde Park Postoffice as Second-class Matter.

82

8.S
86
90
91
92
92

93
94
9.';

9.=;

Every ma:

n who owns a gun should have one of our Collecting Tubes. — F. B. Webster Co.

CLUB RATES.

Musical Echo, 40-page monthly. . . $i.,SO
Ornithologist and Oologist, i6-paue

montlily. i-oo

BOTH FOR ONE YEAR, $2.00.

FRANK B. ARMSTRONG,

DEALER IN

Birds' Skins and Eggs,

BliOn'NSVILLE, TEXAS.

Will give special attention to the collection, for
scientific purposes, of all Birds. Beasts, Reptiles
native to the interior and border of Mexico, and
Avill furnish careful data in regard to same.
Correspondence respectfully solicited.

FRAXK B. ARMSTRONG.

H. H. Sc C. S. BRIMLEY,

R.M.EIGH, N.C.

COLLECTORS.

First-class Bird and Mammal Skins and Eggs.
Also Reptiles. Batrachians, Embryos, etc., in al-
cohol. Full dal;i in nil cases. Write for price-list.

JAMES P. BABBITT,
Taxidermist,

And dealer in Birds' Skins, Eggs, Stuffed Birds, and sup-
plier for ihe Naturalist and Taxidermist.
Send stamp for list.
12 HODr;ES AVENUE, TAUNTON. MASS.

BIRDS EGG

EYES

supplies^'bookI

Illustrated Catalogue for 2 i stamp
vIm\S.K.REED.W)rcest^Jm1ss^

GEORGE B. BADGER,
Oolleotor*.

Carefully prepared Birds' and Mammals'
Skins, with full scientific data. Correspon-
dence solicited.

SANTA CRUZ. CAL.

WHAT

A DIME WILL DO'

Every V,0\ and GIRL who loves to read splendid Stories,
Sketches, and beautiful Poems should subscribe for THE
AMERICAN YOUNG FOLRS, a beautiful Illustrated
Monthly Magazine, established in 1S75. Its stories are the
VERY BEST that Can be obtained from the foremost writers of
Juvenile Literature, and every issue is filled with good things.
The regular subscription price is $1.00 a year, but if you will

CUT THIS OUT

and return it
to us with

A SILVER DIME

and yiuu luinic and address, we will send you the magai^ine
Six Months on trial. Address,

AMERICAN YOUNG FOLKS,

Manchkstek, N.H.

WILSON M88, FOR SALE.

W HAVE a large amount of Manuscript, Drawings and works
* of Alex. Wilson, Audubon, and others, and a good many
valuable Books, Plates, &c., with a large collection of eggs;
all of which I will sell in a lump lot for $1,000. Real Estate
security is as good as money. I have no time for idle corres-
pondence. Money can be made out of it to divide it up.
Address,

JOSEPH M. WADE.

Columbia Street, Dorchester, Mass.

BOOKS ON TAXIDERMY-

TANIDERMYAXD ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTING.

Illustrated. By \V. T. Hornaday, .... $2.50
METHODS IN THE ART OF TAXIDERMY. 75

Pages of Illustrations. O.Davie. In press. . . 5.00
These are the Latest and Best.

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER CO.,

Naturalist Supply IX-pot,
■ HvDK Park, Mass.

lAGENTS WANTED ON SALARY

or commission, to haiullc the new Patent Chemical Ink Erasing
Pencil. The quickest and greatest selling no\'clty uver pro-
duced. Erases ink thoroughly in two seconds. No abrasion of
paper. Works like magic. 200 to 500 per cent, profit. One
Agent's sales amounted to $620 in six days; another $32 in two
pours. Previous experience not necessary. For terms and full
harticulars, address,

THE MONROE ERASER MFG. CO.,

La Crosse, \\'is.. X 457.

QTAMPS, COINS, CURIOS,]:::^r

11 '.^^'p '" ."J'^, ^'^""P iMie, AGENTS WANTED.

\^ A torty-ciglit page Coin,

Stamp and Curio Catalogue for stamp. W. F. GREANY, 827
liRANNAN Street. San Franxisco. Cal.

-_ ^ ^AFE, DURABLE FENCE; ONLY $80 PER MJZe,
350 t9 T. A Nl) - OWWF.'R.S save one-half the cost
Jj All U-\J\S XS Ji JVD ^^^^^ dangerous barbs

A «r An-f c '"^''^ $200.00 pe^OoeU

^%C& Ul I K^month and expenses ^VCI9I I
The best local and travellne apents wanted every-
where. Write at once for circulars and choice ter-
ritory; address A. G. Hulbert, Patentee, care of

Factory Cfttalotiue with 200 enjiraved designs and
prices. B»nt f ree to any who want fancy iron and
wire work or city, cemetery and farm fences. eUk

OUR NEW COLLECTING TUBE, WITH EXTRACTOR, NOW REllDY.

PRICE, — Tube. $J. 50: Wad Cutter. 40c. : Decnpper 30c. : Lo.ader. 30c. ; 50 Shells. 60c. : Primes, ^50.

ALL SENT COMPLETE FOR $4.00.

FRANK P.I.AKE WKBSTKK (llMl'ANV, IIVLiE PARK. MASS.

ESTABLISHED 1875.

ORNITHOLOGIST

— AND —

OOLOGIST.

VOL. XVIII. ^^^ -.^ No. 7.

JULY

CONTENTS.

Canadian Eai,'le ....

Albert M. Roberts

97

Sprincf Notes from Pliiladelphia

Herbert W. Congdon

98

A Taxidermist's Gun ....

Love Miller

99

Notes from Iowa ...

G. H. Berrv

99

Nesting; of the Hooded Warbler

Almon E. Kibbe

99

Detroit, Mich., 1S91 Notes

B. H. Swales

100

Old Orchard, St. Louis Co., Mo.

0. Widmann

lOI

A L"tah Egifins; Trip

H. C. Johnson

lOI

Nestini; Habits of the Great-horned Owls

c.y.Y.

103

Nestins; of the Broad-winced Hawk .

Benjamin Hoag

103

A Peculiar Nesting Site of Coccv/us Ervthrop-

thalmus ....

C. L. Brownell

104

Notes from Riverside, Cnl.

Love Miller

104

Sketch It . . .

Arthur M. Farmer

105

Who will Answer.'

las. B. B. Smith

106

Birds of Michic;an — A Review

L

106

Brief Notes, Correspondence and Clippings

107

$1 .00 PER ANNUM.

SINGLE

COPY, 10 CENTS.

PUBLISHED BY

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER COMPANY,
HYDE PARK, MASS.

Entered at Hj-tk P.irk Postoffice as Second-class Matter.

Everv man who owns a gun should have one of our Collecting Tubes. — F. B. Webster Co.

CLUB RATES.

Musical Echo, 40-page monthly, . . $i.,SO

Oinithologist and Oologist, 16-page

monthly. 1.00

BOTH FOR ONE YEAR, $2.00.

FRANK B. ARMSTRONG,

DE.\LER IN

Birds' Skins and Eggs,

BR O n -.VS VILLE, TEX A 5,

Will give special attention to the collection, foi-
scientific purposes, of all Birds, Beasts, Reptiles
native to the interior and )3order of Mexico, and.
will furnish careful data in regard to same.
Correspondence respectfully solicited.

FRANK B. ARMSTRONG.

H. H. Sc C. S. BRIMLEY,

R.AI.EIGH, N.C.

COLLECTORS.

First-class Bird and Mammal Skins and Eggs.
Also Reptiles, Batrachians, Embryos, etc., in al-
cohol. Full data in all cases. Write for price-list.

exchange!

I ha\e on hand a few nice skins of Parancjue,
Red-billed Pigeon, Texan Kingfisher, Buff-bel-
lied Hummingbird and some others, which I
would like to exchange for species not in stock.
Many .species wanted. Send list of what you
have to offer.

JAMES P. BABBITT,

Taunton, Mass.

BIRDS

EYES!

GEORGE B. BADGER,
Oolleotor*.

CarefuUv prepared Birds" and Mammals'
Skins, with full scientific data. Correspon-
dence solicited.

"S

SANTA CRUZ. CAL.

WHAT ^ DIME WILL DO!

Every BOY and GIRL who loves to read splendid Stories,
Sketches, and beautiful Poems should subscribe for THE
AMERICAN YOUNG FOLKS, a beautiful Illustrated
Monthly Magazine, established in 1875. Its stories are the
\EKV BEST that can be obtained from the foremost writers of
Juvenile Literature, and every issue is filled with good things.
The regular subscription price is $1.00 a year, but if you will

SUPPLIES/'i^BOOKS?

Illustrated Catalogue for 2 <t stamp
viO\SXREEJ3._WoRCESTERiM^SSt

CUT THIS OUT

and return it
to us with

A SILVER DIME

and ymir name and address, we will send you the magazine
Six Months on trial. Address,

AMERICAN YOUNG FOLKS,

M.-\N'CHESTEK, N.H.

WILSON M8S. FOR SALE.

f HAVE a large amount of Manuscript, Drawings and works
* of Alex. Wilson, Audubon, and others, and a good many-
valuable Books, Plates, &c,, with a large collection of eggs;
all of which I will sell in a lump lot for $1,000. Real Estate
security is as good as money. I have no time for idle corres-
pondence. Money can be made out of it to divide it up.
Address,

JOSEPH M. WADE,

Columbia Street, Pnrchcstcr. Mass.

BOOKS ON TAXIDERMY.

TAXIDERMY AND ZOOLOGICAL COLLECTING.

Illustrated. By W. T. Hornaday, .... $2.50
METHODS IN THE ART OF TAXIDERMY. 75

Pages of Illustrations. O. Davie. In press. . . 5.00

These are the Latest and Best.

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER CO.,

Naturalist Sujjply Depot,

Hyde Pakk, Mass.

AGENTS WANTED ON SALARY

or commission, to handle the new Patent Chemical Ink Erasing
Pencil. The quickest and greatest sellmg novelty ever pro-
duced. Erases ink thoroughly in two seconds. No abrasion of
paper. Works like magic. 200 to 500 per cent, profit. One
Agent's sales amounted to $620 in six days; another $32 in two
pours. Previous experience not necessary. For terms and full
harticulars, address,

THE MONROE ERASER MFG. CO.,

La Crosse, Wis.. X 457.

he

TAMPS, COINS, CURIOS,t'.S

' '^ ' AGENTS WANTED.

F. i;RE.'\NY, 827

Q

^\ issuL's in the slanip line
^^^ A fnrly -eight page Coin
Stamp and Curio Catalogue for stamp. W
Hkannan Street, San Francisco, Cai..

ff^Ff, DURABLE FENCE; ONLY $80 PER MfOT.
T. A Ttfn OAXrMPT? S save one-half the cost
tiafliiiJIXF - U W -W JiJia ^^^1^ dangerous barbs

A tfVAn-l-O '"''^^ $200.00 Per<\^d^
^4C& wl I X^month and expenses ^^CI9I I
The beet local and traveling agents wanted every-
where. Write at once for clrcularBand choice ter-
ritory; address A. G, Hulbert, Patentee, care of

i[ Factory ratalOK'ie with 200 enKTaved deelfins and
prices, psnt free to any who want fancy Iron and
wire work or city, cemetery aad farm feDcea.elo*

OUR NEW COLLECTING TUBE. WITH EHRftCTOR, NOW KM.

PRICE, — Tube, $^.50; Wad Cutter, 4.0c. ; Decapper 30c. : Loader, 30c. ; 50 Shells. 60c. ; Primes, 25c.

ALL SENT COMPLETE FOR $4.00.

KKANK BLAKE \YI;BSTKK ( DMI'AXV. IIvde Park, MaSS.

ESTABLISHED 1875.

ORNITHOLOGIST

— AND —

OOLOGIST.

VOL. XVIII. ^^^^ T^^ Nos. 8, 9, 10.

AUG.,

1893.

CONTENTS.

August:
Uistribution ol the Yellow. lU-inli'iI lilMikliinl in

Illinois W. K. Limcks. lOfl

Ne^tinjr of tlie Saw-whet Owl. Frcil B. .spaukling. Ui
J5inl >otey from AVestei-n Nortli Carolin:i.

Minut Davis. 113

Austin F. Park . . -Troy, X.y.. Times." lU
A Pcruliarity in the Nesting HaUils of the Vir-
ginia Rail r. H. Bowles, ll.i

August Xestsanrl Birilii . . P. M. silloway. 11(>
The Downy ^V"oo^lllecker an Eneniv of the Coclling

Moth lienjaniin Ifoag. 117

Brief Notes. Corresjionilence ami Cliijpin^'s llii

The Wooil Tllrush . . .lames U. Purilv. lift

Faleon llarlior, Bowdoin Bay, North (ireenlanil,

Aug. 13 1813 . . . ' (leorge U. Clark. 1-iO

.Septe-MBEB;
Two Days Egping in .June
The Pelicans of Sliehig.'in

Carl Fritz-liennin^. 121
. <j. Sirroni. 1-J4

A Few Observations on the (rested Flyeatelier.

.John (.', B!<iwn.

A Vacation in Peiinsvlvania. ITerbeit AV. Cnngdun.
Ducks in Southei-n AViscousin . Ned UdUister.
Notes from Maine . . . .Tnhn L. Goodale.
Rrief Notes. Correspontlence ami Clippings
The Flight of Birds.— A Ueply. .1. Ilubart Egbert.
Notes ou the .Sharp-shin net! Hawk. \Vm. [I. Fisher.

OCTOllEK :

A Nest of Hen Hawks .

Notes from Greenland .
Alusic. on the Wing
Something .\bout Owls
Th.' Wliite-faced Glossv
The Marsh Hawk . " ,
A Day's Shooting .
A Day's Ramble"

. ilenrv R. Buck.

. A. T.' Hagerup.

Henrv Avlett.

C. o.Ormsbee.

ibis. William I.. Kells.

Rudolph M. Amicrson.

Claude '>. Dunn.

Philip 1).

.Brief Notes, Correspondence and Clippings

1-24
li.5

lis
l-2il
1311
131
13->

133
1.3.1
13l>
137
13i)
140
140
141
14-2

$1 .00 PER ANNUM. SINGLE COPY, 10 CENTS.

PUBLISHED BY

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER COMPANY,

HYDE PARK, MASS.
Entered at Hyde Park Postoflicc as Second-class Matter.

Every man who owns a gun should have one of om- Collecting Tubes. — F. IS. Webster Co.

CLUB RATES.

Musical Echo, 40-page monthly, .

$1.50

Ornithologist
inonthlv.

and Oologist, 16-page
BOTH FOR ONE YEAR, $2.00.

FRANK B. ARMSTRONG,

MEALKR IN

Birds' Skins and Eggs,

BROWNSVILLE, TEXAS,

Will give special attention to the collection, for
scientific purposes, of all Birds. Beasts, Reptiles
native to the interior and border of Mexico, and
will furnish careful data in regard to same.
Correspondence respectfully solicited.

FRANK B. .VRMSTRONG.

GEORGE B. BADGER,
Oollector.

Carefullv prepared Birds" and Mammals'
Skins, with full scientific data. Correspon-
dence solicited.

SANTA CRUZ, CAL,

H. H. Sc C. S. BRIMLEY,

R.ALEIGH. X.C.

COLLECTORS.

First-class Bird and Mammal Skins and Eggs.
Also Reptiles, Batrachians. Embryos, etc., in al-
cohol. Full data in all ca--es. Write for price-list.

EXCHANGE.

I have on hand a few nice skins of Paraque,
Red-billed Pigeon, Texan Kingfisher, Buff-bel-
lied Hummingbird and some others, which I
would like to exchange for species not in stock.
Many species wanted. Send list of what you
have to offer.

JAMES P. BABBITT,

Taunton, Mass.

BIRPS

,,<JORK

INSEG

GLASS^EYES

SUPPLIES/^BOOK!

Illustrated Catalogue for 2 i stamp

CARIBOU.

EXTR.\ L.A.RGE BUCK.: fine antlers, pell perfect, now in
pickle, ready to mount; from Newfoundland.
PRICE $50.

Buffalo Horns.

In the Rough, per pLiir - •">*> fi-"ts.

Atimil of .i line polish.

FRANK BLAKE WEBSTER CO.,

HYDE PARK, MASS.

WILSON M8S. FOR SftLE.

I HAVE a large amount of Manuscript, Drawing.-i and works
o{ Alex. Wilson, Audubon, and others, and a good many
valuable Books, Plates, &c., with a large collection of eggs;
all of which I will sell in a lump lot for $i,ooo. Real Estate
security is as good as money. I have no time for idle corres-
pondence. Money can be made out of it to divide it up.
Address,

JOSEPH M. WADE.

Columbia Street, Dorchester, Mass.

WANTED

The address of all (Jrnitholoeist, and whether they wish ex-
changes for insertion in Ornitliologists' Directory.

Name should be accompanied by Twenty-five cents for copy of
Directory, as price will be Thirty-five cents after u goes- to
press. From present outlook one thousand names will be re-
ceived. Exchange notices one rent u mini.

W. E. MULLIK.IN,

Careof C. S: W. M. R.R.,

Gr.\nd RArms, Mich.

AGENTS WANTED ON SALARY

or commission, to handle the new Patent Chemical Ink Er.asiiig
Pencil. The quickest and greatest selling novelty ever pro-
duced Erases ink thoroughly in two seconds. No abrasion of
paper. Works like magic. 200 to 500 per cent, profit. One
Agent's sales amounted to $620 in six days; another $32 m two
hours. Previous experience not necessary. For terms and full

particulars, address, „.,„ ,.r-.-, .-..^

THE MONROE ER.^SER MFC. CO.,

La Crosse. Wis., X 457.

the
atest

STAMPS, COINS, CURlOS.i:

V issues m the stamp line. AQENXS WANTED
A forty-eight page Coin

Stamp and Clurio Catalogue for stamp. ^^

Bkannan Stri£i.;t. San Fkanciscm.'Cal.

W. F. GREANY, 827

SAFE, DURABLE FENCE; OHLY $80 PER UILS,

EOc per ^£*£J'^^^^»»^|^;£;2 <"><>•<' dangerous barbs
rod. k „^,^.^*r% """/le K2UU.00 perf^^^ly
/\B[Gn\9 month and expenses \^ 0911
The best local and trayellnR agents wanted every-
where Write at once for circulars and choice ter-
ritory: address A. G. Hulbert, Patentee, care of

Factory Catalogue with 200 engraved designs and
rrlces, 9»ntfree to any who want fancy Iron ana
wlxework or city, cemetery and farm fences, eta.

iifill i!i!ll!|!l|ai Il'!l

!! I ii iij i Ifir^"'"^
|l! |!li il

ii I!

'I'm'' ''i'i mp'I" » 1
i !'iirl'i'!"!i'!H'

100103600

tHR

|nliinnl!jUj||i|i|lii't|l!i

■lii

'tiiililM''"'