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THE OOLOGIST 


FOR THE 


STUDENT OF BIRDS 


THEIR NESTS AND EGGS 


VOLUME XXX 


Albion, N. Y. and Lacon, Ill. 


R. MAGOON BARNES, Publisher 


1913 


235324 


INDEX TO VOLUME XXX 


CONTRIBUTORS. 

SES UMUC ogee EV avs. ie wists. chores) oo 8 enue 8 85, 88 
EyeAeC MCU ree 2. ve soars, c-cieiere, sie! oie anaes 13, 14 
19,62, 58, GL, 705.97, 106; 112, 133 
Bayard Osear We ws... ees se ces 287 
iBenrends, John B. ... 2 de. ea. 100, 101 
EsePMerss CATCHIC. <5 s06 sec esse ee 134 
Burleigh, Thomas D...55, 258, 279, 281 
NG ABET ETS VV gs crcl a: 5 cele sie. ea/ava, ava 4 
Ciitdensohn WewisS oo... 6s. oe a ee 287 
CRIS pirbe Watts. By en dd. se eis aces ee 26, 68 
Darmmstone We Is ess Sok oe coe 3. 92 
DayeeGuy. Worthington ..025 2.5... 20 
VSAM oie crag. < ance, 2 vaveresie ite is exes eves 263 
DiWOREVASUISH AOpen eee Cee 23, 48, 74, 
75, 118, 135, 146, 148, 149, 280, 299 
ERENT Sees ES niente are ai aycvess avavelste ae "es 24, 25 
Mdwanrds. EH. Arden! ts o.r.cccccscc0e. 74 
OT lees Estee Ani rcicievs cree melereere Soin ae eke 283 
GALES AED ee Via ous Ah iersiciee cise pavers colal heres 49 
GOGSEY: “COIG ais es cheese & vac 116, 253 
GrESneeELOLACE(O); nudes ae los shee 255 
CET OUIDULE MOR sow etotace shone ateree erm chalere = 149 
ETARRIS ON AV Gee tals =) ayer tenets vay ene-auie = 46 
Haultain, Norman=* .. «i... 100, 102 
Ibbesss TSaadGebiop aries = or 52, 54, 58, 76, 96 
FLOUStON, DONMS Os oot. cas: velwere dee © 107 
Howes, P. G...... Tike dios wil Aeon ih eye ELL G 
Jackson, “LP. Eig . ten saesceest 21, 82, 87 
Ren worthy, Hie Mice csmpeeitee tte 92, 118 
Kohler. Lie wiSv Sis ccc ietereie- rere nae os 
81, 96, 120, 138, 141, 274 

Hackey, (J. Bssi.o eetersherenet tethers 257, 263 
Martin, Wier Coors ceoissaneietere petetens 61, 83 


Miller, Richard F.....52, 55, 84, 85, 298 


Moody,;.-CharlesSs.4 220.5600 ee 272 
MOReGgR: Was 55 ok ractae tree oe 106 
Murphys 'Geos/biccom soci sk cor 67, 281 
Melieadyidin, Re.” Screetanvonreaatee ae 54 
OsterhoutjEGeo. Wisk. soceseee 54 
Palmieri Wise. o.rcreccorraw cctel ane 46 
Peck: (Geos Din tain fase cle 51 
Pember; Berd caine a oid bee 107 
Peyton, Sidney Bra ccieone denen 78 
Phillips: (Charleswlissccsra ceases 275 
PODEsHs “Hh etihaaeecn ee eee 64 
Raine; Walter < sehen eee 139 
Read. A. Ci Sees ae. ane ee 118 
Reinecke, Ottomans asses eee 276 
Scott; Alys: Be. soytiaee cate 106 


Sharp, C. S. (This article was erron- 
eously credited to C. S. Dixon) .34, 35 


Sharples, Ri tBee vecccreteacra creme ore 15 
Short. iss aera cee ere 118 
SillowayseP = Miseocoseeen oe ee 70 
Simmions* shinlayeeasase eee 299-151 
Simpson; Rss. eae rere 53, 50, 32 
Spellum; Rivas setae one PAT (Pops abe? 
Stierle, J. F...11, 94, 95, 98, 99, 103, 150 
Strode. (Dre We On once eres 10 
Strone,. We" He sasinee whole stars avert 268, 2 
Taylor, dco)... sepctocpevs eh sete eerenretees 61 
Vos Burgh, Geo. W. H....26, 30, 97, 116 
Westbrook Dir Gacins a lecue cts chomisuene ore 51 
Westbrooks May) <:..ss.cnecser 12, 66 
Wiharrarnie sas View oareccvsrcle stern aerer 140, 87 
Willard’ Re" Cos Grcs sy tpeioea 78, 96, 120 
W OOG IX Claire yore rercte chore Ri vetever = 270 
Wiritht s2Carnl: Ws os ssuetectcnerennes here 53 


OUI VV TIN velit. coder stator c cvaleiehel sockets 116 


IV THE OOLOGIST 


ILLUSTRATIONS 
Adult Birds 

TUCKS ere eee a A ope some Mousemat 18, 63 
GECSO re iene a ras Sesh ocean 18, 63 
Ganlilsiaaritie Hi arene aene cts 145, 147, 282 
Hummingbird, Ricord’s ........... 269 
GO OWNS, eee aed es ae ise oe eee 277 
MEAT EIN, Si CUD AM: ya. t0te-e orator aucotenenn ee 128 
Nighthawk, West Indian.......... 259, 
260, 261, 262 

Parrot cu banana sce ace eeeneoe 129 
Waxwing, Cedar ........... 94, 95, 98 

Young Birds 
Waxwing, Cedar ....... 94, 95, 99, 103 
Eggs and Nests of Birds 

IBUZZAGd tenon. bo ee eee 59 
Fagle, Golden ...............0008- 35, 
37, 39, 41, 48, 45, 47, 49 

Hawk, Red-tail.........06..0.558 268 27 
Hawk, Ferruginous Rough-leg..... 27 
Heron, Great Blue ............... 62 
Hummingbird, Ricord’s .......... 269 
Hummingbird, Caliope ........... 273 
Martin. Cuban 252.2050 5 5 bean 128 
Nighthawk, West Indian ......... 259, 
260, 261, 262 

Oriole, Orchard: ...5......585 02-05 113 
OSPREY (ese ets eb hee ae cme eucoee ee 3 
Owl, Pacific Horned ............. 24 
Owl, Western Horned ............ 25 
Parrot eCwban= o08 26 oie eee 129 
Vireo, Yellow-throated....... 113, 114 
Warblers ~ Yellow -4. 62.65. 8 oes 17 
Warbler, Chestnut-sided .......... 82 
Waxwing, Cedar..... 94, 95, 98, 99, 103 

MISCELLANEOUS 


A Fine Camping Place on the Galoo- 
shatchie 
Coffee Mill Hammock, a Famous 
Camiupinis: Place ss os. saceieen eee 288 
Early Morning on Pine River, Isle 
of Pines 
Lake Hicapogee—Snake Heaven...293 
Lake Okeechapee, canal through 


THewSawaceTaSS: G4iak aces «peepee 295 
Rope Bend—A Famous Poin in the 
Caloosharewie: '.).. 0. sciscseeeeeweeere 292 


Royal Palms on West Coast, Isle 


OLMPAMES is seve co tee alae eiee 126 
The Lone Sentinal of Lake Okee- 
CHOPCE we oo seston ene ee 296 
Windmill Nest Box .............. 72 
PHOTOGRAPHS 
Baynand, OF: Bs pes <shiss cee eae 73 
Crisping Wins Bias one 89 
Denny, Milo Bennett.............. 105 
Hiarrish: Mranks Vncah iin eins eee 137 
ROVE RE Desai aes bois oe 11 
IRCA MALS Ce oN ee cee ae 121 
Spaulding, Fred B................ 286 
INDEX 
ACMA TSM 575 dirs chanoan aa ate ee 130 
IMDM ih ey seek 1238, 125, 130, 264, 267, 268 
PNM 5 Bsa as ole soadiath dacs atta eee 102 
Great» ee kse cet Bo oe eee 102 
RIMNOCErOUS | Fak Lees sees ee 264 
IBEe=6atel sii ce an ade ae ee 109 
Iittles Greeny yah. uaus oe ee 109 
IBCGERM) Beis ean ON ee ee 276, 289 
ATIVOTICAM occas a Gls eecccs cee 266 
Canny’ S's chiees aete eae eee 289 
TG ASTS ican oe eke aoe 85, 132, 134 
Bilge kinda; wees clon aacee 10, 272, 289 
BPEWeLSip) s.ccicto eee oaks oe 5. 6 
Crowe eee tines, os ee 118 
Red-winged................ 5, 7 (50; 
83, 142, 267, 268, 272, 275 
Red-winged Cuban ............. 264 
Red-winged San Diego ......... 5 
SEN TIGA 25 ci orieuioas a noeapersoniea sae de eae eee USI 
Yellow-head ........ 6, 265, 266, 267 
BIWebind: Ase. ecco hee 28, 33, 46, 
85, 116, 138, 141, 253, 275, 281 
IMOuUmbAINH inc i foster e a ts 
WOeSECIIN Hs. 884 oes, on 5 ara oes 51 
BODO Jaeeisnsiotiece Senne 131, 136, 
138, 144, 266, 267, 270 
Bob-white..... 10, 28, 136, 256, 257, 258 
Bull Gime. sh. aeieks eye. le she am see 130 
Bunting, Indigo...... 131, 143, 263, 275 
Buzzard, (see Vulture) 
CAMA GAT Aix lophacuce wai tcess rteedenene ore 125, 130 


Cardinal. ..28, 29, 55, 116, 118, 257, 263 


THE OOLOGIST V 


MOAT DINGS «5s ec. 48, 87, 100, 101, 123, 
130, 138, 142, 253, 263, 266, 279, 281 
MOD eS UONMC: cise Qareeti ewe ss sana e'orsist s 110 
Yellow-breasted........ 71, 134, 144 
MEME CES! ©. cnensievecicncis utics weueheyerene easter 138 
MONTE WAIVE PS Shae) Seyi syed ss s.a sevens 61, 138 
Chickadee....12, 67, 101, 138, 253, 263 
OAT OMNTV ED veer tersnetaloravere. silo nelnpebsy eons opel 85 
DY MOUMMUG AIM. Gove che teawsieevacerets ai tescs eye's ts 9 

. (ORGEC TREES Ree Tae Rainer oe rac ae 51 
MB OOM eis <iiusi e808 a6, ahs 111, 150, 258, 289 
MOSCHINO Veen soi tess. \cis jes es lobe) os <tvuswananeuerets 13 
OOM Ajo i ih iaereais cles Siehee chee 74 
MBOTEIMOTAM LY cp cce o ictie. diss gyslece 6285 ate gee one 28 
ERIC Ahmet eynete cal we saeral chat, nine acer 123; 
125, 130, 264, 265, 267, 268, 291 

EsbicM Mal Spar sscahn,syejsee ats o.alstal cratciess © speyeie 102 
OCOD IIe ligt sya ay ateyev nay «i Suse aious Sais evsieege 8 ilY, 
138, 141, 253, 265, 266, 267, 275 

MORIA EMR ists fo cas Site iei-es bce refed steenausde. oho 125 
RORETMINAOTA Ree EN geo say ore Rpavm ae test's a's alata 
(CIPI GE ND ees HONORA RCT one cen eee ne ue 123, 130 
NOAM IST OWI wre ses. salad oe exe te hltsadyaual are a) 
SUEMCMDiptl  eesyet NS abe ner a ocs) atevens Yenc Ilsyat, | 2738) 
IN/OUT ES SoS ae Re ee ROC RIA 253 
RVAOODINNE RSs. Sic wie Sear cree 102, 133 
MRECDEI. BTOWD, i. a6 sheieie ole eel oo 10, 136 
BOWER Re ar ccsscve miter ay syey tate eireh oh lip uly asa} 


55, 67, 84, 116, 118, 120, 138, 142, 
253, 256, 258, 265, 266, 267, 281 


ANT OHIO PS tha k Getter Cerenrertceee eee se 149 
PMMINTE NS GNM ares: sirajve oi'e\'e. i)'S eke i's to afenen's 265 
OAD ATM a cod Weiner bic BSUS Rate atos 130, 264 
PESTA Skat Ge Sie.Sie oie lates 28, 55, 265 
BLOM ISIN Sica 52d tretiene tetsu e ere 268 
EO O CLE Mie A S550) siete suena cho A ous tena 108 
Cuckoo, Black-billed...53, 131, 146, 258 
Yellow-billed.......... 134, 144, 253 
Isle of the Pines Lizard......... 123, 
125, 130, 264, 268 

West Indian Yellow-billed....... ei 
POUL Wee HSKAMIO NA: . che Rjele oss, sya cs oes 102 
Wone-pilled 5%. 2 ts neice 13, 102, 106 
COMO AN=WHN SS oe wd ars Soduaketomaior a ore 130 
EDICKGISGIC? oo hisses s sis a5 Spoieioners ace, 3 134 
BEV ONO ores a clraocece (ere fa,ces coehels, Sihaberonars 253 
Blue-headed Quail .............. 131 
Cuban Ground..... 127, 130, 264, 268 


Florida Ground............. 265, 267 


Mourning..... 12, 16, 28, 51, 125, 141, 
144, 148, 253, 258, 263, 265, 267 

UO CK arn ate Lonons asa ole o.cua te, Suan 110 
Rudidiya Quail os oe res ee 125; 131 
MBUAGKS ead Sol Mite oreo casa 110 
Turtlessisyptiate-. ssc: o.cmee e 110 
West Indian Mourning......... 123, 
127, 130, 264, 268 

Yellow-faced ......... LO eters 0 
PLY OWALY: + or. scan arabe aie eC or ane oe Ete 138 
IDC) aoe preancteten ince ctotrotat ots rake eae 88, 275 
Blaicksanesc. 28, 50, 51, 146, 150, 266 
BM SSAC ail rarg, ec. cesele ckeenon oa ays 10 
Labrador ....... een ise ours 102 
Mallardien ar aevcsittestc cccso er By lee by 
Pyne; c.  ccctepeeaakera rh eee ences mt tee 112 
Redaheadh22erone sec nae 10, 266 
RUIN SINC OREM! Mewvarsteteun es chiara) Teter 50 
SCAU Ae tea sets ieee A none eas aeee 112 
SHOVEMSTE toss acess s ciscane ene 112 
TUL Be yar nec sorts one Cte eee 112 
West Indian Tree...... ai ales aliasil 
WHF CON: ween cee sa ca een eee 112 
NViOOdeniaee Zo oll O2eel aaa a 
JDDG OUD UMMM RCs Acoma atew gol innetriaeet caste 149, 150 
HowiItGher ) Wr oye vee tos ee eee oe 102 
HAST sixsccs 5 2! dc epee ae 29, 30, 87, 88 
Bald.16, 28, 31, 68, 78, 85, 91, 100, 256 
Coldens... 31, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44 
Spotted ..... Manne eee 108 
Hgret: ......... Se ee 289 
American... ./ gage 102, 131, 132, 267 
Kalcon, Peresring ee 22 
Minch) ark is.acte se oo eee 134 
Purple: "> Sat vecec eee tetas 119 
Purple Cassiniseyqceeewe re 6, 9; 10 
Mamineo,, American ee snine ene e 102 
Flicker. ...7, 28, 1aee 842, 258, 9267, 281 
INorthwesteriiawocntnos oer ee 51 
Red-shafted a stcc ac eines testo: 13 
Biycatcher -Ashthroated) | o4.een eee 12 
Crested ice e aero ee 54, 61, 
104, 116, 125, 127, 138, 146 
CubangCrested 25. (0.22 -s cee cee 130 
Great~Crested® oc . S43 oe. 134, 135 
Greens Crested: <n... eee 134 
Sas sepa, slake 134, 136, 142, 258 


Scissor-tailed..116, 151, 253, 278, 279 
Traill’s 


—~_ 


VI THE OOLOGIST 


Yellow-bellied ...............--- 131 
\WWVGSUSINN, Soar oddaoocoddceLoCe 12, 66 
Frigate Bird............. 130, 265, 268 
Galhinulettaicte asco ate seer 289 
TDI VOT (0b: Weeki as Pereteercauy ary clot 127, 131 
Gnatecatcher, Blue-gray...134, 135, 263 
Godwit, Hudsonian ..............-. 102 
G@oldtinchise..-.- soe 138, 266, 267 
ANAMEIPNCAN, ba 0c0oco Goon 141, 258, 266 
GOOSC as ets tom reece: 88, 112 
AT eyes 0 ates aa cel Nearer a cxercnetonemans 61 
PURE ae eos as oe Gece ecu beus tewel ausueelouens 256 
White-cheeked ................ 5 
White-fronted .............- 61, 298 
Gioslianwike Pees okecco rae eeeobieroen: 32 
(GUAGHIG! ccamdin bdo OO memo oo ose 87, 1238 
TRYORNIIGG) SS cacbouabodonuooKS 294 
IBTOMIZe Wie ee oie easing oi corel ace hone elas 258, 
265, 266, 267, 275, 276 

@Ubanens: seer cess wate 130, 264, 268 
Toren elem erty eA eeeoimiaue nolo co.cc 265 
12bbe eva eine ame cetesa Mie Wo. otd 0:0 46, 51, 
55, 93, 138, 142, 275, 276 

1RUDISUINE sais Si Seaeerra rae Ciencia 6c. )ci0' 51, 150 
Grassquit, Melodious..... 123, 125, 126 
Yellow-faced .......... 125, 127, 130 
Grebe, Holboell’s ................ 53 
FVORIMC Cee eae eee lens ege eee 149 
UGE IGtiig, eee ence eeene esis eee eo eG. 0 o-oreo 131 
Deitel Si) A002 es ee Rhy Se seen Cpe 112 
IPiedehilledm:so6 eee ee 265, 266 
(Greenishiaiwey esa Sate cece eres 111 
Grosbeak, Evening ............. 16, 67 
Evening Western .............. 9 
PRIN Cees eae ices oc caters ce ea oueh e 9, 13, 67 
Rose-breasted ............-- 72, 118, 
134, 136, 138, 148, 263, 265 

Grouse Buiiedee cc eet eaie: 136 
inmate dae Sse 102 
Prairie Sharp-tail .............. 102 
Sic ieee otra Enno dio clad d 102 
S171 lee oe ee REPRE AreMH AG oirio 0 107 
Sharp-tailed! ~. 02. 2... sae 13, 56 
Sool Nae eA aI TRONG Ciclo . 6 8, 9, 51 
(Cnt eae enone onsale bets oirin <6 56, 112 
IBONMAPALtS Sree there tolne cemes 28, 266 
OAMiOAMByE Ase ponnoodaaanoo beds 6 
ipieehal dbo a ad 6 oo ce 266, 267, 298 


Herring........ 28, 149, 256, 266, 267 


laughing 22.65.7450 ee ee 


Ring-billed’ 2% 2. 2.2). acicrsreeeeete 28 
Western (5.54). 3/520 2 eee 78. 
Hail, “Virginia. . 2% sci sere. oe 266: 
Hawk, American Sparrow......... 265 
Broadwinged..... 16, 31, 88, 131, 271 
Chickadee 2.5 2.21 2 eee 136 
COOPer’ Ss) iain cesnr ee esl 10, 22, 
31, 32, 51, 88, 134, 144, 253: 
CubansCraban.- eee 125, 268 
Cuban Sparrow ............ 130, 264- 
Duck } noises eee 21, 91. 
Marshes. vn. c 2h See 10, 31, 
88, 130, 1386, 138, 140, 146, 267 

NGS@nE ie oes cio ae ee ee 10° 
PIZeON os. ken bee ee eee eee 13, 32 
Red-bellied... .35 2.44 eee 134 
Red-shouldered .......... 10, 23, 31, 
32, 53, 88, 140, 256, 258, 271 

Red-tailed ........... 10, 12,,16, 20,. 
23, 28, 31, 32, 88, 134, 253, 272 
Red-tailed Western ......... 42, 265. 
Sharp-shinned ................. oles 
32, 51, 67, 88, 143, 267 

Sparrow — canis ss. cas oeee 10, 21, 


32, 66, 67, 75, 88, 123, 125,. 
134, 136, 138, 148, 253, 258, 267 


Sparrow, Mountain ............ 12 
Swainson’s 0. ss. sare eee 134 
Hen, Heath ....... PEGS 3156 0-0! 60 102 
Prairie, +... 62566 oh ee 134 
FACT ON. fais gene ele 16, 111, 116, 289 
Black-crowned Night........ 4, 123, 
125, 131, 141, 144, 268 

iBuii-backedl)-ne eee eee 111-112 


Cuban Green. .123, 127, 131, 132, 264 


Cuban White ......... 123, 131, 132 
Great Blue...... 28, 50, 125, 1382, 138, 

150, 263, 265, 267, 268, 271, 278 
Great, White “.. 2. sn. sree 267 
Green. Jo. oe. ene 46, 128, 


"125, 134, 138, 256, 275, 276. 
Little Blue....123, 125, 130, 253, 267 


Little Green........... 265, 266, 267 
Louisiana...... 28, 125, 130, 132, 267 
Night 45a nes 4ho0ee eee 111, 276 
Southern Green ........... 130, 1382 
Southern Little Blue............ 132° 
SNOWY. vesoee as oe 0 125, 130, 264, 267 


THE OOLOGIST 


Nan Sete". wsaateances Sack, ower’ 7a 30 
SV PLUG Meeysehcirepsie) ah ats co Stovenchein are topes 125 
Yellow-crowned Night.......... 123, 
125, 131, 132 

EMCO), sucwoneyclsisteod's. ene sacle. ho vcore © ak 109 
Hummingbird, Calliope ........... 272 
Ruby-throated..... 117, 141, 144, 258 
Eimimenr, RicOrd’s. 2..,.. 2.0. 125, 130 
RDY-thnoateds .:. <5. 62. « 134, 135 
LVLES) Nees ganna eee eae 289 
‘SHEN CIIENG Lh: ogi Ci cle gar eee ee aa ae ee ee ilalal 
SOAP EE VEE Si een eee 102 
SATAN SYS ee ee eer 1235, W25¢ 
130, 264, 265, 268, 289, 298 

“HEAV. 220i AIRS DCRR a nn 272 
NSINKOU sas caitsher ai duayee ANG 138; 1425253 
eT OMLCM: 1. sg os.ce wie slave wore eos 6,9 
IP UOTE aie Rte ae et oR ee ee 28 
UNCO..... .. Gralen. 2950s bile Ole 142 
DIP SEO IT Ih yee hee eGR ORS ERENCE eee 51 
SUSIE, “Cee eae Eis eee Se ieee nr ana 9 
SEE-GOLOTEO) s). 2ic-5 vieva shee om siae 254 
aCe GUGM Maras 6 53531 crcrbiels Sea wrercls wee ar ts, 108 
LNG SESE SN on eee SP elena is 


138, 142, 253, 265, 266, 267, 268 

West Indian. . .123, 125, 127, 131, 264 
Kingbird....54, 104, 123, 125, 138, 143, 
253, 258, 265, 266, 267, 276, 278 


PACA SES) clersetls. shave ecg iare o's a taloue'’ 12, 104 
ROU INS @ atayapeis ereoe st s- 122, 130, 264, 268 
@WPan! GLA esses 6 ace es cwvale stan Lal 
EE RARTNI SS Sch cpereebaseions mane a ses'e, oe) « 127, 131 
GE UVONM Ee /o lee ararccarataseittc, Sets sala ts nee 125 
Kingfisher..... 7, 118, 148, 267, 275, 276 
1B Ye) | {2\0 hae eee 125, 127, 130, 258 
BilaGkeram dg WiC. 210 ete faces a alt: 109 
‘European ERE Pee etata sie arene oe 109 
ETRE eM GAM Gey cesar = «dict nie eee Se ey wichs 109 
AGING EC anet Potetietay tes a weve ste, ahecs « way e608 5 
Golden-crowned ............ 51, 281 
Ruby-crowned............ 465 gro: 
RIC e VD ELAM fer chtlpetet cy'arei'e ole stare ta oes 107 
IDs) ded Pes (ee emer ae 267, 289, 291 
Swallow-tailed.......... 64, 134, 289 
Wy te-tatle dhs cchate a cicis apeta.s Seon chore 102 
AUT ELVVel GN Sievopeiz esi oe oh se) oi wleleielereuates 298 
TINO 5 o6 Sad cic ceate R ache TRIO io eae 256 
EAD OV ENN ok A airailey Par teu el oh su ode: oxenel ore o's elles Sha ual 


VIE 

Prairie Horned. 6... 2: /.. 48, 116, 266 
SUNG) CEP” GR cl AON im Se tte ee eed 13 
Limpkin,...122, 123, 127, 130, 131, 264 
TEGO ONE Saar es syereiers) aeha ce kes 149, 256, 278 
Magpie: CAuneniGan) s.0 2: eee) oe tS 
Miaiierr Reber 149, 150, 253, 266 
IVER GUT g epee eee erie rg it er a ee 87 
@ulbaniy.neeseraarsetes oe es ae: 125 
BANG. fects ap ee a et ee 110 
Purples Sn aya et 134, 144, 265, 266 
Mead owilankcentem 4. crits sees or 28, 52, 


122, 123, 125, 138, 141, 257, 258, 
265, 266, 267, 272, 275, 281 


Gubanste. Gee: 127, 130, 264, 268 
Wiestennie ts Pen sk ata) otetes 5 eee 5 
Merganser, American ~........... 139 
ELOOUEG aps ersey tec Ce eI 50, 139) 
TAY Wesel LoTR Meio sine Ie eetatwn oe Reet 13, 108: 
Mockin=binds4.- ce ee 28, 116, 253 
Murreletaicr pled. itt 56 
ATMUISH eee eee eid rae tae 78 
Nightha wiki eis oo ae 146, 
256, 258, 265, 267, 275, 279 

AMICI are ari emer. ae 123;° 125.) 268 
CUTS ASA eee ote tet ee RTT a 
Niehitin gale 92 .$ ene eae tne 110 
INO oe: ie oe ee 265, 268 
Nutcrackers Clarks... 3. ee a ee 6-8 
INUILD ACHE ch as ore ee 67, 136 
Brown-headéd. 22. 22.2220 ee. 85 
PALIN iy ue cece eater eee 7, & 
hed-DLeastedsrs ase. eee ee 12 


White-breasted...134, 138, 143, 255 


Oriole: shih, ote eae Oe ae 125 
Baltimorewa sony. eet 1384 143) 258 
Cubang' coe eee ne 123, 130 
Orchandis..ceae eee LG Mee TS Oe ad 

OSPLCY oer sh Ae Se ee ee. 88, 91, 256 

Ouzel- Waterers eke ee 9 

Ovenbirdy 5.23: eer a 22, 79; 

130, 1386, 138, 143, 255, 263 

Olesen chece seterenete care eae 119, 283: 
A Cada tt a yates or see ile ee By 
AT CUI CRP ae ats hive iiss Se eR 10 
Barn...21, 36, 54, 76, 88, 97, 109, 125 
Barred: tetas <c-oh occas Sees 10, 26, 32). 

88, 133, 134, 140, 284, 291 
CubantBarn }..e3ae eee 130, 264 
HA PLCR ted rota See eee oa LOD 


VIII 
Great Horned.10, 26, 88, 133, 134, 138 
Great’ Gray. jc ee ne = eee 88 
15 Ifo} chol(sys aaa eepeeeene nnn REN che Le rec 28, 32 
MS EbE eins scart ver ees es ater oe en eee 109 
Long-eared .......... 26, 67, 88, 134 
IPA eine howto er ate cra ooo a no.c 125 
Pismyn Cuban 22.0). - > 2. 122, 123, 130 
SalWwewihe@t) ae \acieieis cateuers io teenosecraere 26 
Screech 2 sin caes See eee 10, 28, 32, 
85, 88, 96, 116, 141, 146 
ShOLt-eamedaeicm t-te eee 26, 88 
SSMOW Yau mieus © «ese ee eae yeaa 26, 88 
Oystercatchene-aeeca =e iter era 78 
PAN O fata oiso cue isnevele ensue sys eens UB 1745) 
(Cli See eatin a eetenen oth ocx Giese 123 
Cibane Gre em) ees oe 127, 268 
Paraguet, Carolina .......2....-.- 102 
IPENA ROK eos og ood poena ca dooc us uo 281 
Pelican’ Brows. cee. 131, 268, 298 
IDRC Fea oo OU eS nio omaod- 112 
AV WAIT (fev, Stasis Soe Ae arin eR A aicl Orc 6, 112 
Penne Mp eCTOR | serps) aera 52 
Chine le ec tar rete ke! athe teen eee 56 
Blackecappedier en eee. eerie 102 
(STi, Gos Sea cadena oc 6 o-oo 0.8 298 
AWTS (ONES seo eemarorers cae soci 268 
IREREO Meio hittin aa mmene ica oS c 46, 123, 125 
(CTU See ee Sees oad ialche. 2A, Wai 
WO OGY soos: che Sarees cllere 9, 134, 146, 258 
Pheamopepla ey cse 4 a aecekee einer t WE 
Phalorope, Wilson’s........... 5 My AY 
JDINERIRGN Fe wana Boece ase ob obs aco oe 51 
IDivelbsln Senn pao ooc Shoo cos 5 od oc 144 
IPG ao oe enone 28, 140, 143, 258, 265 
SAIN SSE Sais ueorots Susr-vetelueaetenneltee neleaenoas 12 
IPISCOME ok hic ccs oye cre 123, 127, 130, 268 
ipand-tailed: 2... .smc pe eae 102, 133 
BE OWOMs saz cectamrecienee 125, 127, 13i 
Syorminiyeiers ade sopaocoasccgdo0ec 110 


White-crowned.123, 125, 127, 131, 267 
Plover 
Black-bellied. ..127, 133, 149, 150, 256 


Galdienk sicaeee ee 102, 131, 133, 150 
PSOMEISTY = 2.0 hciie ake ccs.cec siere eEMemonene 111 
Ibpindtey 1Ryhokeeh As aa oo Gack Dood alatae 
12s) chs aeRO cS Code Ord Or © 1000 276 
Semipalmated! \.. -esrelerare 256, 276 
Spur-wimged = ....05 6 620 3 eee) elie 111 


THE OOLOGIST 


Prairie Chicken. .56, 134, 152, 266, 267 


Ptarmigan, Dixon’s Rock........... 56 
Quail sy jac oe oes 56, 111, 125, 253, 264 
Cubanere a... 123, 127, 130, 268 
1:3) Ko) ois 2 eee DRAIN Re 5 5 267 
Mountain’ ....25 3.34422 eee 9 
Rail, Wine: gy soccer eee 267 
OLA. jadi Siete ss Sele ete 6, 266 
Wirginia . 23 23h oe ss 131 
RAVEN ot .4tusace cS vi ae cee 107, 140 
Abyssimian 220s. .Jo5 ss. eee 108 
Brown-necked: .:. 2.2.) Se eee 108 
Redpoll..3.023 0.5 see eee ee 67 
Redstartoniccse sate yay 1a), ise 
136, 138, 143, 263 

FUG Gi Wale, oe 2 cl. ie sone 138, 275, 279 
Cuban 7.82. io. oe eee ee 131 
Road, Runner =... 26.63. 253 
IODINE = sees sa 7, 8, 9, 28, 50, 51, 54, 


67, 87, 110, 116, 122, 138, 140, 
141, 150, 258, 263, 265, 266, 267 


Western ohio Gls ae eee 5 
ROOK cies shee oes eee eee 108 
ROUGE +s 6a ooo eee ee 111 
Rustard. os). Basse ee ee 107 
Sanderline ss 4 hers cee 149, 150, 256 
Sandpiper: «i... ,ocs ee eee 118 

Baird's. 7 o\sauscstayee os ans eee 150 

Buff-breasted 9.:..4..425.55.0enee 298 

Bartramiamn. c..0...ee eee 100, 102 

Common: | 4355.4 3) 3 ote eee 111 

Gréee@n 4... «dias os oe neen eee eee 111 

Least..... 127, 130, V4 4A a eeeiG 

Pertorals vs cee ee 1025 256 

Red-hacked. .3;.....4..5 eee 266 

Red-breasted . .... ......,. «29s 102 

Semi-palmated ............ 127, 131, 

256, 268, 275, 276, 300 

Solitary....... 52, 125, 127, 13k, 267 


Spotted. .9, 125, 131, 138, 142, 258, 267 


Sapsucker. 2.5.0. os 6 eae eee 12 
Northern Red-breasted ......... 7 
Williamson’s = 2.2 2.2. eee eee Tl 
Yellow-bellied .............. 84, 136 

SCObET) <2 cholate ole oe 149, 298 

Shearwater, Greater .............. 298 

Shrike. tices odes bee 79, 272 
oeverhead 3 .).i5.3. se eee 28 
White-rumped) 2:2... «22 eee 106 


THE OOLOGIST : Ix 


BSPTEIIO ACK os. sors) Syc eb a's ais ol aio .e'ssete, ele ig tal 
Wilson’s. .125, 131, 133, 138, 143, 150 


SePINAUUEDITIGE<2).. «cs, ofetare sis. ove. 0.)0 saya @ 250 68 
SLATIROWT 2 Rog IREnIn CCE eco on 2, 13 
EPMO PINTIATIOS cere x's xsici sic crac 031818 28, 257 
ETRE TRG ata oc) sitch's\ Sree of ero: sie) ors 6, 12, 67 
MBPEUIPNTSLIVES. cues. vitecs eG sie oe 4, 7, 68, 
71, 138, 140, 142, 263 

Chipping Western ............. 5 
ESPN SEUEGIAPS ha) oy'cy.ch wns! eh chesaiiclisl as! a's 28, 85, 86, 
101, 106, 110, 254, 264, 265 

Field..... 134, 138, 142, 263, 266, 267 
“Sl. ee eee 28, 50,51 
Grasshopper...... 131, 141, 142, 148 
PCH OMOWES cs tea ag ake else a 299, 300 
MUS Kam eteach Gyev'ci ce. a) ar Sus decanavs ial 116, 253 
SMa eMC Payee) os ashe er whch sj.oisl'ay'oscsl och ols Martel a 266 
RAVeLIAME CAM Pe scelciccia cea) h oso ace'e less 28, 275 
DMAMP-Cawled, 2.0... seeeee ces 275, 276 
120, 138, 141, 263, 265, 266, 267 

SOW cea renee 29, 50; 51, 
DOHC OVOUNEAIN S.cik sess sees G5 of 
S220] D6 ococs Seen ee 84, 138, 144 
“IN Niel fe) opt es Ee eee 6 
IMREG Riga OR nee 50, 51, 68, 101, 281 
Wesper..c....204..% 138, 143, 263, 267 
White-crowned......... 6s 7, (8,.92:29 
White-throated ............ 141, 150 
ESSIPOSERENDIN Weng ci sievcy are aos opens, ow.8ie'e © 6.8, 8. ate ilalal 
EROS EMUC I 2 ioe s aie s,0-0. 805,088 102, 130, 298 
SEIU ee 88, 96, 110, 138, 141 
SEB lAck-necked! 056. see ee 291 
Silent Oe wis's. ais oats wots ote ees 6 35's 111 
ee M ACK sore) =, cis lohaca soe g.8) 510) tlers, oie. 112 
VIO TEES * as Sega a eee ee eae 112 
Mie ON MRY Tata area te sara est scevale SGeyae @ arse 109 
WS eUIMK ae). erage. 3 118, 143, 267, 275, 276 
Hse ae ce, ae 131, 138, 142, 253, 263, 
265, 266, 267, 268, 275, 276, 279 

CHILO ENT C] 01 BER eae ae nee ipal 
OTE S 3 <5 0s 125, 138, 265, 266, 267, 276 
BS ASVMPR SE INS occas seteneusee. ole wists! o encheseus tants 109 
Rough-winged ............. 141, 144 
BRUTE earcreliatotls) cls \ae'otel cere, si c)eysce = 1 UB ISS 
142, 266, 275, 276, 284 

PMMUAUEEP VEN ovenetiovareydcavetars wile) G!eia) saa eio'e eters 133 
WTUTNPCECY «Ae yeles. nen eiises sieys 102, 132 
AINA WES Bl hh 0 f= oe 278 
SHIRE A Oe ecient  aie eee 131, 138 


ChiImMMey: 7. Gees oe 142, 258, 265, 267 
1BETY h OG BR ate cor oa Cace OO Cha RETRO 131 
Tanager, Isle of Pines ....... 125, 13t 
Scarlet.” Lis. J Sec aste sistele sev 136, 144 
DEFT Rene APRA APT SES Cen EC iy PRONE 253 
GIeEeN= WIM LOM re Sreyeteaveyaorel ie. s ene ses 149 
PROTTIN. -. sisse a tierra ereenenereeneterclas: 5, 105 112 
BIA AS cc ousve sateenere tes 5, 6, 266, 267 
COMMIOT oo ra crvetevey o helene releter sees 54, 266 
Gullspilled? ac Se Reece so oe re 298 
Wieast’ 23 < aetse eee Karuivecdaveseratteye ars 298 
IN OG Dye eae eatterere atest st al ss bits ote 268 
RIGSCALCT a raerrncheacante eis ew sucnornt re 298 
ROYAL. nc sere 130, 265, 267, 268, 298 
SOU Ye incassrare rorsber at atc, chance Skaytnere 268 
WV TIS OM Sie tetova catexeterterene aie sia an tenet 256 
Thrasher, Brown...28, 55, 70, 148, 263 
EROTIC a1 cc weneteretenoreoroKer ares ses (aver obeife off 28 
Sf: i eas mei or ree hel Se. ott CSOD MENG COL 12 
AYA ahi KER es iricine Bed clo.c Gb Sioo amiotucii 70 
Thrush, Gray-cheeked ............ 144 
1S oY gh 100 | eRe eae Or BicnS Caio oe 141, 150 
FLCHIMAG. SLCU Are cneyeteletel et ecen-noree 5S S59 
Olive-hacked = Jaa-aston'. 10a 144, 150 
Revers El Cake =ao1 0 ames Glee clciedn OLS 122, 123, 
125, 127, 130, 264, 268 

WWD cs on «/ocanycves TES Okt oan oo 
Water, Louisiana .......... 130, 263 
BWHIGON’S © .-2:h- ec eer eree ator laine 50, 142 
AYWYOYO6 le earls His onc 57, 96, 106, 141, 263 
Titmouse; CwEtedy sence 149, 263 
Mitlariks <<. choca aps sta eet eee 28 
Mody Oubals «s.r 123, 125, 127, 130 
TO WIIEE.. sok ecie siohanee 141, 253, 263, 281 
Green-taued: 2. ct. ae Sal ee 
OTCLONE ce ate selon ereroas 51 
Soba de(0 eee ro hic ie om oc nuepeno 12 
AYMAN BSCE ta U6 Laeweichesn cia o.din bod aeuicneed 28 
Trogan, Isle of Pines. .122, 123, 130, 268 
STRUNK CY" Seis card wield oratey cleft nonae) ellerarate es 56 
NWELEOT i. concrete ciel setae eis tore eine b availov ors 289 
TUrNStON Es --V CL inlwrsrera «terre fated asi e teas Us 
Ware: Bel Siae crea cheta creer 70, 134 
Black-whiskered ........... 125, 131 
Gundlach’ secre se or: 123, 125, 130 
Red-6yeds sas. e 3 os cee 118, 131, 134, 
138, 143, 254, 263, 265, 266 

Wii linies ee sie ake tamer oc 116, 143 
Wellow-throated™ ‘i. 14 svete ala lire 


x THE OOLOGIST 


131, 134, 1388, 143 Waetail, Gray ............ Peek 2s. 116 
Vulture, Black. .28, 29, 88, 108, 267, 268 White’ ..i0.... 066 fons oe eee 110: 
IE VPELAM” \. |. oe etecue le accuses ans eleven eoners 408 Yellow ...2<..)5.0 03.0: epee 110: 
Grit: 20.5 Seta. Sais eee ee 108 Waxwing, Cedar...... 97, 142, 263, 266 
Sociable oes oi. canoe eee ee: 108... Weather ’...5..20... 5 aos fo eee 110 
Southern Bearded ............. 108 Whip-poor-will............ 74, 136, 146 
Southern Turkey. ..125, 130, 364, 268 Cuban’= Soa. «83 be Jee 125, 131 
MURKCY <\55.5.5 56 ates mastehe ee 28; 58; 88; ~ Willett... .2.00.0 5.4 oe 102 
123, 134, 140, 253, 265, 267 Woodcock ................:-. 133, 136 
Warbler 4328 26s note eee 16° “Woodpecker ~....2...n%. cee 12 
PANTCADONMIS ea « siele oie recto 4, 6, 7, 8, 9 Cabaniss’s. = .ch.2. 6c)) See 5 
IBACHMATI'S .¢ soe oe een eee 131 Downy....101, 118, 134, 143, 253, 258 
Blacks me, WV Wate sicher ere 127, Green, Cuban..... 125, 127, 130, 268 
131, 135, 138, 142, 263 IAIRY Ses es See eee 134, 255, 256 
Blackburnian ......... 131; 136,254 “Northern Pileated . ..----eeeeaee 280 
Black-throated Blue ........... 130, : 
135, 144, 253, 275 Pileated> (co... se Hill 
Black-throated Green........... 131, Red-headed ............ 84, 118, 154, 
135, 148, 253, 275 138, 144, 253, 258, 265, 267, 298 
SRCEDUL se sconoc. Tee a. Red bellicdas ana 123, 125, 146 
PR ce oon e Red-bellied, Cuban.....127, 130, 268 
Gapet May. 2. 320) 2 eee 131 Wihite-headed:..:..... eee 9 
@ernulean: .5-.55 sss Soe 130° WON iss dad cee so eee 118 
= Clanl bite ete mereeesne Marre s tact munttie bre. 130 Bewicks\:- eee 96, 119, 136 
Chestnut-sided ................. 136, Catolinasl so ae 28, 141, 146 
141, 143, 274, 275 
Gaidenaineed ee 263 Dotted Cannon. =...) ae eee 67 
HiGodede oe ee eee Rie 146, 254 FIOUSESS. cvs eee ei ee 46, 54, 138, 
emt Chey 55.24 ay Soke energie oe 263 143, 263, 265, 266 
EONS or .sciaus <asc elon kaye Ieee 79 House, Western .....25 055m: 12, 67 
INGO ea agi pea nae oat 143, 275 Long-billed Marsh. ..16, 146, 266, 267 
eae Pecos 51.10 
My A eres ie ee eee 28, 131, ROCK osc oxtithe ks ee eee 67 
143, 150, 274, 275 WVIZOFS \ 2s 2) ied es ac one eee BAL 
Orange-crowned ............-.--- 150 Winter or. sci oo ee Oe 136 
Pale, avd ote tene euer eee 125 Winter, Western ....:.......... 66 
PAD aie soul 131, 185, 158, 268, 275  Woryneck ............+.0)ee0. noe 109 
aaa cS REE Ske ne 2 i . na Yellowlegs .... 00.4. 2.5 127 
BLOLhONaLatya |. oe. a eee 131 Greater ................... 102, 133 
SV.CaIMOPe sens cliche  ee 127, 131 OSSEM s 45.5. $s ae ee ee 102, 133 
Tennessee ........--.-..++---- 131 Summer 25. 2.50... Sosa 276 
WWWATS OWS) 5 2 speck d Gisletees ae tol une eae: 138 Yellow-throat, Florida... .123, 127, 130 
Worm-eating ........... 16, 131, 144 
7 | RY ao 7, 55, 117, 127, Greater. os. ices Lee aoe Cee 131. 
136, 138, 142, 263, 265, 267 TueSser goes eee 256 


Mellow-Palm “ieee. a: 130, 142, 268 Maryland®:: 0. « 28, 143, 263, 275 


THE QOLOGIST 


BIRDS--NESTS-EGGS 
TAXIDERMY 


VoL. XXX. No. 1. 


ALBION, N. Y., Jan. 15, 1913. 


WHOLE No. 306 


BRIEF SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS 


Wanted, Exchange, Kor Sale, Etc. 


inserted in this department at 25 cents for each 25 
words for one issue; each additional word 1 cent. 


No notice inserted for less than 25 cents. 


TAKE NOTICE. 
SUBSCRIPTION, 50 CENTS PER YEAR 


Examine the number on the wrapper of 
your Oologist. _It denotes the time your 
subscription expires. Remember we must 
be notified if you wish it discontinued and 
all arrearages must be paid. 304 your sub- 
scription expires with this: issue. 293 your 
subscription expired with December issue 
1911, Other expirations can be computed by 
intermediate numbers at the rate of one 
number per month. 


Entered as second-class matter De- 
cember 21, 1903, at the post office, at 
Albion, N. Y., under the Act of Con- 
gress of March 3, 1879. 


In answering advertisements in these 
columns mention ‘‘THE OOLOGIST,’’ 
and thereby help us, as well as the ad- 
vertiser and yourself. 


_ We will not advertise the skins, nests, eggs, or mounted specimens of North American 
Birds for sale. These columns are for the use of those desiring to make bona, fide exchanges 


of such specimens for scientific collecting purposes only.—EDI 


TOR. 


BIRDS 


WANTED-—Live American Wild Trumpet- 
er Swan. R. M. Barnes’ Lacon, Ill. 


BIRD SKINS .—Exchange generally. 
ee S. WRIGHT, 14 Cayuga St., qian 
aN, . § -p 


I desire to exchange bird skins and bird 
eggs with all collectors; send full list of skins 
andeggs. D. V. HEMBREE, Roswell, ee ) 

-p 


Duplicate mounted birds and skins, many 


rare, at bargain prices. I need room. Send 
stamp and state your wants. A. RUSSELL 
SMITH, Edge Hill, Pa. (1-p) 


WANTED.—A No. 1 skin of male Golden 
Pheasant, and fresh skin of black squirrel 
for mounting; will pay cash or exchange A 
No. 1 mounted specimens or skins. O. S. 
BIGGS, San Hose, Ill. (1-p) 


WANTED.—First class skins of Passenger 
Pigeons, male and female, for which I will 
give in exchange first class skins of Heath 
Hens. FRED H. KENNARD, 220 Devonshire 
St., Boston, Mass. (1) 


FOR EXCHANGF.—I have left one pair 
Passenger Pigeons, (Hctopistes Migratorius) 
nicely mounted and good condition. Will 
take part cash and part in rare sets or birds. 
PHILO SMITH, 1824 Byers Ave., Jomtin. ae 

(1-p 


WANTED.—First class skins of 585b, 550a: 
550b, 550c, 547a, 546a, and many others. Have 
fine skins of 550, 549, 549.1a, 575a, and others in 
exchange. Collectors please send lists. C. 
Ve CHAMBERLAIN, 36 Lincoln St., “get 

ass. (2) 


FOR SALE.—Exceedingly rare sets, full 
dataof Comatikis comata ‘ Geronticus eremita) 
North Syrian Deserts for $25. (the two eggs). 
Ch. GIRTANNER, Clarens, Ay gchide: 5 ; 

-p 


EGGS 


In sending in your exchange notices for nests, 
skins and eggs, we would appreciate it ifyou would 
arrange the numerals in your exchange notice 
in their numerical order, and not tumble them 
together hit and miss, as some of our readers are 
complaining, and we think justly so. 


EXCHANGE.— Personally taken sets, 263, 
300, 388, 412a, 444, 466a, 498, 528, 529, 540, 584, 624, 
for sets of Warblers only. H. MOUSLEY, 
Hatley, Quebec’ 


asonian In 
ow 


wv 


JAN 291 


3 


— 
$y, 


19 
ILO 


I THE OOLOGIST 


EGGS, Continued 


IT have a few good sets to exchange. Want 
334, 334a, 337a, 337d, 340, 344. (351) snare 356, 360c, 
361 and many others. DAVID BROWN 
Room No. 11, Federal Bldg., Pacouee Wash: 

1p 


FOR SALE --700 egg trays, made with white 
paper all sizes and in good condition. I will 
also exchange for sets of eggs for others new 
to my collection. I have also many maga- 
zines for exchange. C. M. CASE, 7 Holcomb 
St., Hartford, Conn. 


“Tdeal” data blanks, your nameand address 
inserted, exchanged ‘for sets of birds’ eggs 
listing 95 cents or over. C. F. STONE, 
Printer, Branchport, N. Y (1-p) 


Fine sets from Greenland, Iceland, Arctic 
America, also Antarctic. Will exchange 
European for North American sets. H. T. 
BOOTH, 8 Cranbury Road. Fulham, Sa eae 


KXCHANGE.—A fine series of ten of the 
Pallas Murre from Cape Hope, Alaska. I 
want 188, 332, 343, 348, 362, 364 and many others, 
D. E. BROWN, 6044 Ist Ave.. No. W. Sta. F. 
Seattle, Wash. 


EGGS FOR EXCHANGE.—A few sets each 
of the following to exchange for other sets. 
Nos. 49, 120c, 122, 127, 294a. 360a. Send full list: 
J.5S. APPLETON, Simi, Ventura Co., Cal. 


eee 

TO EXCHANGE—Sets with data, North 
American and Foreign. Can use many com- 
mon kinds of both. Dr.T. W. RICHARDS 
aoe Navy, 1911 N. St., N. W.. Washington 


FOR EXCHANGE.—For anything of use 
tO a sportsman. A. 1. mounted birds and, 
skins of water fowl and owls. MILO DENNY 
Waubeek, Iowa. (1-p) 


EXCHANGE.—Vol. 23 Physical Culture. 
Want Reed’s Color Key to North American 
Birds, Holland’s Butterfly book, Hummers, 
Sets of 144 Eggs. flying squirrel skins. EARL 
HAMILTON, Yohoghany, Pa. (1-p) 


FOR EXCHANGE —A 1 sets taken this 
season, Glaucus Wing Gull, Eaeeer Guillemot 
Violet Green Vormerant: Ww. BURTON, 
Esq., 937 St. Charles S. T tone: B.C. 


WANTED.—T1o hear from collectors who 
have sets with Cowbird eggs in them. Who 
wants skins of the Wild Turkey, 310 A? Last 
year I put up ten. I need many of thecommon 
sets with nests, Canada Jay, Northern Raven, 
Audubon’s Oriole, and nests, Cooper’s Tana- 
ger, Warbling Vireo and nest, numerous 
Warblers, ~t. Lucas, Mearn’s and LeCont’s 
Thrashers, and Varied Thrush and nest. H. 
H. BAILEY. Newport News. Va. (1) 


ee ee ee ne ee ee 

Ihave the following North American Birds’ 
Eggs in original sets with full data, to ex- 
change for others that I need to add to my 
collection. A.O,U. Nos. 471-3, 761-1, 791-1, 
86 1-1, 108 1-1, 132 1-8, 144 1-9, 1-11, 172 1-4,'191 1-5. 
208 1-10, 219 1-8, 221 1-12, 275 1- 3, 277a 1- 1, 326 1-2, 
337b 1-2, 339b 1-3, 462 1-3, 405 1-2, 478a 2-4, 2-5, 
417 1-2, 429 3n- 2, 430 n-2, 594a 2-4, 631 1-3. Many 
of these are extremely rare, especially the 
Florida Burrowing Owl which are absolutely 
authentic, having been a part of the collection 
formed during the ’80’s by 8. B. Ladd. R. M. 
BARNES, Lacon, [11]. 


FOR EXCHANGE.—Sets with data and 

singles for first class bird skins. B. G. WIL- 

LARD, 30 Huntington, Ave., Boston, ae 
(1-p 


FINE COLLECTION BIRD EGGS, many 
birds and nests photographed, to exchange 
for microscope, fly rod, casting rod, or tackle 
Box 775, Stanford University, Cal. 


Choice cabinet sets with full and accurate 
data for exchange for sets and large rare 
singles. DR. M. T. CLECKLEY, 457 Greene 
St.. Augusta, Ga. (2-p) 


Marine Shells, Pacific Coast species, Smith- 
sonian Identification, for specimens and 
ouriosities of any kind, Birds’ Eggs preferred, 

.W. WESTGATE, 809 1st North, Seattle. 
Wash. (1-p) 


WANTED—Fine sets Flycatchers, especial- 
ly 459; also rare postage stamps, British, 
North American colonies only. Offer sets 
with nests 228, 227a, 474b, 533, BBB, 641, 648, 673, 
743c and others. H. MOUSLEY, Que. de p) 


FOR EXCHANGE.—A large list of fine sets 
with data, to exchange for fine sets of Rap- 
tores and large singles. Exchange also de- 
sired in minerals, sea shells, butterflies and 
moths. L.C. SNYDER, Lacona, N. Y. (1-p) 


FOR SALE OR EXCHANGE.—For skins 
or eggs in sets. Bird Lore, Vol. VIII, Vol. 
VII, No. 5-6; Vol. IX, No. 1. "Nidiologist, Vol. 
II, No. 1; Vol. II, No. 9; Vol. IIT, No. 2; Osprey. 
Vol. 1- 3p Condor, Vol. 9-1; Museum, Vol. I, No. 
3-4-5-12. Ornithologist and Oologist, Vol. 
XVIII: Oologist, Vol. XXIII-XX VI-XXVII- 
XXVIII; Vol. X, No. 4-7-11; Vol. XI, Nos.7 and 
9; Vol. XI, Nos. 10 and 11; Vol. XIV, No. 3 
and7. ARTHUR W. BROCKWAY, Hadlyme, 
Conn. (-p) 


FOR EXCHANGE.—My entire_collection 
of several hundred sets of eggs. Want bird 
and mammal skins, mounted birds and 
animals, game heads, beetles, old relics, 
stamps ‘and curios. My special wants are 
skins of Bull Crested Sandpives and female 
Dickcissels, mounted birds, O. U. Num- 
bers 11, 32, 47, 64, 74, 80, 125, 128, 134, 150, 166, 169, 
17la, 177, 206, 211, 218, 225, 226, 258, 260. 269, 980. 
281, 286, 288, 293. 308, 309, BIL, 395, 326, 327, 362, 370. 
377a, 381, 443, 471, 476, 483, 487, 513, 513a; Mounted 
Mole (Scalops), Civet (Bassariscus), Southern 
Fox Squirrel, Jack Rabbit, Texan Pecarry, 
Antelope head, Gila monster and 3 foot Alli- 
gator. List everything you can offer. No 
eggs wanted. W.E.SNYDER, R. F. D. No. 
6, Beaver Dam, Wis. ab) 


BOOKS 


WANTED.—Nidiologist, Vol. 1, No. 6. In- 
dexes to Vol.2 and 4. Will pay cash. EARLE 
= FORREST, 261 Locust Ave., Wash 

a. -p 


CASH OR GOOD EXCHANGE.—For 
Agassiz Companion, Amateur Naturalist, 
Exchange, Empire State Exchange, Field and 
Forest, and 40 other titles, ae ee files. 


Lists exchanged. FRA BURNS, 
Berwyn, Pa. (1-p) 
FOR SALE.—Coues’ Key, last edition, 2 


vols, $7.00; cost $12.50. Or willentertain offers 
of rare Warbler sets only. H. MOUSLEY 
HATLEY, Quebec. (1-p) 


THE OOLOGIST. 


Vom, xx. No. 1. 


AuBion, N. Y. JAN. 15, 1912. 


WHOLE No. 305 


Owned and Published Monthly, by R. M. Barnes, Albion, N.Y., and Lacon, Ill. 


1913 

With this issue we begin Volume 
XXX, No. 1 of The Oologist. We wish 
all of our subscribers, friends and ex- 
changes a Happy New Year. We shall 
in 1913, endeavor to keep The Oologist 
up to the standard of 1912. 

It is with extreme regret that we 
begin the New Year by issuing our 
initial number late, but this grows 
out of a combination of circumstances 
over which Ye Editor had no control. 

1. A hurried business trip to Spo- 
kane. 

2. A death in the tamily of one of 
our assistants. 

3. Sickness in our own family. 


These are the excuses and We trust 


that our readers will overlook the de- 


lay. 


We wish to thank those who have 


already renewed their subscription as 


well as those who have forwarded an 


extra subscription, and some more 
than one, for friends or acquaintances. 


That is the kind of support that will 


make a good Oologist. 


To those who have not yet renewed 
we desire to call your attention to the 
fact that the Government on office 
regulations prohibit us sending The 
Oologist to any person who is more 
than one year in arrears. Kindly give 
the matter of renewal your immediate 


attention while it is on your mind. 


—R, M. B, 


2 THE 


How Birds Protect Orchards. 
W. H. Strong, San Jose, Cal. 

A very interesting experiment by 
Mr. EH. H. Forbush, State Ornithologist 
of Massachusetts, shows how the birds 
will work for us if we will only let 
them. An old neglected orchard was 
selected and special efforts were made 
to attract the birds during the winter 
months, by preparing food which they 
particularly liked and placing it where 
they could readily find it; for instance, 
suet, which was tied to the branches 
of the trees. As a result of this effort, 
the birds instead of leaving when the 
snow fell, remained; and chickadees, 
nuthatches, woodpeckers and creepers 
spent the winter in this old orchard, 
eating large numbers of eggs of the 
fall cankerworm moth and the larvae 
of other injurious insects. In the 
spring, when the female cankerworm 
moths appeared, the chickadees fed on 
these. Other trees in the neighbor- 
hood were badly infested with worms, 
while this orchard where the winter 
birds had been at work was practical- 
ly free from them. The few which 
did appear were easily disposed of by 
summer birds which came to the loeal- 
ity. The other orchards were almost 
stripped of their foliage, but this one 
retained its leaves, and with one ex- 
ception was the only orchard in the 
neighborhood to produce any fruit. It 
is interesting to note that the excep- 
tion was the orchard nearest the one 
in which the experiment was tried.— 
San Jose Mercury. 

Se 
In Defense of the Sparrow. 
W. H. Strong, San Jose, Cal. 

The English sparrow has been so 

universally condemned of late that one 


might believe that it had not a re-. 


deeming quality. It is true that it is 
pugnacious, driving away other birds, 
even those much larger than itself. It 
is largely a city bird, and its nests are 


OOLOGIST 


not pleasant objects, where they are 
numerous or to be seen, but we be- 
lieve these are the principal charges 
against it. We have often watched 
these birds in the evening catching 
moths and other injurious insects for 
their young, and have been impressed 
with their value as insectiverous birds. 
They will catch insects on the wing 
by hundreds. They are largely a city 
bird, and fond of the haunts of man. 
It is not cften that they will be found 
far out in the country or away from 
houses. But the Sparrow has been 
given a bad name, whether altogether 
deserved or not we are not prepared 
to say, but Professor H. B. Fullerton, 
of the Long Island Experiment Sta- 
tion, comes to its defense and says: 

“We have proof positive that no soil 
tiller can afford to kill even the par- 
ticularly friendless Hnezlish sparrow. 
This year we watched these little fel- 
lows with great interest. They were 
mighty busy after their plunge in our 
bird bath, some in the newly seeded 
ground, others along the rows of plants 
just up. In company with the English 
sparrows were the little ground spar- 
row, of which we have many. All were 
bound on exactly the same errand, and 
morning after morning we saw the 
menu, and each morning it was the 
same; it consisted of great numbers 
of cut-worms, from the cabbage de- 
stroying size to the tiny little fellow 
that later reaches tomato plant cut- 
ting stage, and the general destruction 
of the shoots of bulbs, both flowering 
and edible.” 

Yes, they do eat bugs sometimes, 
but a native song bird will eat them 
all the time, except for stealing a lit- 
tle fruit. Maybe the sparrows are 
better than no birds at all, but most 
people would be glad to swap all the 
sparrows in sight and hearing for a 
handful of bluebirds or a pair of 
thrushes, 


an ‘ToIsulpAed ‘AW AQ OJOYG— 


uozbuijueq "fy JO UO!}D9I]OD Ul s66y s,AsudsO jo 4OMeUq 


THE OOLOGIST 


4 THE OOLOGIST 


Two Weeks Collecting 
Sierras. 
H. W. Carriger. 

On several Sundays in the early part 

of 1910 I had the pleasure of being 
afield with Mr. Milton Ray and he 
seemed never to tire of telling of the 
wondrous beauty of the high Sierras 
and the many good ological treasures 
to be found there so that by the time 
that May rolled around I made up by 
mind to spend my two weeks about 
Lake Tahoe. 
- On the evening of June 2d I left the 
office at 5 p. m. and taking dinner at 
a nearby cafe I caught the 6:40 boat 
from San Francisco and connected 
with the 7:15 train at Oakland pier 
and was on my way to the mountains. 
The train followed along the water 
front for some distance and the only 
bird noticed before darkness shut from 
my view the surrounding country was 
a single Black-crowned Night Heron. 

For a description of the trip to the 
Lake see Ray in the Condor for July- 
August, 1910. 

Though we spent an hour about 
Truckee I did not do any collecting 
and bird life about the town was very 
searce, the trip from Truckee to the 
Lake was along the Truckee River and 
much grand scenery was to be seen 
here. By 9:30 a. m. on the 3d I was 
at the Tavern, a famous resort on the 
Lake, and from here I got my first 
view of that magnificent body of wa- 
ter, Lake Tahoe. 

Lake Tahoe once seen will never be 
forgotten, 6250 feet altitude, 30 miles 
long and 13 wide, surrounded on three 
sides by mountains, some 11,000 feet 
high and covered by snow the entire 
year while virgin forest is to be found 
about its edges; the water near shore 
or in the shallow places is of a green- 
ish or emerald color while out from 
shore where it becomes deep it is a 
dark bluish black, near shore owing 


in the High 


to clearness of the water one can see 
bottom for 100 of feet and numerous 
fish are seen swimming about while 
the pebbles on the bottom seem but a 
few feet away. 

A trim little steamer makes daily 
trips about the Lake stopping to de- 
liver the mail at each of the various 
resorts along the shores, my destina- 
tion was Bijou and as I boarded the 
steamer at 10:15 my stopping place 
was pointed out to me and I was told 
that we would be there by 2 p. m.,, 
which seemed to me to be about three 
hours longer than was necessary but 
you soon get used to the deception 
as regards distances in this country 
where the clear air is very deceiving. 

T was met at Bijou by Ray who had 
proceeded me by two weeks and we 
were soon at the tent where Ray had 
prepared a meal to which I did ample 
justice, by the time I had finished 
Ray had my shelter tent in place and 
I was soon in my collecting clothes 
and we were afield. 

Many years ago the entire yalley 
was covered with a fine growth of 
large trees but they have all been cut 
down and now there are numerous 
small Tamaracks, and the country has 
the appearance of a desert with its 
sage brush and sandy soil. 

Leaving the tents which were placed 
among the Tamaracks Ray asked me 
if I desired to see a nest of the Ruby- 
crowned Kinglet which he had found 
several days ago and as this was one 
of the things that I was particularly 
anxious to get I hastily assured him 
that he could take me to the nest, 
along the way I found a nest in the top 
of a small tamarack and on climbing 
same I found it to be a nest of the 
Audubons Warbler from which the 
young had flown. A little farther on 
We saw several nests of the Chipping 
Sparrow containing highly incubated 
eggs. Arriving at the Kinglets nest I 


THE OOLOGIST. 5 


found that it was placed about ten 
feet from the ground in among the 
branches of a drooping limb of a tam- 
arack and needless to say all drooping 
limbs of the trees were ever after 
closely scanned for a nest. On our 
way back we passed through a grove 
of Aspen trees and here Ray. showed 
me a nest of the Cabaniss’s Woodpeck- 
er which at this date contained young 
about a week old, also a nest of Park- 
mans Wren from which he had taken 
a set of seven a few days before. Hear- 
ing the note of the Kinglet in the 
trees near by I spent some time trying 
to find a nest but was not successful. 
This note is very unlike the winter 
note that one hears in the valleys but 
I never try to tell what a bird’s note 
is like for it seems that hardly any 
two hear it alike. By this time it had 
commenced to get dark and the clear 
note of the Sierra Hermit Thrush 
was heard from the trees and a nest 
Was pointed out to me by Ray, placed 
five feet up near the top of a small 
taramack. Not wishing to go back 
without a set I gathered in a fine set 
of our Western Robin, four Western 
Chipping Sparrow and three San 
Diego Red-wing. Thus ended my firs. 
half day in the high Sierras. 

It was warm during the afternoon 
and I was surprised to find that as 
evening came on it grew very cold 
and all the covers that I had were 
none too many to afford one a com- 
fortable rest. In the morning I found 
all the water about the tent covered 
with ice but this did not stop us from 
geting up at 5 a. m. and it was not 
long till I had a good fire going and 
Ray, who was the cook, soon had 
breakfast ready and by six we were 
ready to get afield. 

We had previously arranged to 
spend the day collecting in the marsh. 
This marsh is several miles long and 
one or more wide, and in places coy- 


ered with cattails and in others with 
a water lily. 

A row of two miles on the lake 
brought.us to the marsh and here I 
saw my first Black Tern, quite a num- 
ber of them being seen flying over 
the marsh where they were breeding. 
As we run the boat up to the shore 
Ray got out and on looking about on 
a gravel pit he soon found a nest of 
the Killdeer with one egg. Rowing out 
into the marsh we found that the 
weeds were too thick to make much 
progress and [I got out and commenc- 
ed to wade about looking for the 
Terns. Water was about three feet 
deep and we found a number of the 
nests placed on fioating pieces of drift- 
wood and made of some dry tules. 
About the third nest that I found was 
of four eggs and they are all quite 
distinct, showing that they are from 
the same bird. A number of nests 
of the Red-wing were found, but all 
were badly incubated. In a _ place 
where the water was only a few inches 
deep I found a nest of Wilsons Phalo- 
rope with four eggs. This water was 
anything but warm, but in our inter- 
est in the nests we forgot about that 
part but I soon realized it as we got 
into the boat and I was only too 
anxious to do a little rowing. Rowing 
up the marsh we got out at a small 
island and here on a dry spot in the 
grasses, Ray showed me a nest of the 
White-checked Goose that he had .lo- 
cated a few days before. This nest 
was placed out in the open and was 
made of the grasses and lined with 
feathers from the breast of the bird. 
On another island he showed me an 
other Goose nest, this one being built 
alongside cf a tree and made as the 
other. Rowing to another Island I 
got off and made a thorough search 
of same, but only succeeded in finding 
a number of nests of the Brewers and 
Red-wing Blackbirds with eggs in ad- 


6 THE OOLOGIST 


vanced stages of incubation; several 
Mountain Song Sparrows were seen, 
but no nests. In a cavity of a tama- 
rack a nest of the Tree Swallow with 
small young was noticed. Ray, whs 
had gone off in another direction to 
look after a nest of the Sora, return- 
ed and we rowed up to a patch of 
tules where the Yellow-headed Black- 
birds were nesting. It was impossible 
to get through the tules, so out we 
got and found the water from two to 
four feet deep and in the tules we dis- 
covered a number of nests of the 
Yellow head but all the eggs were 
badly incubated and many contained 
young; we also found a number of 
nests of the Black Tern, the nests 
here being built in a large bunch oi 
tule and not on logs. On the way 
back we saw several Terns’ nests 
and blackbirds, but mostly with incu- 
bated eggs. 

Hundreds of White Pelicans were 
about the lake and to see one of these 
large birds swimming about several 
times fooled me into thinking that 
a small sail boat was coming. Cali- 
fornia Gulls were also common but 
neither breed on the marsh but go 
over to Pyramid lake, where they 
both nest. While rowing back in 
some piles out on the lake we found 
a nest of the Tree Swallow with six 
eggs in a hole in one of the piles that 
were formerly used as a wharf, and 
there were also several nests of the 
_ Brewers Blackbird in the piles. 

As it was still light when we return- 
ed to camp we secured a ladder and 
went after the nest of the Kinglet that 
Ray had found sometime ago. The 
nest contained seven fresh eggs and 
the bird sat close, not leaving the nest 
till a hand was near, and then she 
remained in the limb near the nest but 
made no noise. The male did not 
show up while we were in the tree. 

On the morning of the 5th we got 


an early start and started for a val- 
ley between two mountains at an 
altitude of about 7000 feet; here we 
expected to find the birds a little 
later than in the valley. On the way 
up Ray picked up a set of four White- 
crowned Sparrows from a nest about 
three feet up in a small tamarack; [ 
can see no difference from this bird’s 
note than the Nuttalls, so common 
about San Francisco. 

Following up a mountain stream we 
saw several Blue-fronted Jays and in 
the brush along the hillsides we heard 
the song of the Thick Billed Spar- 
row and the insect like note of the 
Brewer’s Sparrow. 

We sat down to rest at the edge of 
the valley near a stream and I noticed 
a bird climbing from limb to limb 
of a tree till it disappeared near tne 
top. After we had a little lunch I 
crossed the stream toward the tree 
where the bird disappeared and from 
a bunch of green grass near the 
creek I flushed a Junco from her nest 


‘of five fresh eggs. Climbing the tree I 


found that I had a nest of the Cas- 
sin’s Purple Finch and three incuhbat- 
ed eggs. This nest was 20 feet up in 
a small tree and about four feet from 
the body of the tree, and was a frail 
structure, composed of rootlets and 
lined with same. Near this tree I! 
found a set of four Audubon’s Warb- 
ler, six feet up in a small Tamarack 
and in about a half hour’s work I had 
another set of five Audubons and 
another of five of the Junco, tie lat- 
ter being of a type I never saw be- 
fore, a light whitish grovnd color 
marked much like a werbler’s egs. 
After we had worked the valley we 
started across the high hills towards 
camp and here we had some very 
hard climbs. On top of the ridge I saw 
my first Clark’s Nutcracker and they 
became not uncommon about the hills. 
It was late when we got back to camp 


THE OOLOGIST 7 


and as we had put in a hard day we 
were soon in bed and asleep. 

Notwithstanding our hard trip of 
yesterday we felt rested and ready 
for a good day’s work and started out 
early. Not far from camp I found a 
nest of the Kinglet with seven fresh 
eggs in a Tamarack, about eight feet 
from the ground. The bird flew from 
the nest as I rapped on the tree and 
- made no demonstration as the set was 
collected. Several Juncoes with small 
young were found and a number of 
Robins and Chipping Sparrows, and in 
a small Tamarack a nest of the White- 
crowned Sparrow with badly incubat- 
ed eggs was located. While walking 
down a small stream [I flushed a 
Mountain Song Sparrow from a nest 
on the ground under a willow, and 
found a set of five fresh eggs. In 
the willows along the creek we saw 
a number of Traills Flycatchers, but 
at this date they were not nesting. 

A nest and five eggs of the Yellow 
Warbler was seen in a willow along 
the creek and Ray dug out a King- 
fisher’s nest in the bank but no eggs 
as yet. Working back into the marsh 
we found a number of nests of the 
Redwing and some of the terns. Wil- 
son’s Phalaropes were common bui 
we failed to locate any of their nests. 
After leaving the marsh we found 
several nests of the Mt. Bluebirds 
with young and in a dead stub a nest 
of the Pigmy Nuthatch with small 
young. 

This morning we looked at the 
Killdeer’s nest found some days ago 
and found it deserted, but nearby was 
another nest with one egg, and nearby 
was another with four fresh eggs. This 
latter was made of rootlets placed in 
a slight hollow in the gravel bank. 
Leaving the lake we worked up an 
old creek and here, where there were 
many old dead trees, we saw much 
evidence of the woodpeckers and a 


nest of the Red-breasted Sapsucker 
with small young was located in a tree 
ten feet up. In the same tree was a 
nest of the Mountain Chickadee with 
small young, more nests of the Mt. 
Bluebirds with young were noticed, 
and some incomplete nests of the 
Parkman’s Wren. Working in among 
some willows along the stream Ray 
called out to me to come and see a 
nest that he had found. As [ neared 
him a bird got up and I had a fine 
set of four fresh eggs of the White. 
crowned Sparrow. His nest had four 
young and they were not ten feet 
apart; both were placed even with the 
ground, his under a small tree, while 
mine was in the grass in the open. 
On the bank of the creek four feet 
from the ground in a large tree we 
found a nest of the Williamsson Sap- 
sucker with small young, and watched 
it some time as the birds brought food 
for the young, both birds working. 
On our way back to camp we found a 
nest of the Audubons with three eggs 
and two with large young. 

Today we thought we had better 
blow some eggs so as it was too cold 
in the morning we rowed about the 
lake and examined the piles, finding a 
number of nests of the Tree Swallow 
with fresh eggs and some with young 
birds, and in a pile fully 100 feet 
from the shore we located a nest of 
the Mt. Bluebird with young, and in 
another was a nest of the Flicker 
with young, one half grown; one of 
the young came out of the nest as we 
reached in same, and refused to stay 
in as we put it back but jumped into 
the water and made desperate efforts 
to swim toward the shore. By the 
time we had the boat turned it was 
exhausted, but seemed to revive as 
I carried it ashore. Just how these 
land birds reach the shore is some- 
what of a puzzle. In trees along the 
shore nests of the Mt. Bluebird, 


8 THE OOLOGIST 


Flicker and Pigny Nuthatch were 
found with young. In the afternoon 
we blew eggs. In the evening I visit- 
ed the warbler’s nest found yesterday, 
and found that the eggs were destroy- 
ed, the work of Chipmunks, I think. 

Having made arrangements. to 
spend a few days around Pyramid 
Peak we got away at 6 this morning 
and were driven ten miles out to the 
foot of the hills; it was very cold 
and we did not object to the chance 
to walk. A walk of one hour brought 
us to the summit, 7200 feet altitude, 
and though we had gone up over 1000 
feet the grade is so gradual that one 
does not notice the climb. As we 
sat down to rest a Sooty Grouse flew 
across the road and I thus made the 
acquaintance of a bird heretofore un- 
known to me. Working along the road 
slowly and looking into all likely 
places we discovered several nests 
of the Robin and Chippy, and Ray 
found a nest of the Sierra Hermit 
Thrush with three fresh eggs. By 
12:15 we were at Hcho, where we had 
lunch and were shown a trail over 
the hills which would save us some 
fifteen miles walking to reach our des- 
tination. 

This trail led up to the steep hills 
and as the day was very warm I here 
had one of the hardest trips that I had 
to make. The sun beat unmercifully 
down on us and as there were no trees 
of any size about, we kept climbing 
till we reached the top, where a nice 
stream of fine clear water was found. 
After a long rest we resumed our jour- 
ney and by 5 p.m. we were at Forni’s. 
I might here state that Forni’s is a 
summer ranch of one of the dairies 
from the valley; they drive the cattle 
up here about the last of June and 
make butter, taking the cows back as 
the snows begin to fall. 

The houses are left with plenty of 
bedding, etc., and here one finds prac- 


tically all the comforts of home. There 
is a meadow of about one hundred 
acres surrounding the dairy and here 
the cattle find green pasture. The 
spring mattress that I had here to 
sleep on certainly seemed good to me 
and I lost no time in falling asleep. 

Around the houses we found White- 
crowned Sparrows rather common, and 
in the trees about we found Sapsuck- 
ers, Woodpeckers, Finches, etc. 

Though the altitude was much high- 
er here than at the Lake the weather 
did not seem nearly as cold and at 7 a. 
m., the theremometer registered but 
45 degrees. 

The top of Pyramid peak was our 
objective point this morning, and leay- 
ing the cabin early we were on our 
way. We spent some time after a nest 
of the Audubons Warbler which was 
20 feet up in the outer limbs of a 
large tree and had two fresh eggs. 
Further up the hillside I saw a Mt. 
Bluebird fly from a hole in a dead stub 
and as it was impossible to get it with- 
out some sort of a ladder, we spent 
some time trying to find a dead stub 
that would answer, but none were to 
be had; however, a small pine stood 
near, and though it was ten inches in 
diameter, I wanted that nest and chop- 
ped it down with a hatchet, trimming 
it up we had some trouble to take it 
up the hill, for one soon tires in this 
altitude, about 8000 feet. 

We got the nest and a set of five 
eggs incubated one half. A little fur- 
ther up the snow began to appear in 
large patches and as we got higher 
Clark’s Nutcrackers were common. 
Here in some patches of vines I saw a 
pair of Green-tailed Towhees, but birds 
were not common. The climb to the 
peak from this side is not hard and 
we were on top about 10 a. m. 

After looking over the records of 
the Sierra club we ate our lunch and 
began looking about for the Gray- 


THE OOLOGIST 9 


crowned Leucosticte and soon saw sev- 
eral flying about in the patches of 
snow. Some time was spent with this 
bird, and for further notes see the 
Condor for September, 1919. 

Leaving the peak about 5 p. m., it 
did not take long to get back to the 
meadow. On the way down I flushed 
a White-crowned from a nest and five 
fresh eggs. The nest was placed at 
the base of a small rock on the ground. 

On the 1ith we started for a lake 
nearby but got off the track and spent 
the greater part of the day in the 
woods about the meadow. A nest of 
the Blue-fronted Jay was found with 
small young and two nests of the 
White-headed Woodpecker, also with 
small young, and a nest of the Wood 
Pewee apparently completed though 
we did not climb for same. Several 
nests of the Robin and Chippy with 
young and a nest of small young of 
the Mountain Chickadee were discov- 
ered. We left camp this afternoon and 
crossed the hills and made our way 
down to Lake of the Woods; most of 
the time we were going over snow- 
banks and in many places the cliffs 
were so steep that I could not see 
Ray, though he was only a rod or so 
away. We got to the lake late in the 
afternoon and after lunch we prepar- 
ed to sleep, building a fire out of the 
dry wood found here. We laid down 
to rest and with the clear sky over- 
head we were soon in the land of 
dreams. 

Spent the morning about the lake, 
and here we saw several Pine Gros- 
beasks, a nest of the Mountain Chicka- 
dee with small young, and one addled 
egg was found in a dead part of a 
Red Cedar. A few Robins and a num- 
ber of Cassins Purple Finches were 
about the lake. 

We were away from the lake early 
and by 1:30 we were back on the State 
Road at Phillips Station. On our trip 


over the mountain we flushed a pair of 
Sooty Grouse and several mountain 
Quail and saw several Pine Grosbeaks. 

After a hearty meal at Phillips we 
walked up the road a couple of miles 
and stopped at a deserted cabin. A 
short walk here in the late afternoon 
we found a nest of Audubon’s Warb- 
ler and Sierra Junco. 

The next morning we got out early 
and worked along the road back to 
Phillips Station and found nests of the 
Sierra Hermit Thrush, Junco, Audu- 
bon’s Warbler and two nests of the 
Mountain Chickadee with small young, 
one of the latter only about 8 inches 
from the ground in a stump. After a 
hearty breakfast, which included some 
cf the famous mountain trout, we 
worked about the station and found 
several nests of the Junco and one of 
the Hermit Thrush; some of Juncoes 
had fresh eggs and others had young. 
On climbing to a nest of Audubon’s 
Warblers a pair of Wood Pewees made 
a fuss and I soon located the nest 
which had three slightly incubated 
eggs; the Warblers had small young 
and as we were waiting for lunch we 


‘saw another Warbler gathering straws 


for a nest, and Ray found one with 
fresh eggs, so the dates are rather un- 
certain. 

Saw several Western Evening Gros- 
beaks here and also a pair of Pine 
irosbeaks. Kinglets were not uncom- 
mon but diligent work on our part 
only brought to light one nest which 
was building. Robins and Chippies 
were not uncommon about here, but 
all had large young. In a meadow we 
saw several Spotted Sandpipers. 

On the 14th we left for the lake, 
which we reached in the afternoon 
tired but not downhearted. On our 
way down Ray saw a Water Ouzel fly 
out from under a bridge and soon had 
the nest located; to reach it, it was 
necessary to swim out in the ice cold 


10 THE OOLOGIST 


water, and though it was. sprinkling, 
Ray wanted that Ouzlel’s nest and off 
came his clothes and in he went. The 
nest was on a beam of the bridge and 
I had to find a tree that would permit 
him to reach it. In the meantime he 
was in the water. Well, the nest had 
small young, and after Ray got on 
his clothes I had to almost run for 
the next few miles trying to keep up 
with him as he tried to thaw out. 

June 15th—As the boat that was to 
take me back home did not arrive till 
2p. m, we decided to put in the morn- 
ing trying to get a set of Killdeers and 
I was fortunate enough to find four 
sets before noon, A nest with badly 
incubated eggs of the Parkmans Wren 
was. located and a deserted nest and 
four eggs of the Wilsons Phalarope 
was found; this. nest was under water 
and the eggs were soft to the touch. 
Some Terns were noted and a number 
of Blackbirds. Nests with drowned 
young were seen. Near the camp we 
found a nest and three young of the 
Cassins Purple Finch and by this time 
we had to get back to camp. Night 
Hawks were flying about commonly 
now. but they do not nest till much 
later, early July. Well, all trips must 
end. and the steamer was on time and 
I was on my way back to San Fran- 
cisco, 


Oi 


Bird Notes From Lewiston, III. 

As a taxidermist, my interest has 
centered of late years more along the 
lines of ornithology than of oology. 
There has been an unusual flight of 
hawks and owls down the Illinois riv- 
er valley this fall of 1912, and especial: 
ly have they been in evidence in the 
vicinity of Thompson Lake, Fulton 
County. Probably the discarded fish 
from the seines and nets being the at- 
traction, 


Mr. Charles Dickson, owner of a 
large bottom farm near this lake, has 
been a great loser of poultry on this 
account. A dozen or more Hnglish 
Call Ducks were destroyed, mainly by 
the Great-horned Owls. Also many of 
his fine chickens were taken by the 
Hawks and Owls. 

Becoming tired of his losses he set 
to trapping for them and up to a few 
days ago had caught about two dozen 
of them, and the good with the bad; 
Screech owls, Sparrow hawks, Marsh 
Hawks along with the rest. A good 
many of these have fallen to me, and 
skins have been made of them. 

By reference to my record book I 
find November 10th a male Great-horn- 
ed; November 11th, female Red-tailed. 
Hawk; November 18th, one Screech 
Owl and one Sparrow Hawk; Novem- 
ber 22d, ‘Cooper’s Hawk and Sparrow 
Hawk; November 24th, a fine male 
Red-shouldered Hawk; November 
28th, male Great Horned and Noveni- 
ber 380th, female Great Horned Owl; 
December ist, a female Arctie Owl, 
one of the most beautiful. specimens 
that I have ever seen, and same date 
one Barred Owl. 

At this date the Brown Creepers are 
unusually plentiful in the big maple 
trees about this city. A few days ago 
I skinned a fine male and female Red- 
head Duck. Bob-whites are numerous 
and I have half a dozen good skins as 
the result of one hunt. 

Dr. W. S. Strode. 
Lewiston, III. 
Co 


Note. 


A short note from our old friend 
Verdi Burtch of Branchport, N. Y., in 
renewing his subscription says: “I 
was one of the original paid-in-advance 
subscribers to No. 1, Volume 1 of The 
Oologist, and it would not do to let it 
lapse now.” 


11 


THE OOLOGIST 


R. D. Hoyt, of Florida 


12 THE OOLOGIST 


Red Breasted Nuthatch. 

I take this opportunity to report on 
the plentifulness of Red Breasted Nut- 
hatches in this section, this season. In 
a block of Pine trees near here, con- 
taining perhaps two hundred acres, 
these little birds are making their 
winter quarters evidently. 
ber 25th I was through there and made 
a note of them then, and in January 
Ist was back there again and this 
time it seemed to me they outnumber- 
ed the first visit. They kept up a 
steady service of “Yank yanks” until 
the notes of no other birds could be 
heard. In fact, they drowned out al- 
most every. other sound. 

A friend and I counted in sight at 
one time over two hundred fifty, and 
this was no thicker bunch than could 
be found almost anywhere in the 
wood. At the time we were there on 
January ist there was practically no 
snow on the ground and most of them 
were feeding either on the ground er 
low on the tree trunks. Now that 
there is a heavy covering of snow on 
the ground, am not sure how so many 
will fare, but hope to get back soon 
and see. , 

R. Spellum. 
Viroqua, Wis. 
es ST a 
Utah Notes. 

During the latter part of May and 
beginning of June, 1911, while on a 
visit of ten days on business and pleas- 
ure—that of collecting combined, at 
Boulter, situated on Salt Lake line to 
California, I came in contact with 
many birds new to me. Boulter has 
an altitude of 6000 feet, is surround- 
ed by gently sloping hills to the Hast 
and West, covered over their North 
and West slopes with pinon pine and 
stunted cedars. 

These cedars make admirable nest- 
ing sites for many birds as they are 
very old, gnarled and covered with a 


On Octo- 


rough and shaggy bark, denoting age, 
also many are merely empty shells, 
the inner part having gone by decay. 
Such trees are usually well worked 
over by Woodpeckers and Sapsuckers, 
making desirable nesting sites for 
Mountain Sparrow Hawk, Chickadees, 
Western House Wren, Ash-throated 
and Western Flycatchers. Of this fam- 
ily we have also Say’s Phoebe and the 
Arkansas Kingbird. 

The eastern and southern slopes 
are usually covered by a heavy growth 
of sage brush at the foot of the 
slopes and gradually diminishing to 
almest bare ground on top. Along 
the sage covered flats between the 
slopes we find the most common bird 
to be Brewer’s Sparrow, whose soft 
but melodious song is heard from early 
morning to evening shadows. Com- 
mingling with these are heard the 
voluminous song of the Sage Thrasher 
and call of the Green-tailed and Spur- 
red Towhee; also the plaintiff cooing 
of the Mourning Dove. From the west 
slope is wafted to one’s ear to soften, 
the shrill call of the Red-tail overhead. 

To the Hast two and a half miles 
and to the West four miles we come 
to the foot of a higher range of moun- 
tains, 7500 feet on the West and 6000 
feet on the East, where we in many 
instances are brought in contact with 
new species overlapped by those of 
the lower zone, of which I shall write 
more fully later. 

May Westbrook. 
Bingham, Utah. 


-2+~<—o 
Books Received. 
“Twentieth Century Method of 
Squaring the Circle,” by Harmon 


Evans, of Dayton, Ohio. 

This little pamphlet of ten pages, 
illustrated with diagramatic drawings, 
gives the author’s views and methods 
of “squaring the circle,’ and would 
without doubt be of interest to mathe- 


THE OOLOGIST 13 


maticians who delight in abstruce 
propositions. 

Fourth Annual Report of State Orni- 
thologist of Massachusetts, 1911. This 
interesting publication gives a gener- 
al resume of the work of this official 
in Massachusetts, and is embellished 
by a number of interesting illustra- 
tions, half tones and diagrams; con- 
tains likewise much information in 
regard to the food of the birds of Mas- 
sachusettts, especially relating to the 
Pigeons and Brown-tailed Moth. It 
shows investigation and industry upon 
the part of the official who issues it. 

hi aS Ee 
The Wanderings of an Editor. 

December 21, 1912, at noon, Ye Edi- 
tor left St. Paul over the Chicago, Mil- 
waukee & St. Paul Railway for Spo- 
kane, Washington. 

December 22d between 7 a. m. and 
9 p. m. the run was made between 
Miles City, and Butte, Montana, over 
a partially rolling, partially level and 
in some places rough country. Many 
American Magpies were seen from the 
train, and one compact flock of about 
one hundred small birds which were 
not identified, practically all of which 
settled in the top of a small pine as 
the train passed. 

December 23d in the forenoon, a two- 
hour run over an electric interurban 
took us from Tekoa to Spokane over 
a rolling country given over to wheat 
farming and orchards. One pair of 
what we took to be Long-billed Curlew 
were seen. 

December 24th to 26th inclusive was 
spent in Spokane which is in the 
midst of a rough, hilly or mountainous 
territory, covered with coniferous 
growth, pines, spruce and the like. No 
birds were seen here. One of our 
friends told us of picking up a Pine 
Grosbeak in his yard in that city, 
dead, last winter. 

The return trip to St. Paul was made 


over the Northern Pacific and Decem- 
ber 27th from early morning till even- 
ing we passed from Missoula to Bil- 
lings over a largely mountainous and 
semi-mountainous territory. Many 
American Magpies were seen, another 
compact flock of about one hundred 
small birds were seen, and one Pigeon 
Hawk or Merlin, we are not certain 
which, as well as one Red-shafted 
Flicker. 

December 28th, early morning found 
us at Mandon, North Dakota, on the 
wide rolling prairies of the Western 
part of the state. 

From then until dark the snow grad- 
ually increased from a mere skift un- 
til at Fargo it was about six inches. 
Western North Dakota was a series 
of rolling sand hills and here several 
flocks of Sharp-tailed Grouse were 
seen sitting in the trees. Three or 
four large Hawks soared by and as we 
passed east of Bismarck, Shore Larks, 
English Sparrows and Crows became 
common. 

Such is the ornithology history of 
what we saw upon this long trip. 

R. M. B. 
2 eee 
Condor of United States. 
_Youth’s Companion. 

It is not generally known that we 
have a condor in the United States, 
yet there is one on the Pacific coast 
that in weight and spread of wing 
surpasses all other birds. From tip to 
tip of wing it measures more than 
ten feet—considerably more than the 
condor of the Andes and about a yard 
more than the largest eagle or swan. 

This condor is black -tinged with 
brown, except under the wings, where 
there is a long narrow strip of almost 
pure white running the whole length 
of the wing and widening near the 
body. It has no ruff around the neck, 
but a fringe of long narrow black 
feathers on the back of the neck gives 


14 THE OOLOGIST 


it a savage appearance. It nests 
among the rocks in lofty cliffs, laying 
several white eggs much larger than 
those of the turkey or goose. From 
1875 to 1885 condors were so abundant 
in Southern California that I used to 
see them almost every day, but now 
they are found only in the wilder 
mountains. ‘Their eggs bring $100 
each in the larger museums of the 
country. 

If an animal is sick or disabled the 
condor rarely hesitates to attack it, 
and its fate is soon sealed if it is not 
strong enough to defend itself or es- 
cape its enemy. 

Like the condor of the Andes, that 
of California will so gorge itself with 
food at times that it can be lassoed in 
the quick dash of a good horse. A 
friend of mine at San Jacinto had one 
that had been caught in that way. But 
although he had thousands of sheep 
and cattle, he had to give the bird 


away, because be could net afford to. 


feed it. It would eat a whole sheep at 
a meal and then look hungry and sad, 
as if it were badly treated. 

Standing on the ground at a distance 
this great bird looks much like a big 
black Newfoundland dog standing up 
for a cracker, but in the air it sur- 
passes in grace and variety of action 
every other wanderer of the skies. The 
whooping crane, that floats like a 
speck of down in the remotest blue; 
the frigate bird, whose wing seems 
never made to fold; even the albatross, 
are all clumsy and monotonous com- 
pared with the condor. It travels in 
a series of winding lines, in which sym- 
metry and grace always govern the 
boldest sweeps of the highest bursts 
of speed. 


The foregoing is taken from the St. 
Paul Dispatch of September 25, 1912, 
and is by that publication credited to 
the Youth’s Companion, 


It is an astonisment to the Editor to 
learn that such rot as this can be 
found in a publication of the rank 
and standing of the Youth’s Compan- 
ion.. Hither that publication is deter- 
iorating or something is the matter. 
No such misinformation should be per- 
mitted to enter the columns of any 
reputable publication.—R. M. B. 

LEG Pe 

Death Claims William H. Werner. 

Fortunes may be made and lost. 
Fame may come upon the worthy and 
depart. There is but one thing that 
lives on through years, and that is 
character, the recollection of the kind 
sympathies, the loyalty, sincerity and 
integrity of the man who has gone. 

The thoughts of these good traits be- 
come enshrined in the minds of his 
fellow-men. The memory of these 
may sleep with one’s conscience, or 
may fade and be forgotten, but the 
mention of his name summons them 
back to life. 

This sentiment is inspired by the 
sad demise of Mr. William H. Werner, 
of Atlantic City, N. J., which came as 
a distinctive shock to his relatives and 
friends, who were proud to call him 
a friend. Mr. Werner, through a long 
life of usefulness, had endeared him- 
self to a wide circle of friends, who 
deeply deplore his loss. 

He was born in Nazareth, Pa., seven- 
ty years ago, and began the work and 
research of taxidermist at an early 
age. Being a born naturalist, he com- 
bined the two talents and built up the 
fine collection of birds, etc., which was 
for many years exhibited on the 
Boardwalk, Atlantic City, known as 
the “Wonderland.” This collection 
represented his life’s work, in which 
he had his whole heart interest, and 
experts of this country and abroad. 
have pronounced the collection one 
of the finest of private collections in 
the world. Every animal and bird in 


THE OOLOGIST 15 


the collection was huntd down, killed 
and stuffed by Mr. Werner himself. 
The collection is valued at $50,000, and 
at one time Atlantic City Public 
Schools made a movement to buy the 
collection at this price for use in ed- 
ucational purposes. 

Mr. Werner is survived by a widow 
and one son, William B. Werner, who 
succeeds his late father in the man- 
agement of the ‘‘Wonderland” exhibit. 
No better evidence of the high regard 
in which Mr. Werner was held could 
be shown than upon the occasion of 
his funeral when the large, concourse 
of mourners coupled with the many 
beautiful floral offerings, was a strik- 
ing testimonial to the memory of this 
estimable man. 


SoS ee ES 
Bird Nesting Time. 
By R. P. Sharples. 
Early in June is when all the small 
And while it 


is the most important function of their 
lives it really takes up very little time 
with many of them. Most interesting 
of the smaller birds are the warblers, 
those bright colored little fellows that 
live in the woods and wild thickets. 
Most of them come here on the jour- 
ney from the south between the first 
and fifteenth of May. By the first of 
June they have selected their mates, 
made the nests and begun to lay eggs. 
In ten days the eggs are hatched, and 
in another ten days the young birds 
are out of the nests and learning to 
fly. By the first of July the younsg- 
sters can shift for themselves and are 
left by the parents to go it alone. No 
second nest is made except where the 
first one meets with accident. This 
is the time of year when bird study 
is the most difficult. The young have 
feathers entirely different in color 
from the parents, and it is almost im- 
possible to identify many of them, 


birds do their nesting. 


Of course all the birds do not nest 
in June, neither do all of them raise 
but one brood per year. 

At the head of the list of early 
nesting birds are the bald eagles, and 
there are two eyries used every year 
not far from West Chester. These 
are very apt to have eggs in them by 
the middle of February. About the 
same time the great horned owls lay 
their eggs, though these birds are al- 
mest extinct in lower Chester coun- 
ty. I have not found a nest of this 
species for about five years. The first 
of April sees the red-tailed hawk, the 
sparrow hawk and the barn owl, three 
very useful birds, making their nests, 
and they are closely followed by the 
herons, the crow blackbirds, the spar- 
rows and crows. About the first of 
June the great mass of our migratory 
birds are nest building, though there 
are a few laggards to bring up the 
rear. Last on the list are the vireos, 
the cuckoos and the little yellow gold- 
finches which might be said to bring 
up the rear of the procession in July. 

The present season has been an un- 
usually favorable one for the birds 
until within a week or two. Wet 
weather kills the young, and recent 
rains have undoubtedly taken their 
toll of millions of nestlings. 

We have about 770 species of birds 
in the United States, and probably 
500 additional sub-species. Of course, 
not one-half of them ever come to 
Chester county. 

Our birds are increasing rapidly in 
numbers, and I do not think there is 
danger of any species being blotted 
out. When they become scarce there 
is always some public-spirited citizen 
appears to protect them. He buys a 
tract of land that the birds frequent 
and protects them for a few years, 
and under such treatment they very 
rapidly increase. For some years 
past we have had doleful accounts in 


16 THE 


the papers of the extermination of 
egrets and herone and ibises that were 
being slaughtered for their feathers. 
Within two years one of our West 
Chester bird men bought an island in 
an inland Florida lake for the purpose 
of protecting a colony of these water 
birds. The island is only a few acres 
in extent, and a warden was employed 
to protect it. This year the colony of 
these birds have increased to over 
eight thousand, and they are so num- 
erous that they will be compelled to 
spread out to the neighboring islands 
for homes in 1912. 

There are two species of birds in 
Chester county that are numerous 
here, and are very rare elsewhere in 
the United States. One of them is 
the worm-eating warbler. 
the Valley Hills, and can easily be 
found if you know where to hunt. The 
bird is an inconspicuous little fellow 
with black and brown stripes across 
its crown. It has no beautiful song 
and is only to be found where laurel 
abounds, in the woods. The nest is on 
the ground and almost invariably un- 
der a laurel bush. It is lined with 
bright-red moss stems, and the eggs 
are always laid about June 1. The 
other bird that finds Chester county a 
favorite home is the broad-winged 
hawk. While spread sparingly all 
~ over the northern part of the country, 
here a pair of them has a home in 
nearly every woods of considerable 
size. 
of them. The grand old red-tailed 
hawk was king of our woodlands. Then 
came the unwise state bounty law and 
the hawks of every description fell 
before it until the country was swept 
clean of man’s best feathered friends. 
The red-tails have never come back 
to stay, the smaller broad-wings tak- 
ing their places. 

Other counties near around us have 
birds that we never or rarely see. 


It nests on” 


Fifty years ago we had none. 


OOLOGIST 


Of such Delaware county has her 
long-billed marsh wrens, New Castle 
county has her great heron colonies, 
Lancaster county has bald eagles, 
Sullivan county her ravens, and War- 
ren county a dozen species of warblers 
that never nest here. The reasons for 
these favorite nesting places being 
chosen are hard to find. The study 
of our birds is a lifelong occupation.— 
West Chester Village Herald, June 29, 
1911. 


Oi 


Notes. 
C. W. Pelton writes: “A small flock 
of about fifteen Evening Grosbeaks 
made us a visit a few weeks ago and 


remained in town (Port Hdwards., 


Wis.) several days.” 

Paul G. Howes, the well known or- 
nithologist of Stamford, Connecticut, 
writes that he sails on January 8th, 
for Columbia, South America, in com- 
pany with Frank M. Chapman, L. A. 
Fuertes and Mr. Cherrie, where they 
will be until the end of May, in the in- 


terest of science. We hope to give 
our readers some interesting notes 
from Mr. Howes on his return. 

Ray Densmore of Painesville, Ohio, 
writes: “In April, 1912, while taking 
a little stroll I found a Mourning 
Dove’s nest with three eggs. "This is 
the first occurrence of this kind that 
I have ever run across.” 

W. W. Westgate of Seattle, Wash- 
ington, one of the real old time natur- 
alists, formerly of Houston, Texas, is . 
again in the field, and is just leaving 
for a three months’ trip in which he 
proposes to visit all places of interest 
to a naturalist between Portland and 
Ashland, Ore. Last July he spent two 
months on Oreas Island in the San 
Juan straits, His specialty is conchol- 
ogy. 


THE OOLOGIST 


Bird Books 


Magazines and Pamphlets 


Bought and Sold 


Largest Second Hand 
Store of Nature Literature 
in America. 


Send 5c stamp for big new 
catalog No. 28 to appear in 
October. 


Franklin Bookshop, 


SAMUEL N. RHOADS, Proprietor 


920 Walnut St. Philadelphia, Pa. 


BOOKS BOUGHT 


COLORED BIRD POSTCARDS 


A series of 18 reproduced in colors 
from beautiful paintings. 25 cents 
per set postpaid. 


UNIQUE BIRD POSTCARDS 


A series of 12, showing some of the 
best examples of bird photography. 
20 cents per set postpaid. 


Both sets 40 cents postpaid 


With each order I will send my free 
colored circular describing books on 
birds, nests, eggs, flowers, and gold- 
fish. 


E. M. DUNBAR 


30 Rowena St. Boston, Mass. 


VII 


NEW LISTS OUT 


Books, Supplies and Specimens 
for Oologists and others. One 
copy of Ridgways Htimmingbirds 
$2.00 Standard Catalogue and 
Exchange List of N. A. Birds by 
Lattin & Short 1905 Ed. 25 cts., 
Check Lists of N. A. Birds 30 cts. 
per doz., Birds & Bird Homes 18 
cts. 


ERNEST H. SHORT, 
Box 173 Rochester, N. Y. 


Mount 


Birds and Animals! 


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Naturalists and others seeking to 
better themselves by learning a 
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Vol ale Nowe 
ie el raelioeew* 
peck sor Mime 129 False. FDs 
Seles ONO ears eo, Oy 
Sy Ves Ota ee met OPAL, SZ, 
Mea ca ama: Pest Ae Sued Sip > sie paapel ba 
fe BO Te Orie em Glee kara O) 
=~ LO a eo ode SaeeerOr om 9), 


I will buy a large number of each of 
the above back numbers for cash at 
the rate they are listed at, as being for 
sale in this number of THE OOLO. 
GIST. Address, 


R. M. BARNES. Lacon, Il. 


Vili THE OOLOGIST 


The Oologist “¢ 


EOR 1912 
WL BEST .n EE. Babe 


Bird Publication in America 


It is not too scientific to be interesting nor to 
popular in contents to lack scientific value. 


It is the only Birds Egg publication in North 
America, and indispensible to all forming a col- 
lection. 


It is by far the best advertising medium in 
this country for the sale of Taxidemist and 
Oological instruments and accessories. 


No publication anywhere is its equal as an 
advertising medium for the sale of bird books 
pamphlets and magazines. Its pages are a mir- 
ror of current prices for such. 


-_ - - = we 


All new subscriptions received before January 
1st 1913 will be credited for the December 
issue free. 

Subscription 50 cents 


The Oologist 


: Lacon, Ill. or Albion, N. Y. 


E OOLOGIST. 


BIRDS--NESTS--EGGS 
TAXIDERMY 


VoL. XXX. No. 2. 


ALBION, N. Y., Fes. 15, 1913. 


WHOLE No. 307 


BRIEF SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS 


Wanted, Exchange, Hor Sale, Etc. 


inserted in this department at 25 cents for each 25 


words for one issue; each additional word 1 cent. No notice inserted for less than 25 cents. 


TAKE NOTICE. 


SUBSCRIPTION, 50 CENTS PER YEAR 


Examine the number on the wrapper of 
your Oologist: It denotes the time your 
subscription expires. Remember we must 
be notified if you wish it discontinued and 
all arrearages must be paid. 304 your sub- 
scription expires with this issue. 293 your 
subscription expired with December issue 

. Other expirations can be computed by 
intermediate numbers at the rate of one 
number per month. 


Entered as second-class matter De- 
cember 21, 1903, at the post office, at 
Albion, N. Y., under the Act of Con- 
gress of March 38, 1879. 


In answering advertisements in these 
columns mention ‘‘THE OOLOGIST,”’ 
and thereby help us, as well as the ad- 
vertiser and yourself, 


We will not advertise the skins, nests, eggs, or mounted specimens of North American 
Birds for sale. These columns are for the use of those desiring to make bona fide exchanges 
of such specimens for scientific collecting purposes only.—EDITOR. 


BIRDS 


WANTED—Live American Wild Trumpet- 
er Swan. R. M. Barnes. Lacon, Ill. 


IRD SKINS .—Exchange generally. 
ERANK S, WRIGHT, 14 Cayuga St., Aa eure, 
D -D 


WANTED.—TO exchange skins, also bird 


Pos oeraphing camera for cash. CORNEL- 
S BUS, Detroit, Mich. (1-p) 


TO EXCHANGE.—Mounted birds, Rees 
and eggs in sets and singles. Want A A 
ican and Foreign bird skins. JESSE T. 
CRAVEN, 811 Roosevelt \ve., Detroit, Mich. 


=> 
bo 
0 
= 


TO KXCHANGE.—A large collection of 
birds’ skins as a whole only for a large col- 
lection of stamps. No trash wanted. F. T. 
So Ss. 80 Killingsworth Ave., oreus. 

re. -p 


I desire to exchange bird skins and bird 
eggs with all collectors; send full list of skins 
andeggs. D. V. HEMBREE, Roswell, o ) 

(-p 

Duplicate mounted birds and skins, many 
rare, at bargain prices. I need room. Send 
stamp and state your wants. A. RUSSELL 
SMITH, Edge Hill, Pa. (1-p) 


WANTED.—A No. 1 skin of male Golden 
Pheasant, and fresh skin of black squirrel 
for mounting; will pay cash or exchange A 
No. 1 mounted specimens or skins. O. 8. 
BIGGS, San Hose, Ill. (1-p) 


WANTED.—First class skins of Passenger 
Pigeons, male and female, for which I will 
give in exchange first class skins of Heath 
Hens. H. KENNARD, 220 Devonshire 
St., Boston, Mass. (1) 


FOR EXCHANGF.—I have left one pair 
Passenger Pigeons, (Hctopistes Migratorius) 
nicely mounted and good condition. Will 
take part cash and part in rare sets or birds. 
PHILO SMITH, 1824 Byers Ave.. eer ae 

-p 


WANTED.—First class skins of 585b, 550a, 
550b, 550c, 547a, 546a, and many others. Have 
fine skins of 650, 549, 549.1a, 575a, and others in 
oo e. Collectors please send lists. C. 
7 MBERLAIN, 36 Lincoln 8t., peon 

Ones (2) 


FOR SALE.—Exceedingly rare sets, full 
dataof Comatikis comata Geronticus eremita) 
North Syrian Deserts for $25. (the two eggs). 
Ch. GIRTANNER, Clarens, Switzerland. 


—-) 


FEB 14 1912 


9 a 
nsenian NStity, 


I THE OOLOGIST 


EGGS 


In sending in your exchange notices for nests 
skins and eggs, we would appreciate it if you would 
arrange the numerals in your exchange notice 
in their numerical order, and not tumble them 
together hit and miss, as some of our readers are 
complaining, and we think justly so. 


EXCHANGE.— Personally taken sets, 263, 
300, 388, 412a, 444, 466a, 498, 528, 529, 540. 584, 624, 
for sets of Warblers only. H. MOUSLEY, 
Hatley, Quebec’ (1-p) 


I have a few good sets to exchange. Want 
334, 3384a, 337a, 337d, 340, 344. (351) 352a, 356, 360c, 
361 and many others. DAVID E. BROWN 
Room No. 11, Federal Bldg., Tacoma, ee 

2 a 


FOR SA LE—700 egg trays, made with white 
paper all sizes and in good condition. I will 


to my collection. I have also many maga- 
zines for exchange. C. M. CASH, 7 Holeomb 
St., Hartford, Conn. 


“Tdeal’” data blanks, your name and address 
inserted, exchanged for sets of birds’ eggs 
listing 25 cents or over. C. F. STONE, 
Printer, Branchport, N. Y. (i-p) 


Fine sets from Greenland, Iceland, Arctic 
America, also Antarctic. Will exchange 
European for North American sets. H. 7. 
BOOTH, 8 Cranbury Road. Fulham, Enea 

‘ -p 


EXCHANGE.—A tine series of ten of the 
Pallas Murre from Cape Hope, Alaska. I 
want 188, 332, 343, 348, 362, 364 and many others, 
. E. BROWN, 6044 Ist Ave.. No. W, Sta. F. 
Seattle, Wash. 


EGGS FOR EXCHANGE.—A few sets each 
of the following to exchange for other sets. 
Nos. 49, 120c, 122, 127, 294a. 360a. Send full list: 
J.S. APPLETON, Simi, Ventura Co., Cal. 


io) 


TO EXCHANGE— Sets with data, North 
American and Foreign. Canuse many com- 
mon kinds of both. Dr.T. W. RICHARDS 
cee Navy, 1911 N. St., N. W.. Washington 


vc 


FOR EXCHANGE—For anything of use 
tO a sportsman. A. 1. mounted birds and, 
skins of water fowl andowis. MILO DENNY 
Waubeek, Iowa. (1-p) 


EXCHANGE.—Vol. 23 Physical Culture. 
Want Reed’s Color Key to North American 
Birds, Holland’s Butterfly book, Hummers, 
Sets of 144 Eggs. flying squirrel skins. EARL 
HAMILTON, Yohoghany, Pa. (1-p: 


FOR EXCHANGE —A 1 sets taken this 
season, Glaucus Wing Gull, Pigeon Guillemot 
Violet Green Cormorant. W. F, RTON, 
Esq., 937 St. Charles 8S. T., Victoria, B. C. 


WANTED.—To hear from collectors who 
have sets with Cowbird eggs in them. Who 
wants skins of the Wild Turkey, 310 A? Last 
year I put up ten. Ineed many of thecommon 
sets with nests, Canada Jay, Northern Raven, 
Audubon’s Oriole. and nests, Cooper’s Tana- 
ger, Warbling Vireo and nest, numerous 
Warblers, ~t. Lucas, Mearn’s and LeCont’s 
Thrashers, and Varied Thrush and nest. H. 
H. BAILEY, Newport News, Va. (1) 


One Portable Tradic Medical Battery, two 
cells with all appliances good as new. 40 
issues of Recreation. Dry platecamera4x 5. 
Exchange for birds’ eggs. C. B. VANDER- 
COOK, Odin, [1]. 


FOR EXCHANGE.—Sets with data and 

singles for first class bird skins. B. G. WIL- 

LARD, 30 Huntington, Ave., Boston, Mars, 
(1-p 


FINE COLLECTION BIRD EGGS, many 
birds and nests photographed, to exchange 
for microscope, fly rod, casting rod, or tackle 
Box 775, Stanford University, Cal. 


Choice cabinet sets with full and accurate 
data for exchange for sets and large rare 
singles. DR. M. T. CLECKLEY, 457 Greene 
St.. Augusta, Ga. (2-p) 


Marine Shells, Pacific Coast species, Smith- 
sonian Identification, for specimens and 
curiosities of any kind, Birds’ Eggs preferred, 
W. W. WESTGATE, 809 Ist North, Seattle. 
Wash. (1-p) 


WANTED —Fine sets Flycatchers, especial- 
ly 459; also rare postage stamps, British, 
North American colonies only. Offer sets 
with nests 228, 227a, 474b, 533, 558, 641, 648, 673, 
743c and others. H. MOUSLEY, Que.  1-p) 


FOR EXCHANGE.—A large list of fine sets 
with data, to exchange for fine sets of Rap- 
tores and large singles. Exchange also de- 
sired in minerals, sea shells, butterflies and 
moths. L.C. SNYDER, Lacona, N. Y. (i-p) 


FOR SALE OR EXCHANGE.—For skins 
or eggs in sets. Bird Lore, Vol. VIII, Vol. 
VII, No. 5-6; Vol. IX, No.1. Nidiologist, Vol. 
III, No. 1; Vol. II, No. 9; Vol. IIT, No. 2; Osprey. 
Vol. 1-3; Condor, Vol. 2-1; Museum, Vol. 1, No. 
3-4-5-12. Ornithologist and Oologist, Vol. 
XVIIT; Oologist, Vol. XXIII-XXVI-X XVII- 
XXVIII; Vol. X, No. 4-7-11; Vol. XI, Nos.7 and 
9; Vol. XII, Nos. 10 and 11; Vol. XIV, No. 3 
and7. ARTHUR W. BROCK WAY, Hadlyme, 
Conn. (1-p) 


281, 286, 288, 293. 308, 309, 311, 325, 326, 327, 362, 370, 
377a, 381, 443, 471, 476, 483, 487, 513, 513a; Mounted 
Mole (Scalops), Civet (Bassariscus', Southern 
Fox Squirrel, Jack Rabbit, Texan Pecarry, 
Antelope head, Gila monster and 3 foot Alli- 
gator. List everything you can offer. No 
eges wanted. W.E,SNYDER, R. F. D. No. 
6, Beaver Dam, Wis. (1) 


eS 

[ have the following North American Birds’ 
Eggs in original sets with full data, to ex- 
change for others that Ineed to add to my 
collection. A.O,U. Nos. 471-3, 761-1, 79 1-1, 
86 1-1, 108 1-1, 132 1-8, 144 1-9, 1-11, 172 1-4, 191 1-5, 
208 1-10, 219 1-8, 221 1-12. 275 1-3, 277a 1-1, 326 1-2, 
337b 1-2. 339b 1-3, 462 1-3, 405 1-2, 478a 2-4, 2-5, 
417 1-2, 429 3n-2, 430 n-2, 594a 2-4, 631 1-3. Many 
of these are extremely rare, especially the 
Florida Burrowing Owl which are absolutely 
authentic, haying been a part of the collection 
formed during the ’80’s by S. B. Ladd. R.M. 
BARNE&S, Lacon, Il. 


THE OOLOGIST. 


VoL. XXX. No. 2. ALBION, N. Y. Fes. 15, 1913. WHOLE No. 307 


Owned and Published Monthly, by R. M. Barnes, Albion, N.Y., and Lacon, Ill. 


OOOOOOOOOO 


A PROMISE 
By Rachel West Clement. 


The driving mist obscures the view, 
But high on yonder tree I see 

A robin tilting in the breeze, 
As he pours forth his melody. 


The chilly day is at its close, 
What joy was mine the whole day long, 


As o’er the patter of the rain 
I paused to marvel at his song. 
What ecstasy is in that laugh! 

For laugh it really seems to be— 


As he rocks gaily in the breeze, 
And sings again his song to me. 


It is the trill of joy he gives! 
And cheerfulness within me springs. 
Tho’ wint’ry blasts may threaten me, 
*Tis hope and cheer his coming brings! 


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THE OOLOGIST 


18 


THE OOLOGIST 19 


Domesticating Wild Fowl. 

Many of our readers know that The 
Editor of THE OOLOGIST has for 
years been endeavoring to demonstrate 
that the ordinary breeds of North 
American Wild fowl may, with proper 
surroundings and reasonable attention 
to detail, be domesticated. This in 
our judgment is the only solution for 
the wild fowl question. The great in- 
crease in gunners, the wonderful out- 
put and improvement in the various 
machines of death, the extraordinary 
manufacture of cartridges and all man- 
ner of improved paraphernalia for the 
purpose of luring the birds to their 
death, will ultimately exterminate ail 
of the wild fowl on this continent un- 
less something is done. 

From one “blind” within twenty 
miles of the writer’s home, 1200 ducks 
were slaughtered in the fall of 1912, 
all being shot over wooden decoys 
among which were placed live call 
ducks. The birds cannot stand this 
character of persecution long. 

The keeping of nature wild fowl in 
confinement is one of the most alluring 
of amusements. The study of the 
birds themselves is productive of 
many hours of pleasure. Each species 
has its own individuality, and each 
bird apparently its own peculiarity. 
Nearly all kinds of North American 
wild fowl may be successfully kept 
with proper surroundings, and many 
of them will breed prolificly. 

The day this is written both varie 
ties of North American Swan and 
eleven varieties of geese included in 
the North American A. O. U. list, as 
well as a number of ducks, are run- 
ning at large on our premises without 
artificial heat or shelter. 

On yesterday, a radical change in 
atmospheric conditions took place; 
the wind being very high and to the 
Northwest, the mercury falling rapid- 
ly, and near the middle of the fore- 


noon, a very heavy snow squall blew 
up from the Northwest. The geese on 
seeing this coming, became very un- 
easy and noisy; several of them 
mounted high in the air and after cir- 
cling a little, returned to the ground 
and to their mates, refusing to leave 
the place where they were well fed 
and protected from attempts on their 
lives. 

The illustration on the foregoing 
page shows what an attractive addi- 
tion to the landscape a small pond 
with a few of these birds will make. 

It is with pleasure that we note a 
number of our bird friends are endeav- 
oring to get into this line of ornithol- 
ogy. It requires but little water and 
not very much attention to succeed. 

This coming spring, thousands of 
birds will be crippled by the gunners 
as the birds fly Northward. By pro- 
curing many of these that are wing- 
tipped and taking them: home and car- 
ing for them, a start may be made in 
this most alluring line of bird study. 


ee pee Wag eer 2 er 
Sorrow. 

Sadness and grief has entered into 
the home of our western subscriber, 
EK. J. Dietrich of Canby, Oregon, when 
1913, 
was taken from him, at the age of 70 


January 3, his beloved mother 


years and two months. 


Mr. Dietrich writes that owing to 
her long, severe illness, he has been 
most reluctantly compelled to _ post- 
pone and neglect his ornithological 
and social correspondence and trans- 
actions. He begs for the kind indul- 
gence of those friends who hold claims 
against him and trusts he will be able 
to straighten all claims in the very 
near future. 

No greater sorrow can visit any 
man. We extend our heartfelt sym- 
pathy.—Hditor, 


20 THE OOLOGIST 


Hawk and Owl Collecting in Cham- 

paign County, IIlinois. 

In the year 1904 I was employed at 
Philo, Ills., and made the acquaintance 
of Isaac EH. Hess, the Bird Man. See- 
ing his fine collection so often, im- 
bued me with a deep interest in a 
branch of natural history that had al- 
ways appealed to me. 

I began studying up birds but did 
not attempt to collect until I had be- 
come acquainted with birds and their 
habits long enough to obtain a col- 
lecting permit. I have had some fine 
luck since, especially among the “Rap- 
tores” and as these are the difficult 
sets to obtain in most any vicinity, I 
will offer my experiences to the read- 
ers of THE OOLOGIST. 

The Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo bore- 
alis) commences to build in the month 
of February and have the nests ready 
for eggs by the last of March. Nests 
are large and bulky and composed of 
dead grass and cornhusks. They are 
very shallow when compared with the 
bulk of the nest? I have, however, 
seen nests nearly a foot deep. The 
Red-tail will use the same nest for 
years if undisturbed and sometimes 
will any way if not disturbed too 
often. Hach spring the old nest is re- 
modelled by adding a few sticks and 
fresh lining. One pair of my Hawks 
has two nests,—one in a large Syca- 
more and the other in an Oak. When 
I take my toll from one nest she re- 
sorts to the other for her second set 
which I never disturb but allow her to 
hatch them. As the Red-tail hatches 
but one brood in a season, I figure that 
I do not reduce the supply of Red-tails 
at all—merely making the appearance 
of the new family a month later in 
the season. In addition to not lower- 
ing the supply of Hawks, I have some 
beautiful sets of Hawk eggs in my cab- 
inet. Mr. Hess says some of the mark- 
ings, especially from the older pairs, 


‘seeker to some extent: 


are almost as heavily marked as Vul- . 
ture eggs. The Red-tail will begin lay- 
ing her second set usually twenty-one 
days after the first set is taken. I al- 
ways find them setting steadily by 
twenty-eight days after losing the first 
set. 

The nests are placed in the forks 
of the largest trees to be found in the 
creek bottoms. 

In 29 sets of eggs I have collected, 
the nests have ranged from 57 to 102 
feet from the ground. As I always let 
the eggs down in a small tin bucket 
attached to a stout cord the distance 
is easily determined by tying a knot 
every 10 feet in the string. The Hawk 
usually flushes from the nest as I ap- 
proach, uttering a shrill scream or 
whistle and flies high in wide circles 
over the tree I am climbing. I have 
found a few that would stick to the 
nest until I rapped with a hatchet. 
The common set is two or three eggs. 
Have never taken a set of four, but 
ten sets were of three, thirteen sets of 
two eggs each and six sets held a sol- 
itary egg. A few sets are almost 
plain white but others range from 
light markings to those covered heayv- 
ily with spots and blotches. Eggs from 
the same pairs offer the same type of 
markings each season and both Mr. 
Hess and I can usually tell which pair 
of Hawks layed the eggs, except when 
we run across a new pair. 

Following are the dates of twenty- 
nine sets which may help some Hawk 
Set 1--2, Apr. 
20, 1904; set 1--1, Mar. 29, 1905; set 
1-3, Mar. 31, 1905; set 1--2, Apr. 20, 
1905; set 1-2, Apr. 12, 1906; set 1--1, 
Apr. 15, 1906; set 1--2, Apr. 15, 1906; 
set 1--2, May 7, 1906; set 1--2, Apr. 1, 
1907; set 1--8, Apr. 3, 1908; set 1--3, 
Apr. 4, 1908; set 1--2, Apr. 13, 1908; 
set 1--2, Apr. 17, 1908; set 1-2, Apr. 25, 
1908; set 1--2, Apr. 2, 1909; set 1-3, 
Apr. 3, 1909; set 1--8, Apr, 5, 1909; set 


THE OOLOGIST al 


1-1, Apr. 8, 1909; set 1--1, May 14, 1909; 
set 1--2, Mar. 27, 1910; set 1--2, Mar. 27, 
1910; set 1--8, Mar. 31, 1910; set 1--1, 
Mar. 31, 1910; set 1-3, Apr. 7, 1910; 
set 1--3, Mar. 31, 1911; set 1--1, Apr. 
7, 1911; set 1--8, Apr. 7, 1911; set 1--3, 
Apr. 29, 1911; set 1--2, May 11, 1911. 

This season I have taken 3 sets of 
two eggs each and have not been to 
all of my friends. 


The American Sparrow Hawk. 


This pretty little Hawk (Falco spar- 
verius) is probably the most common 
of our Hawks. It nests in natural cav- 
ities and old Flicker holes in the trees 
bordering the creek banks. The nest- 
ing sites vary from 12 to 75 feet from 
the ground. 3 

No lining is used but eggs layed 
simply on the bottom of the cavity. I 
have been quite successful in finding 
their nests by rowing down creek in 
a boat and approaching the sycamores 
growing on the bank. When near 
enough I strike the tree with a stout 
pole and if occupied, one or both 


Hawks are usually in the air at once. . 


Have taken twenty sets of eggs and 
the sets are numbered as follows: 
11 sets of five eggs each. 

9 sets of four eggs each. 
Most of these sets are heavily mark- 
ed, especially from the older birds 
and make a beautiful series. 


not over twenty feet from the ground. 
I sounded the tree with my hatchet 


but could not scare the bird out. 1|- 


climbed the tree and lifted the female 
from her five fresh eggs. She did not 
seem the least frightened when I turn- 
ed her loose but flew slowly and silent- 
ly away. 


This little Hawk is apt to use the 
same tree and nesting place for. 


years. I have collected sets from the 
same tree three and four years regu- 
larly. The best time to locate their 
homes is in the last half of May and 


Last: 
year I located one nest in a dead elm. — 
“* Sidney, Tl. 


first part of June when I find them 
very noisy in feeding the young. Then 
next season visit them when eggs are 
ripe. I have watched the Sparrow 
make ten and even twelve trips in an 
hour to the nest when feeding. young 
which goes to show what splendid 
mousers they must be. 


The Barn Owl (Strix pratincola) 


The Barn Owl or Monkey-face is a 
rare bird in this locality and I have 
seen but four in seven years. When 
out collecting, May 20, 1909, I found 
a nest in a large Sycamore cavity 
which had six young. The next year 
on April 2, 1911 I found four fresh 
eggs in the nest. I took the eggs and, 
returning a week later got the rest of 
the set, making nine eggs in all. The 
tree was a sycamore leaning out over 
the Salt Fork creek and the nesting 
hole was twenty feet above the water. 
On this visit I scared both birds from 
the cavity. They sat in the tree only 
ten feet away while I took the eggs. 
They hatched a set the same summer 
but not at the same place. 

The Owls might never have been 
discovered by me had [I not heard 


_ them a winter night when I was sleep- 


ing in a tent while on a trapping trip. 
The Owls are at the same place this 
year (1912) but up to April 12th, had 


not layed yet. 


Guy Worthington Day. 


>: 
The Duck Hawk. 
When at Lehigh University in 1893 
a fellow-student and myself visited the 


“Narrows” of the Delaware River, 
some twelve miles below Easton, 


Pennsylvania, on several occasions. 
Here a precipitous cliff rises from al- 
most the water’s edge four hundred 
feet, near the top of which are many 
narrow and inaccessible ledges. The 
whole region, which was then but 
thinly settled, is well known to Natur- 


92 THE OOLOGIST 


alists. Here the Lepidopterist comes 
for several species of butterflies, said 
to be found nowhere else. Here the 
botanist replenishes his herbarium 
with specimens of the rare Sedum 
rhodiola, indiginous to Greenland, and 
only of very local occurrence in the 
United States. Here, also, that splen- 
did fern, known as the. Ostrich ‘fern, 
(Struthiopteris germanica) develops 
its full proportions. 

To an Ornithologist the locality is 
not likely to be forgotten as the home 
of a famous Raptor, the daring and 
merciless Duck Hawk (Falco Pere- 
2rinus anatum.) 

Our first trip on May 7th was re- 
warded by seeing one of these birds 
start out on an expedition from the 
cliff, evidently in search of food. Its 
deep salmon breast and enormous tal- 
ons, together with its swift and pow- 
erful flight, made it a conspicuous den- 
izen of the air. We learned that the 
week before a party from the Academy 
cf Natural Sciences in . Philadelphia, 
had visited the cliff, and descending 
from above with ropes had secured a 
nest containing two eggs. It was 
hardly to be expected, then, that we 
would be thus rewarded. 

But on May 14th we returned to the 
Narrows and collected the Sedum in 
full bloom. We also located a nest of 
Oven Birds and secured a _ set of 
Cooper’s Hawk in the ravine below, 
and then ascended the cliff from its 
Southern slope. From the summit: the 
view was inspiring. Far below flow- 
ed the mighty Delaware dividing two 
states by the proud curves of its 
course, and beyond the river, stretch- 
ing far to the Hast, were spread out 
the rich and fertile plains of New Jer- 
sey. The air was fragrant with the 
pervasive perfume of the crab apple, 
the mountains round about were robed 
in the freshest of Springtime greens, 
the birds, ecstatic with song, were 


voicing the best optimism of Nature 
and prophesying the song of the reaper 
in harvest. It was worth a tramp of 
twenty miles just to be thus inspirited. 

Climbing cautiously down the 
treacherous ledges of that dizzy 
height my companion suddenly per- 
ceived below him, cn a very narrow 
shelf of rock, the nest of a Peregrine 
Falcon. There was the bird also! 
With much excitement he looked for 
some way to reach that point of pe- 
culiar interest. Thinking he had found 
an easy descent between two boulders 
he let himself down on his elbows pre- 
pared to drop, when to his horror he 
saw that the ledge at that point was 
chopped off, and furnished no safe 
fall. But hanging thus he could not 
get back, his strength would not hold 
out until help could reach him, he 
must drop, but should he miss that 
edge of rock it was a straight fall— 
300 feet and more! There was an 
agonizing moment of indecision, then 
shutting his eyes and stiffening his 
legs, he let go, and landing true, fell 
trembling against the face of the cliff. 

Now the Hawk, startled by this un- 
requested intrusion, and- relishing 
nothing in the way of human compan- 
ionship, prepared to resent the situa- 
tion and defend her nest... It contained 
four beautifully-marked and freshly- 
laid eggs—treasures well worth de- 
fending. The male answered at once 
the shrill summons of his mate, and 
both birds made swift and repeated 
dashes at the unapologetic ornitholo- 
gist, though not quite daring to strike 
him, and continued to express with 
their incessant screaming their un- 
tempered indignation. Securing his 
trophies in his handkerchief which he 
carried in his teeth, my friend prepar- 
ed to regain the brow of the cliff 
above. Growing in a crevice of the 
rock there was a small sapling which 
held his weight, and by adroit climb- 


THE OOLOGIST 23 


ing he made his way up from ledge 
to ledge, until at last he was on top. 
Gratefully he threw himself down to 
rest after this thrilling experience. 

The nest was a shallow affair, mere- 
ly a scouping out of a “place” among 
the broken rocks. Two of the eggs 
are in the collection of Prof. H. H. 
Beck of Franklin, Pa., and two occu- 
py a place of honor in the collection 
of the writer. The rich coloring mat- 
ter so lavishly spread over the surface 
of the first three eggs deposited, seems 
to have nearly given out, for the 
fourth shows the creamy white ground 
color with much fainter painting of 
reddish brown. 

This locality is the same as ae 
given by Dr. Detwiler in Bendire’s 
“Life eee of North Amelseon 
Birds.”* Evidently the birds © are 


Late in April a couple of years since, 
I happened to be out for a tramp only 
two miles distant from Waynesburg, 
and upon entering a small woods, 
which was situated on the side of one 
of the hills forming a deep, narrow 
hollow, I remembered having seen an 
old Hawk’s nest a few weeks previous. 
At once I made my way toward the 
tree containing the nest, which was 
a rather tall, leaning white oak (Quer- 
cus alba) standing at the top of one 
bank of a ravine and at the lower 
edge of the woods. Upon procuring a 
satisfactory. view. ofthe nest a pecu- 
liar projection WAT be scen Above its 

rim. This projection: sproved to be 
re héad® ‘of a hawk, the bird sailing 
away from the nest as I approached. 

1, °F Course,” ‘suspected the. nest to 
belong’ to a Red- tailed Hawk, and put- 


much less common now than then.” “ting my. climbers on, slowly ascended 


There are undoubted records of its e 
having nested on the cliffs of the Sus 


quehanna River in Pennsylvania, but 
whether any sets have been taken in 
recent years I have not learned. Ben- 


dire’s supposition that the Duck Hawk - 


breeds in Georgia, Alabama, or Ten- 
nessee lacks, as far as I have been able 
to inquire, any confirmation whatever. 
Years ago it was reported by Mr. B. 
T. Gault on the Sandstone Bluffs of 
Little Red River in Cleburne County, 
Arkansas. Who knows whether it 
breeds anywhere in the Mississippi 
Valley today? 

* See p. 293 Seg. 

Oe 

The Red-shouldered Hawk, a Summer 

Resident in Greene County, Pa. 

Although nesting in certain of our 
eastern and northern counties and 
parts of eastern Ohio, the Red-should- 
er Hawk must be considered a rare 
summer resident in Greene County, 
Pennsylvania. Previous to a single in- 
stance of its nesting, which I shall 
here mention, no nests to my knowl- 
edge have been discovered. 


the tree. As I neared the nest’ both 
the” “male and: female — Hawks sailed 
above mé and soon séttled on the high- 
er branches of an oak ‘situated at the 
upper edge. of. the ‘woods, Here they 
screamed’ in agPeculiar” way, and I 


wondered*at, suck eés from a Red- 


= Hurriedly. I: -elimbed to- 
ward the: ‘Rest. and with much excite- 


“ment, looked over the rim upon thr ee 


bluish awhite eggs which were some- 
what spotted with dark brow. These 
lay upon a. ‘lining consisting of bits 
of corn stalk, strips of erape- vine barks 
The nest, upon measurement. was 
found to be 60 feet above the: ground. 

The eggs, I thought, - -were rather 
small for Red-tail’s so I compared them 
with 50 eggs of the latter species in 
my collection and found them much 
smaller. Not being satisfied with 
this proof, I sent them to several of 
our foremost Oologists, among them 
Mr. Barnes, editor of THE OOLOGIST, 
and each pronounced them eggs of 
Buteo 1. lineatus. . 

S. §. Dickey. 

Washington, Pa, 


24 


THE OOLOGIST 


Nest and Eggs of Pacific Horned Owl 
—Photo by J. B. Dixon 


25 


THB OOLOGIST 


—Photo by J. B. Dixon 


Nesting Site of Western Horned Owl 


26 THE OOLOGIST 


The Owls of Southern Wisconsin. 

Our Owls, interesting and highly 
useful birds of prey, are to me almost 
the most interesting division of North 
American birds. Although mainly use- 
ful, they do not escape being continu- 
ally persecuted. Seven species have 
come under my observation. Of the 
seven I have found nests and eggs of 
threer What the hawk is in the day 
time as a mouser, etc., the owl is at 
night. 

Long-eared Owl (Asio wilsonianus). 
The Long-eared, found usually in the 
woods, is quite often seen and shot 
by the thoughtless gunner. They nest 
in deep woods, generally in an old 
abandoned crow’s nest. Some at least, 
winter with us, probably those from 
farther north. Their food consists 
chiefly of mice and small rodents, and 
a few wild birds. Common, though 
not often seen by the inexperienced. 
Hees, four and five. 

Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus). 
I once procured one of these of a boy, 
but aside from this I have observed 
few of them. Have never succeeded in 
finding a nest. It prefers open places 
to woods, feeding mainly on mice. 
Nest on the ground. Not plentiful. 

Barred Owl (Strix varia). 
quaintance with the Barred Owl is 


limited to a few individuals at differ- M4 
ent times that I heard hooting. In 


the bluffs along the Mississippi River, 


in the winter of 1896-7, I heard a num- . 


ber of these owls, and several times, 
I have noted them calling in the tim- 
ber around Columbus, but there is 
slim chance of a nest, as about all 
of the old big trees have been cut out, 
and consequently few hollow trees are 
to be found. The Builogical Survey 
has proven that this owl is beneficial, 
few stomachs containing poultry. 
Their food consists principally of 
mice and other small mammals, in- 
sects, birds, crayfish, frogs and fish, 


. forest, 


My ac- 


Saw-whet Owl (Cryptoglaux acadi- 
ca). This tiny representative of the 
owls, I am quite sure I once observed 
a bird, but could not get close enough 
to make sure the identity. 

Screech Owl (Scoops asio). The 
little mottled owl I have found here 
in numbers, in both the red and the 
gray plumage, the gray predominating. 
They nest in hollow trees early in 
March and April. The food of this owl 
is principally mice and insects, and 
some small birds, lizards, frogs and 
crayfish, and I am glad to add, English 
Sparrows and for this alone, should 
receive every protection and encour- 
agement to nest about cities and 
towns,, also farms. HWeggs four and 
five. 

Great Horned Owl 


OOLOGIST—FIVE. 
ianus). This noble bird-stays with us 


all the year around and while we are 
toasting our feet around a good hot 
fire through a cold February snap, ac- 
companied by a northwest blizzard, 
mamma owl is sitting high in some 
great nest in some tall tree not far 
away perhaps, maybe deep in the 
patiently brooding a fine set 
of eggs, that almost any oologist would 
be glad to add to his collection. They 
feed. on poultry, game birds to a great 
extent, also" on mice, rats, rabbits, and 
other small mammals, and some birds 
and® insects. “fhese birds are fairly 


(Bubo virgin- 


common, though not numerous. I 


have collected sets of two, and sets of — 


three, of their eggs. ; 

Snowy Owl (Nyctea nyctea). The 
Snowy is altogether a straggler from 
the far north. I have noted them 
once: or twice. The last time I saw 
one sitting on the ground in a plowed 
field; could have easily shot. him. 

Geo. W. H. vos Burgh, 

Zion City, Tl. 


uosyoer Aq oJOYG— U01}D9|]OD S,uosyHoeP "H "1 $0 “ozo ‘ymepY Haq YyYBnoy snoushouse4 ‘symeH JIPL pay 40 Ssaluas 


e 
2) 
oral 
ies) 
2) 


ooL 


THE 


28 THE OOLOGIST 


The Lure of the Wild, and the Bachelor 
Nest of the Bald Eagle. 

On January 23, 1912, my partner and 
myself left Salem, N. J., for a trip in 
the Southland on business and pleas- 
ure, my pleasure was to be on the 
lookout amongst the feathered tribe, 
and also to meet our brother oolo- 
gists in the places we touched. Pro- 
curing our passage on the Steamer 
Lexington of the Merchant and Min- 
er’s Transportation Co. we left Phila- 
delphia, Pa., bound for Savannah, Ga. 

On the morning of the 24th, when we 
awoke we had cleared the copes and 
out to sea. The ocean was as placid 
as the waters of the lake. During the 
journey noted Herring gulls flying and 
feeding in the wake of the ship -and 
probably a Leach’s petrel. 

On the 25th, toward evening three 
Myrtle Warblers struggled to the ship 
apparently exhausted, we being from 
fifteen to twenty-five miles from land 
opposite Charleston, S. C. I followed 
one about the boat from time to time. 
Every once in awhile they would all 
leave the ship, apparently bent on go- 
ing for good, but before out of sight 
they would come flitting back glad to 
get a resting place, and I thought then 
that was the fate of many of our land 
birds. that get lost at sea and exhaust- 
ed, especially if a storm arises and 
the waters and sky look all the same. 
Our enemies that keep knocking us for 
taking a few paltry sets, do not say 
a word in protest to the time when 
providence destroys whole colonies in 
a few hours. 

On the 26th we entered Savannah 
river, said to be thirty-five miles in 
length to Savannah, but only eighteen 
as the crow flies. Two Great Blue 
Herons were feeding in the shallow 
water along the bank and several Cor- 
morants were seen swimming and fly- 
ing about. While standing on the star- 
board of our vessel she blew a salute 


looking to port. On the Veranda of a 
cottage stood a woman waving a sa- 
lute. Whereby hangs a story. Several 
years ago her sweetheart went to sea 
and never returned, she mourned his 
loss so much that she lives alone in 
the little cottage by the river bank 
and waves the red lantern by night 
and the banner by day to all passing 
crafts. 

On the 27th, in Savannah about the 


docks, Ringbills and immature Laugh- 


ing gulls were cavorting, and our 
friend, Mr. Troup D. Perry, whom I 
met, tells me a Bonaparte was secur- 
ed there this winter. 

On the 28th, with Mr. Perry to the 
woods of Georgia; it was a treat to 
me. The long needle Pine and Cy- 
press were the most plentiful trees, 
festooned with the Spanish Moss 
which hangs on the trees in more or 
less profusion as far north as Nor- 
folk, Va. Many of the birds we noted 
were ones I was acquainted with and 
just enjoying a milder climate than 
their summer home in the north. 
English names of A. O. U. no medieval 
names—Loggerhead Shrike, Bluebird, 
Phoebe, Red Tailed Hawk, Horned 
Owl, Bob White, Pine Warbler, Tur- 
key and Black Vultures, Fish Crows, 
Robins, Mockingbirds, Brown Thrash- 
ers, Cardinals, Mourning Doves, Flick- 
ers, three Bachman’s Sparrows, sev- 
eral each of White Hyed Towhees, 
Myrtle Warblers, Fox Sparrows, Her- 
mit Thrashers, and a large flock of 
Meadowlarks. . Heard the Florida Jay, 
English Sparrow, and Carolina Wren. 

January 3d. Went with Professor 
Walter a near the coast in quest 
of Bald Hagle nests and procured a 
Louisiana Heron and a species of Tit- 
lark and noted Savannah Sparrow, 
Maryland Yellowthroat and some 
others I previously mentioned. Eagle 
eyre No. 1 was deserted ;and walking 
five miles Professor pointed to two 


THE OOLUGIST re 


islands a mile or so away, reached 
only by boat, that contained three 
nests, but too late to get there now. 

We returned home and the follow- 
ing morning I investigated the nests 
myself, hoping for one of the three 
that were liable to go with me. The 
sky was overcast, damp, chilly, with 
a stiff North wind hitting it up hard 
just as near freezing as could be not 
to freeze. The boatman, of whom I 
previously had engaged a ten foot 
bateu, asked me if I was going this 
morning. I told him I would try it, so 
I pulled out. If my energies were 
greater than the forces I had to con- 
tend with I would succeed, but if less, 
I stood a good chance of being taken 
to sea as the wind and tide both were 
traveling in that direction. By lining 
objects on shore I could see I was 
holding my own. Soon I was on the 
lee, on up to the bend all right; here 
the battle had to be renewed, pulling 
off my overcoat and gloves I bent to 
the oar, I won, soon to the lee again. 

Soon to Eyrie No. 1, in a pine tree 
on an island surrounded by marsh and 
water. Deserted, the oft repeated 
word. 

Across to Island No. 2, birds at 
home, not sitting but flying about; I 
just had to go up anyhow to investi- 
gate. I knew what had happened be- 
fore I looked into the nest,—the lit- 
tle fellows had been in the world about 
six days and were peeping like little 
chickens. This nest was in a crotch 
of a dead pine tree seventy feet up, 
nest about 4 feet by 4 feet, tree about 
two and one-half feet in diameter. One 
of the little fellows I made a speci- 
men of, the other I named Professor, 
and sent him north to take a series of 
photographs of him; he died on the 
- journey. ee 


February 25th, left for Norfolk by 
rail after bidding another one of our 
friends, Mr. Gelbert Rosignall, Jr., 
goodby, and by nightfall the land of 
scrub Palmetto and most of the Cy. 


press was left behind. At New Beme, (9/, 


and Washington, North Carolina, there 
were no signs of eagles; near Jackson- 
ville, North Carolina, noticed Black 
Vultures. 

On the 28th, met another one of our 
friends, Mr. H. H. Bailey of Newport 
News. On the 29th we visited an 
Hagle’s nest up a live pine, 75 feet 
up, contained 1-2, 1-3 incubated, nests 
7 ftx4 ft.x3 ft. Bird was sitting tight 
but left nest at our near approach. 
This nest as all previous, and subse- 
quently contained the feathers, flesh 
and bones of Wild Ducks, no fish be- 
ing seen but would probably be seen 
if visited later in the season. 

March ist and 2d visited 4 deserted 
nests. 

March 3d, another nest, a dandy, 
it looked in the distance, a dandy when 
underneath, 100 feet from the ground 
in an original growth pine three feet 
in diameter at base, seventy feet to 
first limb. No birds were about but 
the nest had been repaired, I went 
up. It looked fine, just good enough to 
contain eggs, but it had none, the re- 
mains of Wild ducks were here in 
profusion. This is one of the bachelor 
nests, the definition of this term is 
where one or both eagles repair their 
home each year but do not raise a 
brood. No doubt being too old to lay. 
This is not the first nest I have had 
experience with. My theory is that 
many of the Eagles, like Turkey Vul- 
tures are too old to lay eggs, and bring 
off their nestlings. White Crowned 


“and Song Sparrows, Juncos and Car- 
dinals were noted. 


Eyre No. 8 deserted; flushed one} i i On the 4th, four inches of snow. 


Wood Duck, three Black Ducks and 


town, with cold damp feet. 


ne 
then pulled for landing and home in aBoroce twelve miles from home to a 


mprospect near a lake, We were tired 


The 5th, Mr. Bailey and myself 


wr 


30 THE OOLOGIST 


out from our long journey, as the 
roads were deep with mud and slip- 
pery from the remaining snow. We 
were on our Way home when we got 
our clue to the other site. After go- 
ing down a lane about a mile we found 
a nest which was occupied, up a dead 
pine tree that was situated on the edge 
of a slope adjoining a marsh at the 
end of a fringe of woods. One of the 
birds was sitting tight. This was real- 
ly a nasty looking climb with peeling 
bark, rotten limbs, and enlargements 
of the trunk. However, I succeeded in 
getting up without undue exertion and 
found the nest to be eighty feet up, 
very small for Eagles, being less in 
dimensions than many Ospreys, being 
not more than three feet in diameter 
by 18 inches deep on outside. It con- 
tained two eggs and small ones at 
that, and if any Florida speciman can 
beat it on smallness I would like to 
see it. 

The next morning there was more 
snow and [I prepared for my journey 
northward arriving in Washington, D. 
C., on the 7th. I. visited the National 
Museum with Mr. E. J. Court and en- 
joyed it very much. 

I was not done with the Hagles yet 
so on the 9th I collected another set 
of two eggs heavily incubated, in a 
live cottonwood tree only fifty feet up, 
the second easiest tree ever climbed 
for Hagles. These eagles had nested 
here thirty years according to the re- 
port of the older residents there, thus 
showing that eagles inhabiting the 
trees do not always kill the tree as 
many people think. The nests are al- 
ways made of sticks and lined with 
straw, husks or marsh grass; and in 
the south, with an occasional bunch of 
sea grass or Spanish moss. 

On the 10th, I visited another nest 
for a friend of mine; it contained one 
fresh egg. The bird was sitting but 
not tightly, 


On the 11th, I visited another that 
contained two eggs, also very fresh. 
I told my friend I was as bad off as 
he, as my set might have contained 
three or four eggs, he thought his bird 
might have laid another egg if collect- 
ed later, as both birds were not sit- 
ting very tight. Both birds were 12 
to 14 days late, while the set collected 
on the 9th, was right on time regard- 
less of the severe winter. My exper- 
ience with the above fact holds that 
during adverse climate conditions a 
large percentage of birds will be late 
while a few individuals will be right 
on time. 

Arriving home on a lucky day—the 
13th,, thus ended a two thousand mile 
journey for a small number of Hagles’ 
eges. The above summary of eagles 
nests is: 

Five nests contained eggs. 

One nest contained young. 

One nest contained birds that had 

not laid. 

One nest a Bachelor nest. 

Twelve nests deserted. 

The latter part might alarm some 
people, while no doubt some of the 
birds have been killed. I have known 
eagles to leave their good substantial 
eyre and make a new nest a mile awav 
without apparent cause unless from 
looking in the nest. At other times if 
a lumber company has been slashing 
near, they will leave; and again at 
other times I have known them to stay 
while timber was being cut occasion- 
ally all around them. If the Bald eagle 
does not offer the greatest diversity of 
study of any bird of the Hastern 
States, I will give it up. 

Wm. B. Crispin. 
Salem, New Jersey. 
Malka ope eee 
The Hawks of Southern Wisconsin and 
Northern Illinois. 

The Hawks are I think, a very inter- 

esting and useful class of birds, with 


THE 


but few exceptions. With us they are 
fairly well represented, ten species 
having come under my observation in 
this locality. 

Marsh Hawk (Circus hudsonius). 
This well known hawk is easily recog- 
nized by its manner of flight, as it 
flies low over marshy places, search- 
ing for mice, and by its long tail. This 
hawk also has.a peculiar habit of turn- 
ing somersets in the air. They spend 
the summer with us, and occasionaliy 
I have seen them during open winters. 
I found nests of these birds both in 


Wisconsin and Illinois. The usual 
nesting time is in May. They feed 
chiefly on small mammals, such as 


meadow mice, field mice, gophers, etc., 
reptiles such as snakes, lizards, frogs, 
etc., insects of various kinds, and 
small birds. Is often ruthlessly shot 
by the thoughtless hunter ;neverthe- 
less is quite plentiful. 

Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter ve- 
lox). Iam quite sure I have seen these 
hawks in the timber, but have never 
found them nesting. The U. S. Biolog- 
ical Survey found it necessary to 
brand them as an evil as they feed to 
a great extent on small birds and 
small chickens. 

Cooper’s Hawk (Accipiter cooperi). 
This hawk is common with us in sum- 
mer, nests in May mostly, though I 
have found them in April and June. 
They are bold, dashing birds, always 
go as if they knew where they were 
zoing. Their food consists principally 
of small birds and poultry, which they 
are not at all backward about taking. 
They also feed to some extent on 
small rodents, reptiles, bartrachians 
and insects. Noted in both states. 

Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo borealis). 
The Red-tail, often seen high in the 
air, soaring in great circles, reminds 
me more of an eagle than a hawk. 
Some of them pass the winter with us, 
but whether they were the ones that 


OOLOGIST 31 


breed here, or the migrants from the 
North, I cannot say. They nest in the 
tallest and largest trees in heavy 
timber. I have collected their eggs in 
Wisconsin, in March, April and May. 
A great amount of the poultry taken 
is layed to this “Chicken Hawk,” but 
careful study by the Biological Sur- 
vey shows them exempt, or nearly so, 
as they usually feed on mice and other 
small rodents, only a small per cent. 
consisting of poultry. Nevertheless 
they are ruthlessly hunted and killed 
by the farmer who receives most of 
the benefit from them. They are 
quite plentiful however. Noted also 
in Illinois. 

Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo Linea- 
tus). During some thirty years of 
field work I found this hawk nesting 
but once, and then I had the misfor- 
tune to tumble the beautiful eggs from 
the nest and of course smash them all. 
It is a most useful hawk to the agri- 
culturalist, feeding principally on mice, 
snakes, frogs and insects, very rarely 
on birds or chickens. They are also 
relentlessly hunted by the farmer. 

Broad-winged Hawk (Buteo platyp- 
terus). I saw one of these hawks in 
the timber on the bluffs of the Wis- 
consin River in Iowa County, in 1911. 
It is a beneficial hawk, feeding prin- 
cipally on small mammals, reptiles, 
bartracians, and insects. 

Golden Hagle (Aquila chrysaetos). 
This magnificent bird has frequently 
been captured or killed in this part of 
Wisconsin. One was for a year or 
more kept in a cage in Columbus, that 
was caught during the winter of 1897- 
8 by a farmer south of the city a few 
miles. The food of the Golden Eagle 
consists of small mammals and game 
birds, and sometimes a lamb or pig 
(dead animals?) 

Bald Hagle (Haliaectus leucocepha- 
lus). These fine and dignified birds 
are quite common some years, and sev- 


32 THE OOLOGIST 


eral have been killed near Columbus 
that came under my notice. Also two 
or three were kept for some time in 
confinement at this place (Columbus). 
They are considered beneficial, feed- 
ing mostly on fish which forms more 
than half its food. It also kills birds, 
chiefly waterfowl, and many mammals 
of the smaller kind, and the young of 
the larger ones. It sometimes Kills 
small lambs and pigs. I do not know 
but it may nest in the bluffs in the 
southwestern part of Wisconsin, along 
the Mississippi River. 

Pigeon Hawk (Falco columbarius). 
I have observed these hawks in both 
Wisconsin and Illinois, and am quite 
sure one had its nest in the main 
park at Zion City, Illinois in, 1909, but 
could never exactly satisfy myself 
about it. Its food consists chiefly of 
smaller wild birds and mammals and 
insects. Is sometimes quite destruc- 
tive to small chickens. 

Sparrow Hawk (Falco sparverius). 
This beautiful hawk is a summer resi- 
dent with us. I have found it nest- 
ing several times in Wisconsin, but 
have never been able to get a set of 
its eggs. During the summer it feeds 
almost wholly upon insects, especially 
grasshoppers. Nests in April and May, 
in hollow dead trees. It is quite com- 
mon. Geo. W. H. vos Burgh. 
Zion City, 111. 


ait SST es ae ae 
Some Raptore Notes. 

This past spring the Birds of Prey 
did not seem quite as common as 
usual. 

The Red-shouldered, our most com- 
mon hawk, was not as plentiful as 
usual and only three nests came und- 
er my observation. At one of these 
nests up in the big birch tree I got a 
quite nice photo of three pretty egg. 

On May 5th I was lucky enough to 
find two nests of the Sharp-shinned 
Hawk from each of which I later on 
took nice sets of fresh eggs, Both 


were as usual in second growth hem- 
lock and the old birds were noisy. 

The Coopers and Red-tails have 
been scarce this season. My Goshawks 
were about early in February, but a 
pair of Horned Owls used their nest 
in the pine tree and the Goshawks 
left the vicinity. These woods are of 
considerable extent and they may have 
nested in some other part. Anyway 
I didn’t find the nest this season. 
Early in June I saw an adult Goshawk 
about fifteen miles from here near 
some very large tracts of virgin timb- 
er. 

I found nests of both the Barred and 
Horned Owls this spring but a cou- 
ple of little stubs nearby in which 
Screech Owls annually nested I found 
had blown over during the storms this 
past winter. 

Last season I captured a young 
Acadian Owl so I had intended making 
search of that vicinity this spring in 
hopes of finding a nest, but I found 
that the bark peelers had got busy and 
considerable timber had been cut. I 
could find no sign: of the little Owls. 
Warren, Pa. R. B. Simpson. 

ies Ne a 
Copy. 

Dear Mr. Reader: We are just about 
out of copy. We have not enough on 
hand to print the next issue of THE 
OOLOGIST from. 

Perhaps it might be interesting to 
you to know that an Oologist of this 
size contains approximately, exclusive 
of illustrations, 7500 words. This 
means 216 inches of typewritten mat- 
ter when double spaced, and written 
on the ordinary 814x13 typewriting 
paper. All. of which means that it 
takes lots of copy to keep us going, 
and to supply this is up to you. We 
do the work and foot the bills. We 
trust that you can furnish us at as 
early a day as possible, such readable 
notes as have come under your obser: 
vation. 


THE OOLOGIST 


Collectors, Naturalists 


Do you want a nice mounted bird to 
adorn the top or your cabinet or to 
hang in your den? If so, then send 
your specimens to me where they will 
be properly mounted by an expert Bird 
Taxidermist, one who has spent years 
in the field and knows how a bird 
should look. I am going to make some 

pecial prices 
students,, so send on your specimen, 


or address 


R. FE. MULLEN, 


Taxidermist Studio 
2419 Q St. South Omaha, Nebr. 


The Condor” 


A Magazine of Western Ornithology 
Edited by J. GRINNELL. 
Associate Editors: 


Harry S. Swarth, 


“Official Organ of the Cooper Orni- 
thological Club.’’ 


Vol., XIV 1912 


will contain the. usual interesting 
articles by live active ornithologists 
and will be illustrated by the high- 
est class of half tones. You can- 
not afford to miss a number. 

Published bi-monthly at Holly- 
wood, California. Subscription : 
$1.50 per year net in advance- 
Single copies: 30c each. Foreign 
subscription. $1.75. 


W. LEE CHAMBERS, BusinessjMegr. 


EAGLE Rock, CAL. 


to collectors and — 


Vu 


Birds, Labels, Mammals 


C LLECTION OF C, IRVIN CLAY | 


STYLE 1 


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Lot'of 250 for $150 

Lot of 500 for $2.50 

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one COLLECTION OF C. IRVIN CLAY 


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Vii THE OOLOGIST 


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THE OOLOGIST. 


BIRDS--NESTS--EGGS 
TAXIDERMY 


VoL. XXX. No. 3. 


ALBION, N. Y., Mar. 15, 1913. 


WHOLE No. 308 


BRIEF SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS 


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In answering advertisements in these 
columns mention ‘‘THE OOLOGIST,”’ 
and thereby help us, as well as the ad- 
vertiser and yourself. 


_ We will not advertise the skins, nests, eggs, or mounted specimens of North American 
Birds for sale. These columns are for the use of those desiring to make bona fide exchanges 
of such specimens for scientific collecting purposes only.—E DITOR. 


BIRDS 


WANTED-—Live American Wild Trumpet- 
er Swan. R. M. Barnes. Lacon, Ill. 


BIRD SKINS .—Exchange generally. 
FRANKS. WRIGHT, 14 Cayuga St., Auburn, 
N.Y. (2-p) 

WANTED.—TO exchange skins, also bird 
ee sae ee camera for cash. CORNEL- 

US BUS, Detroit, Mich. (1-p) 


WANT TO BUY—Live wi'd ducks, geese, 
swan, cranes, stork, Pelican, eagles, Guinea 
pigs, and all wild animals. IRL E. BEN- 
NETT. “Naturalist,” Cambridge, Ohio. (1-p) 


TO KXCHANGE.—A large collection o 
birds’ skins as a whole only for a large col- 
lection of stamps. No trash wanted. F. T. 
ee 80 Killingsworth Ave., Fora 

re. -p 


I desire to exchange bird skins and bird 
eggs with all collectors; send full list of skins 
andeggs. D. V. HEMBREE, Roswell, Mae ) 

(-p 


Duplicate mounted birds and skins, many 


rare, at bargain prices. I need room. Send 
stamp and state your wants. A. RUSSELL 
SMITH, Edge Hill, Pa. (1-p) 


First class skins L[llinois, California and 
Costa Rica to exchange for birds from South- 
ern or Western States, or from other coun- 
tries. H. K. COALE, Highland Park, Ill. (1) 


—— Eel 


WANTED.-— First class skins of Passenger 
Pigeons, male and_ female, for which I will 
give in_ exchange first class skins of Heath 
Hens. FRED H. KENNARD, 220 Devonshire 
St., Boston, Mass. q) 


FOR EXCHANGE.—I have left one pair 
Passenger Pigeons, (Hctopistes Migratorius) 
nicely mounted and good condition. Will 
take part cash and part in rare sets or birds. 
PHILO SMITH, 1824 Byers Ave.. co nr 

“p 


————E—E—EEEE———EE————————— 
~ WANTED.—Extra fine skins for mounting, 
two Am. Avocets, male, ads., two Am. Wood- 
cocks, male, ads., two Black-necked Stilts, 
male, ads., and two Boxwhites, male, ads. 
Offer A 1 Skins or mounted birds, FRANK- 
LIN J. SMITH, Box 98, Eureka, Cal. 


EGGS 


In sending in your exchange notices for nests 
skins and eggs, we would appreciate it if you would 
arrange the numerals in your exchange notice 
in their numerical order, and not tumble them 
together hit and miss, as some of our readers are 
complaining, and we think justly so. 


Ss “oy, 
be RAs Ootae 


I THE OOLOGIST 


EXCHANGH.— Personally taken sets, 263, 
300, 388, 412a, 444, 466a, 498, 528, 529, 540. 584, 624, 
for sets of Warblers only. H. MOUSLEY, 
Hatley. Quebec’ (1-p) 


I have a number of sets of Brandt’s Cor- 
morant for exchange. Can use duplicate sets. 
CHAS. H. CULP, Pacific Grove, Calif. (1-p) 


Collector personally taken specimens only 
(has permit) would locate in situ one or two 
sets Barred and Great Horned Owl. Within 
about hundred miles of Chicago, Ills. H.R. 
FORD, 4816 N. Winchester, Ave., ebicaso 

( 


I have a few good sets to exchange. Want 
334, 334a, 337a, 337d, 340, 344. (851) 352a, 356, 360c, 
361 and many others. DAVID H. BROWN, 
Room No. 11, Federal Bldg., Tacoma, HE 

p 


FOR SA LE—700 egg trays, made with white 
paper all sizes and in good condition. I will 


(1-p) 


Fine sets from Greenland, Iceland, Arctic 
America, also Antarctic. Will exchange 
Huropean for North American sets. H. T. 
BOOTH, 8 Cranbury Road. Fulham, ose 

(1-p 


HXCHANGE.—A fine series of ten of the 
Pallas Murre from Cape Hope, Alaska. 
want 188, 332, 343, 348, 362, 364 and many others, 
D. E. BROWN, 6044 Ist Ave.. No. W. Sta. F 
Seattle, Wash. 


Printer, Branchport, N. Y. 


Lol 


Nos. 49, 120c, 122, 127, 294a. 36Va. Send full list: 
J.S. APPLETON, Simi, Ventura Co., Cal. 


mon kinds of both. Dr.T. W. RICHARDS 
ae Navy, 1911 N. St., N. W., Washington 


FOR EXCHANGE—For anything of use 
tO a sportsman. A. 1. mounted birds and, 
skins of water fowland owls. MILO DENNY 
Waubeek, Iowa. (1-p) 


EXCHANGE.—Vol. 23 Physical Culture. 
Want Reed’s Color Key to North American 
Birds, Holland’s Butterfly book, Hummers, 
Sets of 144 Wggs, flying squirrel skins. KARL 
HAMILTON, Yohoghany, Pa. (1-p) 


FOR EXCHANGE—A 1 sets taken this 


Violet Green Cormorant. W. F, BURTON, 
Esq., 937 St. Charles S. T., Victoria, B. C. 


WANTED.—To hear from collectors who 
have sets with Cowbird eggs in them. Who 
wants skins of the Wild Turkey, 310 A? Last 
year Iputup ten. [need many of thecommon 
sets with nests, Canada Jay, Northern Raven, 
Audubon’s Oriole, and nests, Cooper’s Tana- 
con Warbling Vireo and nest, numerous 

arblers, >t. Lucas, Mearn’s and LeCont’s 

hrashers, and Varied Thrush and nest. H. 

. BAILEY, Newport News, Va. (1) 


One Portable Tradic Medical Battery, two 
cells with all appliances good as new. 40 
issues of Recreation. Dry plate camera4x 5. 
Exchange for birds’ eggs. C. B. VANDER- 
COOK, Odin, fl. (2-p) 


FOR EXCHANGE.—Sets with data and 
singles for first class bird skins. B. G. WIL- 
LARD, 30 Huntington, Ave., Boston, MaSees 

(1-p 


FINE COLLECTION BIRD EGGS, many 
birds and nests photographed, to exchange 
for microscope, fly rod, casting rod, or tackle 
Box 775, Stanford University, Cal. 


Choice cabinet sets with full and accurate 
data for exchange for sets and large rare 
singles. DR. M. T. CLECKLEY, 457 Greene 
St.. Augusta, Ga. (2-p) 


Marine Shells, Pacific Coast species, Smith- 
sonian Identification, for specimens and 
curiosities of any kind, Birds’ Eggs preferred, 
W. W. WESTGATE, 809 tst North, Seattle. 
Wash. (1-p) 


WANTED—Fine sets Flycatchers, especial- 
ly 459; also rare postage stamps, British, 
North American colonies only. Offer sets 
with nests 228, 227a, 474b, 533, 558, 641, 648, 673, 
743c and others. H. MOUSLEY, Que. (1-p) 


FOR EXCHANGE.—A large list of fine sets 
with data, to exchange for fine sets of Rap- 
tores and large singles. Exchange also de- 
sired in minerals, sea Shells, butterflies and 
moths. L.C. SNYDER, Lacona, N. Y. (1-p) 


FOR SALE OR EXCHANGE.—For skins 
or eggs in sets. ; 


XXVIII; Vol. X, No. 4-7-11; Vol. XI, Nos.7 and 
9; Vol. XII, Nos. 10 and 11; Vol. XIV, No. 3 - 
and7. ARTHUR W. BROCKWAY, Hadlyme, 
Conn. (1-p) 


FOR EXCHANGE.—My entire collection 
of several hundred sets of eggs. Want bird 
and mammal skins, mounted birds and 
animals, game heads, beetles, old relics, 
stamps and curios. My special wants are 
skins of Bull Crested Sandpiper and female 
Dickecissels, mounted birds, A. O. U. N 
bers 11, 32, 47, 64, 74, 80, 125, 128, 134, 150, 166, 169, 
171a, 177, 206, 211, 218, 225, 226, 258, 260, 269, 280:. 
281, 286, 288, 293. 308, 309, 311, 325, 326, 327, 362, 370.. 
377a, 381, 443, 471, 476, 483, 487, 513, 513a; Mounted 
Mole (Scalops), Civet (Bassariscus), Southern 
Fox Squirrel, Jack Rabbit, Texan Pecarry, 
Antelope head, Gila monster and 3 foot Alli- 
gator. List everything you can offer. No 
eggs wanted. W.E.SNYDER, R. F. D. No. 
6, Beaver Dam, Wis. (1) 


SS eee 
[have the following North American Birds” 

Eggs in original sets with full data, to ex- 

change for others that I need to add to my 

collection. .0O,U 

86 1-1, 108 1-1, 132 1-8, 144 1-9, 1-11, 172 1-4, 191 1-5, 


B. Ladd. R.M. 


THE OOLOGIST. 


Vou. XXX. No. 3. ALBION, N. Y. Mar. 16, 19138. WHOLE No. 308 


Owned and Published Monthly, by R. M. Barnes, Albion, N.Y., and Lacon, Ill. 


THE APPEARANCE OF THE BLUEBIRD 


By Jacob Green, Professor of Chemistry in Jefferson College. 


What sounds now fill the wintry air, 
What music floats upon the breeze; 
Whilst all the fields are bleak and bare, 
And verdure breaks not from the trees? 


Oh! ’Tis the bird with plumage blue, 
The herald of approaching spring, 
Still to his native forests true, 

The echoing woods his welcome ring. 


No opening violets perfume, 

Now scents for thee the chilly air, 
No lone anemones in bloom, 

A downy couch for thee prepare. 


But yet I hale thee, beautiful bird, 

For soon will come the time of flowers, 
When thousand warblers will be heard, 
Filling with song the budding bowers. 


Say, what impelled thy venturous wings, 

To bear thee here from southern skies, ‘ 
Where never-ceasing verdure springs, 

And ever blooming flowerets rise. 


Oh, it was the same tireless arm, 
Which holds the sun-guides every where 
That power whose influences warm, 

To life and light the opening year! 


Yes—it was that same kindly hand, 

Which marked thy path through trackless air, 
And bid thee to this distant land, 

Thy native home,—in haste repair! 


Thrice welcome to those wonted haunts! 
Endeared to thee by love and song, 
Where erst I’ve listened to thy chants 
Speeding the gladsome hours along. 


Published in “The Cabinet of Natural History and 
American Rural Sports,” Vol. III (1833) pg. 57, 


34 THE OOLOGIST 


The Nesting History of a Pair of 
Golden Eagles. 
(Aquila chrys#eos). 
By C. H. Dixon. ; 

In this section of the country there 
are nesting places of the Golden Hagle 
that have been occupied for a length 
of time beyond the memory of the old 
est inhabitant. Our birds do not mi- 
grate and each pair of birds seems to 
have its own chosen territory where it 
leads its life, unafraid and not often 
molested. It would seem as if birds 
recognized each others rights and did 
not encroach upon preempted terri- 
tory. As a rule the nesting ranges are 
far apart and I have never known a 
pair to take another’s nest or build 
near to another’s range so it gives us 
a very good opportunity to follow 
quite closely the activities of the dif- 
ferent birds. 

For many years I have kept track of 
a pair of Hagles that have their home 
in a canyon a few miles from my 
house. The country occupied by them 
is a somewhat rectangular strip of 
rough foot-hill land, lying from about 
five to ten miles or more in from the 
coast, and with a width of perhaps six 
or eight miles between more open 
country to the north and south. At 
the upper eastern end are large open 
valleys, farming lands, vineyards and 
orchards at an elevation of about 650 
feet above sea level. At the western 
end the hills, gradually decreasing in 
size, resolve themselves into flat mesa 
(table land) and, where the river 
comes out, into a large salt marsh, dry 
for part of the year, which reaches 
away to the sea. 

Down through the middle of this 
country, through the river ~ canyon, 
runs the country road. On either 
side the hills rise to a pretty uniform 
elevation of 1300 feet. The highest 
point being 1750 feet (U. S. Geological 
Survey). To north and south is per- 


haps three miles or more of rough, hil- 
ly country unoccupied except by wild 
things. On the sheltered northern 
slopes the brush grows to a height of 
eight cr ten feet, in places nearly in- 
penetrable. 

Along the river there are some fine 
groves of live oaks, and a few syca- 
mores and cottonwoods on the river 
bank. The other slopes of the hills 
are bare in places and most of what 
undergrowth there is, is, at the most, ~ 
barely five feet in height. The river 
bed is a mass of water-worn boulders. 
The hills rise steeply from the river 


canyon and there are many large rock 
heaps and isolated monoliths, they 
might well be called, that raise their 
heads high above the surrounding 
brush, fine lookout stations for the 
Hagles and Buzzards. 

It is an ideal home for Hagles and 


their long residence here would prove 


it to be satisfactory as a home and 
hunting ground, for no eagle would long 
stay in a territory where the hunt- 
ing was not good. Rabbits, ground 
squirrels, wood rats, quail, and other 
things are here in abundance, all of 
which are important items in their 
food supply. 

That Hagles inhabit this section was 
known to me for several years before, 
in 1898, I was able to make a search 
for their nesting places. In that year 
two nests were lecated, one in a corner 
formed by natural cleavage in a huge 
monolith-like rock half way to the top 
of the hill above the river and the 
other on a shelf of an immense ledge 
which formed the whole rocky front 
of a hill a quarter of a mile away. 
The first nest was very old and in bad 
shape. It has since fallen out entirely. 


Number two was comparatively new, 
but was not in very good condition. 


Nothing evidently had been done to 
it that year. 
In 1899 three trips were made to the 


THE OOLOGIST 


Escondido Golden Eagle—Nests 2 and 3 


36 THE OOLOGIST 


canyon with no results, the nests ap- 
parently being untouched. 

In 1900 the first nest was about 
gene, and a Barn Owl had his home in 
a cleft of the rock behind it. The 
other seemed to have had a few sticks 
added to it and I was greatly surprised 
to find that a new nest had been start- 
ed on a projecting point of a big ledge 
a few feet above. The birds un- 
doubtedly changed their minds about 


locating there, for though two more 
trips were made to the canyon that 


year I was sorry to find that nothing 
more had been added to the nest. 

On the first trip in 1901 I found the 
upper nest on the ledge, number 3, 


completed, apparently, except for the 


lining. Work had been done on the 
lower nest, number 2, also, to a slight 
degree, but two more trips failed to 
show any further developments. 

In 1902 the old number 1 nest had 
gone out entirely, probably during a 
heavy rain. With the others condi- 
tions were apparently the same as last 
year, the nests being untouched. 

In 1903 the upper number 8 nest was 
lined, but no eggs were in it on my 
first visit. The lining was encourag- 
ing; but I made two more trips to the 
canyon that year to find no change. 
I find myself wondering in my notes 
about this time if it is not getting 
rather tiresome to make so many trips 
for nothing and lamenting that my 
ranch duties are so exacting that I 
eannot take time for an extended 
hunt for other nests that these birds 
must be occupying. 

In 1904 I could see from below that 
both nests had been largely rebuilt, 
the lower especially; that now being 
quite equal to the other in size. This 
was very encouraging but by no means 
a proof of success, for we often find 


our nests well rebuilt and then desert- 
ed. 

In climbing up the ledge both nests 
were hidden by a projecting point. 


This was safely overcome and I looxe® 
round the corner in time to see the 
biggest and blackest Hagle I ever saw 
go off the nest not five feet from me,, 
leaving behind what was ample reward. 
for all my labor. 

The nest was finely built up and 
lined with grass, strips of the dry 
inner bark fibre of the cottonwood 
pieces of dry corn stalk and Spanish 
bayonet leaves and contained two 
eggs which have proved to be the larg- 
est eggs of the species of which I 
have been able to obtain a record 
either in this country or abroad. 

These were described at the time of 
taking in The Condor, Vol. VI, page 
166. In that paper there are one or 
two slight inaccuracies as proved by 
subsequent knowledge, and a slight 
variation from the correct measure- 
ments, the result of using calipers 
that were too small. The correct meas- 
urements are given below. 

The following year, 1905, there was 
every reason to expect another set 
from these birds, but though the nest 
was all fixed-up and “ready for eggs” 
three trips at proper intervals were 
unproductive of results. It began to 
be more evident that the birds had 
other nests somewhere around, a fact 
I had been quite sure of since 1900, 
when the new number 3 nest was com- 
menced and abandoned. I was unfor- 
tunately not able to put in the time 
necessary for a more extended search. 
A hunt for Hagles nests in our hills 
is about like the proverbial search for 
the needle in the haystack unless one 
has some data to go by and my time — 
was too limited to devote to it. 

In 1906 my first trip to the nests 
proved barren of results. No birds 
were seen and the nests apparently - 
had not been touched. That was not . 
very encouraging, but as it always ap- 
peared to be my duty to make at least 
one more trip to the canyon if my first 


THE OOLOGIST 


C. S. Sharp Climbing to Golden Eagle nests Nos. 2 and 3 


: 


38 


proved unsuccessful I tried again a 
month later and was very well pleased 
to find a fine set of two eggs in the 
nhew nest of the lower pair number 3. 
The nest was finely lined* with the 
usual ingredients. The number 2 nest 
below it had not béén touched at all. 

In 1907 the birds rebuilt the upper 
nest of the two, making a beautiful 
nest out of it for so large an affair, 
well built up and lined to an unusual 
degree and there were two well mark- 
ed and very large eggs for me. 

On July fourth of that year I took 
a friend down the’canyon to show him 
the nest, and on going up was surpris- 
ed to find in it some pieces of broken 
egg shell, unquestionably Eagles, very 
clean and bright and the markings 
showing clearly. This might have 
been a third egg of the set taken ear- 
lier, possibly a second set of one. If 
so, it was the first time I ever knew 
any of my Eagles to occupy the same 
nest a second time in a season. 


In 1908 the birds had fixed up the | 


1907 nest quite a little and that was 
all. 


them away for nothing was done fur- 


ther te either that nest or the one be-. 


low. They had evidently gone else- 
where but I had no time then to hunt 
them up. On June 16th Mr. CG. F. 
Schnack and I went down the canyon 
to see if we could locate another nest 
about a mile away in a place where he 
had heard some young Hagles had 
been taken about 1896. We found two 
nests in a big rock pile jutting out 
near the top of the ridges; one on an 
Open and quite exposed shelf, being 
only slightly overhung by the bould- 
ers behind and the other on the top 
of an Overhanging boulder at the en- 
trance to a sort of cave formed by 
the upheavel of these rock masses in 
the far distant past. This“was quite 
near the bottom: but very difficult to 


get at without artificial aid on account » 


Perhaps my early visit had scared 


THE OOLOGIST 


of bulging out of the boulder upon 
which the nest was placed. It was 
very well overhung and protected by 
the recks above. To our very great 
surprise this nest contained two eggs 
evidently deserted and the smallest 
in size of any yet taken from these 


birds. 
In 1909 the lower nest of the first 


pair (No. 2) was almost wholly re- 
built after its long disuse, but there 
Were no eggs in it, and no nests of 
the birds then known to us were oc- 
cupied that season. 

In 1910 although the upper nest of 
the lower pair (No. 3) was all fixed 
up and ready for eggs on my first 
visit, neither it nor any of the nests 
proved to be satisfactory to the birds 
who rebuilt an old nest, hitherto un- 
known to us, located about 20 feet 
from the ground, in a small oak near 
the top of the ridge, about midway be- 
tween my two pairs of nests. This 
evidently had been a very old nest and 
probably had not been very much oc- 


'cupied, for the foundation sticks were 


well rotted out and, except for the re- 
built super-structure, was rather frail 


‘and shaky. This was found by Mr. J. 


B. Dixon who got a fine set of 3 from 
it, all very large. This is nest No. 6. _ 

In 1911 the nest No. 3 was again 
prepared, but the birds went back to 
No. .6. where Mr. Dixon got another 
set of two. The nature of the country 
is very well shown in the photograph 
of this nest which appear in The Oolo- 
gist of August 15th, 1911, in which a 
paper by Mr. Dixon on these Hagiles 
appears. figs t. 

The hill is very steep and rises. 
about 800 feet from the bottom of the 
canyon, and is covered with very high 
brush, in places almost too dense and 
thick for anything but a coyote or 
jackrabbit to. penetrate. The outlook 
from this nest is very fine. 

» Last ‘season, 1912, although my No. 


THE OOLOGIST 


Escondido Golden Eagle Nest No. 7 in Live Oak Tree 


89 


40 THE OOLOGIST 


3 nest showed evidence of having been 
fussed over a little it was abandoned, 
as were all the nests in the upper 
canon and the birds moved away. In 
March we were honored, and it is 
needless to say pleased by a visit 
from the editer of The Oologist, who 
stopped over for a couple of days on 
the way overland from Los Angeles to 
San Diego. He promised to stop again 
on his return, so Mr. Dixon and Mr. 
Schnack, who, though not an orni- 
thologist, is considerable of an enthu- 
siast, and remarkably well posted in 
matters ornithological, got busy. Act- 
ing on some information obtained from 
a Mexican rancher, a systematic two 


days search was made of a section 
of country not hitherto explored by us 


with the result of the discovery of 
two more very old and long abandon- 
ed nests in oak trees and other newly 
rebuilt nest, also in an oak, where a 
few days later Mr. Barnes had the 
pleasure of gazing on his first set of 
Golden Eagles eggs in situ. This nest 
was about 30 feet from the ground; 


the tree standing on a steep hillside. 


It is an immense affair of sticks, 
large and small, lined with strips of 
cottonwood inner fibre, willow, small 
twigs of oak with leaves attached, 
dry leaves of corn and leaves of the 
Spanish bayonet plant. It measures 
about 4 feet in diameter by 5 in 
height. The nest proper being only 
a slight depression which wouid be 
deepened and enlarged by the bird in 
in incubating the eggs. The photo- 
graph of this nest by Mr. Dixon, well 
shows its immense size and location. 
It is one of the best built and larges: 
nests we have ever found here. [n 
addition to the nests here given, there 
are several very old and dilapidated 
nests in the rock piles in the hills, 
long abandoned, evidently nests in the 
past, though scarcely more than rem- 
nants now, and there are doubtless 


many more unknown to us, for there 
are many large rock heaps that we 
have never visited and much of the 
country we have never hunted over 
at all. 

During the two years, 1905 and 1909, 
when no eggs were taken, it is prob- 
able that the birds occupied the 1908 
nest and the No. 6 nest in the tree, 
this opinion being based on the gen- 
eral conditicn of these nests when 
found. 

Altcgether I have personal knowl- 
edge of some 20 or more nests of the 
Golden Hagle, belonging to five pairs 
of birds, that are occupied with more 
or less regularity. These are mostly 
in reck piles or on ledges, a few in 
trees. It has been my experience 
that the nests in trees are always lareg- 
er, more bulky,. more built up, and I 
believe would contain more cubic feet 
of material than the nests built on 
ledges, and they are also much better 
built. The nests on ledges generally 
occupy the entire ledge, which is not 
a very large one as a general thing, 
and do not appear to require the 
amcunt of rebuilding that the tree 
nests do, the new material appearing 
to be placed mainly on the front and 
more exposed portions of the nest. I 
have generally feund them better lined 
however. Mr. Dixon does not wholly 
agree with me on this point and of 
course no positive rule can be laid 


down, as the birds doubtless build as 


their tastes and needs demand. 

It is probable that no more remark- 
able series of eggs ever gathered to- 
gether than these eggs, all that are 
known, of these Eagles. The size of 
an average egg is about 2.95 by 2.30 
inches. In 1904, when preparing my 
Condor paper, I obtained all the in- 
formation possible as to large eggs, 
both in this country and abroad, from 
all oologists whom I knew to have 
large series of eggs of the species. 


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42 THE OOLOGIST 


At that time, in over 300 seis heard 
from some 650 eggs in all, there were 
only 22 eggs that measured over 3.1) 
inches in length; of these only 15 
measured over 3.15 and only 4 exceed- 
ed 3.20. The largest eggs were in the 
large series of Mr. A. W. Johnson, a 
former resident of California, but now 
of England, measuring 3.26 by 2.34 
and 3.23 by 2.34. These were taken in 
Spain. Another large egg, taken in 
Scotland, measured 3.26 by 2.55. Mr. 
A. E. Price also had one that measured 
3.238 by 2.44. Since then Mr. Dixon 
has taken sets of two and three from 
another pair of birds with measure- 
ments as follows, 3.10 by 2.39; 3.11 
by 2.41 and 3.20 by 2.34, 3.10 by 2.32, 
3.00 by 2.32. This makes in all 26 eggs 
measuring 3.10 or over in length. Of 
these 16 are between 3.15 and 3.20 and 
only 5 exceed 3.20. A comparison of 
these figures with the measurements 
of the eggs of our birds will give a 
better idea of the remarkable size of 
the eggs of the series. 

The measurements of all the known 
eggs of our pair of birds are as fol- 
lows: 


Set No. 1, Coll. C. S. S—1904, 3.50 
by 2.62, 3.40 by 2.64. 

Set No. 2, Coll. C. S. S—1906, 3.39 
by 2.62, 3.25 by 2.64. 

Set No. 3, Coll. C. S. S—1907, 3.40 
by 2.62, 3.85 by 2.56. 

Set No. 4, Coll. C. S. S—1908, 3.29 


by 2.50, 3.15 by 2.55. 

Set. No. 5, Coll. J. B. D—1910, 3.20 
by 2.48, 3.36 by 2.55, 3.26 by 2.58. 

Set No. 6, Coll. J. B. D—1911, 3.26 
by 2.68, 3.23 by 2.49. 

Set No. 7, Coll. R. M. B.—1912, 3.32 
by 2.48, 3.23 by 2.49. 

The accompanying photograph, re- 
produced through the courtesy of the 
Condor, is of the largest egg, measur- 
ing 3.50 by 2.62, an average-sized egg 
of the Golden Hagle, measuring 2.95 
by 2.30 and a large egg of a Western 


Red-tailed Hawk, measuring 2.52 by 
2.00. This comparison shows very well 
the great size cf the eggs. The eggs 
cf the series are, as a rule, rather well 
colored, some rather profusely. The 
coloration is mostly in soft shades of 
reddish and with lavender and grayish 
shell markings. A few are bright in 
coloring but the general tendency is 
subdued. In one of Mr. Barnes’ pair, 
which, unfortunately, do nct appear in 
photcegraph of the series, a heavy 
rusty-reddish blotch nearly covers the 
large end. In cne of mine a blotch of- 
the same character covers the small 
end. Three eggs cf the series are prac- 
tically unmarked, what marking there 
is being in the nature of rather fine 
dotting, not at all prefuse. The rest 
of the eggs are variously marked in 
blotches, spots and smears, some quite 
brilliant, in shades from reddish to 
a light tan. None, however, has the 
sharply defined blotches that show on 
the central egg of the photograph. 

In addition to the unusual size of 
these eggs, a most remarkable thing 
in connection with them is the fact 
that every egg has been infertile. It 


' is unusual to find infertile eggs in the 


nests of the raptores. J have found 
them most often among the Owls and 
sometimes in the nest of a Duck Hawk, 
but in the latter case always after a 
heavy rain which had saturated the 
ground and doubtless chilled the eggs 
after incubation had commenced. They 
never build a nest, laying on the bare 
ground. These Hagles’ nests were all 
quite well sheltered, being on the 
North, or protected sides of the two 
hills; the nests in the rocks being all 
somewhat overhung and sheltered. It 
would be most unusual to find even 
one infertile egg in an occupied nest 
of a Golden Hagle; but that it should 
be the invariable rule, and occur year 
after year, as it has with these birds, 
is a most remarkable thing. 


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Nest No. 7 and Eggs of Escondido Golden Eagle 


A4 _ THE OOLOGIST 


I am very well convinced that the 
female of this pair is a very young 
bird (for an Hagle, that is). When I 
made her close acquaintance in 1904 
she was very large and unusually dark 
and in perfect plumage. Young Hagles 
are always very much darker than the 
old birds, which grow grayer and 
more golden with age. In a band of 
eagles one can distinguish the young 
birds almost as far as he can see them. 
In 1908, the year before the first large 
set was taken, it was reported that an 
Hagle had been shot in the canyon. 
This may have been the female of the 
eld pair, the survivor seeking a new 
mate in the present incumbent. We 
found that all our birds here, large and 
small, will lay a second set when the 
first is removed and it has always been 
our custom to allow such second sets 
to hatch as we are all interested in the 


conservation of the bird supply, but 


we have no reason to believe that a 
second set is ever laid by these birds, 
the only indication of it ever found 
being the piece of shell found in the 
nest in 1907 and that was probably a 
third egg of the set of two taken ear- 
lier in the season. A single abnormal 
or infertile egg might be merely an ac- 
cident, a repetition of it a coincidence, 
but when, year after year, eggs both 
abnormal in size and infertile as well 
are laid it would seem to show a most 
remarkable physical condition. I have 
been told recently, that another Hagle 
had been shot in the canyon a few 
weeks ago. It is to be hoped that it 
was a visitor only, as it would be most 
interesting to watch these birds to see 
how soon, if ever, they return to nor- 
mal conditions. 

In the latter part of August Mr. 
Dixon and [ again visited the canyon. 
We found the lower nest (No. 2) near- 
ly gone, nothing remaining but some 
sticks on the outer edge and a mass 
of thoroughly decayed rubbish in the 


their new ones. 


bottom. In Mr. Dixon’s Oologist pap- 
er he speaks of the birds taking ma- 
terial from the old nests to rebuild 
This fact appears to 
be verified from the condition of this. 
nest, an examination of the rocks and 
hillside below the nest failing to 
show any debris of any description 
that could have ceme from it. It was 
originally a very large nest, containing 
enough material to fill a small wagon 
and the fact is significant. The nest 
No. 3, on the ledge above, was-in re- 
markably good condition, even to the 
lining. It has not been occupied since 
1905, although patched up more or less 
most every year since. It is placed 
on a jutting semi-eliptical ledge or 
shelf about 7 feet long by 4 feet deep, 
somewhat over-hung by the face of 
the cliff above. This was completely 
filled by the nest, which was built up 
to a height of a little over 2 feet, the 
lined nest proper being about 16 inches 
in diameter and hollewed out to a 
depth of about 4 inches. 


The protographs illustrated in this 
article are by J. B. Dixon of Escondi- 
do, Cal., except the one showing the 
comparative size of three eggs—the 
largest laid by this bird, the average 
ege of the Golden Eagle, and a West- 
ern Red-tail Hawk’s egg. The plate 
for which is kindly loaned us by The 
Condor, and to Mr. Dixon and Mr. 
Sharpe, ourselves as well as the read- 
ers of this article are certainly under 
much obligation. 

For further information relating to 
the eagles of the Escondido country, 
see The Oologist, Vol. XXIII, pg. 126-9. 

It is the purpose of Ye Editor some- 
time in the future to publish a half 
tone photo of the set of eggs taken in 
March, 1912, above referred to, to- 
gether with a half tone photograph of 
the nest and eggs in situ and of Ye 
Editor looking into the nest, together 


? 


45 


THE OO’ OGIST 


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46 THE OOLOGIST 


with the impressions made upon the 
mind of an enthusiastic Oologist of a 
triumph of this kind.—Hditor. 
ere eet 
An Apology. 

Owing to an illness confining Ye 
Editor to his bed for the first time in 
more than twenty years, much of our 
ornithological and oological corres- 
pondence has been neglected, and we 
tender this as an excuse. Being now 
on the mend we hope to catch up with 
the same in the course of the next few 
weeks. 


po eS ee 

Do Birds Return To Old Nests? 

Whether birds, especially migratory 
ones, return to the same nests year 
after year is a question of much in- 
terest to the naturalist. We know that 
the Owls and Hawks will use the 
same nest year after year if not dis- 
turbed. But the smallest birds that 
spend the winter in the south—-How 
are we to know if the same pair re 
turns to the nesting place, or even to 
the same locality, unless we have some 
special mark to recognize them by? 

In looking over my notes I found a 
record of a female Purple Grackle that 
had only one leg. This bird was carry- 
ing nest material and was caught in 
a tree by a piece of string, and was 
found hanging head down by one leg. 
The leg was broken when the bird 
was found, and the broken leg was 
eut off. This one legged bird return- 
ed each year for five years, and nest- 
ed almost in the same place. 

A pair of Pewees have nested in the 
porch at my summer cottage near the 
Mississippi river for about fifteen 
years. They failed to return in the 
spring of 1912. I have always believed 
that they were the same pair. Prob- 
ably both the old birds died during 
the winter in the South. 

The little House Wren comes back 
4n the spring and makes his nest in 


the same box, or old tin can that he 
used the year before. If the nest box 
is not in the same place, how the lit- 
tle fellow will scold and make a fuss 
about it. There is an island in the 
Mississippi near here. This island is 
grown over with willows so thick that 
it is almost impossible to walk 
through. A pair of Green Herons have 
made this willow patch their home 
for several years, during the nesting 
time. If they are not the same pair of 
birds, then why is it that there is a 
pair of nests almost in the same place 
each year? 
Whit Harrison. 

La Crescent, Minn. 


Bluebird Notes From Trenton, N. J. 

In the August number of The Oolo- 
gist, the writer mentioned under 
“Field Notes,” the great scarcity of 
Bluebirds in the Delaware Valley. 
Since then and in fact ever since the 
first of last year, on all of my tramps 
through woods and fields, along can- 
als and streams, both on the Pennsyl- 
vania and Jersey sides of the Dela- 


ware, my one thought has _ been, 
“Where are the Bluebirds?” 
Sunday morning, December 8th 


beamed on us bright and clear with a 
temperature of about 40 degrees, and 
at 11 o’clock as I had completed my 
usual morning tramp along the River 
road and just as I was passing under 
the new Philadelphia and . Reading 
Railroad bridge located just a little 
east of the foot bridge that crosses — 
the Delaware at Yardley, ’Pa., my 
thoughts at the time lamenting the 
fact of not having seen a single bird 
all morning, my attention was sudden- 
ly attracted to a small flock of Blue 
birds, roving about in the tops of two 
or three trees along the side of the 
road and bobbing in and out of the 
holes in the top part of the trunks. 
As my eyes feasted on this sight, a 


THE OOLOGIST 47 


Series of Six Sets of Eggs of Escondido Golden Eagle 


48 THE OOLOGIST 


sight which I had long been wishing 
for, it seemed to bespeak the truth of 
that old biblical saying “Seek and ye 
shall find,’ and with a long stroke of 
my pencil I jotted down in my note 
book these seven roving minstrels 
with a feeling of great satisfaction. 

Sunday, December 22d, weather 
clear and temperature about 28 de- 
grees, found me back at the same 
spot for it eccurred to me that they 
might be wintering in this locality. My 
suppositicn was correct, for on this 
memorial morning, five of these little 
strangers of the year were carefully 
marked down in-note beok. * 
William M. Palmer. 
Trenton, N.4J.. é 
Nesting of the- Prairie Horned Lark 

se 1n Southern Pennsylvania. 

Ea {Qtocoris <alpestris praticola) 

vished very much to secure the 

nest and eges of the Prairie Horned 
Lark, so late in March, 1908, I set out 
en a tramp to a high ridge north of 
town. Here I had frequently seen the 
larks feeding, and had often flushed 
them from the ground. When I reach- 
ed the place there were no signs of 
the birds, but soon one came sailing 
from a neighboring field uttering its 
familiar notes. This bird flew to a 
bare space of ground, and soon it was 
joined by its mate. The birds walked 
about upon the ground, then flitted 
from place to place. After watching 
them carefully for some time, hoping 
to follow one to its home, I gave up, 
and began to search for a nest. First 
I walked up and down a level space of 
ground, with no signs of a nest. Next 
I searched over a low saucer shaped 
piece.of ground, and was about to give 
up, when just in front of me IJ noticed 
a small cup- -shaped depression in the 
earth. This was slightly lined with 
dry grass. I made note of this find 
and departed. 


April 7th, I walked to the ridge with 
much hope of procuring a set of eggs. 
Upon nearing the nest I crept up quiet- 
ly. The bird soon heard me and flew 
from the nest. My heart beat rapidiy 
as I hurried forward. 

My, it certainly was glorious to gaze 
down at that nest! It contained five 
beautifully marked eggs, which proy- 
ed to be perfectly fresh. The nest was 
simply a frail structure of dry grasses, 
slightly lined with finer grasses and a 
few hairs from cattle or horses. I pre- 
pared the set carefully, and with the 
nest, prize it highly; for Prairie Horn- 
ed Lark’s eggs are not easily secured 
in our section of the state. The birds 
are found on many of the high ridges, 
but their nests are difficult to locate. 

S. S. Dickey. 
Waynesburg, Pa. 4 
eee 
White Catbird’s Eggs. 

Sometime since we published a 
short note announcing the taking of a 
set of White Catbird’s eggs by R. ise 
Giles of Marlboro, Mass. He writes 
that from that time on he has receiy- 
ed many offers to buy or exchange the 


_ same away, and that last week brought 


the 14th of such offers. He says he 
has no intention of parting with this. 
and desires us to announce that fact. 
He gives us the history of this most 
remarkable set of eggs in the following 
language: 

“As to location, finding it, etc..—the 
nest was in a wild grapevine, three 
feet up, in a small patch of alders, 
with a little brook running through it. 
When I found it I was looking for a 
Maryland Yellow-throat, and as it was 
a small spot looked it over pretty thor- 
oughly. In a grapevine I flushed a 
Catbird from her nest. 

Now I would look into a bird’s nest 
if I knew it to really be ten years old; 
it isn’t curiosity; it’s the egg bug. 
Of course I expected to see something 


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50 THE OOLOGIST 


in this one as the bird had just left it, 
but to say I was surprised when I saw 
one white egg is putting it mild. 
There was a Catbird’s nest, the 
same as I had seen dozens before, 
and a Catbird only a few feet away,— 
but a white egg. I took up the egg 
and saw that it was fresh, but what 
to do I didn’t know; leave it and have 


something destroy it, or wait and see. 


if the bird would lay any more. I 
finally decided to leave it and four 
days later went to the nest and hard- 
ly dared to look at it, but off came 
Mrs. Catbird, 
eges 
guess. 

It’s some years since I found it, but 
somehow I’ve got to look that spot 
over everytime I go that way. Most 
always a Catbird’s nest is there, but 
with those terrible blue eggs. 

Don’t know if it’s my bird of course, 
but if she has gone back to laying blue 
eggs I’m through with her. 

Did find a set of Wilson Thrush with 
two eggs, one-half size in there, but 
nething else of value.” 

a al 
Along The High Water. 

All through this past month (Jan- 
uary 1913), we have had much rain 
and high water. So open has it been 
that it has brought no northern visit- 
ors and things have been very dead in 
the bird line. The high water brings 
to mind other floods that occurred in 
late March and April at which times 
a hunt along the overflews is very apt 
to result in finding more or less of in- 
terest. 

One of these days was March 28, 
1904. For a week it had been thawing 
and raining, taking off the snow and 
the result was very high water. The 
weather had turned colder the day be- 
fore and on this day it was snowing 
and the wind was strong in the North- 
west. The water had also receded a 


in the nest. Happy,—well I 


and four pure white - 


little. I was on my way before day- 
light and was several miles below 
town when it was light enough to see. 

At the mouth of a stream a good 
piece of meadow was overflowed and 
feeding along the edge was a duck I 
couldn’t just place. Circling around I 
crawled up to a bunch of weeds and 
when it fed along in range I gathered 
it in and found I had a fine male Ring- 
neck. They are very scarce in this 
vicinity and even at Erie seem to be 
rare. As the water was falling there 
was quite a wide strip all along the 
edge that was free of snow and here 
a number of Robins and Red-winged 
Blackbirds were feeding. JI had about 
a mile of steep mountain to cross to 
get to the flats and wild land below 


and on the way over I saw in the snow 


trails of grouse, rabbits and squirrels 
and several fox tracks. At one place > 
where the road led through plenty of 
brush and grape vines I found a very 
large flock of Juncos. They were 
everywhere, and with them were a 
few Song and Tree Sparrows and a 
few Fox Sparrows. 

At the lewer side of the mountain I 
found a very large ficck of Juncos. 

At the flats I found the river had 
completely submerged the first or low- 
er flat and the overflow extended back 
through the woods to the second flat. 
I went down through the woods care- 
fully along the overflow and soon 
flushed a Black Duck but out of range. 
Then I came upon three Red-breasted 
Mergansers. There was plenty of 
brush and they were well hidden and 
saw me as soon as I saw them. But 
I dropped a nice drake with each bar- 
rel. 

I next noticed a pair of Black Ducks 
feeding well out amongst the trees, 
but no way to get out there. A Great 
Blue Heron had been walking about in 
the snow but I didn’t see him. A pair 
of Hooded Mergansers were along 


THE OOLOGIST 51 


shore amongst some brush and logs 
and jumped up quite close. I dropped 
the male and he was a beauty. Let 
the female go. In a large field at the 
lower end was a big overflow. All 
along the edge was a bare strip about 
twenty-five feet wide where the water 
had receded. This little strip of 
shore was free of snow and covered 
with feeding birds. There was a great 
racket going on when I got in hearing. 
A flock of a dozen Mallard and Black 
Duck were feeding, but were very 
wild and left at once. There was a 
large number of Crows but they soon 
followed the ducks. 

I went along very carefully and 
found large numbers of Robins. One 
flock of twenty-five or thirty Killdeer. 
A good lot of Purple Grackles and with 
them a few Rusties in full dress. There 
were a few Song and Tree Sparrows 
and Juncos at places where the over- 
flow was near brush. I noticed three 
small birds along the waters edge and 
on gathering them in found they were 
titlarks. 

On my way back up along the over- 
flow in the woods I saw a couple of 
Muskrat but didn’t shoot. Was also 
entertained by a Pileated Woodpecker 
that alighted close by but finally de- 
tecting me, he left in a great hurry. 
Just after this I noticed a ripple on 
the water along shore and keeping 
still, I soon saw amongst the brush 
three Wood Ducks, a drake and two 
ducks. When the drake got just where 
I wanted him [I took him in and let the 
-hens go. He was in beautiful plumage 
and made a handsome specimen. 

The Wood Duck is scarce of late 
years and seems to be getting more so. 
On the big hill I took in two nice Fox 
Sparrows. 

Arrived home hungry but satisfied 
with my trip. Noted 33 species on this 
trip. Five of them new arrivals. 

R. B. Simpson. 
Warren, Pa. 


Winter Notes, Salem, Oregon. 

We are having a snow here in West- 
ern Oregon; we now have as much as 
fourteen inches. This will kill the 
pheasants by the hundreds. They are 
a helpless bird in the snow with their 
long tails and naked legs and feet; 
while our Sooty Grouse sits in the tall 
firs and has plenty of food the pheas- 
ant is almost helpless. Our native 
birds here perish by the hundred when 
we have snow. I feed the small birds 
when I can. 

This morning I noticed the follow- 
ing birds near the door: Northwestern 
Flicker, Western Bluebird, Oregon 
Junco, Oregon Towhee, Vigor’s Wren, 
Oregon Chickadee. The Northwestern 
Flicker is not a hardy bird here; they 
die easily and then the Cooper and 
Sharp-shinned Hawk have a feast. The 
Western Meadowlark winters here. I 
think this snow will thin them out. 
The Golden-crowned Kinglet is com- 
mon in winter. The Ruby-crowned 
nearly all migrate. 

George D. Peck. 
Salem, Ore. 
ee ee ee 
Large Set of Mourning Dove. 

D. C. Westbrook, of Griffin, Georgia, 
writes: “In notes of the January is- 
sue of The Oologist, Mr. Ray Dens- 
more of Painesville, Ohio, stated that 
he found a nest of Mourning Doves 
containing three eggs. I found a sim- 
ilar occurrence in June, 1910.” 

pee eas St 
Bird Magazines. 

We have just had bound up and 
added to our library complete files of 
the following magazines, all in their 
original covers, viz.: 

The Atlantic Slope Naturalist. 

The Avifauna. 

The Bay State Oologist. 

The Bittern (Cedar Rapids, Ia.) 

The Bittern (Damariscotta, Me.) 

The Hawkeye O. and O. 

The Naturalist and Collector. 


52 THE OOLOGIST 


The O. and O. Semi-Annual. 

The Spy Glass. 

The Sunny South Oologist. 

The Taxidermist (Medina, O.) 

The Wisconsin Naturalist (Madison, 
Wis.) 

Zoe. 


> — 


Early Solitary Sandpipers. 

In my paper on “Harly Sandpipers 
in Philadelphia County, Pa.’ in the 
November, 1912, Oologist, (p. 370) 
there occurs this palpable error,— 
“the latest I have ever seen the spe- 
cies here has been August 10 (two 
records). It should have been Octo- 
ber 10th. 

This year (1912) I have also seen 
several early transient Solitary Sand- 
-pipers.° On July 16, I cbserved one 
at the identical place (Frankford) 
where I saw a bird on July 18 and 25, 
1911, and it is my next earliest record. 
While camping in late July on the 
North Branch of the Pensauken Creek, 
in Burlington County, New Jersey, on 
July 27 I saw a lone Solitary Sandpip- 


er and on the following day three birds © 


were seen together at the same place. 
Richard F’. Miller. 
Philadelphia, Pa. 


Books Received. 

The Breeding Birds of Southern 
Center County, Pennsylvania, by Rich- 
ard C. Harlow. : 

This is a very excellent treatise 
in this paper, published in Volume 
XXX, pp. 479 of The Auk, and is a 
cerefully prepared, exhaustive local 
list. 

Annual Report of the Smithsonian 
Institution, 1911. 

This report, as previous ones, con- 
tains many interesting papers on var- 
ious subjects; those in this volume be- 
ing: 

“A History of certain Great Horned 
Owls,’’ by Charles R. Qeyes. 


“The Passenger Pigeon,’ by Peter 
Kalm (1759) and John James Audubon 
(1831). 

“Note on the Iridescent Colors of 
Birds and Insects,” by A. Mallock. 

“On the Positions Assumed by Birds 
in Flight,’ by Bethany Beetham. 

..A Revision of the Forms of the 
Great Blue Heron, by Harry C. Ober- 
hauser, December 12, 1912; a separate 
from Volume 43, page 531-59, proceed- 
ings of the U. S. National Museum. 
This revision evidences the same 
painstaking attention that is shown by 
all of Oberhauser’s papers. It design- 
ates nine varieties of this bird of 
which Ardea herodias adoxa, and A. h. 
hyperonea, and A. h. oligista are new; 
but of course it is not confined to the 
territory covered by the A. O. U. 


check list. 
2 


Albino Meadowlark. 

Last September a farmer friend 
breught me a fine specimen of Albino 
Meadowlark which he captured in his 
meadow. It had been set upon by other 
birds until exhausted. The bird was 
in pure white plumage with exception 
of the breast which was of the pure 
cadmium yellow. The pink eyes were 
especially prominent. As the bird 
was alive and in good condition I put 
it in a cage and placed in the front 
window of my store. A card asked 


“What is it?” and only Dr. Jessee, our 


other Bird Man was able to name it. 
It was my first experience with Al- 
binos. 

Isaac #. Hess. 
Philo, Ills. 


ieee EY Sepa es 
Winter Ornithology. 

In the published diary of the unfor- 
tunate Captain Scott, who recently 
perished in the Antarctic, is found 
some information relative to the breed- 
ing habits of the Emperor Penguin. 
He states that on June 27th—mid- 


THE OOLOGIST o3 


winter in that country—four of his as- 
sistants started on a sled journey to 
observe the incubation of the Emper- 
or Penguin. That a fortnight was 
taken in the journey necessary to 
reach their rookery; that the temper- 
ature ranged between sixty and seven- 
ty degrees below zero, the lowest 
seventy-seven below. That compara- 
tively few birds were found at the 
rookery but they had already begun 
to lay eggs, and a number of eggs in 
different stages of incubation were se- 
sured. 

It makes the average searcher for 
rare warblers’ eggs in June, shiver to 
think of a trip of this character.—KEd. 

a SE ee 
Large Set of Cuckoo. 

June 3, 1912 while Mr. R. C. Har- 
low and myself were looking for nests 
near here we found a Black-billed 
Cuckoo at home on seven eggs. Be- 
fore she flushed we noticed that she 
seemed to sit rather high and on look- 
ing in we were certainly surprised to 
find the nest actually full of eggs. 
They all looked like the laying of one 
bird. 

There is usually a full set here. 
Sometimes four. Have never before 
personally found one with over four 
and think this must be a record. 

R. B. Simpson. 


Warren, Pa. 
ie Re Re eee 
Just Notes. 

I have not seen much out of the 
ordinary the past season, but as usual- 
ly is the case, every year brings forth 
some interesting occurrence. 

On April 18th while out looking up 
nests of the Red-shouldered Hawk, we 
flushed a crow off her nest. My com- 
panion climbed the nest, and at first 
said there was nothing in it. How- 
ever, feeling around some more he 
brought out a small egg which proved 
to be that of a crow, and just the size 


of our Robin’s egg. We took this egg. 

Again on May 4th while rounding 
up a hawk’s nest, in the same woods, 
we were surprised to flush a crow off 
the same nest. My companion again 
climbed to the nest and was surprised 
to find three more crow’s eggs. One 
was just a trifle larger than the first 
mentioned. Another was about twice 
as large as the first, and the last was 
a normal egg. The smallest egg only 
had the white in it, and the others 
were advanced in incubation. This 
set, which I prize very highly, is now 
in my collection. 

Also I will mention another pecu- 
liar incident which happened this fall 
on a hunting trip of mine. I was 
spending my Thanksgiving vacation 
at Fair Haven on Lake Ontario on a 
duck hunt. On Thanksgiving after- 
noon when stooling in Fair Haven Bay 
a bird came into my decoys that ap- 
peared nearly white. I shot it, and 
when I got it in my hands I did not 
what I had shot. I knew it was a 
Grebe of some kind, but did not know 
the species on account of the color. 
Brought the bird home, and my father 
at once identified it as a Holboell’s. 
Grebe, not only a good record in it- 
self in this locality, but a half albino. 
The breast normal; head and neck a 
little lighter than usual. Back nearly 
all white. Not the glossy white of 
the breast, but the white common to 
albinistic forms. The wings were uni- 
formly marked with white and were 
mostly of the latter color. A very 
pretty bird, and is now in my father’s 
collection. 

In the spring of 1912 I took 48 eggs 
of the Red-shouldered Hawk. I am 
making a specialty of this bird and 
eggs. Carl F. Wright. 
Auburn, N. Y. 

ee eee 
About Barn Owls. 
Since reading the Hawk and Owl 


54 THE OOLOGIST 


article by Guy W. Day, of Sidney, 
Ills., in February issue of The Oologist, 
I have wondered if the Illinois read- 
ers recognized the record as probab- 
ly the first authentic set of Barn Owl 
eges taken in Illinois. [ have care- 
fully perused the lists and have been 
unable to unearth an Illinois record. 
I have met the same difficulty in try- 
ing to find a bona fide record from our 
sister states of Indiana and Wiscon- 
sin. A number of works give the Barn 
Owl as resident in these particular 
states but no one seems to have the 
set of eggs and data to show for it. 
It is undoubtedly a more common 
resident in all three states than the 
average student realizes. As data of 
its nidification is so scarce, the nests 
must be particularly difficult to locate 
and Mr. Day is to be congratulated. 
I am watching that same stump for 
the next set. 

I have an incomplete set of 5 eggs 
taken from an ice-house near my store 
in Philo in 1910. The Owls nested 
within 100 feet of my collection but I 
was in ignorance of their presence un- 
til the old ice-house was demolished. 

Last year a pair made their home 
in our village and the hideous throat- 
rattling cries were heard every night 
but a fine tooth comb search all over 
town failed to reveal the nesting 
place. Isaac H. Hess. 
Philo, Ills. 

as preter CTS ey ero eS 
Two Rare Birds in Colorado. 

When Prof. W. W. Cooke, then of 
the Colorado Agricultural College, 
published his bulletin “The Birds of 
Colorado,” in 1897, the Common Tern 
(Sterna hirundo) had not been taken 
in Colorado. On May 14, 1908, there 
were three of these birds about a 
small lake at Windsor, in Weld Coun- 
ty, and on September 16, 1912, there 
were a dozen or more of them about 


the lake, and on September 19 I no- 


ticed several cf them again; they re- 
mained for some days. They seemed 
to be feeding on small fish; they 
would fly at some little distance above 
the lake and dart down into the water 
and catch their prey in their beaks, 
after the manner of the Kingfisher. 
On August 17, 1911, I noticed a 
strange Flycatcher feeding about my 


garden; a common Kingbird was at- 
tacking it. It proved to be a Crested 
Flycatcher (Myiarchus ecrinitus). It 


was a young bird and must have wand- 
ered some distance, for I saw no 
others like it, and the books tell us 
that this bird is not found farther 
west than Nebraska. So far as I 
know my record is the only one for 
Colorado. 
Geo. E. Osterhout. 
Windsor, Cclo. 
ee eee 
House Wren Destroys Eggs. 

Several years ago I lived in the 
country. One summer day while sit- 
ting on a beam in a barn, enjoying the 
breeze that blew through the open 
doors and gables, I witnessed the fol- 
lowing: 

A Robin had built its nest on the 
two wooden pegs that join the top 
brace to the top plate of the barn. The 
nest contained three fresh eggs, and — 
was about twenty feet from where I 
was sitting. 

A House Wren had a nest at the 
other end of the barn, the entrance be- 
ing a knothole. The wren had been 
flying in and out for about ten minutes 
chattering and scolding as wrens do, 
when it flew up to the pegs on which 
the nest rested, and from there to the 
rim of the nest. Then it gave three 
or four pecks, and as I got up it flew 
away. I climbed up to the nest and 
found that each egg had been punc- 
tured once and one of them twice by 
the little rascal. Do wrens ever suck 
other birds eggs? Perhaps some of 


THE OOLOGIST 5d 


your readers may know of cases. My 
getting up frightened it away before 
it had a chance to do so. This is the 
only time I have ever heard of wrens 
acting so. 
J. R. McLead. 

London, Ont. 

GE ere 

Unusual Nesting Sites. 

During the Spring of 1912, I was in 
the field a good deal and consequently 
came across a number of unusual 
places where the birds were nesting. 
The first that came under my notice 
was that cf a Purple Grackle contain- 
ing five eggs. I had noticed a pair of 
these birds continually around a large 
telegraph pole and finally, on the 26th 
of April, I climbed the pole and dis- 
covered the nest. It was firmly built 
between a cross beam and the pole, 
and considering its bulk was surpris- 
ingly well concealed. The pole was 
located beside a large grove of trees 
and I was surprised that the birds had 
built where they did. 

Several weeks later on the 8th of 
May, I found another nest of the Pur- 
‘ple Grackle containing four eggs lo- 
cated in a hole in a dead tree. I had 
seen some straws sticking through a 
erack in the wood and thinking that 
it was an English Sparrow’s nest, I 
climbed up and was amazed to find 
that it was that of a Purple Grackle. 
The nest was built but fifteen feet 
from the ground. 

On the 5th of May, I came across a 
Cardinal’s nest containing two newly 
hatched young and an egg, located to 
my great surprise in a large brush 
pile. This is one of the few nests 
that I have ever found of these birds, 
not built in a grape vine. The bird 
had concealed. its nest better than it 
probably suspected for had I not seen 
the female flying out, I would never 
have thought of looking there. 


The most peculiar position chosen — 


by a Yellow Warbler that I have ever 
seen I found on the 22d of May when 
I located a nest of this bird contain- 
ing two eggs built on the top of an old 
Gold Finch’s nest. The nest was 
placed in a small locust tree about 
twenty feet up and was entirely con- 
cealed from the ground, being found 
by seeing one of the birds fly from 
it. Why it chose such a position I do 
not understand, but if they did so for 
protection, they certainly chose a good 
position. 

On the 28th of July, as I was pass- 
ing a small maple tree, I noticed a 
large nest in one of its crotches and 
on investigating I was amazed to find 
that it was that of a Brown Thrasher 
containing one egg. It was built about 
fifteen feet from the ground and is the 
highest nest of this species that I have 
ever seen. 

Thos. D. Burleigh. 


Pittsburg, Pa. 
esr Se 

Late Nesting of the Common Crow. 

On May 30, 1910, at Avalon, Cape 
May County, New Jersey, on Seven 
Mile Beach, I collected a set of four 
fresh Crow’s eggs from a nest about 
35 feet up in the top of a holly in the 
forest on a sand dune, which is the 
latest I have ever taken eggs of Cor- 
In the 
woods I examined another Crow’s nest 


vus brachyrhynchos. same 
of this species containing four or five 
small naked This nest was 


in a cedar, 30 feet from the ground 


young. 


and ten feet out on a horizontal limb. 
The birds were flushed from both 


nests and identified by their sweet 
voices. We also found young Crows 
on the wing in this forest, a family 
of three or four birds; and I examined 
a new Fish Crow’s nest in it, situated 
about 35 feet up in a cedar top, show- 


56 THE 


ing the lateness which some of the Os- 
sifrage begin nesting in South Jersey. 

My next late record of the nesting 
of the Crow is also a New Jersey one; 
on May 23, 1909, I collected four 
Crow’s eggs from a nest 36 feet up 
in a black gum in a narrow belt of 
trees on the low bank of Pensanken 
Creek, near Maple Shade, Burlington 
County; three eggs were infertile and 
the fourth contained a living embryo 
over one-third developed. 

Both of these sets were undoubtedly 
second ones of birds that had lost 
their first clutches by accident or rob- 
bery. 

The latest I have ever taken a set 
of Crow’s eggs in Southeastern Penn- 
sylvania, is May 18, 1898, when I col- 
lected a set of five fresh eggs at 
Frankford, Philadelphia County. The 
nest was 30 feet up in a thin scarlet 
oak in a corner of a thick woods. This 
was a second set, for I collected the 
first clutch, consisting of four fresh 
eggs, with the nest on April 30th ult., 
from another part of the woods. It 
was about 30 feet up in the top of a 
slender cedar, the only evergreen in 
the woods. The two sets were sim- 
ilar in coloration, etc., so there can be 
no doubt that both were laid by the 
same bird. However since then, I 
have several times taken the first and 
second sets of crows and yet there are 
ornithologists who contend that the 
bird will not lay again if robbed. 

My next latest record of the nesting 
of the Crow near Philadelphia is June 
6, 1907, when R. C. Harlow and I found 
a nest containing two young under a 
week old and an infertile egg. It was 
about 25 feet up in a yellow birch in 
edge of some trees along the Wissa- 
hickon Creek at Fort Washington, 
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, 
and was examined by the writer. 

Richard F. Miller. 
Philadelphia, Pa. 


OOLOGIST | 


Miscellaneous Bird Notes. 
September 12th a Sea Gull attracted 
by the sight of fish swimming slowly 
within an aquarium at Venice, Cali- 


fornia, crashed through a pane of 


glass in its effort to seize the fish and 
was seriously injured, and captured - 
by those in charge of the aquarium. 

November 22d, President Taft pro- 


claimed the reservation of 1613 acres 
of additional land on the abandoned 
Fort Niobraria reservation in Nebras- 
ka as a bird sanctuary, to be continu- 
ally maintained for the breeding of 
Prairie Chickens, Sharp-tailed Grouse, 
Quail and other native birds. 

November 22d, the annual “Turkey 
Trot” attended by Governor Colquitt 
and his staff, passed through the 
streets of Cuero, Texas. The proces- 
sion consisted of 18,000 live turkeys 
on their way to the Thanksgiving 
slaughter pens. The parade was view- 
ed by from 12,000 to 15,000 people. 

Sergeant George Willetts has re- 
cently returned to San Francisco from 
Alaska, where he went for the Smith- 
sonian Institution for the purpose of 
collecting birds and other specimens. 
He brought back with him more than 
three hundred specimens, including 
85 different species; among them, 
Dixon’s Rock Ptarmigan, one of the 
rarest birds of the North; also Mar- 
bled Murrelet, and many Petrel. 

As the result of his trip, Kruzofft 
Island has been set aside by the Goy- 
ernment as a preserve for birds and 
animals. He estimated there were 22,- 
000 pairs of petrel breeding on St. 
Lazaria Island, and one of the curious 
things discovered was the fact that 
the large brown Cedar bear swam 
from the mainland out to this island 
and dug these birds and their nests 
out of the ground and devoured them 
by the thousands. 


THE OOLOGIST 


Collectors, Naturalists 


Do you want a nice mounted bird to 
adorn the top or your cabinet or to 
hang in your den? If so, then send 
your specimens to me where they will 
be properly mounted by an expert Bird 
Taxidermist, one who has spent years 
in the field and knows how a bird 
should look. I am going to make some 

pecial prices to collectors and 
students,, so send on your specimen, 


or address 


R. FEF. MULLEN, 


Taxidermist Studio 
2419 Q St. South Omaha, Nebr. 


THE CONDOR 


A Magazine of Western 
Ornithology 


Published Bi-monthly by the 
Coop2r Ornithological Club of California 
Edited by J. Grinnell and Harry B. Swarth 


“The Condor’’ is strictly scientific 
but edited in such a way that a be- 
ginner of ‘‘Bird Study”’ can easily un- 
derstand it. 

The articles in ‘‘The Condor’’ are 
written by the leading Ornithologists 
of the United States and are illustrated 
by the highest quality of half tones. 

Our subscription rates are $1.50 per year in 
the United States and $1.75 in a Foreign coun- 
try. Sample Copy 30c. 


Address 


W. LEE CHAMBERS, Bus. Manager, 
Eagle Rock, Los Angeles, Cal. 


vu 
Live North American Wild 
Fowl for Sale 


In order tu stimulate the interest in 
this most fascinating branch of bird 
study, we have determined to place a 
part of our large collection of these 
birds on the market, and offer for sale, 
mated pairs of the following species: 


Blue Geese Lesser Snow Geese 


American White-fronted Geese 


Hutchins Geese Canada Geese 


at prices which will be found attractive 
on application. But unless you really 
purpose buying some of these, do not 
annoy us with correspondence relating 
thereto. 


R. M. BARNES, 
LACON, ILL. 


BIRD-LORE 
FOR CHRISTMAS 


Tell us to whom you wish us 
to send Bird-Lore for you dur- 
ing 1913, and we will forward 
a Christmas Card, giving your 
name as donor, and a free copy 
of the 100-page Christmas num- 
ber of Bird-Lore, containing 
three colored plates and many 
half-tones. They will go in 
time to be received, with your 
greetings, on Christmas Day, 
and Bird-Lore will follow, as 
published, throughout the year. 
A valuable present, easily made, 
whether to a friend or to your- 


self. | 
$1.00 a Year 

For Christmas: Five Subscriptions for 

$4.00, Three Subscriptions for $2.50 


BIRD-LORE, Harrisburg, Pa. 


Vill THE OOLOGIST 


The Oologist 


FOR 1913 
WILL BE THE. BE Sm 


Bird Publication in America 


It is not too scientific to be interesting nor to 
popular in contents to lack scientific value. 


It is the only Birds Egg publication in North 
America, and indispensible to all forming a col- 
lection. 


It is by far the best advertising medium in 
this country for the sale of Taxidemist and 
Oological instruments and accessories. 


a No publication anywhere is its equal as an 
-@vertising medium for the sale of bird books 
pamphlets and magazines. Its pages are a mir- 
ror of current prices for such. ; 


Subscription 50 cents 


The Oologist 
Lacon, Ill. or Albion, N. Y. 


THE OOLOGIST. 


BIRDS--NESTS--EGGS 
TAXIDERMY 


VOI exo. No; 4. 


ALBION, N. Y., APRIL 15, 19138. 


WHOLE No. 309 


BRIEF SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS 


Wanted, 


serted for less than 25 cents. 


-d, Exchange, For Sale, Etc., inserted in this department at 25 cents 
for each 25 words for one issue; each additional word 1 cent. No 


notice in- 


TAKE NOTICE. 
SUBSCRIPTION, 50 CENTS PER YEAR 


Examine the number on the wrapper of 
your Oologist. It denotes the time your 
subscription expires. Remember we must 
be notified if you wish it discontinued and 
all arrearages must be paid, 304 your sub- 
. scription expires with this issue. 305 your 
subscription expired with December issue 
1912. Other expirations can be computed by 
intermediate numbers at the rate of one 
number per month. 


We will not advertise the skins, nests, Ss 
These columns are for the use of those desiring 


North American Birds for sale. 


Entered as second-class matter De- 
cember 21, 1903, at the post office at 
Albion, N. Y., under the Act of Congress 
of March 3, 1879. 


In answering advertisements in 
these columns mention “The Oologist,” 
and thereby help us, as well as the ad- 
vertiser and yourself. 


eses, or mounted specimens ot 


to make bona fide exchanges of such specimens for scientific collecting purpo- 


ses onlv.—EDITOR. 
BIRDS 


WANTED-—Live American Wild Trumpet- 
er Swan. R. M. Barnes. Lacon, Ill. 


BIRD SKINS .—Exchange generally. 
FRANK S. WRIGHT, 14 Cayuga St., Auburn, 
MY) (2p) 

WANTEHED.—To exchange skins, also bird 
oe ee camera for cash. CORNEL- 

US BUS, Detroit, Mich. (1-p) 


SE eee a ee 

WANT TO BUY—Live wi'd ducks, geese, 
swan, cranes, stork, Pelican, eagles, Guinea 
pigs, and all wild animals. IRL E. BEN- 
NETT. “ Naturalist,’ Cambridge. Ohio. (1-p) 


ae See eee 
TO #XCHANGEH.—A large collection of 
birds’ skins as a whole only for a large col- 
lection of stamps. No trash wanted. F. T. 
oo 80 Killingsworth Ave., Fortine 
re. (2-p 


I desire to exchange bird skins and bird 
eggs with all collectors; send full list of skins 
andeggs. D. V. HEMBREE, Roswell, se 


Dp) 


EXCHANGE.—Can offer good exchange in 
skins and eggs to anyone who will mount 


some dried skins for me, such sets as; Man- 


dt’s Giullemot, Whistling Swan, Canada 
Geese, Old Squaw, etc. HUR ‘ 
PROCKWAY, Hadlyme, Conn. (1-p) 


First class s kins Illinois, California and 
Costa Rica to exchange for birds from South- 
ern or Western States, or from_other coun- 
tries. H. K. COALE, Highland Park, Ill. (i) 


EEE EE EEEEEEEEEEEE 


WANTED.— First class skins of Passenger 
Pigeons, male and female, for which I will 
give in exchange first class skins of Heath 
Hens. FRED H. KENNARD, 220 Devonshire 
St., Boston, Mass. (1) 


De ee SS 

FOR EXCHANGE.—I have left one pair 
Passenger Pigeons, (Hctopistes Migratorius) 
nicely mounted and good condition. Will 
take part cash and part in rare sets or birds. 
PHILO SMITH, 1824 Byers Ave.. 2 aed Mo. 

=p 

WANTED.—Extra fine skins for mounting, 
two Am. Avocets, male, ads., two Am. Wood- 
cocks, male, ads., two Black-necked Stilts, 
male, ads., and two Boxwhites, male, ads. 
Offer A 1 Skins or mounted birds, FRANK- 
LIN J. SMITH, Box 98, Eureka, Cal. (1-p) 


en eee 

WANTED. Scientific skins of A. O. U. 20, 
242, 289a, 320, 320a, 327, 360. 357, 372a 373a, 373b. 
373c, 373d, 373e. 373f. 373g, 373h, 373,1, 373.2, 374, 
374a, 377, 378a. 379: 379.1, 380381. Willexchange, 
for them A. O. U. 34, 380. The Owls must all 
be the small Genra of the Varieties. H. W. 
AITKEN, 1521 Vine St., Phi 


APR21 1918 


I THE OOLOGIST 


EGGS. 


In sending in your exchange notices 


for nests, skins and eggs, we would ap- 
preciate it if you would arrange the 
numerals in your exchange notice in 
their numerical order, and not tumble 
them together hit and miss, as some of 
our readers are complaining, and we 
think justly so. 


FOR EXCHANGE.—Foranything of use to 
a sportsman. A.I. mounted Birds and Skins 
of water fowl and owls. MILO DENNY, 
Waubeek, Iowa. 


EXCHANGE.—Personally taken sets, 263, 
300, 388, 412a, 444, 466a, 498, 528. oe 540. 584, 624) 
for sets of Warblers only. . MOUSLEY, 
Hatley, Quebec (1-p) 


I have a number of sets of Brandt’s Cor- 
morant on exchange. Can use duplicate sets, 
CHAS. H. CULP, Pacitic Grove, Calif. (1-p) 


I have a few good sets to exchange. Want 
334, 334a, 337a, 337d, 340, 344. (351) 352a, 356, 360c. 
361 and many others. DAVID BE. BROWN, 
Room No. 11, Federal Bldg., Tacoma, Wash. 

(1p) 


FOR SA LE—700 egg trays, made with white 
paper all sizes and in good condition. I will 
also exchange for sets of eggs for others new 
to my collection. J] have also many maga- 
zines for exchange. C. M. CASE, 7 Holcomb 
St., Hartford, Conn. 


Fine sets from Greenland, Iceland, Arctic 
America, also Antarctic. Will exchange 
European for North American sets. H. T. 
BOOTH,8 Cranbury Road. Fulham, Bugiand, 

(1-p) 


KHXCHANGE.—A fine series of ten of the 
Pallas Murre from Cape Hope, Alaska. I 
want 188, 332, 343, 348, 362, P64 and many others, 
D. E. BROWN, 6044 Ist Ave.. No. W. Sta. F. 
Seattle, Wash. 


EGGS FOR EXCHANGE.—A few sets each 
of the following to exchange for other sets. 
Nos. 49, 120c, 122, 127, 294a. 360a. Send full list: 
J.S. APPLETON. Simi, Ventura Co., Cal. 


TO EXCHANGE —Sets with data, North 
American and Foreign. Can use viel com- 
mon kinds of both. Dr. T. W. RICHARDS 
a2 Navy, 1911 N. St., N. W., Washington 


EXCHANGE.—Vol. 23 Physical Culture’ 
Want Reed’s Color Key to North American 
Birds, Holland’s Butterfly book, Hummers, 


Sets of 144 Eggs. flying squirrel skins. EARL | 


HAMILTON, Yohoghany, Pa (1-p: 


FOR EXCHANGE—A 1 sets taken this 
season, Glaucus Wing Gull, Pigeon Guillemot 

iolet Green Cormorant. W. F, BURTON, 
Esq., 937 St. Charles S. T., Victoria, B. C. 


WANTED.—To hear from collectors who 
have sets with Cowbird eggs in them. Who 
wants skins of the Wild Turkey, 310 A? Last 
year I put up ten. Ineed many of the common 
sets with nests, CanadaJay, Northern Raven, 
Audubon’s Oriole, and nests, Cooper’s Tana- 

fer, Warbling Vireo and nest, numerous 
arblers, 
hrashers, and Varied Thrush and nest. H. 
. BAILEY, Newport News, Va (1) 


st. Lucas, Mearn’s and LeCont’s Ss. 


WANTED. I will collect sets in North 
West Canada this season. I want sets of 
Eagles, Hawks and Owls. THOS. 8S. HILL,. 
Relics, fossils, sheils, Moodys. Okla. (1-p) 


One Portable Tradic Medical Battery, tw® 
cells with all appliances good as new. : 
issues of Recreation. Dry plate camera4x d.. 
Exchange for birds’ eggs. C. B. VANDER- 
COOK, Odin, Til. (2-p) 


FOR EXCHANGE. —Sets with data and 
singles for first class bird skins. B. G. WIL- 
LARD, 30 Huntington, Ave., Boston, Magee 

(1-p 


FINE COLLECTION BIRD EGGS, many 
birds and nests photographed, to exchange 
for microscope, fly rod, casting rod, or tackle 
Box 775, Stanford University, Cal. 


Marine Shells, Pacific Coast species, Smith- 
sonian Identification, for specimens and. 
ouriosities of any kind, Birds’ Eggs preferred, 
W. W. WESTGATE, 809 ist North, Seattle. 
Wash. 1-p) 


FOR EXCHANGE.—Two hundred sets. 
with data, in first class condition, including 
50 European (without data) in cabinet. List 
sent on application.—DR. JAMESON, 105 N. 
Washington St., Titusville, Pa. (4-p) 


WANTED—Fine sets Flycatchers, especial— 
ly 459: also rare postage stamps, British, 
North American colonies only. Offer sets 
with nests 228, 227a. 474b. 533, 558, 641, 648, 673,. 
743c and others. H. MOUSLEY, Que: (-p) 


FOR EXCHANGE.—A large list of fine sets: 
with data, to exchange for fine sets of Rap- 
tores and large singles. Exchange also de- 
sired in minerals, sea shells, butterflies and 
moths. L.C. SNYDER, Lacona, N.Y. (-p) 


FOR SALE.—At less than half cost; Oak 


-Egg Cabinet, nine drawers; 26x35 inches; 209 


permanent divisions 22 to 3 inches deep. 
Made especially for my Water Birds Egg. 
THOS. H. JACKSON, 304 N. Franklin St., 
West Chester, Pa. (2) 


FOR SALE OR EXCHANGE.—For skins 
or eggs in sets. Bird Lore, Vol. VIII, Vol. 
VII, No. 5-6; Vol. [X, No. 1. Nidiologist, Vol. 
III, No. 1; Vol. II. No. 9; Vol. III, No. 2; Osprey. 
Vol. 1-3; Condor, Vol. 3. -1; Museum, Vol. I, No. 
3-4-5-12.. Ornithologist and Oologist, Vol. 
XVIII; Oologist, Vol. XXITI-XX VI-XX VII- 
XXVIII; Vol. X, No. 4-7-11; Vol. XI, Nos.7 and 
9; Vol. XII, Nos. 10 and 11; Vol. XIV, No. 3 
and7. ARTHUR W. BROCKWAY, Hadlyme, 


Conn. (1-p) 
FOR EXCHANGE.—My entire collection 
of several hundred sets of eggs. Want bird 


and mammal skins, mounted birds and 
animals, game heads, beetles, old relics, 
stamps and curios. My special wants are 
skins of Bull Crested Sandpiper and female 
Dickcissels, mounted birds, A. O. U. Num- 
bers 11, 32, 47, 64, 74, 80. 125, 128, 134, 150, 166, 169, 
I7la, 177, 206, 211. 218, 225, 096." 258, 260, 2 69. 280, 
281, 286, 288, 293. 308, 309, 311, 325, 326, 327, 362, 370, 
37a, 381, 443, 471, 476, 483, 487, 513, 513a; Mounted 
Mole (Scalops), Civet (Bassariscus), Southern 

Fox Squirrel, Jack Rabbit, Texan Pecarry, 
Antelope head, Gila monster and 3 foot Alli- 
gator. List everything you can ee No 
eggs wanted. W.E.SNYDER, No. 
6, Beaver Dam, Wis. ti 


THE OOLOGIST. 


Vou. XXX. No. 4. ALBION, N. Y. APRIL 15, 1918. WHOLE No. 309 


Owned and Published Monthly, by R. M. Barnes, Albion, N.Y., and Lacon, Ill. 


THE WOOD THRUSH. 
By 
Jacob Green, M. D. 


Professor of Chemistry in Jefferson College. 


When bright Aurora gilds the morn, 
And music breaks from brake and bush, 
And loity oak, and lowly thorn; 

Oh, then is heard the thrilling Thrush. 


He from some branching aged tree, 
The early breeze with rapture fills, 
The joyous notes sweep o’er the lea, 
And echo from the grassy hills. 


The plowboy blithe at peep of dawn, 
Whistling along his wonted way, 
New pauses on the dewy lawn, 

To catch the warblings of his lay. 


But when the sun in glowing ear, 

Rolls glittering o’er the panting plain, 
Then deep in shadowy glens afar, - 

He whispers there a lovely strain. 


But at pale evening’s pensive hush, 

When the gay glow-worm trims his lamp 
Again is heard the thrilling Thrush, 

In dewy dells and valleys damp. 


Published in The Cabinet of Nat- 
ural History and American Field 
Sports, vol. II], page 79 (1838). 


58 THE OOLOGIST 


A Correction. 

Through an oversight of the printer, 
the article beginning on page 34 of our 
March issue entitled “The Nesting 
History of a Pair of Golden Hagles,” is 
eredited to C. H. Dixon, whereas it 
should be credited to C. S. SHARPH. 
We regret this very much. 

2 SO OE ee ee 
Kill The Cats. 

Farmers’ Bulletin No. 513 of the 
United States Department of Agricul- 
ture, among other things, contains 
these words: 

“One of the worst fces of cur na- 
tive birds is the house cat, and prob- 
ably none of our native wild animals 
destroy as many birds on the farm, 
particularly fledgings, as cats. The 
househoid pet is by no means blame- 
less in this respect, for the bird-hunt- 
ing instinct is strong even in the well- 
fed tabby; but much of the loss of our 
feathered life is attributable to the 
half-starved stray, which in summer is 
as much at home in the groves and 
fields as the birds themselves. Forced 


to forage for their own livelihood, 


these animals, which are almost as 
wild as the ancestral wildcat, inflict 
an appalling loss on our feathered al- 
lies and even on the smaller game 
birds like the woodcock and bobwhite. 
If cats are to find place in the farm- 
er’s household, every effort should be 
made by careful feeding and watch 
ing them to insure the safety -of the 
birds. The cat without a home should 
be mercifully put out of the way.” 
Fully seventy-five per cent. of the 
birds hatched within the limits of the 
incorporated towns and villages of the 
United States are destroyed by cats. 
Every real bird lover will seize upon 
every opportunity to place one of these 
enemies of our bird friends “hors de 
combat.” It is a duty that we owe 
the birds to exterminate as nearly as 
possible the cats, and the Editor hopes 


every reader of The Oologist will make 
a record along this line in 1913.—Hdi- 
tor. : 


= ae 
Buzzard Egging. 

About the first Sunday in May each 
year, an irresistible voice I hear, that 
draws me cut to the deep dark woods, 
where there in the soothing solitudes, 
I look for friends midst fairies and 
gnomes, and visit them there in their 
wild wood homes; : 

Out in the midst of the thickest part, 
in a huge old elm with a hollow heart, 
I hurry to look with a most intense, 
expectancy for its residents; For the 
same old hollow for years has blessed 
a pair of Buzzards and sheltered their 
nest; 

Now a beautiful Turkey Vulture’s 
egg, just seems to look in my face and 
beg for a place in my Oological case, 
and seldom is it that I am so base, 
and diffident as to scorn the request, 
when I stumble onto a Buzzard’s nest; 

Now this is the way I figure to 
please, my Oological wants and ease 
the conscience that needs no pardon 
beg of the goose that layed the golden 
ege: We observe that it is the Vul- 
ture’s way (like the Raptores and the 
birds of prey) to be satisfied with the 
work and cheer, of rearing ONE fam- 
ily every year; Now this longing of 
Buzzards is so intense that when we 
appear and collect our rents, the Vul- 
ture persistently up and lays, a dupli- 
cate set in thirty days; 

Two young soon break from the thin 
shell walls, looking quite like two 
cotton balls; The. Buzzardine crop is 
increased two more, and as fine as if 
hatched a month before; Just a sim- 
ple retarding of Nature’s way—mere- 
ly our making the Vulture pay, a sort 
of a tribute that I might get, two more 
fine eggs for my cabinet; 

This was the magnet that led the 
way and drew me Lynn Groveward 


THE OOLOGIST 


x 


The Buzzard’s Home 
—Photo by Isaac E. Hess 


59 


60 THE OOLOGIST 


the first of May; The trees were 
dressed in the restful green; flowers 
and birds made bright the scene; up 
in the air (a pleasing sight) a Buz- 
zard was sailing in graceful flight; 
Only one Vulture was sweeping the 
air, which meant that the female was 
then somewhere, probably covering 
with wings and legs, two beautiful 
cream-colored brown-blotched eggs. 
Tip-toeing up to the hcllow tree, I 
placed my tripod where it would be, 
just right to catch the hostess on a 
camera plate ’ere she was gone; Fo- 
cusing into the cavity, with diaphragm 
stopped down carefully, I attached a 
string to the shutter’s release and 
prepared to scoop in a masterpiece; 


And here is the place to offer a tip— _ 


“There’s mony a slip twixt th’ cup and 
th’ lip’—My visions of photos went 
up in thin air, for when I arrived, Mrs. 
V. wasn’t there; 

I was disappointed all over in spots 
as big as a blanket however my 
thoughts, led me away to another site, 
where both the Buzzards occasionally 
light; But in neither place was my 
friends at home, and but for an acci- 
dent quite, this “pome’’ would never 
have found space on this page, nor 
the beautiful set my heart assuage. I 
had given up my search in disgust; 
was in a lethargic state I mistrust, 
when I was accosted by a Kentuck, 
who lived in the Grove; now wasn’t it 
luck, that the subject reverted to 
Buzzard eggs? I told him I had nearly 
walked off my legs; “I reckon I know 
whar she’s settin,” sa id he; “You all 
want me to show you whar she be?” 
—Said I “I’d sure like to see the nook 
in this old grove where I didn’t look” 

He grinningly volunteer ‘wal I 
guess, I sure got one on you, Mr. Hess” 
—“TJ was comin’ this mornin’ through 
the bog and see’d her a settin’ in a 
log.” 

And through the brush he took the 


lead—hbare-foot, bare-head, true type 
indeed, of Nature’s child who under- 
stood each little mystery of the wood; 
“She hatched in that thar log last 
year,’ he added and then to me ‘twas. 
clear, why I collected no Buzzard set 
to add to my last year’s cabinet; 

Yes, here was the log and when I 
sized, it up and down [I realized, I had 
sat upon that dog-goned log, when if 
I had only been a dog, I'd shortened 
much my hunting process, by using 
first my old proboscis. I Knew that 
at first I must accustom myself to the 
dark or I might bust ’em, so patient’, 
no impatiently, I strained my eyes till 
I could see, two great big globules 
lying there—an innocent conspicuous 
pair, of eggs that stared in mute sur- 
prise, for those big blotches seemed 
like eyes, and seemed to say “Oh res- 
cuer brave, release us from this dis- 
mal cave’; Quoth I “you’re rescued 
pretty eggies now I’ll sure win one of 
Carnegie’s medals that he with great 
tact, distributes round for each brave 
act. 

The female left without a word; she 
is you know, a silent bird; We heard 
no wild blood-curdling squawks, like 
when we rob the Red-tailed Hawks; 
She sailed around with furtive gaze as 
though just counting up the days 
when she would have another set, 
and present tragedies forget; The 
log was lying north and south and 
looking in the tunnel’s mouth, I saw 
the eggs ten feet from each, near or 
far side and out of reach; The facts 
and figures to be faced, were, hole too 
small, and all incased in wood so hard, 
I could but scratch it, nor hope to dig 
through with my hatchet; Whistling 
an inspiration song, I cut me down a 
sapling prong and rolled into my eager 
hands the finest set in fourteen lands; 

’Tis beautiful to see and my, but— 
*twas a pleasure to describe it, on my 
data; Do you know it—every single 


THE OOLOGIST 61 


time I show it, egg cranks seem to 
want to nab it? Ask our friend G. 
Alan Abbott. 
Isaac EK. Hess. 
Philo, Ill., Dec. 8, 1912. 
2) ee eee 
Blue Geese. 

Easter Sunday, _March 23d, four 
Blue Geese, evidently young birds of 
last season’s raising, dropped almost 
exhausted into the flock of wild fowl 
on our grounds at home, showing 
every indication of exhaustion and 
being exceedingly thin. The white 
about the heads and faces of these 
birds is marked with the usual rusty 
eolored stains produced upon white 
birds by contact with salt water. 

At this writing, April 4th, they are 
still with us, and apparently propose 
to stay, the same as the white-front- 
ed Goose did in the same manner two 
years ago this spring, and that is now 
one of our tamest birds, never having 
been either clipped or pinioned. 


—<—o 


An Odd Bird Box. 

On May 12, I put up a smal! wind- 
mill, the wheel of which is nearly six 
feet in diameter, and has eight arms. 
The whole wind-mill turns on a pivct 
in the top of a twelve foot post set in 
the ground about thirty feet from our 
dining room windows. 

Just aS an experiment I placed a 
bird box on the top of the windmill 
Tight above the pivot, with the door 
facing away. from the wheel. Of 
course the direction in which the box 
faces depends upon the direction in 
which the wind is blowing. 

On June 1, I examined the box and 
was surprised to find that it contained 
the nest of a Crested Flycatcher 
(Myarchus crinitus) with a set of six 
eges which appeared to be badly in- 
cubated. As usual the nest was com- 
posed of dry grass, feathers and pieces 
of cast snake skin. The box has a 
tin roof, painted on the outside. 


The birds did not seem at all afraid 
of the wheel, even flying through be- 
tween the arms when it was in mo- 
tion. 

On June 9th, I observed the birds 
carrying food to the nest at short in- 
tervals, which indicated that the eggs 
had hatched. 

The Crested Flycatcher is rather un- 


common in this locality (Hamblen 
County, Tennessee). This being the 
second nest I have found. Is is not 


very unusual for these birds to nest 
in such a place, especially when the 
wheel in rotating almost constantly, 
at times making perhaps seventy-five 
revolutions per minute and also a good 
deal of noise? 

Joh Taylor 


Morristown, Tenn. 
a He a 


The Chewink. 
Pipilo Erythrphthalumus. 

The Chewink is often called Ground 
Robin, Towhee, Towhee Bunting and 
Towhee Ground Finch. It is about 8 
or 8% inches; a little smaller than 
the Rcbin. The color of the male is 
as follows: upper parts are black, 
breast is white, rump and sides are 
chestnut, the three outer tail feathers 
are white and can easily be seen when 
the bird is flying; the bill is black 
and heavy, the eyes are red and the 
feet are brown. The female is brown 
where the male is black. The color 
of its breast is a mixture of chestnut 
and white. 

The Chewink is often taken for a 
Robin, and why? Because the under- 
parts are of a reddish color, but by 
leokine carefully one will see that the 
Chewink is smaller than the Robin, 
and that it is also colored darker. 

Its forms and habits are that of a 
Finch and not that of a Robin. The 
sunken nest is on the ground and 
looks much like the surroundings. One 
can hardly see it and it often happens 
that it is stepped on without knowing 


THE OOLOGIST 


‘ezUesely, ‘I Jo kson09 
YeLA SUSUR) JOAIY Weog Ul 


punousy 94} UO UOUS}] On| g }eOUH Jo SHHA pue yson 


eG ot > eae ox rer are 


ra bs 


THE OOLOGIST 


—Photo by F. C. Willard 


Some of the Editor’s Wild Fowl 


63 


64 THE OOLOGIST 


it. The female, who is much smaller 
than the male, deposits the eggs, 
which are of a dirty white color and 
speckled with brown, in the little 
nest. Mostly one brood is reared dur- 
ing one season, but sometimes even 
two. The Chewink derives its name 
from the resemblance of its note to 
these syllables, while those calling it 
Towhee hear the sound, “to-wick,” 
“to-whee.” Its song is rich, full, pleas- 
ing and is uttered only when the bird 
has risen to the branches above its 
nest. The Chewink’s favorite place is 
the border of swamps and bushy 
fields. It is generally looking for 
earthworms and larvae of insects, on 
the ground among the dead leaves. 
Once in a while it refreshes itself on 
the dropping berries and fruits. When 
startled the bird rises about 10 to 12 
feet from the ground and ealls its 
famous note. On account of its habit 
of flying low and grabbing among the 
leaves it is often called the Greund 
Robin. The Chewink is one of our 
most useful birds. 
Wm. C. Martin. 
Illinois. 
et ola ee Se 
The Swallow-tailed Kite. 

I think it was about May 10th, 1889 
—my note book recording the incident 
was destroyed by fire—that I sallied 
forth on a warm sunny morning in 
quest of nests of the Swallow-tailed 
Kite. A brisk walk of four or five 
miles took me to the large cypresses 
of Billums Creek bottoms, where I had 
found a few nests in the past, but 
generally in inaccessible situations to 
me, equipped as I was then. But now 
I had an extra good pair of climbers 
and a belt of extra length, so I felt 
like tackling most any kind of a tree. 
A cypress is a very easy tree to climb 
if it is not too large, as the wood is 
very soft and yielding, allowing the 
spurs to be socked in as far as they 
will go, with little effort. 


Sure enough, when I got down 
among the lofty cypresses, just above 
their featherly tops, a beautiful Swal- 
low-tail floated lazily, describing the 
matchless graceful curves that only 
this bird can. The Turkey Vulture 
appears to float in the air with very 
little effort, but it takes the Swallow- 
tailed Kite to do the trick with abso- 
lutely no visible effort whatever. Oh 
man! you may fly, but not in a thous- 
and centuries can you hope to fly as 
does this beautiful creature. . 

‘ihe bird in the air proved, as I sus- 
pected, to be the male, for I soon lo- 
cated the nest with the tips of the tail 
of the female showing. But shades 
of Pinchot, what a tree! At least ten 
feet in diameter at the base, tapering 
to abeut eight feet a few feet up and 
holding this for at least forty feet, 
when it widened or flattened out to 
abcut ten feet wide and four feet thick 
and then divided into two prongs, 
each of which was about four feet in 
diameter, towering afolt at an angle 
of about ninety degrees, for more than 
100 feet. 

Near the top of the west prong, a 
limb four inches in diameter had been 
blown off, causing three young sprouts 
to grow out and shoot straight up for 
about six feet. Right in the tops of 
these young branches the nest was 
placed on a network or platform form- 
ed by small horizontal branches put- 
ting out from the three main shoots. 
The latter were about 11% inches in di- 
ameter at the bases and much too frail 
to bear my weight. 

The main trunk was covered with 
large wart-like protuberances, appar- 
ently stuck on to make what would 
otherwise have been an almost impos- 
sible task, a cinch. The trunk was 
hollow, and by striking on it a heavy 
club it gave a sound that caused Mrs. 
Kite to leave her nest in haste. She 
was at once joined by her mate and 
both birds remained in the vicinity as 


THE OOLOGIST 65 


long as I was there, showing mucn 
concern at my intrusion. 

The situation looked hopeless, but 
I was satisfied that the nest contained 
eggs, and I wanted those eggs, oh, so 
badly. My belt was much too short 
to encircle the tree, and even if it 
had been long enough it would have 
been impossible for me to have work- 
ed it up over the aforesaid tumors, 
some of which stuck out for a foot or 
more. Equipped as I was, I do not 
think the most expert steeple-jack in 
the world would have attempted the 
climb. But I was bound to have those 
eggs, or at least break my neck in the 
attempt to get them; so I went home, 
secured a good Indian bow and arrows 
which I happened to have, a couple 
of hundred feet of silk bass line, a 
like quantity of good strong cord and 
about 100 feet of %-inch Manilla rope. 
Thus equipped, I again made my ap- 
pearance on the field of action, at 
about 1 p.m. Mrs. Kite was on again, 
leaving the nest at my close approach. 
She gave a few faint whistles, and her 
mate joined her instanter. 

Removing the point from one of the 
arrows I attached one end of the bass 
line to it and coiled the line so it 
would run free. ‘Before proceeding 
further I had to climb two trees and 
chop off some limbs in order to get 
a clear space for the flight of the ar- 
row and line. This accomplished, I 
let drive, but the arrow went much too 
low. After about twenty trials and 
much entangling and untangling of 
line, the feat was finally accomplish- 
ed. But when I attached the cord to 
the line and attempted to draw it 
through the crotch of the tree, the 
bass line stuck, and I dared not pull 
on it very hard. Coiling the line, I 
climbed a nearby tree till well above 
the crotch in the cypress, when I had 
no trouble in getting the line over. 
After tying knots in onehalf of the 


rope, I found it was too short, but 
this was soon remedied by attaching 
a generous length of grape vine at 
the bottom end, when I hauled it 
through the crotch and made one end 
fast to a tree. Strapping on my climb- 
ers I was soon up to the crotch, but 
here I met with difficulty in getting 
into the crotch. The rope hung over 
a slight hump and swung clear of the 
tree far enough to allow me to get 
my hands around it, but when I arriv- 
ed at the hump, which was just below 
the crotch, it looked like Waterloo. 
But after resting a bit I brought my 
climbers into play and finally worked 
up above the hump and fell into the 
crotch. I gazed down at the bristling 
cypress knees below and _ realized 
what would be my fate if I should 
fall. All this time the birds had been 
making vicious dives at me, some- 
times coming so close that I could 
feel the wind from their wings on the 
back of my head. After a good rest, 
I adjusted my belt and went up with- 
out difficulty till I arrived at the large 
limb, growing on the broken stub of 
which were the young sprouts which 
held the nest. Here I had to do a bit 
of ticklish crawling, while the wind 
swayed the limb in a way that I did 
not like. The wood of the tree was old 
and brittle and I realized that the limb 
was liable to split off at any moment. 
However, no such thing happened, and 
I soon found myself just beneath the 
nest. I dared not try to get up far- 
ther, so I tip-toed on the swaying 
limb and could just put my hand in 
the nest. Two eggs! Taking off my 
collecting box, which I had carried up 
swung over my shoulder, I pulled off 
a piece of Spanish moss with which 
the nest was festooned, packed the 
eggs and lowered them to safety. The 
ground color of the eggs was a pale 
bluish white; the larger egg was boldy 
splashed near the larger end with 


66 THE OOLOGIST 


brown, varying from almost black to 
a rich Vandyke; the smaller egg had 
lighter shades of brown rather evenly 
distributed over the entire surface, 
in smaller spots. The eggs are not in 
my possession, and I have forgotten 
the measurements, but the larger of 
the two was rather large for this spe- 
cies and: was an unusually handsome 
ege. Incubation had just begun and 
I blew them through 1-16-inch holes, 
first cutting the lining neatly with 
a small curved knife which I made from 
an embryo hook. 

The nest was a beautiful affair of 
' rather smali sticks and Spanish moss, 
lined and gaily festooned with the lat- 
ter. It was about 24-inches in diame 
ter and fully one foot thick, depth in- 
side about three inches, a very sym- 
metrical and compact structure—a 
better grade of workmanship than I 
have ever seen in any kind of hawk 
nest, or any other kind of nest of so 
large a size, except, perhaps, one of 
an American Raven which I[ found in 
the mountains of New Mexico. 

First and last, I have collected quite 
a few sets of this species, but this was 
the worst climb I ever had. The ma- 
jority of the nests in this locality, 
Tyler County, are placed in tall pines, 
seldom below 100 feet from the 
ground. The one referred to above 
was just 155 feet up, as I determined 
by tying a knot in the string with 
which the egzs were lowered and later 
measured—the string. 

Fifteen or twenty years ago, Swal- 
low-tails were very abundant here, so 
much so in fact, as to be regarded as a 
nuisance on account of their fondness 
for young Mockingbirds. I have seen 
them rob these nests dozens of times, 
but never saw them pilfer any other 
kind of bird’s nest. They are very 
fond of young wasps. They will swoop 
down and pluck a wasp nest with 
their claws and eat the young wasps 


at leisure as they float around in the 
air. Small green snakes and chame- 
leons, Anolis, also figure prominently 
in their bill of bare. The birds are 
getting rare here now. Have never 
known them to occupy the same nest- 
ing site twice. 
‘HY. EF. Pope. 
Colmesneil, Texas. 
a Seer ne Sis SS 
From Utah. 

According to promise in The Oolo- 
gist of January 15th, I again show up 
as I am some 3000 feet higher as to al- 
titude, not in stature—being only five . 
feet four. 

Leaving our camp of yesterday 
(June 1, 1911) as recorded in my pre- 
vious letter, we make an early get 
away, up at 5 a. m. After a hasty 
breakfast we soon had our harness 
en, and material necessary for collect- 
or’s outfit in Utah, which consisted 
at the time of a U. S. knapsack well 
filled with provender (an essential), a 
Tommy hatchet, pruning shears, an- 
other essential to the Oologist, saw 
and climbers. We started for the up- 
per zone of the Tintic range which is 
some two miles Hast of camp. 

The sloping hills spoken of before 
comes to an abrupt end, when we 
reach the foot of this precipitous part 
of the earth, “The Tintic Range,” and 
where one is fortunate to find water 
to drink. 

On the way to the foot of the range, 
on the S. W. slope of an abrupt bluff, 
a Western Flycatcher, with a set of 
four fresh eggs, in a cavity of an old. 
half dead, scraggy Cedar, six feet up. 

Farther along on the steep side of a 
deep arroyo stood a lonely Pine on 
which was seen a male Sparrow 
Hawk, perched on its topmost branch 
on guard. On examination we find 
a large portion of the tree had been 
burned out many years ago. One lit- 
tle Hawk had a finely marked set of 


THE OOLOGIST 67 


eggs in a burned cavity, black as 
night, twenty feet up. One can hardly 
forget the picture with such a setting, 
five bright eyes peering out of the 
coal black hole. While one of my 
companions was climbing to the 
Hawk’s nest I noticed a small bird fly 
up and into a small hole, which ap- 
peared many times smaller than the 
bird, yet it had free access. With saw 
and hatchet we soon had an opening 
which disclosed a handsome set of 
seven eggs of the Western Winter 
Wren—such beauties! Elated over 
our success so early in the day, we go 
on with renewed vigor, looking for- 
ward to a good day's work, we start 
up the steep and rocky mountain side. 
Saw Chickadees, one pair Pine Gros- 
beaks also a small Flycatcher, not 
known to me. After reaching the top, 
we keep on the ridge, we locate an- 
other Sparrow Hawk’s nest in an old 
Fir stump, only five feet up, with the 
female on the eggs. I was not alto- 
gether acquainted with these little fel- 
lows, and being assured that no harm 
would come of it, I put my gloveless 
hand into the hole, to be quickly grasp- 
ed as in a vise. My hand came back 
to me with a jerk and our little 
Madam with it. She was so attached 
to me she did not want to let go; my 
companion took hold of her, and with 
much stroking of the head and back 
coaxed her away, when she sat calm- 
ly without fear for several minutes, 
while the eggs were taken from the 
nest—was I scared? Some. 

We continued on to the Hast, to 
the highest point, some 2000 feet then 
the camp and fully eight miles away. 
We now turn back, taking a narrow 
deep canon until we reach Santchi’s 
Camp; where we find a Western House 
Wren had taken possession of a corn- 
er of the bedroom; only three eggs, 
left for future call. Saw several Rock 
and two Dotted Cannon Wrens in this 


canon. It is now near three o’clock 
and seven miles from camp, we hurry 
on. In a Mountain Maple copse near 
the mouth of the canon we locate a 
Sharp-shinned Hawk in a Maple 15 
feet up with five eggs; these birds 
were some fighters, one’s hat was not 
safe for a minute. It took two per- 
sons to keep them away from the one 
in the tree. Must be seen to appre- 
ciate fully. 

About three rods away, in an old 
Magpie’s nest a Long-eared Owl had 
five pipped eggs. 

We hasten on to the sloping hills, 
wherein we flushed a Brewer Sparrow 
from her fresh eggs. It was now grow- 
ing toward dark and three long miles 
from camp, which we reached late 
and weary, having lifted ourselves 2500 
feet and traveled at least 22 miles in 
14 hours. We spent ten days on this 
trip. 

May Westbrook. 
Utah. 


ox oF See 
Vermont Notes. 

This has been a rather nice winter 
for birds so far. Robins are reported 
as being around all winter and about 
a month ago a flock of wild geese was 
seen. I have heard Crows cawing a 
number of times. 

I was out for a walk a few weeks 
ago and I heard a Chickadee whis- 
tling. I got under an evergreen tree 
and answered him; in a few minutes 
he came right into the tree and seem- 
ed very much surprised to find me 
instead of another Chicadee. 

There is at least one man in town 
who has a “bird table” and feeds the 
birds. He has Chicadees and Nut- 
hatches. Last winter the Redpolls 
were very plentiful, but haven’t seen 
any this year. 

There were a few people that had a 
treat in seeing a large flock of Even- 
ing Grossbeaks. I haven’t looked it 


68 ; THE OOLOGIST 


up, but they say they have never been 
reported here, although one bird book 
says they were in the Hast in 1889-90. 
They are in color, males, brownish- 
yellow, with wings, tail and crown 
black. The upper parts of the wings 
are white. The females are dingy 
brownish-grey, with a yellowish tinge; 
the belly and throat are whitish; the 
tail feathers on inner web are tipped 
with white. The call notes are rather 
loud, and the scng is short, but melo- 
dious, like that of the Robin. I have 
seen a few flocks of Snowbirds or 
Snowflakes. 

The Tree Sparrows were quite thick, 
they resemble our Chipping Sparrows, 
but you can tell the difference, by the 
black dot in the center of the Tree 
Sparrow’s breast. 

George H. Murphy. 


Vermont. 
—_—_—_—_—__<>>_e—_____—_- 


Books Received. 


Fifty Common Birds of Farm and 
Orchard, Farmers’ Bulletin No. 513, 
U. S. Department of Agriculture. 

This little pamphlet of 31 pages 
gives a description as well as colored 
plates of fifty cf the commoner birds 
found in the vicinity of the improve- 
ments on farms, and is a credit to the 
department. More publications of 
this kind would be beneficial. It is 
especially to be commended because of 
the colored plates illustrating the dif- 
ferent species from which the ordin- 
ary layman can immediately recognize 
the bird seen, provided of course, it 
is therein illustrated. 

The Canadian Alpine Journal, Spe- 
cial number, 1912. 

This splendid little publication of 
97 pages contains lists of the mam- 
mals and birds collected or observed 
on the expedition taken by the Alpine 
Club of Canada to explore Jasper 
Park, Yallowstone Pass, and the 


Mount Robinson region in the North- 
ern Rockies, a territory seldom visited 
by scientists. These lists are by M. 
Hollister. 

It also contains a list of the plants 
observed by Paul G. Stanley. All of 
these lists are published by permis- 
sion of the Smithsonian Institution. 

The list of birds contains only the 
surprisingly limited number of 78, 
showing that birds in that territory 
must be few and far between. 

The publication is certainly a credit 
to the Alpine Club which has its head- 
quarters at Banff, Alberta. These lists 
will without doubt sometime rank as 
authority upon the subject of which 
they treat in the territory covered. 

Cassinia for 1912, contains the fol- 
lowing articles: 

George Archibald McCall by Whit- 
mer Stone. 

Bird Migration in Pennsylvania a 
Hundred Years Ago, by Wells W. Cook. 

Roosting Habits of the Purple 
Grackle in the Delaware Valley, by 
Julian K. Potter. 

Pigeons by the Million, from N. Y. 
Times, 1886. 

In Days before The Club, by Spen- 
cer Trotter. 

List of Unusual Records. 

Spring Migration Report for 1912. 


—— 
BALD EAGLE. 


As I have said before, all was never 
told about this well known bird’s nest- 
ing habits. In heavy timbered sec- 
tions where nesting trees are plenti- 
ful, this bird will desert the nest and 
build a new one the following year a 
mile or sO away in another tree, or 
likely so far away that you will be un- 
able to find it. In the year 1912 two 
nests that were occupied and contain- 
ed eggs were absolutely deserted this 
spring of 19138. 

Another nest that contained a set 


THE OOLOGIST. 69 


of two eggs last season, was occupied 
this year. This site was the most fav- 
orable for many miles around, being 


situated up a Sycamore tree on an is- . 


land in the river though some one 
took the eggs ahead of me. 

Another nest that was occupied in 
1909, contained one egg, complete set. 
This nest was deserted for two years 
and occupied by another pair of birds 
in 1912. The reason I know it was 
another pair of birds was this,—this 
' female was more daring, and the seta 
collected this year contained two eggs, 
which were about one-quarter larger. 

My old original pair of Eagles have 
given me cne of the greatest of stu- 
dies yet. On May 10, 1899, I discov- 
ered a nest up a large Chestnut tree, 
up 80 feet, dead in the top, containing 
two half grown young. The follow- 
ing year, 1900, on April 8, I visited 
the nest again but was too late, the 
nest contained one young and one 
addled egg; this broke the ice at last, 
so in 1901, cn March 8, I went again 
each year going a month earlier. The 
nest was deserted, I might have 
known better than to undertake going 
up, and I had probably gone 30 feet 
up, when my spurs slipped and down 
I came, skinning my chin on the bark 
and landing at the base of the roots 
with such a jar that one tooth pene- 
trated clear through my lower lip. 
When landing my spurs embedded in 
the large approaches of the main stem 
and the weight of my body was too 
much for my lower limbs to hold in 
elastic rigitity, and the result was I 
went clear down to heels but with 
quite force enough to overbalance me. 
The resertion of this nest was caused 
by my taking the little bird the year 
previous. 

I was about doomed to disappoint- 
ment when a man in town asked me 
if I had not ‘been after Eagles, and he 
told me of a new nest about two miles 


from the old one. It was in a tall 
Pine Oak tree, about 120 feet up, on 
a hillside swamp. The tree stood in 
the lower part of the swamp and 
loomed high above its neighbors, that 
stood around it. As I was done with 
spurs for that day, I managed to get 
up and down without them. The nest 
contained two incubated eggs which I 
broke while blowing, the only ones I 
have ever broken, thus I had failure: 
all around but it was my own fault, 
poor equipment, ete. 

Winter of 1902-03. Tree cut down. 

March 38, 05 new nest lower down in 
swamp; looked in nest from adjoining 
tree and birds left. 

March 5, 1905. New nest but seem- 
ed unoccupied. 

I actually gave them up for five 
years, but in March, 1910, I took a set 
of two from a new Chestnut in original 
wood, a tree very similar to the one 
from which I fell. 

March 4, 1911, this nest contained 
another nice set of two eggs, same 
nest as 1910. 

March 11, 1912, they built a new nest 
about 300 yards distance in a Black 
Oak tree, which contained their usual 
number, two eggs. 

March 3, 1913, they had returned 
to the Chestnut I had taken two sets 
from previously. The four good sets 
saved from this pair of birds all bear 
a uniformity in size, also the set that 
was broken. The addled egg is some- 
what longer. 

I give these notes to warn the read- 
ers of The Oologist not to put too 
much dependence on a Bald Higle’s 
nest if eggs were taken the year pre- 
vious. 

Eggs taken by me in the Middle At- 
lantic States show a great diversion in 
size the smallest measures 2.13 x 2.62; 
the largest 2.32 x 3.03. 

Their color is a yellowish-white, or 
a blue-white. I think age makes the: 


70 THE OOLOGIST 


blue tinge leave, although the differ- 
ence would not be noticed in a single 
set by itself. 

Wm. B. Crispin. 


New Jersey. 
i 


White Thrashers Eggs. 


We have recently placed in our col- 
lection a very valuable edition in the 
shape of a set of four white eggs of 
the Brown Thrasher—Texostoma ru- 
fum—presented to us by our friend, 
EH. A. Ford, of Chicago. This set is, 
to the naked eye, almost pure white, 
but when held up to a strong artificial 
light or put under a strong magnify- 
ing glass slight traces of a few brown 
pigment markings can be seen. The 
ground color is white. The set was 
taken by Mr. Ford at Glenco, Cook Co., 
May 25th, 1907. The nest was on the 
ground under a heap of dead bushes, 
in a bed of dry leaves under the bush. 
It was 5%4 inches in diameter and 1% 
inches deep, composed of leaves, twigs 
and rootlets, and lined with fine dark 
colored rootlets. The bird was flush- 
ed from the nest. 

We are under obligations to Mr. 
Ford for one of the real raraties in 


our large collection. 
2+—<-—_0- 


Random Notes in Review. 


May 31. In a clump of tangled 
bushes in a hedge corner the voice of 
Bell’s Vireo guided me to its secluded 
quarters, and I was afforded an oppor- 
tunity of extending my acquaintance 
with this interesting greenlet. The 
song of this diminutive bushman is 
not loud, but its hurried enunciation, 
its somewhat scolding inflection, its 
frequent repetition in the vicinity of 
its nest, its true vireo-like equality, 
and the elusiveness of the author, 
make the song and songster easy to 
identify after an acquaintance has be- 
gun... The singing of the Bell Vireo 


can not be heard far away when other 
members of the bushland choir are 
performing, and hence this bird doe; — 
not seem to be generally noticed. J 
the bird-gazer, however, will folloy 

the quiet hint that comes to his ear, 

from the clustering: shrubbery, ani 

trace the persistent musician to th 

center of his round of song, he wi': 
find the home of this neglected Vire 

and learn something of the ways oi 
the little greenlet moving restlessly in 
the copse. 

Like some others of our songsters 
in midsummer, the Bell Vireo affects 
two keys for the execution of its 
songs. The singing in the higher key 
is clearer and more distinctly articu- 
lated, while the other phase of execu- 
tion is much lower, harsher, and seems 
to be forced through the closed or 
nearly closed mandibles. The latter 
performance is not heard nearly so 
frequently as the regular ditty, but it 
appears to be the expression of a fer- 
vent affection to its listening mate. 
All our Vireos sing while moving rest- 
lessly among the foliage or hopping 
nervously from twig to twig, peering 
upward or sidewise to detect any suit- 
able food morsels, and this habit - 
necessitates the frequent moving of 
the observer to follow the actions of 
these woodland songsters. The Bell 
Vireo prefers the edges of the clumps 
it haunts, seldom getting out into the 
full sunlight except when it flits out 
sportively in its nuptial movements. 
Its attachment to the clump contain- 
ing its pendent nest is extremely 
noticeable, and when driven away by 
the presence of wandering disturbers, 
it can be heard singing there as soon 
as the disturbance has removed. When 
the nest has its complement of eggs, 
however, the birds generally do not 
leave the place, but indicate their ob- 
jections to the presence of observers 
by.. weak, vireo-like chirping, sound- 


ESS 


* 
ve 


ing much like the scolding calls of the 


‘ Warbling and Red-eyed Vireos. 


ite resorts. 


¢ June 4. Further observations on the 
“abits of the Yellow-breasted Chat dis- 
lose the fact that it possesses a larger 
*epertoire of notes and calls than I 
ver imagined. In a locality where 
ob-whites were frequently calling, I 
~eard the Chats utter calls closely imi- 
ative of the full whistling of the well- 
cnown game bird. In the same local- 


uty the chats uttered calls much like 


the cries of the Blue Jay. Lately I 
heard a Chat imitating the notes of 
a Towhee, both birds being in the 
range of vision in positions where I 
could not mistake the calls and auth- 
ors, and repeatedly the so-called yel- 
low-breasted mocker gave evidence of 
his power by whistling in imitation of 
the Towhee. 

Hidden in the covert, I recently 
watched a Chat as he sat and gave ut- 
terance to his peculiar calls. He was 
in a low tree out in the full sunshine. 
Throwing his head upward, his rich 
yellow throat swelled as he emitted 
the single whistle with which he be- 
gins his regular performance. Then 
he turned his head quizzically to one 
side and uttered a series of sharp cack- 
les. Turning to the other side, he 
gurgled a few harsh gutterals in a 
tone thus far unused; and then he 
continued in a round of calls and 
cacklings peculiar to the Chat vocab- 
ulary. I have no hesitation in pro- 
nouncing this Chat a mocker of abil- 
ity, not surpassed in this region by 
the Catbird, though the latter is class- 
ed with our best mimics. 

Ordinarily it is difficult to observe 
the movements and antics of this Chat, 
for bushes and coverts are its favor- 
As the would-be obsery- 
er penetrates the copse in hopes of 
surprising the hidden whistlers, they 


‘recede in the most approved will-of- 
the-wisp fashion. They are very lo- 


THE OOLOGIST 71 


quacious near the spots where their 
mates are sitting on their eggs. Near 
a nest which [ visited lately was a 
pile of sawed and split wood, towering 
several feet above the bushes, and 
this eminence was a tavored site for 
the male to alight and utter his med- 
leys. When he perceived that he was 
the subject of observation, however, 
he would drop into the covert with 
loosely hanging wings and tail, and 
there continue his sputterings and 
ejaculations. 

July 14. The Chipping Sparrow 
frequently employs the hour between 
sunset and dusk in feeding. This 
evening I watched a family of four 
gleaning along a railroad track over- 
grown with weeds, principally pepper- 
grass. The Sparrows worked leisure- 
ly along the track, loitering under the 
pepper-grass herbs to pick up fallen - 
seeds. At times one of the gleaners 
would hop into the shrub, apparently 
to give it a gentle shake, after which 
action he would hop down and pick up 
the results. At other times one of the 
sparrows would flutter upward, grasp 
a branch or seed-pod, and then drop 
back to the ground. Sometimes after 
pulling down a branch they would hold 
it down with the feet and peck away 
the coveted seeds. 

July 21. Today in the stillness and 
heat of the noontide my attention was 
attracted by a low, sweet crooning in 
the foliage of a nearby tree. The 
music had all the qualities of the Rose 
breasted Grosbeak’s, but the subdued 
execution and continuous production 
left me in doubt as to the author. It 
was like the crooning of the Catbird in 
mid-winter, or the gentle effusions of 
the Warbling Vireo in a late summer 
afternoon, or the feeble pulsings of 


‘the ebbing tide of Oriole music in 


early July, or a Robin’s poetic whisp- 


‘erings; but so rare at this season, so 
‘tender in quality, so appropriately in 


72 THB OOLOGIST 


Windmill Nest Box 
—Photo by J. F. Taylor 


accord with surrounding circumstan- 
ces that I was immediately led out- 
doors to, identify the noonday vocal- 
ist. It was a young male Red-breast- 
ed Grosbeak, closely attended by his 
mother. Hopping from one station to 
another, he frequently paused to give 
expression to that murmured melody, 
not the consecutive songs which char- 
acterize the singing of the mature 
songster, but a continuous flow of 
touching minor measures. I took it 
to be the first attempts of the young- 
ster to attune his vocal mechanism to 
the lyrics we love to hear in the vVer- 
nal season. While the promising young 
songster practiced his measures, the 
mother bird kept within a suitable 


distance, uttering approvingly the well- 
known “chick,’ and quivering her 
wings and tail with all the fervor of 
material admiration. 

Yes, Mr. Editor, there are many 
strange and interesting things we can 
see and hear in birdland if we only 
listen and look for them. 

P. M. Silloway. 
Virden, Illinois. 


Index for 1912. 7 
During the year 1912 THE OOLO 
GIST published contributions from 89 
different contributors, and 50 illustra- 
tions, and published observations re- 
lating to 420 different species of birds. 
Some ‘Oologist,” Eh? 


THE OOLOGIST 


Collectors, Naturalists 


Do you want a nice mounted bird to 
adorn the top or your cabinet or to 
hang in your den? If so, then send 
your specimens to me where they will 
be properly mounted by an expert Bird 
Taxidermist, one who has spent years 
in the field and knows how a bird 
should look. I am going to make some 

pecial prices to collectors and 
students,, so Bend on your specimen, 


or address 


Re EF. MULLEN, 


Taxidermist Studio 
2419 QO St. South Omaha, Nebr. 


THE CONDOR 


A Magazine of Western 
Ornithology 


Published Bi-monthly by the 
Coop2r Ornithological Club of California 
Edited by J. Grinnell and Harry B. Swarth 


“‘The Condor’’ is strictly scientific 
but edited in such a way that a be- 
ginner of ‘‘Bird Study” can easily un- 
derstand it. 

The articles in ‘‘The Condor’’ are 
written by the leading Ornithologists 
of the United States and are illustrated 
by the highest quality of half tones. 

Our subscription rates are $1.50 per year in 
the United States and $1.75 in a Foreign coun- 
try. Sample Copy 30c. 


Address 


W. LEE CHAMBERS, Bus. Manager, 
Eagle Rock, Los Angeles, Cal. 


Vil 


BENJAMIN HOAG 
STEPHENTOWN,N Y. 


Oologists Tools and Supplies, Books and 
Magazines of every description. Send for 
lists. Write your special wants for quotations 
by letter. I can save you money. 


Cut the Lining Egg Drills: 4 selected sizes for 
$1.00. If not the best you ever used re- 
turn and get your money. 


Regular Egg Drills: No.0, 20c; No. 1, as No, 
2, 25c:. No. 3, 35c; No. 4, ‘45¢; No. 5, 50c 


Blowpipes: All pext nickle. No.1, 40c; No. 2. 

30c; No. 3, 20c 
Embryo Hooks: Nickle plated, 25c. 

No, 2, best quality straight 


Embryo Scissors: 
Finest quality straight, 


or curved, 50c. 
$1.00; curved, $1.25. 


Best Steel Climbers: 
out, $1.90. 


With strap, $2.75; with- 


Books and Magazines: Let me quote and send 
list. I can supply anything in print, and 
always have old out of print books and 
back volimes of magazines. 


All prices prepaid 


BIRD-LORE 
FOR CHRISTMAS 


Tell us to whom you wish us 
to send Bird-Lore for you dur- 
ing 1913, and we will forward 
a Christmas Card, giving your 
name as donor, and afree copy 
of the 100-page Christmas num- 
ber of Bird-Lore, containing 
three colored plates and many 
half-tones. They will go in 
time to be received, with your 
greetings, on Christmas Day, 
and Bird-Lore will follow, as 
published, throughout the year. 
A valuable present, easily made, 
whether to a friend or to your- 


self. 

$1.00 a Year 
For Christmas: Five Subscriptions for 
$4.00, Three Subscriptions for $2.50 


BIRD-LORE, Harrisburg, Pa. 


VIII THE OOLOGIST 


Live North American Wild Fowl for Sale 


In order tu stimulate the interest in this most fascinating branch of bird study, 
we have determined to place a part of our large collection of these birds on the 
market, and offer forsale, mated pairs of the following species: 

Blue Geese Lesser Snow Geese ~ Hutchins Geese Canada Geese 

American White-fronted Geese 


at prices which will be found attractive on application. But unless you really 
purpose buying some of these, do not annoy us with correspondence relating 
thereto. 


R. M. BARNES, LACON, ILL. 


Soins arene enenanen ae ontenonooeee an 
| Egg Collectors Take Notice 


I want this spring the following first class 
eggs in original sets accompanied by reli- 
able data. I have a most attractive exchange 
list to offer for those I want, including many 
exceedingly desirable specimens. First come, 
first served! Fer those that I want and can- 
not get by exchange I am willing to pay a 
fair cash price for. These are the eggs I 
want, Viz: . 

ONE set each of A. O. U. Nos. 42, 79, 120a, 
135 ded2> 138, 167% 178, 179, 184° tea Dis, 
261 1-4, 310, 319, 332 1-4, 341 1-4, 343, 359 1-4, 
375 1-4, 375a, 375d, 419, 423, 454, 493, 1. T. S., 
507, 586, 597, 652, 674, 707a. 

TWO setc each of A. O. U. Nos. 25, 26, 29, 
103, 129, 142, 145, 148, 154, 160, 161, 180, 195, 
207, 252, 260, 289b, 295, 335 2-4, 339 2-5, 


=F 341 2-2, 356, 377, 397, 409, 457, 477, 498e, 
510 2-5, 511b 2-6, 529b, 554, 581, 611, 639, 657, 
676, 698, 733. 
THREE sets each of A. O. U. Nos. 13a, 21, 
430 DA, eld: ode HO, hd 62s eee Great Os 
211c¢, 228, 229, 243, 300a, 309, 310a, 310b, 337b 
3-3, 347, 351, 352, 356a, 376, 383, 387, 396, 374e, 
293a, 337b 4-2, 357, 478, 482, 486, 497, 708, 726. 
FOUR sete each of A. O. U. Nos. 10, 14, 
34, 38, 81, 82, 83, 123, 128, 185, 192, 264, 286, 
293a, 3837b, 357, 478, 482, 486, 497, 708, 726. 
FIVE sets each of A. O. U. Nos. 52, 92, 
120b, 123a, 141.1, 194b, 204, 206, 213, 220, 222, 
2 227, 258a, 272, 278, 281, 287, 289a, 292, 298, 
: 200e; 334; 345, 3738; Sisb, sie, woila, cet ee 
488a, 570, 58le, 621, 622, 702, 744. 
Address, 


R. M. BARNES 
Lacon, Til. 


=f 
=i 
= 
=i 
ii 
on 
=I 
ii 
an 


a 


THE OOLOGIST. — 


BIRDS--NESTS--EGGS 
TAXIDERMY 


Won sock. NO. 5. 


ALBION, N. Y., May 15, 1913. 


WHOLE No. 3810 


BRIEF SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS 
Wanted, Exchange, For Sale, Etc., inserted in this department at 25 cents 


for each 25 words for one issue; each additional word 1 cent. 


serted for less than 25 cents. 


No notice in- 


TAKE NOTICE. 
SUBSCRIPTION, 50 CENTS PER YEAR 


Examine the number on the wrapper of 
your Oologist. It denotes the time your 
‘subscription expires. Remember we must 
‘be notified if you wish it discontinued and 
all arrearages must be paid. 310 your sub- 
acription expires with this issue. 305 your 
subscription expired with December issue 
19 Other expirations can be computed by 
intermediate numbers at the rate of one 
mumber per month. 


Entered as second-class matter De- 
cember 21, 1903, at the post office at 
Albion, N. Y., under the Act of Congress 
of March 3, 1879. 


In answering advertisements in 
these columns mention ‘The Oologist,” 
and thereby help us, as well as the ad- 
vertiser and yourself. 


—_———_—_—_——— ee VO Specimens of 
specimens 0 


We will not advertise the skins, nests, eg s.. 
These columns are for the use of those desiring 


North American Birds for sale. 


gs, or mounted 


to make bona fide exchanges of such specimens for scientific collecting purpo- 


ses only.—EDITOR. 
BIRDS 


WANTED—Live American Wild Trumpet- 
er Swan. R. M. Barnes. Lacon, [11 


BIRD SKINS .—Exchange generally. 
ae S. WRIGHT, 14 Cayuga St., Aubara. 
aN. . =p 

WANTHD.—TO exchange skins, also bird 

hotographing camera for cash. CORNEL- 

US BUS, Detroit, Mich. (1-p) 


WANT TO BU Y—Live wi'd ducks, geese, 
swan, cranes, stork, Pelican, eagles, Guinea 
pigs, and all wild animals. IRL E. BEN- 
NETT. *‘ Naturalist,” Cambridge. Ohio. (1-p) 


ES SE Eee eee EEE 
TO #KXCHANGE.—A large collection of 
birds’ skins as a whole only for a large col- 
dection of stamps. No trash wanted. F. T. 
> cea 80 Killingsworth Ave., Beene, 
re. 2-p 


- I desire to exchange bird skins and bird 
eggs with all collectors; send full list of skins 
andeggs. D. V. HEMBREE, Roswell, Ce ) 

-p 


_ EXCHANGE.—Can offer good exchange in 
skins and eggs to anyone who will mount 
some dried skins for me, such sets as; Man- 
.dt’s .Giullemot, Whistling Swan, Canada 
Geese, Old Squaw, etc. ARTHUR W. 
PROCK WAY, Hadlyme, Conn. (1-p) 


First class skins Illinois, California and 
Costa Rica to exchange for birds from South- 
ern or Western States, or from other coun- 
tries. H. K. COALE, Highland Park, Ill. (1) 


ne EEE 


WANTED.-— First class skins of Passenger 
Pigeons, male and female, for which I will 
give in exchange first class skins of Heath 
Hens. FRED H. KENNARD, 220 Devonshire 
St., Boston, Mass. (1) 


Cee ee 

FOR EXCHANGE.~—I have left one pair 
Passenger Pigeons, (Hctopistes Migratorius) 
nicely mounted and good condition. Will 
take part cash and part in rare sets or birds. 
PHILO SMITH, 1824 Byers Ave.. ary es 

Aw 

i: fi eee ee See 

WANTED.—Extra fine skins for mounting, 
two Am. Avocets, male, ads.. two Am. Wood- 
cocks, male, ads., two Black-necked Stilts, 
male, ads., and two Boxwhites, male, ads. 
Offer A 1 Skins or mounted birds. FRANK- 
LIN J. SMITH, Box 98, Eureka, Cal. (1-p) 


WANTED. Scientific skins of A. VU. U. 20, 
242, 289a, 320, 320a, 327, 360, 357, 372a 373a, 373b, 
373c, 3730. 373e. 373f, 373g, 373h, 373,1, 373.2, 374, 
374a, 377, 3784, 379. 379.1, 380381. Willexchange, 
for them A. O. U. 34, 380. The Owls must all 
be the small Genra of the Varieties. H. W- 
AITKEN, 1521 Vine St., Poona 

-p 


I THE OOLOGIST 


EGGS. 


In sending in your exchange notices 
for nests, skins and eggs, we would ap- 
preciate it if you would arrange the 
numerals in your exchange notice in 
their numerical order, and not tumble 
them together hit and miss, as some of 
our readers are complaining, and we 
think justly so. 


FOR EXCHANGE.— Foranything of use to 
asportsman. A.I. mounted Birds and Skins 
of water fowl and owls. MILO DENNY, 
Waubeek, Iowa. 


EXCHANGE.—Personally taken sets, 263, 
300, 388, 4124, 444, 466a, 498, 528, 629, 540. 584, 624, 
for sets of Warblers only. H. MOUSLEY, 
Hatley, Quebec’ (1-p) 


Ihave afew good sets to exchange. Want 
334, 334a, 337a, 337d, 340, 344. (351) 352a, 356, 360c. 
361 and many others. DAVID EK. BROWN, 
Room No. 11, Federal Bldg., Tacoma, west 

D) 


zines for exchange. 
St., Hartford, Conn. 


Fine sets from Greenland, Iceland, Arctic 
America, also Antarctic. Will exchange 
European for North American sets. elke 
BOOTH, 8 Cranbury Road. Fulham. Hueleee 

-p 


D. E. BROWN, 6044 Ist Ave.. No. W. Sta. F 
Seattle, Wash. 


Nos. 49, 120c, 122, 127, 294a. 360a. Send full list: 
J.S. APPLETON, Simi, Ventura Co., Cal. 


a Se Si Se 

TO EXCHANGE—Sets with data, North 
American and Foreign. Can use many com- 
mon kinds of both. Dr.T. W. RICHARDS 
Re Navy, 1911 N.St., N. W., Washington 


els| 


EXCHANGE.—Vol. 23 Physical Culture’ 
Want Reed’s Color Key to North American 
Birds, Holland’s Butterfly book, Hummers, 
Sets of 144 Kegs. flying squirrel skins. KARL 
HAMILTON, Yohoghany, Pa. (1-p) 


Esq., 937 St. Charles S. T., Victoria, B. C. 


WANTED.—To hear from collectors who 
have sets with Cowbird eggs in them. Who 
wants skins of the Wild Turkey, 310 A? Last 
year I putup ten. Ineed man 
sets with nests, Canada Jay, 


er, Warbling Vireo and nest, numerous 
arblers, ~t. Lucas, Mearn’s and LeCont’s 
hrashers, and Varied Thrush and nest. 

. BAILEY, Newport News, Va. 


WANTED. I will collect sets in North 
West Canada this season. I want sets of 
Hagles, Hawks and Owls. THOS. S. HILL, 
Relics, fossils, sheils, Moodys. Okla. (1-p) 


One Portable Tradic Medical Battery, two 
cells with all appliances good as new. 40 
issues of Recreation. Dry platecamera4x 5.. 
Exchange for birds’ eggs. ©. B. VANDER- 
COOK, Odin, Ml. (2-p) 


FOR EXCHANGE.—Sets with data_and' 
singles for first class bird skins. B. G. WIL- 
LARD, 30 Huntington, Ave., Boston, Mase 

(1-p. 


FINE COLLECTION BIRD EGGS, many 
birds and nests photographed, to exchange 
for microscope, fly rod, casting rod, or tackle 
Box 775, Stanford University, Cal. 


Marine Shells, Pacific Coast species, Smith— 
sonian Identification, for specimens andl 
ouriosities of any kind, Birds’ Eggs preferred,. 
W. W. WESTGATE, 809 Ist North, Seattle. 
Wash. 1-p) 


FOR EXCHANGE.—Two_ hundred sets: 
with data, in first class condition, including 
50 European (without data) in cabinet. List. 
sent on application.—_DR. JAMESON, 105 N.. 
Washington St., Titusville, Pa. (4-p) 


WANTED—Fine sets Flycatchers, especial— 
ly 459; also rare postage stamps, British, 
North American colonies only. Offer sets 
with nests 228, 227a, 474b, 533; 558, 641, 648, 673, 
743c and others. H. MOUSLEY, Que. \1-p): 


FOR EXCHANGE.—A lIarge list of fine sets: 
with data, to exchange for fine sets of Rap- 
tores and large singles. Exchange also de- © 
sired in minerals, sea shells, butterflies and 
moths. L.C. SNYDER, Lacona, N. Y. (1-p) 


FOR SALE.—At less than half cost; Oak 
Egg Cabinet, nine drawers; 26x85 inches; 209) 
permanent divisions 24 to 3 inches deep. 
Made especially for my Water Birds Egg.. 
THOS. H. JACKSON, 304 N. Franklin St... 
West Chester, Pa. (2) 


FOR SALE OR EXCHANGE.—For skins: 
or eggs in sets. Bird Lore, Vol. VIII, Vol. 
VII, No. 5-6; Vol. EX, No.1. Nidiologist, Vol. 
III, No. 1; Vol. 1I, No. 9; Vol. IH, No. 2; Osprey. 
Vol. 1-3; Condor, Vol. 3-1; Museum, Vol. I, No. 
3-4-5-12. Ornithologist and Oologist, Vol. 
XVIII; Oologist, Vol. XXITI-XXVLXXVII- 
XXVIII; Vol. X, No. 4-7-11; Vol. XI, Nos.7and 
9: Vol. XII, Nos. 10 and 11; Vol. XIV, No. 3 
and7. ARTHUR W. BROCKWAY ,Hadlyme, 
Conn. (1-p) 


FOR EXCHANGE.—My entire collection. 
of several hundred sets of eggs. Want bird 
and mammal skins, mounted birds and 
animals, game heads, beetles, old relics, 
stamps and curios. My special wants are 
skins of Bull Crested Sandpiper and female 
Dickcissels, mounted birds, A. O. U, Num— 
bers 11, 32, 47, 64, 74, 80, 125, 128, 134, 150, 166, 169, 
171la, 177, 206, 211, 218, 225, 226. 258, 260, 269, 280, 
281, 286, 288, 293. 308, 309, 311, 325, 326, 327, 362, 370,. 
377a, 381, 443, 471, 476, 483, 487, 513, 518a; Mounted 
Mole (Scalops), Civet (Bassariscus), Southern 
Fox Squirrel, Jack Rabbit, Texan Pecarry, 
Antelope head, Gila monster and 3 foot Alli- 
gator. List everything you can offer. No 
eggs wanted. W.E.SNYDER, R. F. D. No. 
6, Beaver Dam, Wis. (i) 


THE OOLOGIST. 


Vou. XKX. No. 5. ALBion, N. Y. May 15, 1918. WHOLE No. 310 


Owned and Published Monthly, by R. M. Barnes, Albion, N.Y., and Lacon, Ill 


O. E. Baynard, of Florida 


74 THE OOLOGIST 


California Condor. 

Friday, February 14, 1913, while my 
wife and I were strolling across a field 
in the valley of Hagle Rock, California, 
some seven or eight miles northeast of 
Los Angeles, I casually glanced sky- 
ward and the next instant nearly frigh- 
tened my wife to death with a startled 
ery of “Condor! Condor!” It was a 
few moments before she caught the 
drift of my cry, but when she did there 
were two of us standing in that field 
with some queer emotions in our 
breasts. 

The great bird was directly over- 
head, at the time, and very low down, 
about two hundred feet, as near as I 
could judge; and flying very slowly, 
so it seemed at first, but nevertheless 
traveling out of sight in a surprisingly 
short time. Its method of flight was 
seven or eight wing beats and then a 
prolonged soaring, and the light color- 
ed areas under the wings were very 
plain, as was its entirely naked neck. 
Its general color seemed to be a rusty 
black; but could not tell this positive- 
ly. It was flying north, and when it 
eame to the foothills of the Sierra 
Madre Range, which at this point are 
about 600 to 1000 feet, it barely cleared 
the top of the hills. 

There can be no question of the iden- 
tity of this bird, as its great size would 
distinguish it from all other birds at 
once, without the distinguishing whit- 
ish patches under the wings. As near 
as I could estimate in flight, its breadth 
should be about ten or eleven feet. 

This will always be a red’letter day 
for me, for at this day and date, the 
California Condor seems to be a rarae 
avis indeed. In over eight years of 
steady tramping through the Southern 
Sierras, only once before have I seen 
or thought I saw one of these giant 
vultures. But it was so late in the 


evening and at such a distance that I - 
have never been absolutely sure. And 


now to have had the pleasure of such 
a near view of one in my own home is 
luck indeed. ‘ 

While never hoping, I have cherish- 
ed a-much hidden dream that some 
day in some lonely canon I may stum- 
ble across the nest of this species; but 
it’s only a dream; yet a pleasant one, 
whether it ever comes true or not. 
And many a lonely campfire has been 
made brighter by just such dreams as 
these. H. Arden Hdwards. 
Los Angeles, Cal. 

0 <P 2 
Nesting of the Whip Poor Will. 
(Antrostomus vociferus) 

Early one still, beautiful evening, 
during the first part of May of the year 
1908, while I was slowly walking upon 
a read which wound along the top of a 
high irregular ridge of hill, the lonely 
cries of a Whip-poor-will came ito me. 
It seemed that the bird was calling 
from a small quadrilateral wood that 
stood on a miniature plateau on the 
very top of a high ridge of hill, a half 
mile to the west of me. I settled my- 
self to listen to the cries of this love 
ly bird, and time after time I heard 
its weird whip-poor-will, whip-poor-will, 
whip-poor-will. 

As the nesting time for the Whip- 
pocr-will approached, I decided to in- 
vestigate the wood from which the 
bird had sent its peculiar notes. This 
small tract of timber consisted prin- 
cipally of oak trees of medium size— 
both the white and the red varieties. 
On May 20, I went to the wood and 
quietly entered the southern border. 
Walking slowly along I searched care- 
fully over the forest floor of fallen 
leaves. I crept about clumps of. under- 
brush; scrambled over fallen tree 
trunks; and finally reached the north- 
ern border of the timber, without the 
slightest sign of a  Whip-poor-will. 
Spying a rather open space of ground, 


close to a pile of decaying logs, I quiet- 


‘THE OOLOGIST 75 


Hy approached it. As I came quite 
Mear, up flopped a Whip-poor-will, re- 
wealing one beautiful egg; this rested 
in a slight depression in the floor of 
leaves. Since there was just one egg 
I quietly retreated and returned home. 

When two days had passed—sufli- 
cient time in which to expect a full set 
of eggs—I returned to the wood with a 
tripod and a camera. Coming around 
a clump of underbrush I was able to 
get a plain view of the open space. 
There sat the Whip-poor-will! My, 
thow my heart did pound! I crept up 
to within six feet of the sitting bird 
‘before she flopped away as though she 
were injured. Two fine eggs lay be- 
fore me. Placing the camera in a suit- 
able position J took several exposures 
of the nesting site and its surround- 
ings. 

Returning home I carefully prepared 
the two beautiful eggs and placed 
them in my cabinet. These were not 
especially valuable eggs, but I prized 
them highly. Gold nuggets could 
scarcely have pleased me so much as 
that set of eggs. 

Whip-poor-wills are not uncommon 
birds in Southwestern Pennsylvania. 
However, finding a nest is not a gen- 
eral occurrence. The birds seem to 
select the most sheltered and out of 
the way parts of the woods as nesting 
places; for that reason nests are not 
frequently discovered. 

S. S. Dickey, Waynesburg, Pa. 
2 eas 
Books Received. 

A New Species of Crossbill From 
Newfoundland, by A. C. Bent. Under 
date of December 12, 1912, Volume 60 
No. 15, Smithsonian Miscellaneous col- 
dections gives a description of a new 
Crossbill by A. C. Bent. Of course it 
is a mere geographical race, and we 
trust rests upon a sufficient founda- 
‘tion; and that it does, the name of the 
author stands as sufficient sponsor. 


Notes. 

Isaac ‘EK. Hess of Philo, Illinois, well 
known to our readers, has just entered 
into a contract with the Decatur, IIli- 
nois Herald to furnish them with a 
column of reading matter on the birds 
for each Sunday’s issue for a year. The 
Herald is to be congratulated for 
there are few more entertaining writ- 
ers on a favorite subject than our 


friend, Isaac HE. Hess. 
—_————<—2—__ 


Nesting of the American Sparrow 
Hawk. 
(Falco sparverius) 

Until the Spring of 1907 I had con- 
sidered the American Sparrow Hawk a 
very rare breeder in Greene County, 
Pennsylvania. Early in March of that 
year I had seen a pair of hawks flit- 
tering about a large dead white oak 
snag that stood in an open field, high 
up on a steep hillside. Supposing late 
April to be a suitable time to search 
for fresh eggs, I walked to the dead 
tree early on the morning of April 
30th. As I approached there were no 
signs of the birds. Picking up a large 
club I hit the snag, and a hawk dart- 
ed, screaming, from a small opening 
near the top of the snag, and about 
forty-five feet above the ground. I put 
on my climbers and ascended to the 
opening. As I reached it the bird 
darted quite near to me, uttering the 
familiar notes, “killy, killy, killy.” 
With a small hatchet I cut an opening 
to the cavity large enough to admit my 
hand. I reached into the cavity and 
felt eggs; my heart beat wildly; for 
I was now sure of procuring a set of 
eggs. I lifted the eggs out, one by one, 
until there were five. That was the 
complete set; and what beauties they 
were. I was highly pleased with this 
set, so I prepared them carefully, and 
placed them with my raptore sets. 

Karly the following spring I decided 
to lock:carefully for Sparrow Hawks’ 


THE OOLOGIST 


nests. Passing one day by a cluster 
of huge sycamore trees that stood be- 
side a small creek, I saw a Sparrow 
Hawk fly from the higher branches of 
one of these trees. It circled about for 
a short time, returning to the largest 
tree, and soon entered a knot hole 
high up in the main trunk. I made 
note of this occurrence and departed. 
When late April approached I secured 
a hatchet and a wood chisel and went 
to the tree. As I neared the cavity, in 
my ascent, the hawk flew screaming 
from the knot hole, and darted away. 
I found the cavity to be entirely sur- 
rounded by green wood, which made it 
extremely difficult to cut through to 
the nest. However, after some dili- 
gent work IJ managed to produce an 
opening large enough to admit my 
hand, and procured the eggs. The 
bird had made a slight depression in 
decayed chips and wood dust, in which 
she had deposited her five beautiful 
eggs. 

A few days aiter finding the second 
set, feeling especially eager to secure 
more eggs, I set out for a high ridge, 
eight miles from home. It was not 
long until a Sparrow Hawk came sail- 
ing high in the air, and lit on a dead 
chestnut snag that stood alone on the 
bare ridge. After watching the bird 
for a short time it was seen to disap- 
pear. I hurried to the dead tree and 
discovered a large natural cavity, 
about fifteen feet above the ground. 
I climbed toward it and soon looked 
in upon the sitting female bird. Upon 
punching her with a short stick, she 
flitted away, screaming very fiercely. 
The dead wood about this cavity was 
very tough, so I had some difficulty in 
procuring the four eggs which rested 
on decayed chips. 


On May 7th, I saw a Sparrow Hawk 
fly from the dead top of a_ small 
straight sycamore tree which stood on 
the bank of a creek. When I came 


near to this tree I saw several large 
flickers’ excavations in the decayed 
top. Upon investigating I found a 
beautiful set of five eggs which rested 
on some decayed chips. At this nest 
the birds were very pugnacious, flying: 
at me frequently, and screaming wild— 
ly. : 

During the spring of 1909 several 
fine sets were collected, and much was. 
learned of the nesting habits of this 
little hawk. These birds are interest- 
ing creatures, as they select such a 
variety of places in which to nest. 
This affords one frequent surprises 
during his excursions in search of 
rare specimens. : 

S. S. Dickey. 
Waynesburg, Pa. 
PE 


Henry Ford of Detroit Imports Nearly 
500 Songsters. 

Nearly 500 song birds, imported 
from England by Henry Ford, a local 
manufacturer, have arrived in Detroit 
and will be given their liberty on Mr_ 
Ford’s farm near the city. 

The shipment was met in New York 
by Game Warden Charles Daniel of 
Detroit and brought west in a special 
express car. Nearly 100 birds died on 
shipboard. Included among the birds 
were largs, linnets, brilliant yellow- 
hammers, thrushes, green finches, bull- 
finches, jays, chaffinches, and redpolls_ 
It is expected these birds will increase 
rapidly in numbers and eventually 
spread over the state. 

Se eS 
Another Set Illinois Barn Owls. 

In February OOLOGIST was record- 
ed Mr. Guy Day’s set of Barn Owls 
taken in 1909 near Sidney, Ill, Cham- 
paign County. 

This as far as I can determine, is 
the first recorded set of Barn OwFk 
eggs taken in Illinois or Indiana or 
Wisconsin for that matter. 

Those who read the note will prot 


THE OOLOGIST 


ou. 


Nest and Eggs of Yellow Warbler 
—Photo by P. G. Howes. 


* is covered with a 


78 - THE OOLOGIST 


ably remember that I spoke of Mr. 
Day’s promising me that I should col- 
lect the next set. During March both 
Owls were at home in the old Syca- 
more and my prospects seemed good. 

On Sunday, April 20th a visit to the 
Owl tree brought no indication of the 
presence of these rarer birds but a 
vigorous shaking of an old grape vine 
brought out one which was quickly 
followed by the: other Barn Owl. A 
-hasty climb to the cavity of the mam- 
-moth old Sycamore which leaned far 
out over the Salt Fork creek, revealed 
Six eggs with incubation well begun. 

This Illinois set number two is now 
_in my cabinet. There was no sign of a 
nest, the eggs being deposited on the 
bare bottom of the cavity. 

The Barn Owl makes 104 species I 
‘have found nesting in my ten mile 
radius from my home town. 94 are 
represented by full sets. 
; Isaac E. Hess. 
Philo, Illinois. 

pee 
A Collecting Trip to Anacapa Island. 

On May 11, 1912, my brother and 
four others started for Anacapa Is- 
land, from Ventura. We left Ventura 
at 9 o’clock p. m. and arrived at the 
island at about midnight, none the 
worse for our journey of twenty-five 
miles, except that three of the party 
~ were seasick. We then went to bed 
- and slept for the rest of the night. 
The next morning after breakfast we 
- took to the boat again and soon land- 
' ed on the “East End” as it is called. 

We were soon on the top of the island, 
which is very abrupt all around. It 
coarse scrubby 
brush and grass and some _ cactus. 
There were quite a few Western Gulls 
: nesting at this time but the majority 

-had not laid as yet. We collected a 
few sets of these and then moved on 
to the Pelican Colony. * 

There must have been at least a 


thousand pairs of them on this island— 
There were nests everywhere but only 
three of them had eggs in them, and 
then only one apiece. This was a dis— 
appointment as we wished to collect 
some of them. 

We then went across to the other 
side of the island and looked at, and 
took some pictures of the young Bald 
Hagle that was in the nest. We then 
went back and looked at the new 
lighthouse that the Government had 
just finished. As it was getting nearly 
time to leave the island we went back 
to the camp and from there we took a 
walk along the base of the cliffs on. 
the western side of the island and 
soon came to “Cat Rock.” Up this we 
clamored and soon were on top look— 
ing in all the holes for Xantus Murre- 
lets, as this was the place Mr. H. C- 
Burt of Santa Paula, found them nest— 
ing in May, 1911.. I soon discovered a 
broken egg of this species at the mouth 
of a natural cavity in the rock and 2 
fresh egg at the end of the cavity, 
about six feet away. I soon found an- 
other egg. These two eggs together 
with the four eggs taken by Mr. Burt, 
which I now have in my collection, are 
prized very highly as they are the 
only ones to my knowledge that have 
been taken in the United States in re— 
cent years. A pair of Black Oyster 
Catchers were flying about but they 
had not nested. We were obliged to 
return to Ventura that day so we soom 
started and arrived in Ventura just im 
time to catch the train home, feeling 
well paid for our trip. rs 

Sidney B. Peyton. 
Sespe, Cal. 
3 oe Ee ae 
The Verdin. 

As one rides along the river bot- 
toms or across the mesas of Cochise 
county during nearly all the months of » 
the year, he is from time to time 
greeted by a thin, high pitched “cheap, 


. THE OOLOGIST ay, 


A very small bird may 
be seen flitting about among the 
bushes and the initiated will recog- 
nize at once the Verdin (auriparus F. 
flaviceps) and know it to be the author 
of the song just heard. When one who 
is well acquainted with this bird hears 
this song or call during the months 
from April till July he will look around 
_a little and be quite sure to find its 
nest in some nearby bush. 

The nest is a globular affair of 
thorny twigs. It is about the size of 
_a large cocoanut. A mesquite or cat- 
claw is usually chosen for the nesting 
site, though small, lone chollas are 
frequently selected. I also found one 
in an allthorn. The nest is placed at 
the tip of the branch or top of the 
-cholla and is quite conspicuous. 

Both birds work at nest building. 
I watched a pair which had just be- 
_gun the frame work of their nest in a 
small cholla. Arriving with a short, 
thorny twig of acacia, the bird would 
- crawl inside, dragging the twig after 
it. The twigs were about six inches 
long and it required considerable exer- 
tion for the bird to succeed in this 
Maneuver. Once there, it proceeded to 
push it into place in the walls, shaking 
the whole cactus in its efforts. After 
the outside of sticks is completed, a 
heavy lining of small dry leaves and 
Zrass is used to stop up the inter- 
stices, and a lining of feathers com- 
pletes the nest. The opening is low 
-down on one side and has a fringe of 
dry grass projecting all around more 
particularly from above. This entrance 
is about as large around as a person’s 
finger. 

Four, sometimes five, eggs are a full 
complement. They have a delicate 
bluish green ground color, with fine 


-cheap, cheap.” 


reddish brown specks pretty well dis-~ 
tributed over the whole surface but - 


usually clustered thickest at the large 
- end. They are very thin-shelled. 


When the nest is approached, the 
male bird frequently sounds the alarm 
to his mate who is setting and she 
slips off and away. About as frequent- 
ly, however, I have poked my finger in- 
to the nest and found the bird on her 
eges. 

The birds roost in old nests or mock 
nests and I have, on several occasions, 
found dead birds in nests which I was 
investigating. 

They are courageous little fellows 
about attacking larger birds. Last 
spring I was interested in watching a 
shrike pursuing a Lucy’s Warbler, 
which was calling wildly and doing its 
best to get out of harms way. It flew 
right up into the air, followed by the 
shrike which was in turn pursued by 
a pair of Verdins, cheeping with all 
their might. The procession was 
brought up by a Phainopepla who fol- 
lowed, apparently, just out of curios- 
ity. I am glad to say the warbler es- 
caped though do not feel that the ver- 
dins were instrumental. The circum- 
stance is cited only to show their fear- 
lessness in the _ presence of larger 
birds. 

Two broods are raised, one in April 
and one in June. In the mesquite for- 
est near Tucson I found them breeding 
plentifully with mant nests placed as 
high as 25 feet from the ground. 

F. C. Willard. 


Tombstone, Ariz, 
a 


The Ovenbird. 
(Seiurus aurocapillus) 

In this section of northern New Jer- 
sey (Essex County) during -the early 
part of May, wanderers on our sylvan 
waysides and by-paths who are fortun- 
ate enough to be sharp of eye as well 
as of ear, are the select few who may 
see and hear this little bird as he 
walks about on the ground and.utters 
a most captivating strain of modulated 
notes, very low and scarcely audible at 


80 THE OOLOGIST 


first but as it nears completicn is 
shrill and unmistakable. [I can well 
remember when I first heard this song 
way back in the late nineties and how 
I searched for days for this bird, start- 
ing out each morning with the de- 
termination to find him at any cost 
and how each night when returning 
home, still unrewarded, but with a 
more determined spirit for the next 
day’s search, and how after about ten 
days of earnest endeavor I accidental- 
ly came upon a thrush-like bird walk- 
ing about under the May-apples and 
Wild Geraniums and as I was watch- 
ing him from an unconspicuous loca- 
tion that he uttered this beautiful 
song, and, before I was aware of my- 
self, was uttering the words—Hureka, 
1 have found him. 

But to those who have made his ac- 
quaintance this bird becomes a re2Zular 
companion on each walk through cur 
elevated tracts of woodland wherever 
the vegetation is luxuriant and prolific 
and becomes a welcome addition to his 
list of birdlife. 

As the month draws to a close, if 
you are a gocd and close observer you 
may find a bunch of dried 2rass, twigs 
and earth placed directly on the 
ground in the form of an oven or 
bower, lined inside with fine grasses 
and containing four or five creamy- 
white, speckled eggs. 

Within a radius of five miles of mv 
home there are located five or six cop- 
ses of the original cover and in this 
restricted sections nests of this spe- 
cies have been located each year since 
1900, never more than one or two to 
each of these copses. During the 
spring of 1904 at Montclair Heights, 
N. J., I had the good fortune to find a 
nest of this bird on the 27th of May 
containing two eggs. On the 1st of 
June the set was completed and con- 
sisted of five eggs which measured .81 
x 60; .79 x .59; .80 x 58; .81 x .61 and 


82 x .58, creamy-white and speckled 
with chestnut brown, especially at the 
larger end where the markings form- 
ed a mantle which encircled the egg. 

Cn the 16th the nest was again vis- 
ited and found to contain five fledg- 
lings about a day old. The parents 
were beth in the immediate neighbor- 
hood industriously searching for food 
which they brought to the nestlings at 
intervals of a moment or two. This 
focd consisted of ground beetles, ants, 


may-flies, scaleinsects, an occasional 
grasshopper and spiders. Of this diet 
which was purely  insectivorous 


throughout the entire time the birds 
were in the nest, ants and spiders were 
the principal insects which were 
brought to the nestlings. Another 
noticeable feature of the adult birds 
was the fact that they carried the ex- 
cretia cof the young to a point about 
one hundred feet from the nest and 
dropped it there. About the ground 
near the nest there was not the least 
indication of either the remains of the 
unccncerned food matter or the ex- 
cretia indicating the extreme cleanli- 
ness of the birds about their home. 
Operaticns were conducted daily about 
the nest for a period of fifteen days 
when the young left the nest and be- 
gan to travel about under the guidance 
of the female. At this time the beau- 
tiful nuptial song of the male ceased 
and he hied himself off to parts un- 
known as he was not seen in the 
neighborhood after the young left the 
nest. 

Bands were pldted on each of these 
youngsters just prior to their leaving 
the nest and were designated as fol- 
lows: ‘“L.S:K. Bloomfield, N. J., Nos. 
100, 101, 102, 103 and 104.” Of this 
lot two bands came back to me: One 
(No. 100) from Punta Rassa, Fla. on 
December 28th, 1908, from a Cleve- 
land cook, who I now understand is Jo- 
cated somewhere in northern New Jer- 


THE OQLOGIST 81 


sey, and one (No. 103) from a Clarence 
McKinnon at Pempton Lakes, N. J., on 
June 2, 1909, with the information that 
the bird had been killed by flying 
against a building near Furnace Pond. 
Should the other three be found, I 
should be pleased to have the bands 
returned to me at Bloomfield, N. J. 
These personal bands were used prior 
to the time that I knew of the Ameri- 
ean Bird Banding Association. There 
are also Bands 90, 91, 92 and 94 on 
a family of Planesticus migrateria, 
placed on June 5th, 1904 at South 
‘Mountain. Reservation, Essex County, 
N. J., and Nos. 97, 98 and 99 on a fam- 
ily of Sialia sialis placed on a breed 
on April 18th at Haskell, N. J., during 
_the spring of 1904 to be heard from. 
Of this latter lot Band No. 98 was re- 
turned to me from a Harry Rador of 
East Radford, Va., on January 18, 1910, 
with the information that the dead 
bird was found near this town in an 
open field. Should observers locate 
any of these bands I would be pleased 
to have them communicate with me 
and return the bands for inspection. 


As a further note on bands, I have in . 


my possession a band found on the 
dead body of a male Corvus brachy- 
rhynches at Pequannock, N. J., with the 
following inscription thereon, on Febr- 
Mary 22, 1913: “O. lL. T. St. Catherines, 
Ont., No. 49872. 6-08.” I have written 
to this address, but my letters have 
been returned as unclaimed. 
Louis S. Kohler. 

Bloomfield, N. J. 

{Sa Sn eee 

The Hooded Warbler. 

(Wilsonia citrina) 


While rambling during the months ° 


of June and July over the heavily 
wooded hills of northern New Jersey 
near the southern extremity of Green- 
wood Lake, within whose precincts the 
noise and bustle of modern industry 
have not as yet invaded and the hand 


of mankind has made but little, if any, 
impression, I have encountered, an- 
nually, this beautifully adorned and 
sweet-voiced sylvan warbler many 
times during those months since the 
late nineties. 

Wherever the woodlands are moist 
and the cover low this bird is a reg- 
ular inhabitant. They appear in this 
vicinity about May 15th, which is 
rather later than have been recorded 
in sections where they are purely tran- 
sient. Immediately after their arrival 
their song, which is very sweet, var- 
ied and easily recognized, becomes a 
common melody to the ears of the ob- 
server in this section. To me this 
song ranks with the best and sweet- 
est of the wood warblers and may be 
syllablized as “che-we, che-we, che-we, 
chick-se-de.” 

Since my first discovery of the nest- 
ing of this bird in this section, seven 
other nests have been located within 
a radius of four miles and in each case 
have been located in the low shrub- 
bery, preferably the swamp-huckleber- 
ry, about three feet from the ground, 
very compactly constructed and com- 
posed of bark and plant fibres and lin- 
ed with fine grasses, horsehair and 
plant down. The eggs, in each Case, 
numbered four and were creamy-white 
well blotched with deep chestnut- 
brown and pearly-gray, especially at 
the larger end, with occasional traces 
of pale lavender appearing about the 
whole surface of the shell. Of the 
eight sets examined, the extremes 
measured .78 x .56 and .65 x .50, the 
average being about .7’ x .53. All of 
these nests were found between May 
28th and June 10th. 


After the incubation and feeding of 
the nestlings, the parents rove about 
with their more or less increased fam- 
ilies until the end of July, when the 
whole tribe strangely drop from sight. 
Never in all my experience has a bird 


82 THE OOLOGIST 


Nest and Eggs of Chestnut-sided Warbler 
—Photo by Thos. H. Jackson. 


THE OOLOGIST 83 


of this species been seen in this sec- 
tion after July 28th. At points fur- 
ther south in the state they have been 
seen as late as September 10th, but at 
these points, as was mentioned before, 
they are purely transient and never re- 
main more than a few days at any one 
time. 
Louis S. Kohler. 
Bloomfield, N. J. 
yas eS 
The Red-Winged Blackbird. 
(Agelaius Phoeniceus.) 

On going out into the meadows in 
early April we will see a bird about 
9-914 inches long. It is black in color 
and has a peculiar red on its wings. 
This is the Red-winged Blackbird. It 
is also called Swamp Blackbird, Red- 
winged Oriole, and Red-winged Star- 
ling. It belongs to the family of Black- 
birds and Orioles and is to be found al- 
ways near swamps and ponds. The fe- 
male is brownish-black above and 
streaked below. 

This bird like all of its family has a 
heavy bill, showing that it eats grain 
and hard foods. And so it does. In 
spring when the grains have been 
planted and a few have fallen to the 
ground, it picks them up and eats 
them.. It indeed tastes good and the 
wise bird knows that there are some 
more kernels covered with ground. It 
immediately scratches away the soil 
with its feet and finds the planted 
grains. In early fall, however, it lives 
almost entirely on insects, and es- 
pecially the most dangerous ones. Be- 
cause of its eating some grain it is 
looked upon by the farmer as his 
enemy, and will be shot by him when- 
ever it is possible, but, when it can- 
not get grain, it will eat beetles, 
worms, and insects, and is thus very 
useful to the farmer. An investiga- 
tion was made and of 1,083 stomachs 


examined, they cotnained the follow- 


ing: 


Vieeetable: mabter <a. c<..,)se = «a6 74% 
Marminul= Deetleg. ccm cccteriee <6 + = 10% 
SNOUGMIECCH ESI a. he h.s omc steel eiavecele sere 4% 
GLASSHODP CSE Gis epochs ete Hee os 5%, 
Animal matter (mainly insects) ..26% 
The remainder were empty. 4 


“So far as the insect food as a whole 
is concerned the Red-winged Blackbird 
may be considered entirely beneficial.” 

The nest of the Red-winged Black- 
bird is mostly in swamps about two 
feet from the ground. If there are no 
cattails in the neighborhood it will 
select a small bush near a pond and 
will build its nest in the interior of 
the bush. Very seldom is the nest 
placed on the ground. It is made of 
woven grasses and is built compact. 

This bird is a very sociable one, and 
therefore, it breeds in colonies. In 
many cattail swamps one can find from 
ten to twenty-five nests. The four to 
five bluish eggs have white scrambled 
chiefly around the large end with 
brownish-black. While the female is 
incubating the eggs the male is on 
some nearby fence, post or on a tree 
top on the watch. The female will 
leave the nest at the first warning. 

The song -of the Red-winged Black- 
bird is rather harsh. Jt is ‘“‘Wa-her- 
ee,” or “con-quer-ee.” The notes are 
uttered only when the bird is up high, 
as on a fence post or in a tree top, and 
when we hear it we can be sure that 
the nest is not far off. It also cries 
its calls while flying. 

It breeds east of the Rocky Moun- 
tains from Texas to Manitoba and New 
Brunswick. Now, that we know, that 
this bird is a very beautiful one and 
that it is more useful than harmful, it 
is self understood that we ought to 
protect it whenever we can. We must 
bear in mind, that there is many a 
harmful and wreched man among us, 
and we do not shoot him or try to take 
his life, then, why should we take the 
life of our neighbor the Red-winged 


84 THE OOLOGIST 


Blackbird? It is a very hardy bird, 
and is at most times useful, and as 
for eating a few kernels of grain, it 
makes good by eating many harmful 
beetles and. insects and thus greatly 
aids the farmer. But the farmer does 
not think so, and why? Because -he 
only sees it eating a few kernels of 
his grain at certain times, but does not 
perceive that the bird also eats very 
many harmful insects. Because of. de- 
stroyinge so many of these pests the 
bird is justified in taking a few kernels 
as a reward and should be protected 
whenever possible. & 
Wm. C. Marten. 

Illinois. sj : 


—————— 


Miscellaneous Bird Notes From Phila- 
delphia and Vicinity. 

Winter records of the Red-headed 

Woodpecker for the vicinity of Phila- 
delphia, Pa., are of rare occurrence. 
I have personally never observed it 
after October in the fall, or before 
April in the Spring, but my brother 
_ George saw one on February 8, 1903, at 
Sandiford, Philadelphia County, and 
my cousin Ellerslie W. Miller shot one 
on March 14, 1905, at this locality. 
These are my only winter records. 
- The Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is an- 
other rare winter sojourner of the 
Wecdpecker tribe in this region, and 
my only real winter record is of a 
bird observed on December 3, 1908, at 
Sandiford, by my brother George. I 
have seen it several times, however, in 
March, at different localities. 

On April 23, 1900, at. Holmesburg, 
Philadelphia County, Pa., I collected 
a set of five Crow’s eggs from a nest 
45 feet up in a triple crotch of a big 
willow on bank of a stream subjoin- 
ing a woods. Nothing unusual about 
the nest or eggs except the incubation. 
Four eggs were practically infertile 
and the fourth contained a living em- 
bryo over two-thirds grown. Rather a 


remarkable condition for a set of eggs 
in my experience. The reverse condi- 
tions in a clutch is quite common with 
this species. What could have caused 
the infertility of the four eggs? The 
Crow was flushed from the nest. 


During my annual raids of Crow’s 
nests I have never found a set con- 
taining seven egzs or young, but I have 
seen clutches of this number that. 
were collected in Southern Pennsyl- 
vania, so I still entertain hope of find- 
ing this number in a nest. 

I have found many abnormally col- 
ored sets af Crow’s eggs but only one 
runt has ever come my way. This set 
I collected on April 9, 1903, at Hill- 
side, Montgomery County, Pa., from a 
nest abcut 40 feet up in the crotch of 
a thin chestnut in a wood, a day whem 
Dick Harlow and I, by strenuous work, 
collected a fine series of 75 eggs of 


Corvus brachyrhynechos on the his- 
toric hills of that county. The set con- 


sists of six eggs; five are typical in 
form, color and size (being, if any- 
thing, a trifle over the normal size) 
and the sixty is a decided runt. It is: 
almost globular in shape and no 
larger than a Blue Jay’s egg, which it 
somewhat resembles in marking. 

Chapman (Bird-Life, p. 152) says: 
“There are three birds who sing not 
only through the heat cf midsummer, 
but are undaunted by the warmth of a 
mid day sun. They are the Wood 
Pewee, the Red-eyed Vireo, and the 
Indigo Bird or Bunting.” 

To this group of sutlry days’ sing- 
ers should be added the Swamp Spar-~ 
rew, whose monotonous song can be 
heard on any hot day, at all hours om 
the river meadows and marshes near 
Philadelphia. It sings occasionally 
during the hot summer nights and only 
ceases its singing with the waring of 
summer. It sings later in the season 
than any of the above three species. 
The Swamp Sparrow song is the only 


THE OOLOGIST 85. 


one heard after July on the marshes, 
with the exception of the ditty of the 
Long-billed Marsh Wren. 

Chapman (Bird Studies with a Cam- 
era, pp. 72-75) gives an interesting ac- 
count of the Least Bittern devouring 
its eggs, but, although I have exam- 
ined about a hundred nests of this spe 
cies ‘containing eggs, I have never been 
so fortunate as to have such an jinter- 
esting occurrence to come under my 
observation. I have found a few nests 
containing broken eggs and collected 
sets with eggs having small punctures, 
scratches and striations in the shell. 
The punctures appeared to have been 
made by the Long-billed Marsh Wrens 
jabbing their bills in them, and I have 
read this bird was guilty of such an 
offense, but what caused the peculiar 
striations and scrotches has always 
puzzled me as well as the cause of a 
nestful of broken eggs. 

Richard F. Miller. 
Philadelphia, Pa. 


Notes From Virginia. 

This has been a very open winter, 
and the Bald Eagles started laying on 
February 9th instead of the 22d. W. 
B. ‘Crispen, the well known New Jer- 
sey Oologist came down, and we took 
in twenty-two nests, only getting five 
sets in all,—of these he will tell THE 
OOLOGIST readers in detail. March 
16th found Bluebirds with five eggs, 
incubation begun, the earliest I have 
ever known. 

March 30th found one pair of Pine 
Warblers with eggs, 80 feet up in a 
pine tree, 22 feet out from the trunk. 
Needless to say I didn’t secure this 
set. As usual, the Flying squirrels 
this spring have driven out and broken 
up many Carolina Chickadees and 
Brown-headed Nuthatches. 

Sunday the 13th of April, found most 
ef the Pine Warblers and Carolina 
Chickadees with full sets, while the 


18th found these warblers and Screech 
Owls with sets far advanced. This 
date proved a record for Tufted Tit- 
mice in this section, a beautiful set of 
eight being taken, the largest set I 
ever found, and think of it—in a hole 
I could reach from the ground, without 
cutting to reach the eggs. 


H. H. Bailey. 
Virginia. 
ee 
Statement of the Ownership, Manage- 
ment, Etc. 


Of The Oologist, published monthly at 
Albion, N. Y., required by the Act of 
August 24, 1912. 

Editor, R. M. Barnes, Lacon, II1.; 
Managing Editor, R. M. Barnes, Lacon, 
Ill.; Business Manager, R. M. Barnes, 


Lacon, I[ll.; Publisher, R. M. Barnes, 
Lacon, II. 

Owners:2 Not a corporation. I, R. 
M. Barnes, of Lacon, Ill., owns this: 
publication exclusively. — 

Known bondholders, mortgagees,, 


and other security holders, holding 1 
per cent. or more of total amount of 
bonds, mortgages, or other securities: 
There are no bonds, no securities and 
no debts. The Oologist owes no one. 
R. M. BARNES, 
Editor. 
Sworn to and subscribed before me 
this 26th day of April, 1913. 
Erma Thieoski, 
(Seal) Notary Public. 
Commission expires Mar. 9, 1915. 
eS ee 
Anent The House Sparrow. 
(Passer domesticus) 

In March, 1906 OOLOGIST, were 
published some notes of the writer 
anent the English Sparrow, which, if 
I recollect correctly, I had sent to the 
editor (Frank H. Lattin) about four 
years previously—in 1902—and which | 
I was surprised to see-in print, as I 
thought the article had been reject- 
ed and consigned to the waste basket. 


if 


86 THE OOLOGIST 


Well, in that contribution I assert- 
ed that the ubiquitous Passer domesti- 
cus reared “three, occasionally four 
and frequently five broods of young” 
a year. A fact I thought well known 
by all ornithologists, but in the suc- 
ceeding June OOLOGIST, the late Dr. 
Morris Gibbs ridiculed my assertion 
and expressed his opinion that, if un- 
disturbed, the House Sparrow only 
rears two: broods. Ernest H. Short, 
then the editor of THE OOLOGIST, 
backed up Gibbs in his contention, 
but neither gentleman brought forth 
any data to prove conclusively that 
the miscalled “English” Sparrow, dis- 
turbed or undisturbed, does not rear 
more than two broods in a year. 

Unmolested, the House Sparrow an- 
nually rears four or five broods of 
young, a fact recognized by the lead- 
ing ornithologists of the world, al- 
though the majority of the birds prob- 
ably never hatch over three or four. 

If Short believed this species rear- 
ed cnly two broods per year, then 
why did he reprint in THE OOLO- 
GIST, Eastabrook’s article, “The Pres- 
ent Status of the English Sparrow 
Problem in America,’ from The Auk, 
without any comment on the asser- 
tions made therein that “if any are 
left (speaking of the extermination of 
the pest), their great ratio of repro- 
duction, four to five broods of five eggs 
each, each year, would render the 
work useless,” etc? 

Neither Gibbs nor Short, with all 
their knowledge(?) of the nidification 
of the House Sparrow, have contrib- 
uted anything relevant on this inter- 
esting subject. Gibbs now being de- 
ceased, cannot do so, so it behooves 
Short, or anybody else for that mat- 
ter, to prove conclusively that this 
pest. only rears two broods of young 
a year, referring, of course, to undis- 
turbed: birds. When this can be done 
I. will-have something more to say on 


the subject: I am convinced, however, 
from personal observation, that the 
House Sparrow never raises less than 
three broods per annum, speaking, of 
course, of undisturbed birds. 
Richard F. Miller. 

Philadelphia. 

aE aE Ea 

Fair Play. 

I am glad somebody has the temer- 
ity to stand up for the English Spar- 
row, and recognize his good traits, 
few as they may be. He is a disagree- 
able fellow, filthy in his habits, and in 
Many ways makes a nuisance of him- 
self in neighborhoods he frequents. 
But the important thing is, does he 
destroy any considerable number of 
insects. If so, no matter what his dis- 
agreeable traits are, we should treat 
him fairly in justice to ourselves. 
Without quoting hearsay evidence, I 
am bound to recognize him as an im- 
portant destroyer of insects of many 
species during seasons of the year 
when they can be obtained. 

A few instances that have come un- 
der my notice may be mentioned. 
Our town supports an industry in 
which considerable amounts of hard 
woods are utilized. It has often been 
customary to have large quantities of 
Hickory logs,—cut during the winter, 
lying in the yards. Along about the 
last of April or early in May, the Lo- 
cust borers come around the log pile 
in great numbers, and deposited their 
eggs in nests of twenty to thirty each 
in crevices of the bark, close to the sap 
wood. In a short time these eggs would 
hatch, the worms eating their way 
along the surface of the wood in every 
direction, and after traveling several 
inches in this manner, would bore in 
toward the center of the log, constant- 
ly increasing in size, and badly damag- 
ing the lumber. 

A great many years ago the spar- 
rows became interested in these bugs, 


THE OOLOGIST 87 


and came around the log piles in con- 
stantly increasing numbers. They 
would seize them on the wing as a 
Kingbird takes its prey, fly to the 
ground, break the hard wing shells 
off, and swallow the insect. This be- 
came a regular habit with the spar- 
rows and the number of locust beetles 
that now infest the log piles is very 
small as compared with former num- 
bers, and very few escape the watch- 
ful sparrows. 

Last spring some time in May, two 
large colonies of the Big-winged ants 
were hatched, one in a partly rotted 
cross tie, the other in a locust post. 
They came out by the thousand, but 
the sparrows were promptly on the 
job, and probably not one-fourth of the 
ants lived to get away from the local- 
ity. I counted as many as fifty being 
caught by a single sparrow before she 
flew away to her nest and young with 
them. Probably thirty or forty birds 
were around feeding on them while 
the ants were coming out. 

I had a good opportunity to watch a 
nest containing a brood of six young 
sparrows. I did not make any accur- 
ate count, but fully two-thirds of the 
food brought to these young birds con- 
sisted of insects in various forms, 
worms, beetles, moths and grasshop- 
pers. 

I am fully convinced that the Eng- 
lish Sparrow has a growing predilec- 
tion for insect food and fully agree 
with Mr. W. H. Strong of San Jose, 
California in the words of truth he 
gives in the January OOLOGIST con- 
cerning their insectivorous habits as 
personally observed by him. 

A great deal has been said about 
their driving other birds away. I 
cannot recall a single instance of this 
that has come to my notice. Wrens 
and Martins nest freely in various 
parts of our town in close proximity to 
the sparrows and they are rarely inter- 


fered with. The sparrows will fight 
desperately, but nearly always among 
themselves. They doubtless take some 
fruit and occasionally injure tender 
garden plants, but the Robin, Catbird, 
Grackle and a good many others 
among our common birds can give the 
sparrow pointers on fruit destruction 
and general mischief. 

Too much that has been written 
about the English Sparrow has been 
founded on mere heresay, and not 
from careful observation. This alone 
will determine his value in the econ- 
omic field, when the problem of how 
to combat the ever increasing in- 
croachments of insect pests is taxing 
human ingenuity in an increasing 
ratio with the growing scarcity of 
many species of birds. 

Thomas H. Jackson. 
West Chester, Pa. 


We believe that the House Sparrow, 
commonly called the English Sparrow, 
is the greatest vagabond known to us 
among the birds. It should be de- 
stroyed at every opportunity. Only 
this day we have been compelled to 
shoot several of these scamps to pro- 
tect our Blue Martins from eviction. 

Editor. 


<> —__ —_____ 


Birds of Prey, Northern Ohio. 

For several years I have been study- 
ing the birds of prey in this part of the 
State. Within the last twenty years 
the Bald Hagle has become scarce 
here. I have not seen but one of these 
birds in two years. Formerly they 
were quite common. I[ have seen them 
feeding in early Spring on the dead 
body of a horse in common with crows. 
For many years there was a nest of 
this bird in the top of an old pine tree 
that stood on the bank of.Grand River. 
The tree was taken down by a wind 
storm some years ago. After that the 
birds nested in a large oak over near 


88. THE OOLOGIST 


the lake until some gunners from the 
city interrupted them. Since then I 
have lost trace of them, although 
there may be other nesting sites in 
this section. I do not know of them. 

The Osprey is occasionally seen 
here but I do not know of any nesting 
sites in this corner of the state. It is 
quite interesting to see them catch 
fish from the river and lake. 

During the early Spring Black Vul- 
tures are quite common but I have 
never seen them here later than the 
middle of May. 

The Turkey Vulture is also common 
during the Spring and Summer, but 
I have never known of any nests be- 
ing found in this section. 

Of the Hawks that are common nest- 
ers here, we have the Red-tailed, Red- 
shouldered, Coopers, Broad-wing, 
Skarp-shinned, Sparrow, and Marsh 
Hawks, and put them in an open coop 
out in a pasture field. The old ones 
were very attentive and fed them reg- 
ularly. Nearly every day they brought 
them young chickens. 

One day last April while out col- 
lecting I tock one set of two badly in- 
cubated eggs of the Red-tail from a 
nest 56 feet up in a big beech. Also 
one set of three fresh Cooper’s at 70 
feet up. Also one set of three fresh 
Red-shouldered. This nest was in a 
three prong crotch of a beech 76 feet 
up. Without limbs and as I never use 
climbers this was no cinch for an old 
man, but it was worth doing. Such 
beautifully marked eggs and a hand- 
some nest lined with small hemlock 
twigs. These three nests were all 
found within a distance of one-half 
mile. 

Of the Owls we have the Great Horn- 
ed Owl which is quite common. Bar- 
red Owl very common; screech Owl, 
very common. Aside from these we 
have occasionally the Long and Short- 
eared owls. The latter I have only 


met with from early fall until early 
Spring. For two seasons the Saw-whet 
owl has been here and I am sure that 
a pair nested last season in the big 
woods near here. It is very seldom 
we see the Snowy Owl here. 

During thirty years of observing 
birds in this section, I have seen but 
two specimens of Barn Owl. During 
the winter of 1901 two Great Gray 
Owls lived in the big woods. I saw 
them almost daily while at work; they 
seemed quite tame. Since then I have 
not seen any of them. 

On February 21, 1913, I located a 
nest of the Great Horned Owl 60 feet 
up in the crotch of a big Swamp ma- 
ple; the nest seemed built by the birds 
themselves. Later on I will write from 
the big woods. 

S. V. Warram. 


ee ee 
Virginia Bird Notes. 

This is the mildest winter we Hane 
had in many seasons. Last year, 1912, 
the Starlings appeared for the first 
time on January 4th; were again seen 
on the 8th, and last seen on March 6th. 
None remained during the summer, 
and this winter was not severe enough 
to drive them down here again. 

Eagles were two weeks earlier in 
coming this season. February 9th 
found them settled and two sets taken 
the 18th were incubated nearly three 
weeks. But I shall not go into detail 
about the Eagles, for W. B. Crispin 
of Salem, N. J., came down again to 
visit me and he will tell you of this 
year’s experience. Ducks and Geese 
are migrating Northward in great 
quantities already, while the warm 
weather has been disasterous to the 
markets, wild water fowl shipped in 
being in terrible condition, and I was 
informed about 50 per cent. of those 
killed were spoiled. 

H. H. Bailey. 
Newport News, Va. 


THE OOLOGIST 


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THE OOLOGIST 


Egg Collectors Take Notice 


I want this spring the following first class 
eges in original sets accompanied by reli- 
able data. I have a most attractive exchange 
list to offer for those I want, including many 
exceedingly desirable specimens. First come, 
first served! Fer those that I want and can- 
not get by exchange I am willing to pay a 
fair cash price for. These are the eggs I 
want, Viz: 


ON# set each of A. O. U. Nos. 42, 79, 120a, 
135 1-12, 138, 167, 178, 179, 184 1-4, 218, 
261 1-4, 310, 319, 332 1-4, 341 1-4, 348, 359 1-4, 
375 1-4, 375a, 375d, 419, 423, 454, 493, I. T. S., 
567, 586, 597, 652, 674, 707a. 


TWO sete each of A. O. U. Nos. 25, 26, 29, 
103, 129, 142, 145, 148, 154, 160, 161, 180, 195, 
207, 252, 260, 289b, 295, 335 2-4, 339 2-5, 
341 2-2, 356, 377, 397, 409, 457, 477, 498e, 
510 2-5, 511b 2-6, 529b, 554, 581, 611, 639, 657, 
676, 698, 733. 


THREW sets each of A. O. U. Nos. 18a, 21, 
43, 54, 115, 131, 150, 153, 162, 171, 196, 210, 
211c, 223, 229, 248, 300a, 309, 310a, 310b, 337b 
3-3, 347, 351, 352, 356a, 376, 383, 387, 396, 374e, 
293a, 337b 4-2, 357, 478, 482, 486, 497, 708, 726. 


FOUR sete each of A.-O. U. Nos. 10, 14, 
34, 838, 81, 82, 83, 123, 128, 185, 192, 264, 286, 
293a, 337b, 357, 478, 482, 486, 497, 708, 726. 


FIVE sets each of A. O. U. Nos. 52, 92, 
120b, 123a, 141.1, 194b, 204, 206, 213, 220, 222, 
227, 258a, 272, 278, 281, 287, 289a, 292, 293, 
300c, 334, 345, 373a, 373b, 3875c, 377a, 384, 
488a, 570, 58le, 621, 622, 702, 744. 

Address, 


R. M. BARNES 


Lacon, Ill. 


FEAT 


URE EUS Eee ee 


= 


OrIeAlan 


THE OOLOGIST. 


BIRDS--NESTS--EGGS 
TAXIDERMY 


Von. XXX. No. 6. 


ALBION, N. Y., June 15, 1918. 


WHOLE No. 311 


BRIEF SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS 
Wanted, Exchange, For Sale, Etc., inserted in this department at 25 cents 


for each 25 words for one issue; each additional word 1 cent. 


serted for less than 25 cents. 


No notice in- 


TAKE NOTICE. 
SUBSCRIPTION, 50 CENTS PER YEAR 


Examine the number on the wrapper of 
your Oologist. It denotes the time your 
subscription expires. Remember we must 
be notified if you wish it discontinued and 
all arrearages must be paid. 311 your sub- 
scription expires with this issue. 305 your 
een expired with December issue 
1912. Other expirations can be computed by 
intermediate numbers at the rate of one 
number per month. 


Entered as second-class matter De- 
cember 21, 1903, at the post office at 
Albion, N. Y., under the Act of Congress 
of March 3, 1879. 


In answering advertisements in 
these columns mention “The Oologist,” 
and thereby help us, as well as the ad- 
vertiser and yourself. 


We will not advertise the Skins, nests, eggs, Or mounted specimens OL 


North American Birds for sale. 


These columns are for the use of those desiring 


to make bona fide exchanges of such specimens for scientific collecting purpo- 


ses only.—EDITOR. 
BIRDS 


WANTED-—Live American Wild Trumpet- 
er Swan. R. M. Barnes. Lacon, Ill. 


BIRD SKINS .—Exchange generally. 
FRANKS, WRIGHT, 14 Cayuga St., Auburn, 
N. Y. (2-p) 

WANTED.—TO exchange skins, also bird 
Bee bine camera for cash. CORNEL- 

Us BUS, Detroit, Mich. (1-p) 


WANT TO BUY—Live wi'd ducks, geese, 
swan, cranes, stork, Pelican, eagles, Guinea 
pigs, and all wild animals. IRL E. BEN- 
NETT., “Naturalist,” Cambridge, Ohio. (1-p) 


TO KXCHANGH.—A large collection of 
birds’ skins as a whole only for a large col- 
lection of stamps. No trash wanted. F. T. 
Bess, 80 Killingsworth Ave., ae 

re. -p 


I desire to exchange bird skins and bird 
eggs with all collectors; send full list of skins 
andeggs. D. V. HEMBREH, Roswell, Wie 

-D 


EXCHANGE.—Can offer good exchange in 
skins and eggs to anyone who will mount 
some dried skins for me, such sets as} Man- 
dt’s Giullemot, Whistling Swan, Canada 
Geese, Old Squaw, etc. ARTHUR W. 
PROCKWAY, Hadlyme, Conn. (1-p) 


First class s kins Illinois, California and 
Costa Rica to exchange for birds from South- 
ern or Western States, or from other coun- 
tries. H. K. COALE, Highland Park, Il. (1) 


WANTED.—First class skins of Passenger 
Pigeons, male and female, for which I will 
give in exchange first class skins of Heath 
Hens. FRED H. KENNARD, 220 Devonshire 
St., Boston, Mass. (1) 


Se ee eee ee 

FOR EXCHANGE.—I have left one pair 

Passenger Pigeons, (Hctopistes Migratorius) 

nicely mounted and good condition. Will 

take part cash and part in rare sets or birds. 

PHILO SMITH, 1824 Byers Ave.. mopar pee 
-p 


W ANTED.—Extra fine skins for mounting, 
two Am. Avocets, male, ads., two Am. Wood- 
cocks, male, ads., two Black-necked Stilts, 
male, ads., and two Boxwhites, male, ads. 
Offer A 1 Skins or mounted birds. FRANK- 
LIN J. SMITH, Box 98, Eureka, Cal. (1-p) 


WANTED. Scientific skins of A. O. U. 20, 
242, 289a, 320, 320a, 327, 360. 357, 372a 373a, 373b, 
373¢, 373d, 373e. 378f, 373g, 373h, 373,1, 373.2, 374, 
374a, 377, 378a, 379. 379.1, 380 381. Willexchange, 
for them A. O. U. 34, 380. The Owls must all 


be the small Genra of the Varieties. H. W. 
Philadelphia, Gos 


AITKEN, 1521 Vine St., 


[ THE OOLOGIST 


Skins Continued 


WANTED.—General birdskin exchange, 
particularly Pacific Coast and Southern Col- 
lectors, though [ solicit lists from anywhere. 
RAYMOND SPELLUM, Viroqua, Wis. 


Black and Socorro Petrels, Xantus Murrelet, 
Ringed Kingfisher, Harlequin Duck, Roseate 
Spoonbill and others too numerous to men- 
tion. A. B. HOWELL, Covina, Cal. (1-p) 


EGGS. 
In sending in your exchange notices 


for nests, skins and eggs, we would ap- 
preciate it if you would arrange the 


think justly so. 


FOR EXCHANGE.— For anything of use to 
asportsman. A.I. mounted Birds and Skins 
of water fowl and owls. MILO DENNY, 
Waubeek, Iowa. 


EXCHANGE.—Personally taken sete 263, 
300, 388, 412a, 444, 466a, 498, 528, 529, 540, 624, 
for sets of Warblers only. H.  MOUSLEY. 
Hatley, Quebec’ (1-p) 


I have a number of sets of Brandt’s Cor- 


I have a few Sane sets to Sciance Want 
334, 334a, 337a, 337d, 340, 344. (851) 352a, 356, 360c. 
361 and many others. DAVID E. BROWN 
Room No. 11, Federal Bldg., Tacoma, eee. 

1p 


FOR SA LE—700 egg trays, made with white 
paper all sizes and in good condition. I will 
also exchange for sets of eggs for others new 
to my collection. I phave also man 
zines for exchange. M. CASH, 7 
St., Hartford, Conn. 


Fine sets from Greenland, Iceland, Arctic 
America. also Antarctic. Will exchange 
European for North American sets. H. 
BOOTH, 8 Cranbury Road. Fulham, “England, 

-p 


EXCHANGE.—A fine series a ten of the 
Pallas Murre from Cape Hope, Alaska. 
want 188, 332, 343, 348, 362, 364 and many ess 
E. BROWN, 6044 1st Ave.. No. W. Sta. F. 
Seattle. Wash. 


EGGS FOR EXCHANGE.—A few sets each 
_of the following to exchange for other sets. 
Nos. 49, 120c, 122, 127, 294a. 360a. Send full list: 
JS. APPLETON, Simi, Ventura Co.., Cal. 


TO EXCHANGE—Sets with data, North 
American and. Foreign. a use many com- 
mon kinds of Hee Dr. oo . RICHARDS 
= Be Navy, 1911 N. St., . Washington 


~) 


EXCHANGE. VoL 23 Physical Culture 
Want Reed’s Color Key to North American 
Birds, Holland’s Butterfly book, Hummers, 
Sets of 144 Eggs. flying squirrel skins. EARL 
HAMILTON, Yohoghany, Pa. (1-p) 


WANTED. I will collect sets in North 
West Canada this season. I want sets of 
Eagles, Hawks and Owls. THOS. S. HILL, 
Relics, fossils, sheils, Moodys. Okla. (1-p) 


One Portable Tradic Medical Battery, tw® 
cells with all appliances good as new. 
issues of Recreation. Dry platecamera4x 5. 
Exchange for birds’ eggs. C. B. VANDER- 
COOK, Odin, Il. (2-p) 


FOR EXCHANGE.—Sets with data and 

singles for first class bird skins. .G. WIL 

LARD, 30 Huntington, Ave., Boston, Mass., 
(L-p 


FINE COLLECTION BIRD EGGS, many 
birds and nests photographed, to exchange 
for microscope, fly rod, casting rod, or tackle 
Box 775, Stanford University, Cal. 


Marine Shells, Pacific Coast species, Smith- 
sonian Identification, for specimens and 
ouriosities of any kind, Birds’ Eggs preferred, 
W. W. WESTGATE, 809 Ist North, Seattle. 
Wash. 1-p) 


FOR EXCHANGE.—Two hundred sets 
with data, in first class condition, including 
50 European (without data) in cabinet. List 
sent on application._DR. JAMESON, 105 N. 
Washington St., Titusville, Pa. (4-p) 


WANTED—Fine sets Flycatchers, especial- 
ly 459; also rare pestage stamps, British, 
North American colonies only. Offer sets 
with nests 228, 227a. 474b, 533, BOS, 641, 648, 673, 
743c and others. H. MOUSLEY, Que. d-p) 


FOR EXCHANGE.—A large list of fine sets 
with data, to exchange for fine sets of Rap- 
tores and large singles. Exchange also de- 
sired in minerals, sea shells, butterflies and 
moths. L.C. SNYDER, Lacona, N. Y. (-p) 


FOR SALE.—At less than half cost; Oak 
Egg Cabinet, nine drawers; 2ox inches; 209 
permanent divisions 23 to inches deep. 
Made especially for my Water Birds Egg. 
THOS. H. JACKSON, 304 N. Franklin St., 
West Chester, Pa. (2) 


FOR SALE OR _ EXCHANGE. or skins 
or eggs in sets. Bird Lore, Vol. VIII, Vol. 
VII, No. 5-6; Vol. [X, No. 1. Nigloteatat, Vol. 
IIT, No.1; Vol. II, No. 9; Vol. III, No. 2; Osprey. 
Vol. 1-3; Condor, Vol. 3-1; Museum, Vol. I, No. 
3-4-5-12.. Ornithologist and Oologist, Vol. 
XVIII; Oologist, Vol. XXIII-XX VI- KMS 
XXVIII: Vol. X, No. 4-7-11; Vol. XI, Nos.7and 
9; Vol. Xie Nos. 10 and 11; Vol. XIV, No. 3 
and’. ARTHUR W. BROCKWAY, -Hadlyme, 

onn. (1-p 


FOR EXCHANGE.—My entire collection 
of several hundred sets of eggs. Want bird 
and mammal skins, mounted birds and 
animals, game heads, beetles, old relics, 
stamps and curios. My special wants are 
skins of Bull Crested Sandpiper and female 
Dickcissels, mounted birds, A. O. U. Num- 
bers 11, 32, 47, 64, 74, 80. 125, 128, 134, 150, 166, 169, 
171la, 177, 206, 211, 218, 225, ‘006. 258,’ 260, 269° 280, 
281, 286, 288, 293. 308, 309, 311, 325, 326, 327, 362, 370, 
377a, 381, 443, 471, 476, 483, 487, 513, 513a; Mounted 
Mole (Scalops), ‘Civet (Bassariscus), Southern 
Fox Squirrel, Jack Rabbit, Texan Pecarry, 


- Antelope head, Gila monster and 3 foot Alli- 


gator. List everything you can eae No 
eggs wanted. W.E.SNYDER. R. F. D. No. 
6, Beaver Dam, Wis. (1) 


THE OOLOGIST. 


Vout. XKX. No. 6. ALBION, N. Y. JUNE 15, 1913. WHOLE No. 311 


Owned and Published Monthly, by R. M. Barnes, Albion, N.Y., and Lacon, Ill. 


The Late William B. Crispin, 
Salem, New Jersey, 


90 THE OOLOGIST eat fle 


WILLIAM B. CRISPIN 
Seeks Eggs; Dashed to Death—Falls 200 Feet on Pocono 
Mountains, Pennsylvania. 


Salem, N. J.. May 21.—William Crispin, a collector of birds’ eggs, 
lowered himself 100 feet by a rope in the Pocono mountains, near 
Haston, iPa., last Friday in quest of eagles’ eggs and fell 200 feet to his 
death. News of the accident became generally known when his body 
was brought to his parents home near here. 

Mr. Crispin, who was 33 years old, had collected birds’ eggs all over 
the country. Last week he had an order from New York for a certain 
kind of eagles’ eggs and set out for the Poconos to find them. He was 
last seen alive Friday afternoon near the place where he was killed. 
Saturday several women, who were picking wild flowers, came across 
his body. High up the perpendicular mountain side they saw the end 
of the rope. 

Papers of identification were found on the body, and the police 
learned by long distance telephone from Crispin’s father the object of 
his mission into the mountains. Crispin left a widow, and three chil- 
dren. His father is a former member of the New Jersey legislature.— 
Chicago Daily News, 


The foregoing clipping from the telegraphic column of the Chicago 
Daily News, May 12, 1913, tells its own sad story. Mr. Crispin was a 
naturalist of ability, a man of integrity, a good husband and father, 
and a credit to himself and to those who were his. 

It shows the dangers which a field naturalist necessarily incurs at 
times. The manner of his death recalls that of John C. Cahoon, who 
fell in like manner from the cliffs of Newfoundland on the shore of 
the sea. 

The readers of THE OOLOGIST will well remember his splendid 
powers of description and the accuracy of his observations, as he has 
been for sometime an occasional contributor to these cclums. 

To the bereaved ones he leaves behind, we extend our sympathy. 

The following is a list of his contributions to THE OOLOGIST since 
we became proprietors of the magazine: 

Wild Pigeon Eggs, Vol. 28, No. 5, pg. 91. 

The Downy Woodpecker, Vol. 29, No. 9, pg. 344. 

A Bartramian Sandpiper’s Nest, Vol. 29, No. 9, pg. 346. 

The Lure of the Wild, and the Bachelor Nest of the Bald Hagle, 
Vol. 30, No. 2, pg. 28. 

It is a pleasure to publish also the contributions of those who knew 
him better than we did, which here follow: 


Mr. Crispin’s death is a distinct loss 
to all lovers of “Oology and Ornithol- 
ogy.” He was a great enthusiast and 
tireless in the pursuit of rare speci- 
mens. His untimely end came while 
in search of the eggs of the Duck 
Hawk. He was a man of excellent 
habits and enjoyed a reputation for 


strict integrity, always dealing fairly 
in all his buisness relations. He will 
ever be remembered as a faithful 
friend, a good comrade and an honest 
man. Ernest A. Butler. 


Wm. B. Crispin Killed by a Fall. 
On May 9, 1918, William B, Crispin, 


THE OOLOGIST 91 


of Salem, N. J., was instantly killed 
by a fall from the Nockaminon Cliffs, 
a few miles above Philadelphia, 
while endeavoring to get down to a 
Duck Hawk’s nest. He went up the 
Delaware River about noon of that 
day in the steam cars, and stopped at 
a nearby canal lock to get the attend- 
ant to go with him, to the site of the 
nest, but was compelled to go alone. 
He took with him a well-used one- 
inch rope, and also a new one of the 
same size—the latter four hundred 
feet long. With these on his shoulder 
he climbed to the top of the cliff 385 
feet high, and when there used his 
older rope to lower himself down a 
steeply sloping bank about 100 feet to 
the brink cf a sheer drop clear to the 
bottom. At this point his rope was 
found, neatly coiled ready for use, and 
his hat lying on top of it. The site of 
the nest was about fifty feet below 
him, on. a ledge only one foot wide 
and about six feet long. He evident- 
ly lost his footing, while looking. down 
head foremost into the rocks 285 feet 
below. The body rolled into a little 
clump of bushes and was not found 
until the next afternoon, when a party 
of girls gathering wild flowers came 
across it lying within a short distance 
of the public road. 

Mr. Crispin is well known to our 
readers through the interesting arti- 
cles which he has from time to time 
written for the columns of THE 
OOLOGIST. This spring he took a 
trip after Bald Hagles’ eggs in Vir- 
ginia, and around Washington, and 
was very successful. He was a most 
remarkably easy and agile climber, 
and absolutely fearless. His local col- 
lection of eggs was a fine one, and in- 
cluded among its treasures a series 
of some ten sets of the Eagle eggs, all 
of his own taking; a series of thirty 
sets of Osprey eggs; a set of locally 
taken Wood Duck eggs, and a hand- 


some set of five Upland Plover, which - 
has already been noticed in THE 
OOLOGIST. He was a member of the 
A. O. U. and also of the Delaware Val- 
ley Ornithological Club, and altogeth- 
er one of the most likable young fel- 
lows that anybody ever met. A wife 
and three young children mourn his 
terrible death. 

The Nockaminon Cliff on the banks 
of the Delaware river, is quite noted 
locally as a nesting place of a pair of 
Duck Hawks. Mr. Gillem, of Ambler, 
Pa., has a dozen sets of eggs taken in 
different years from probably the same 
pair of birds, and only about ten days 
before the accident, had let himself 
down the cliff in search of another set. 
He stated that he believes the birds 
did not nest there this year, and it is 
certain that they were not there when 
Mr. Crispin had his fall, for another 
local Oologist scaled the rock only 
the day before. 

R. P. Sharples. 
West Chester, Pa. 


In Memory of William B. Crispin. 

I first became acquainted with 
“Billy” Crispin in the summer of 1908, 
through Mr. Carpenter, of Salem, N. J. 

On September 12, 1898, he came 
over to see me for the first time, and 
I returned the visit May 13, 1899. 

At that time he was a boy in his 
teens, just commencing to make a col- 
lection of eggs. I had started over 
again, after many years of inactivity, 
and was eager to have a young man 
like Crispin with me in the same hob- 
by. Being reared in the country, Cris- 
pin had a good opportunity to procure 
the eggs of all the birds that nested in 
his locality. 

In the summer of 1901 he yearned 
for new scenery, and started July 10, 
on his wheel to Buffalo. After taking 
in the exposition, he rode on to 
Maine, and returned to my house on. 


98 THE OOLOGIST 


his machine. On the outskirts of the 
town he broke the barc-bow of his bi- 
cycle while descending a steep hill. 
He fell on his hands and knees, bruis- 
ing them, and tearing his clothing in 
a frightful manner. This trip did not 
satisfy him it only gave him an appe- 
tite for more, so he started for F'lor- 
ida, on November 7th, of the same 
year. His idea for going at this time 
of the year, was to be there when the 
Bald Eagle nested. Being unfamiliar 
with the locality and having no knowl- 
edge about the nesting sites, he fail- 
ed to take any eggs. He went on down 
to Miami, with the intention of look- 
ing for Everglade Kites, in the spring, 
but met with no success. 

On May 3, 1903, I bought all the eggs 


he had, so he has really made his col- - 


lection in the past ten years. I be- 
lieve he has about 85 different species 
personally collected, of the birds of 
New Jersey, besides many others 
taken in trade. 

Crispin was a great tree climber, 
as most egg men know. He never 
turned a tree down, no matter how 
large, how tall, or how rotten. I have 
seen him climb dead trees that had no 
limbs, only forks, shooting out like a 
crooked finger and a Fish Hawk’s nest 
near the end. He would get the eggs 
every time, sure. 

He was a close friend of mine, and 
we kept up a regular correspondence 
during the fifteen years. If he got 
anything new, he told me about it, and 
if I got anything I told him, so we had 
no egg secrets. 

He has gone, never to return. It 
was a great shock to all of us. He 
had gone out many times before, and 
stayed over the alotted time, but 
would always come back. This time 
he lay at the bottom of a cliff, bruis- 
ed, crushed, dead! How it happened 
no one can tell. Crispin was a care- 
ful climber, fearless, daring and brave, 


He must have slipped, lost his bal- 
ance and fell, all so quickly that it 
was all over in a second. 

His body rests under the shade of 
a large tree in Salem. The long 
branches stretching out from the 
trunk, makes a fitting canopy for the 
dead, the birds that he loved so well, 
singing in the top, will be his con- 
stant companions forever. 

EH. J. Darlington. 
Delaware. 

SRSA Ses IP a 
CHARLES J. PENNOCK MISSING. 
Kennett Square Business Man Sud- 

denly Drops Out of Sight. 

Charles J. Pennock, 55 years, jus- 

tice of the peace, tax collector and 
the all-around confidential man in 
business matters of Kennett Square, 
is missing. He disappeared Thurs- 
day night of last week, and his friends 
fear that he has either been foully 
dealt with, has become dazed and 
wandered away or has been suddenly 
overcome with serious illness. So far 
as is known, all his accounts are cor- 
rect, and no reason is given by his 
family for his mysterious disappear- 
ance. 
-Mr. and Mrs. Pennock left Ken- 
nett Square Thursday morning and 
went to Philadelphia, where he was 
to attend a meeting of the Delaware 
Valley Naturalist Union at the Aca- 
demy of Natural Sciences. She was 
to do some shopping. 

At 10:30 that evening Pennock 
went to Broad Street Station and 
complained of not feeling well, but in- 
sisted on taking the next train for his 
home. That was the last intelligence 
any one had of him, though the police 
of city hall have been trying to get 
some clue to his whereabouts, at the 


‘hospitals and other points. 


Mr. Pennock was burgess of Ken- 
nett Square a few years ago, besides 
being justice of the peace and tax 


THE OOLOGIST 93 


collector, he represents three insur- 
ance companies, is a director of the 
Philadelphia Academy of Natural 
Sciences, is ornithologist of the State 
Board of Agriculture in Delaware, 
president of the Lake Makomer Re- 
sort Company, near Williamsport, is 
prominent in Masonic circles, a natur- 
alist of well-known ability, brother of 
the member of the State legislature, 
Theodore Pennock, and an uncle of 
Herbert Pennock, pitcher of the Ath- 
letic base ball team, of Philadelphia. 

He is 5 feet 10% inches tall and 
weighs 165 pounds. He had on when 
he went away a dark suit with grey 
stripes, straw hat with card bearing 
his name inside, wore a stand up col- 
lar, dark necktie; he has closely crop- 
ped whiskers, which, like his hair, are 
mixed with gray. He has been twice 
married and has three children. 

A country-wide search has been go- 
ing on ever since his disappearance, 
but up to this writing his whereabouts 
remains a deep mystery. 

2 se Ae 
Enoch J. Dietrich. 

A communication from H. F. Diet- 
rich brings the sad news of the death 
of Enoch J. Dietrich of Canby, O., re- 
gon, his brother, at the family home, 
Sunday, May 4th of pneumonia. 

Mr. Dietrich was well known to the 
the readers of THE OOLOGIST as an 
occasional contributor to these col- 
ums. During the last number of years 
he has been a more or less regular cor- 
respondent of Ye Editor, and we have 
quite a number of specimens furnish- 
ed by him in our collection. 

It is a pleasure to testify that in all 
his dealings, uprightness and straight- 
forwardness have been his absolute 
rule. His powers of observation and 
his ability to disclose what he saw 
were of the first order. 

The family and the oologists of the 
country have sustained a loss in his 


death, and to the bereaved ones we ex- 
tend our sincere sympathy. 
2a ee ees 
Sorrow. 

James C. Cannon, formerly of Lake- 
wood, Ohio, now of Cleveland, is be- 
reaved by the loss of his wife, which 
estimable lady died a short time ago 
at his home in Lakewood. Mr. Can- 
non is an oologist of note, and to him 
Wwe extend our sincere sympathy. 

a 

HAROLD H. BAILEY wishes to an- 
nounce that the J. P. Bell Publishing 
Co. of Lynchburg, Va., have started 
work on the publication of his book 
“The Breeding Birds of Virginia, 
which they hope to have before the 
public on or about June Ist, 1913. 
There will be fourteen original full 
page colored plates of the birds, which 
with the one hundred and eight half 
tones, represent the greater part of 
the species of birds figuring in the 
text of over three hundred pages. Vir- 
ginia being the overlapping boundary 
of many of the northern and southern 
forms, the field covered should be of 
special interest to the ornithologist. 
As this will be a limited edition, those 
desiring to secure copies should noti- 
fy the author at Newport News, Va., 
as early as possible. The publishers 
are noted for their high class work 
and both they and Mr. Bailey guar- 
antee the whole work will be above 
the ordinary. The price will be ($3.00) 
three dollars.—(Adyv.) 

ee 


A Strange Egg. 

On May 3, 19138, I was out after 
eggs with Mr. EH. J. Darlington, near 
Hope Farm, Del. Seeing a Purple 
Grackle flush from a nest not more 
than six feet above the ground, I 
thought I would investigate. The nest 
was composed of dried grass and con- 
tained five little birds and one egg, 
which I took on account of its strange 


94 


Nest, Young 


‘THE: OOLOGIST 


and Parent, Cedar Waxwing—Taken July 21, 1912 
—Photo by J. F. Stierle, 


95 


THE OOLOGIST 


Nest, Young and Parent, Cedar Waxwing—Taken July 23, 1912 


Stierle. 


—Photo by J. F. 


96° THE OOLOGIST 


appearance. The egg measured one 
and one-sixteenth by seven-eights 
inches, and was white, thickly covered 
with reddish markings, and was very 
badly incubated. Mr. Darlington nor 
I could identify it. 

HK. M. Kenworthy. 


Delaware. 
rire 


An Albine Starling. 

Among the several breeds of Star- 
lings (Sturnus vulgaris) which were 
reared in my bird-cottage during the 
spring of 1912, there was one brood of 
four which was a true albine. As this 
bird lived to be but four weeks old, 
when a neighbor’s cat devoured him, 
it is rather difficult to say if this first 
plumage would have been replaced by 
the normal plumage of the adult 
stages. However, the first plumage of 
this bird was a glistening white with- 
out the least traces of markings of any 
kind. Its bill was quite normal, its 
eyes, straw-color, tinged with pink 
and its feet and legs, straw-color with 
slight traces of red appearing at num- 
erous places on their surface. 

Louis S. Kohler. 
Blocmfield, N. J. 


a ar ee 
Nesting of the Wood Thrush in 
Mississippi. 

In looking over one of my books the 
other day I was surprised to find the 
breeding range of the Wood Thrush 
given to be from North Carolina and 
Kansas north to Northern United 
States, as I had always regarded it as 
being one of our common birds down 
here in South Mississippi. In 1909 I 
tock my first set of four eggs of the 
Wood Thrush, on May 20th. The nest 
was about eight feet up in a small 
cedar and the bird was on the nest. 
This set was badly incubated but I 
took no more sets of these this year as 
it was late in the season. The next 
year I took a set of two on May 15 and 


found another set the same day which 
held two eggs. On the 16th I found 
a nest with two eggs and on the 21st 
I found two nests with four eggs each, 
one of which I took. On May 24th 
I found my last set of four. In 1911 
I found five nests. On May 2d I found 
the first nest which held one egg. 
One nest was found on the 7th, two 
on the 12th, and the last on the 21st. 
In 1912 I did not take any sets as I 
was at work on the Coast all the 
spring, but I used to scare the birds 
up from the palmetto thickets on 
Deer Island quite often when I would 
go over there. So this year I was on 
the watch early and on the 28th of 
April I found a nest with four eggs 
and nearby another new one which 
four days later held four also. Then 
I found my old pair. nesting on the 
campus of the College and on May the 
2d this nest held four greenish-blue 
beauties. JI have noticed that it is al- 
ways the same piece of woods that 
they nest in and so I am going out 
soon and see how many I can find. 


Early Spring Notes. 

Under date of April 1st just twen- 
ty species of our birds have arrived. 
As I write I am listening to the sweet 
incomparable warble of Bewick’s 
Wren. He has been here for several 
days and for three seasons past the 
welcome little southerner has been 
coming regularly. Last May a pair 
built a nest in a lumber pile here in 
the village only a stone’s throw from 
the store and I secured a photo of an- 
other family of young Bewick’s in a 
paint bucket hanging in a brick milk 
house. 

Have taken, in the village, under 
date March 29th, a fresh set of six 
Sereech Owl, the earliest set I have 
ever taken outside of timber. I have 
always found the timber Screechers 
from two to three weeks earlier than 


THE OOLOGIST 97 


those residing in the orchards and 
towns. My pair here gives me a nice 
set each spring then promptly depos- 
its another set in the same place. The 
second set is just 30 days later and 
family number two is just as happy as 
if born a month earlier. As only one 
family is reared each season, I figure 
that my annual set does not reduce 
the number of Screech Owls. 

Have just received word from Guy 
W. Day of Sidney, Champaign county, 
who recorded the first authentic set 
of Barn Owls taken in Illinois, that 
he had a pair located already for 1913 
and when ripe, he would give me the 
honor of taking the second set for IIli- 
nois. Ill be there. 

Isaac E. Hess. 
Philo, Ill. 
=) ere 
Series of Eggs of the Cedar Waxwing. 

Five eggs, incubation slight, ground 
color a light slate or bluish gray, 
sparcely marked with dark almost 
black brown spots and specks, scat- 
tered over the whole egg; with similar 
undermarkings of pale lilac and pur- 
ple; form long oval; measure .89 x 
LOUPEE Sonex OO, .89) X 261s .8%) x 262, 08S. x 
.61 inches; nest compactly built of 
small twigs, fine rootlets, weeds and 
leaf stems, mosslike and seedy fibres, 
dried stem, with stone of wild cherry 
attached, grass, wool, etc., lined with 
fine weed stems, and horsetail hair. 
The moss and wool are around the 
rim; nest on limb in White Oak; local- 
ity, Dodge county, 11% miles southeast 
of Columbus, Wis.; date, July 6, 1892. 

Four eggs, fresh, light bluish drab 
ground, not very heavily marked with 
seal brown and vandike brown in 
coarse bold dots and spots, and a few 
scrawls, finer and fainter undermark- 
ings of lilac with a faint cloudiness of 
a pale pinkish or reddish brown, prin- 
Cipally in the larger end; form oval; 
measure, .77 x .63, .75 x .63, .80 x 66, 


.79 x 62 inches. Nest in leaning clus- 
ter of swamp willow, composed of 
small twigs and reed stems, stripping 
from weeds, lined with this stripping 
and a little dry grass; quite bulky. 


Locality, Columbus County, Colum- 
bus, Wis.; date, August 8, 1895. 
Three eggs, slightly incubated, 


ground slate gray, with a greenish 
metallic tint, quite \ thickly marked 
with blackish brown, and undermark- 
ings of lilac, in specks, spots and 
dots; some of the spots the two col- 
ors seem to be mixed; two of the eggs 
show several scrawls of a dark metal- 
lic green; the darker markings are 
principally on the larger end of the 
egg; shape, oval; measure, .85 x .63, 
.83 x .62 inches. Nest was in swamp 
willow, of dead grass and weed stems, 
and hemplike strippings from weeds, 
and lined with the same. Locality, 
Columbia County, Columbus, Wis.; 
date, August 20, 1895. 

Four eggs, slightly incubated, dark 
ashy ground color, thinly and uneven- 
ly specked and spotted, over the whole 
ege with dark lilac and purple black, 
one being nearly destitute of the lat- 
ter markings; form oval; measure, 
80 .& 262; :81- x .655°.83 262) inches’ 
nest of woodstems and small twigs, 
grass willow leaves and cotton, lined 
with a heavy lining of dead grass, 
vegetable down, wool in small quanti- 
ties, and a considerable quantity of a 
kind of moss stuff, placed in a willow; 
locality, Columbia County, Columbus, 
Wis.; date, August 18, 1898. ¥, 

These eggs are very difficult to save 
if advanced in incubation and for this 
reason I lost a large number of sets. 

George W. H. vos Burgh. 
Zion City, Tl. 
poe Se See 
More Big Eagle Eggs. 

J. B. Dixon, of Escondido, Califor- 
nia, this spring secured another set 
of three eggs from the same nest from 


98 


THH OOLOGIST 


Nest and Young of Parent, Cedar Waxwing—Taken July 24, 1912 
—Photo by J. F. Stierle. 


THE OOLOGIST 


Nest and Young of Cedar Waxwing—Taken 1 day before leaving nest 
—Photo by J. F. Stierle. 


100 


which Ye Hditor took the set of two 
Bald Hagle eggs last spring. These 
three eggs were of the same general 
unusually large kind, and addled as 
has always been the case with this 
bird. This is the second set of three 
of which there is any history from 
this bird, and is to be congratulated 
this bird, and Mr. Dixon is to be con- 
gratulated on securing them. 

OC ta Se eet ES 

A Record. 

On April 26th, 1913, a friend of mine 
observed a pair of Bartramian Sand- 
pipers in a soggy field about six miles 
from town, and believing that they 
might nest in this locality, he went 
out again in the first week in May. 
He found a nest containing four beau- 
tifully marked eggs. This is a very 
rare find for this locality, and he 
prizes the set very highly. 

Norman Haultain. 
Ontario, Can. 
fee Aa 
The Catbird. 

The Catbird is not a very popular 
bird with most of us on account of 
his fruit eating habits. He is a saucy 
fellow, but aside from his fruit eating 
habit has no other faults, if fruit-eat- 
ing can be called a bad habit. He ar- 
rives here in the spring, along in the 
latter part of April. They are first 
seen after their arrival in the spring, 
in pairs in our orchard, or in small 
eolonies on the brier patches or under- 
brush, which places are their favor- 
ite residences. They are a common 
bird with us here in Central Illinois, 
and are fairly abundant. They sing 
a great deal all spring, and even far 
into the summer. They leave us, to 
journey southward, about the first of 
September. The catbird also frequents 
hedgrows as well as briar patches, 
and one finds them and the Brown 
Thrushes the most numerous birds to 
be found in such places. Several pairs 


THE OOLOGIST 


are generally found in orchards and 
groves about our homes, but tangled 
underbrush and woodland bevy pat- 
ches appeal most strongly to his na- 
ture. 

The Catbird is of a gray slate color, 
being somewhat darker colored in the 
wings and tail, with chestnut under- 
tail coverlets. 

It is a medium sized bird, being 
somewhat smaller than the Robin, and 
can be better compared with the Red- 
headed Woodpecker. To me it seems 
as though some of these birds are 
larger than others. 

They generally rear two broods a 
season, but their second nest is often 
uncompleted when the time arrives 
for them to migrate. They commence 
building their first nest shortly after 
their arrival in the spring, or about 
the first week in May. The nest is 
composed of sticks, cornhusks, twines 
and strips of bark, and is lined with 
rootlets and hairs. The nests are built 
at all sorts of elevations, ranging 
from three to thirty feet above the 
ground. They generally build in small 
trees or a tangle of vines, but when 
no such places can be found, they 
build at quite high elevations in our 
orchard trees. There is generally one 
pair in our orchard on the farm. 

One year they built their nest in a 
hedgerow about three feet above the 
ground, and the next year they again 
built in the hedgerow about one hun- 
dred feet from their previous nest. 
This nest was built up higher from the 
ground, at about an eight or nine ele- 
vation. (I remember, I could just 
barely reach it.) About one-half of 
the nest was composed of cornhusks. 
The following year this same pair 
built in an apple tree about thirty 
feet north of the hedge, at a height of 
about twenty feet. The tree died that 
fall, and was cut down, so the next 
year they moved to the north part of 


THE OOLOGIST is 101 


the orchard and built in the tip-top of 
a willow-twig apple tree. This nest 
was about thirty feet from terra firma. 
The succeeding year they moved to 
another apple tree, the same kind of 
a tree in which they had first built, 
(that is the tree that had died and 
Was cut down.) From this one would 
infer that they preferred some trees 
to others. This nest was about fifteen 
feet from the ground. 

The Catbird lays four or five pretty 
eggs, pale blue in color. 

The Catbird is a great fruit eater, 
hence he incurred the special hatred 
of the fruit grower, who is always 
putting up scarecrows to frighten him 
away. This bird also eats a goodly 
portion of insects during the summer 
months, being especially fond of grass- 
hoppers. I remember while putting 
up hay, adjoining a woods in which 
there were dense tangles of vines, 
briers, and small wild crab and plum 
trees, a regular mecca for Catbirds: 
the woods fairly rung with their song, 
while they were flying back and forth 
from hay-field to woods. One could 
see great numbers of them hopping 


about on the ground between the win-. 


with that most pecu- 
liar little hop of their’s. They were 
busy catching grasshoppers, which 
were quite plentiful, and very easily 
caught. It was a sight worth seeing. 

The Catbird has been correctly call- 
ed the mocking-bird of the north. His 
chief song is a jerky roundelay inter- 
spersed by other birds’ songs which 
he has copied and puts in whatever 
he chooses. It somewhat resembles 
the song of that brilliant songster, the 
Brown Thrasher, but more jerky, and 
is not quite so long. I remember once, 
when I was walking through the orch- 
ard, how I thought I heard what 
sounded like a Bluebird singing, in 
the middle of the orchard. I thought 
it rather strange to hear a Bluebird’s 


droms of hay, 


notes from the middle of the orchard, 
as they were generally seen around 
the western or more open side. I 
went to investigate and found the 
composer of the song to be a Catbird. 
Beside imitating to perfection, the 
warble of the Bluebird, I heard him 
mock the Baltimore oriole, the Che- 
wink, Dickcissel, and other _ birds, 
while I was watching him. He is a 
great songster. One of his other notes 
is the catlike call ‘meow,’ another 
note, which seems to be the alarm 
call is a harsh “adt.” All of these are 
accompanied by more or less jerk- 
ings and flirtings of the tail. 
John B. Behrends. 
Illinois. 
Watching the Chickadee. 

It was Saturday afternoon and free- 
dom from school. I was at liberty to 
do as I pleased. I walked away up to 
the north end of town, or up to Avery- 
ville. I followed the Rock Island rail- 
road from here on northward into the 
country, to see what birds I could 
find. Juncoes and English Sparrows 
were seen in large numbers. I also 
saw a Downy Woodpecker. and heard 
several Tree Sparrows. 

I had followed the railroad north- 
ward for about a half mile, when 1 
heard a Chicadee, tis-a-deeing in the 
woods to the right of the track. I 
decided to watch this interesting lit- 
tle member of our bird family. There 
was something peculiar about his 
notes that I wish to speak of. In fact 
he uttered some notes which I had 
never heard from a Chicadee before. 
He seemed to be very restless and 
generally kept flying about rather high 
in the tops of the tall oak trees. Chic- 
adees seldom maneuver about at a 
great height from the ground when 
searching for food. 

Besides their usual notes of “chica- 
dee-dee-dee-dee-dee, their plaintive 


102 


“Pee-wee, and similar ones, I heard 
this bird utter a peculiar note for 
their kind. In fact I heard him utter 
two notes new to me. One was a 


two syllabled “se-clear, se-clear,” very 
closely connected and twice repeated 


It resembled a Butcher Bird’s notes, 
only being lower and more modified. 
The other peculiar tune he pulled off, 
was a “rittery-rittery,” like that of the 
Maryland Yellow-throat, only probably 
more rapidly. I had a hard time keep- 
ing up with him, because he moved on 
so rapidly, that he was generally just 
within sight. John B. Behrends. 


Illinois. 
cof 2 


The Greater Yellow Legs. 

On May 31, 1913, while crossing the 
mud-flats of Corbett’s pond, two large 
waders flew out quite close to me and 
lit on the edge of the creek several 
hundred yards away. I hurriedly stalk- 
ed them, and they turned out to be 
the Greater Yellow Legs. They were 
quite tame, and allowed me to get 
about fifty yards from them. This is 
the first time I have ever seen the 
Greater Yellow Legs in this section. 

On May 14, 1918, while at Port 
Britain, (this is a marsh on the shore 
of Lake Ontario) I put up two Lesser 
Yellow Legs from a small pool about 
fifty yards from the main marsh. They 
flew down the creek and lit at the 
mouth of the creek. These birds were 
more wary than their greater broth- 
ers. 

While shooting at this place in the 
fall of 1911, I secured one Lesser Yel- 
low Legs. These are the only record 
I have cf these birds in this vicinity, 
evidently they are stragglers. 

On April 26, 1913, a pair of Bartram- 
ian Sandpipers were seen in a marshy 
field several miles north of here, they 
are also very rare in this neighbor- 
hood. Norman Haultain. 
Ontario, Can, 


THE OOLOGIST 


Books Received. 

Our Vanishing Wild Life, by W. T. 
Hornaday; Charles Scribner & Sons, 
New York, publisher. ; 

This publication is absolutely the 
best on the subject of any that we 
have ever received into our lidrary. 
It is dual in nature. A description of 
the causes leading to the extinctior of 
wild birds and animals and sugges- 
tions as to the prevention of the ex- 
tinction of others. 

Some very startling information is 
to be found within its pages. The 
following North American birds are 
stated to have become extinct within 
comparatively modern times: 

The Great Auk, Labrador Duck, 
Phallas Cormorant, Passenger Pigeon, 
Eskimo Curlew (this is an erroneous 
statement); Carolina Paraquet (this ~ 
is doubtful). : 

The following North American birds 
are seriously threatened with extinc- 
tion: 

Whooping Crane, Trumpeter Swan, 
American Flamingo, Roseate Spoon- 
bill, Scarlet Ibis, Long-billed Curlew, 
Hudsonian Godwit, Upland Plover, 
Red-breasted Sandpiper, Golden Plovy- 
er, Dowitcher, Willet, Pertoral Sand- 
piper, Black-capped Petrel, American 
Egret, Snowy Hgret, Wood Duck, 
Band-tailed Pigeon, Heath Hen, Sange 
Grouse, Prairie Sharp-tail, Pinnated 
Grouse, White-tailed Kite, and some 
very interesting information is fur- 
nished in relation to many of these 
species. 

The last Whooping Crane seen alive 
was seen by the writer and John F’ 
Ferry at Quill Lake, Saskatchewan, 
in 1909. The Trumpeter Swan is stat- 
ed to be represented by but one pair 
of birds in the New York Zoological 
Gardens. (This is an error as we have 
three live birds on our grounds.) 

It is stated that a well equipped 
and armed army of 2,642,274 gunners 


THE OOLOGIST 


Nest and Young of Cedar Waxwing—Taken 1 day before leaving nest 
—Photo by J. F. Stierle, 


104 


take the field each year in the United 
States against the wild animals and 
birds. How long will they last at this 
rate? A great many more million bird 
skins and animal pelts are sold an- 
nually on the London market than 
even those best advised have any idea 
of, and the prices they bring are some- 
what interesting in some instances. 
One illustration shows 1600 humming 
bird skins sold at 2 cents each. We 
have never examined a stronger, more 
forcible or more sensible resume of 
the subject of bird protection than 
this work. It should be in every pub- 
lic library and in every school library 
in the United States. 


Second Report of the Meridian Bird 
Club, 1912. 

One of the best bird reports that we 
have seen for a long time, filled from 
cover to cover with interesting bird 
information, and illustrated with a 
lot of good half tones, some of which 
are particularly interesting; all of 
which are instructive. 

Containing as it does, two maps, a 
resume of the financial operations of 
the club, and a membership list, it is 
a publication of which this club may 
well be proud. 


Food of Some Well Known Birds of 
Forest, Farm and Garden, by F. EH. L. 
Beal and W. L. McAtee. 

This is Farmers Bulletin No. 506 
of the U. S. Department of Agricul- 
ture issued September 25, 1912. (We 
are unadvised why it has not reached 
our desk prior to this time; there 
must me something wrong with the 
mailing department at place of issue.) 

This pamphlet of 34 pages, gives the 
result of food investigation resulting 
from the examination of nearly five 
thousand stomachs taken from four 
species of woodpeckers, two species 


THE OOLOGIST ce 


of hummingbirds, three species of fly- 
catchers, one species of horned lark, 
one species of junco, two species of 
sparrow, one of shrike ,two of warb- 
lers and the ruby-crowned kinglet, and 
teems with valuable information on 
the subject treated. 


National Reservations for the Pro- 
tection of Wild Life, by T. S. Palmer, 
Assistant Chief, Biological Curvey, De- 
partment of Agriculture, Bureau of Bi- 
ological Survey, Circular No. 87. 

This is a historical review of the 
various bird and game reservations 
and national parks under the juris- 
diction of the United States and con- 
tains also a bibliography of the pub- 
lications relating to the fauna of na- - 
tional reservations. It is an interest- 
ing resume of the subject treated. 


Food of Our Important Flycatchers, 
Department of Agriculture, Biological 
Survey, Bulletin 44, by F. EH. L. Beel, 
Assistant, Biological Survey. 

This is a splendidly prepared paper 
of sixty-seven pages giving deductions 
arrived at from the examination of 
nearly 3400 stomachs and bristles 
with desirable information from be- 
ginning to end. It is a splendid paper 
on the subject. Criticism if any, 
should be directed to the colored il- 
lustrations; the one of the Kingbird 
being more apparently the result of 
the artist’s imaginative and artistic 
taste than any sketch from nature, 
and the one of the Arkansas Kingbird 
being too highly colored on the under 
parts. And the one of the Crested Fly- 
catcher being the worst of the lot, the 
inner webs of the tail feathers not 
being colored true to nature and neith- 
er are the throat, neck or under parts. 
Improvement could be made in this 
respect in future papers of this char- 
acter. 


THE OOLOGIST vil 


Bird Books 


Bonaparte’e List of Birds of 
Europe - - $ .50 

Smith’s The Canary, 12 eesetEL 
plates, 1870 - 


Tegetmeier’s The Hens ee . 
Illus., 1871 - - - 1.25 


Canary Bids, A Manual for a 
Keepers, Illus. - - HOC 


Bird Neighbors, School edition; 
colored plates, 1899 - 


Life of Andubon, edited by his 
widow; Portrait, 1869 - 1.50 


A Book of Wild Things. Colored 
plates of Birds by a 
artists - 1.00 


Autograph letters of John Burroughs 
and other naturalists; also engraved 
portraits. 


State House Book Shop 
2215thSt. Philadelphia, Pa. 


THE CONDOR 


A Magazine of Western 
Ornithology 


Published Bi-monthly by the 
Coop2r Ornithological Club of California 
Edited by J. Grinnell and Harry B. Swarth 


“‘The Condor’’ is strictly scientific 
but edited in such a way that a be- 
ginner of ‘‘Bird Study”’ can easily un- 
derstand it. 

The articles in ‘‘The Condor’’ are 
written by the leading Ornithologists 
of the United States and are illustrated 
by the highest quality of half tones. 

Our subscription rates are $1.50 per year in 
the United States and $1.75 in a Foreign coun- 
try. Sample Copy 30c. 


Address 


W. LEE CHAMBERS, Bus. Manager, 
Eagle Rock, Los Angeles, Cal. 


BENJAMIN HOAG 
STEPHENTOWN,N Y. 


Oologists Tools and Supplies, Books and 
Magazines of every description. Send for 
lists. Write your special wants for quotations 
by letter. I can save you money. 


Cut the Lining Egg Drills: 4 selected sizes for 
$1.00. Ifnot the best you ever used re- 
turn and get your monpy. 


Regular Egg Drills: 0. 0, 20c; No. 1, 20c; No, 
2, 25¢e: No. 3, 35c; Ne ‘4, 45c; No. 5, 50e. 


Blowpipes: AJ] best nickle. No.1, 40c; No. 2. 
30c; No. 3, 20c. 


Nickle plated, 25c. 


No, 2, best quality straight 
Finest quality straight, 


Embryo Hooks: 


Embryo Scissors: 
or curved, 50c. 
$1.00; curved, $1.25. 


Best Steel Climbers: 
out, $1.90. 


With strap, $2.75; with- 


Books and Magazines: Let me quote and send 
list. I can supply anything in print, and 
always have old out of print books and 
back vol1mes of magazines. 


All prices prepaid 


BIRD-LORE 
FOR CHRISTMAS 


Tell us to whom you wish us 
to send Bird-Lore for you dur- 
ing 1913, and we will forward 
a Christmas Card, giving your 
name as donor, and afree copy 
of the 100-page Christmas num- 
ber of Bird-Lore, containing 
three colored plates and many 
hali-tones. They will go in 
time to be received, with your 
greetings, on Christmas Day, 
and Bird-Lore will follow, as 
published, throughout the year. 
A valuable present, easily made, 
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self. 

$1.00 a Year 
For Christmas: Five Subscriptions for 
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BIRD-LORE, Harrisburg, Pa. 


ii 
in 
ii 
ii 
ii 
ii 
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sii 
ofl 


THE OOLOGIST 


Steiner 


Egg Collectors Take Notice 


I want this spring the following first class 
eges in original sets accompanied by reli- 
able data. I have a most attractive exchange 
list to offer for those I want, including many 
exceedingly desirable specimens. First come, 
first served! For those that I want and can- 
not get by exchange I am willing to pay a 
fair cash price for. These are the eggs I 
want, Viz: 


ONE set each of A. O. U. Nos. 42, 79, 120a, 
135 1-12, 138, 167, 178, 179, 184 1-4, 218, 
261 1-4, 310, 319, 332 1-4, 341 1-4, 343, 359 1-4, 
375 1-4, 375a, 375d, 419, 423, 454, 493, I. T. S., 
567, 586, 597, 652, 674, 707a. 


TWO setc each of A. O. U. Nos. 25, 26, 29, 
103, 129, 142, 145, 148, 154, 160, 161, 180, 195, 
307,252, 260. 289, 295) 835 2:4) 839 25 
341 2-2, 356, 377, 397, 409, 457, 477, 498e, 
510 2-5, 511b 2-6, 529b, 554, 581, 611, 639, 657, 
676, 698, 733. 


THREE sets each of A. O. U. Nos. 18a, 21, 
43, 54, 115, 131, 150, 153, 162; 171, 196, 210; 
211¢c, 223, 229, 243, 300a, 309, 310a, 310b, 337b 
3-3, 347, 351, 352, 356a, 376, 383, 387, 396, 374e, 
293a, 337b 4-2, 357, 478, 482, 486, 497, 708, 726. 


FOUR sete each of A. O. U. Nos. 10, 14, 
34, 38, 81, 82, 83, 123, 128, 185, 192, 264, 286, 
293a, 337b, 357, 478, 482, 486, 497, 708, 726. 


FIVE sets each of A. O. U. Nos. 52, 92, 
120b, 123a, 141.1, 194b, 204, 206, 213, 220, 222, 
227, 258a, 272, 278, 281, 287, 289a, 292, 293, 
300c, 334, 345, 373a, 373b, 375c, 377a, 384, 
488a, 570, 58le, 621, 622, 702, 744. 

’ Address, 


R. M. BARNES 


Lacon, Ill. 


eet ete =t 


\ 


ue 


CATS Tey Tet et et ett 


Ao oAonon 


THE QOLOGIST. 


BIRDS--NESTS--EGGS 
TAXIDERMY 


VoL. XXX. No. 7. 


ALBION, N. Y., Juny 15, 1918. 


WHOLE No. 3812 


BRIEF SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS 
Wanted, Exchange, For Sale, Etc., inserted in this department at 25 cents 


serted for 


for each 25 words for one issue; each additional word 1 cent. No notice in- 
less than 25 cents. 
TAKE NOTICE. Entered as second-class matter De- 


SUBSCRIPTION, 50 CENTS PER YEAR 


Examine the number on the wrapper of 
your Oologist. It denotes the time your 
subscription expires. Remember we must 
be notified if you wish it discontinued and 
all arrearages must be paid. 312 your sub- 
scription expires with this issue. 305 your 
subscription expired with December issue 
1912. Other expirations can be computed by 
intermediate numbers at the rate of one 


. number per month. 


% 


We will not advertise the skins, nests, Se 
These columns are for the use of those desiring 


North American Birds for sale. 


cember 21, 1903, at the post office at 
Albion, N. Y., under the Act of Congress 
of March 3, 1879. 


In answering advertisements in 


these columns mention “The Oologist,” 
and thereby help us, as well as the ad- 
vertiser and yourself. 


efges, or mounted specimens of 


to make bona fide exchanges of such specimens for scientific collecting purpo- 


ses only.—EDITOR. 
BIRDS 


WANTED-—Live American Wild Trumpet- 
er Swan. R.M. Barnes. Lacon, [1]. 


BIRD SKINS .—Exchange generally. 
ie S. WRIGHT, 14 Cayuga St., ae 


ANTED.—TO exchange skins, also bird 
hotographing camera for cash. CORNEL- 
US BUS, Detroit, Mich. (1-p) 


WANT TO BUY—Live wi'd ducks, geese, 
swan, cranes, stork, Pelican, eagdes, Guinea 
pigs, and all wild animals. IRL E. BEN- 
N#TT. “Naturalist,” Cambridge. Ohio. (1-p) 


I desire to exchange bird skins and bird 
eggs with all collectors; send full list of skins 
andeggs. D. V. HEMBREE, Roswell, sr : 

(-p 


EXCHANGE.—Mounted birds, skins and 
many books on different subjects, for any- 
thing pertaining to ornithology. Send lists. 
O. M. GREENWOOD, 240 E. Main St., Man- 
chester, Iowa. (1-p) a 


Want following hummer skins: 427-429- 
430-432-433-437-439-440-440-1-441,_ Exchange Owl 
and Hawk skins for males, Hooded Mergan- 
ser, Bale Eagle. EARL HAMILTON, Yohog- 
any, Pa. 


TO EXCHANGE.—A large collection of 
birds’ skins as a whole only for a large col- 
lection of stamps. No trash wanted. F. T. 
CORLESS, 80 Killingsworth Ave., Portland, 
Ore. (2-p) 

EXCHANGE.—Can offer good exchange in 
skins and eggs to anyone who ‘will mount 
some dried skins for me, such sets as; Man- 
dt’s Giullemot, Whistling Swan, Canada 
Geese, Old Squaw, ete. ARTHUR W. 
PROCKWAY, Hadlyme, Conn. (1-p) 


First classs kins Dlinois, California and 
Costa Rica to exchange for birds from South- 
ern or Western States, or from_other coun- 
tries. H. K. COALE, Highland Park, Il. (1) 


WANTED.— First class skins of Passenger 
Pigeons, male and female, for which I will 
give in exchange first class skins of Heath 
Hens. FRED H. KENNARD, 220 Devonshire 
St., Boston, Mass. (1) 


WANTED. Scientific skins of A. O. U. 20, 
242, 289a, 320. 320a. 327, 360. 357, 372a 373a, 373b, 
373¢, 373d. 373e. 373f, 373g, 373h, 373.1, 373.2, 374. 
374a, 377, 378a, 379. 379.1, 380381. Willexchange, 
for them A. O. U. 34, 380. The Owls must all 
be the small Genra of the Varieties. H. W- 
AITKEN, 1521 Vine St., Philadelphia, st 

=p 


~ 


JUL16 1913 


; 


(-p) 
nse nian [nsf fi 
a i) / 


é 
‘0, 
4/ 


[ THE OOLOGIST 


Skins Continued 


WANTED.—Extra fine skins for mounting 
two Am. Avocets, male,ads., two Am. Wood 
cocks, male, ads., two Black-necked Stilts 
male, ads.. and two Boxwhiteés, male, ads 
Offer. A 1 Skins or mounted birds. FRANK- 
LIN J. SMITH, Box 98, Eureka, Cal. (1-p) 


FOR EXCHANGE.—I have left one pair 
Passenger Pigeons, (£ctopistes Migratorius) 
nicely mounted and good condition. Will 
take Logie cash and part in rare sets or birds. 
PHILO SMITH, 1824 Byers Ayve., Joplin, Me: 

(1-p 


WANTED.—General birdsxin exchange, 
particularly Pacific Coast and Southern Col- 
lectors, though I solicit lists from anywhere. 
RAYMOND SPELLUM, Viroqua, -Wis. 


(1-p) « 


WANTED.—A fine skin of Eskimo Curlew, 
for which I can offer such skins as Surf Bird, 
Black and Socorro Petrels, Xantus Murrelet, 
Ringed Kingfisher, Harlequin Duck, Roseate 
ppoonmill and others too numerous to men- 
tion. A. B. HOWELL, Covina, Cal. (1-p) 


OWLS.—I want the scientific skins of the 
Elf, Hoskins Pigmy, Dwarf Screech Owls 
Flamulated, Mexican, Texan, Rocky Mt., 
Kennicots, Small Floria Screech Owls, Skins 
of Baby Moles, Baby Bats, Birds of Prey, 
Shore Birds in the Downey Stages, or the 
Nestlings, skins of Gophers, Burrowing Owls, 
newly hatched Green Turtles, Hawks- pill 
Turtles, Land Tortoises, and Wood Turtles, 
Will exchange Ferrig Pigmy Owls or Dovekis 
skins or other specimens. Baby Amidillas. 
H. W. AITKEN, 18 So. 20th Street, Philadel- 
phia, 1ey. (1-p) 


EGGS. 


In sending in your exchange notices 
for nests, skins and eggs, we would ap- 
preciate it if you would arrange the 
numerals in your exchange notice in 
their numerical order, and not tumble 
them together hit and miss, as some of 
our readers are complaining, and we 
think justly so. 


Send for my list of fine Southern and South- 
western sets. E. F. POPE, Colmesneil, 
exas 


WANTED.—Three or four good sets of Sage 
Grouse. Address, JOHN LEWIS CHILDS, 
Floral Park, New York. (8-t) 


EXCHANGE.—Personally taken sets, 263, 
300, 388, 412a, 444, 466a, 498, 528, ee 540, 584, 624° 
for sets of Warblers only. . MOUSLEY, 
Hatley, Quebec’ (1-p) 


I haye a number of sets of Brandt’s Cor- 
morant for exchange. Can use duplicate sets, 
CHAS. H. CULP, Pacific Grove, Calif.  (1-p) 


I have a few good sets to exchange. Want 
334, 334a, 337a, 337d, 340, 344. (351) 352a, er 360c. 
361 and many others. DAVID E. ROWN, 
Room No. 11, Federal Bldg., Tacoma, yeahs 

1p 


Fine sets from Greenland, Iceland, Arctic 
America, also Antarctic. Will exchange 
European for North American sets. H. 
BOO 'H,8 Cranbury Road, Fulham, - England, 

=p) * 


FOR SALE—700 egg trays, made with whit e& 
paper all 4zes andin good ‘condition. I will 
also exchange for sets of eggs for others new 
to my collection. I have also many maga- 
zines for exchange. C. M. CASH, 7 Holcomb 
St., Hartford, Conn. , 


EXCHANGE—Bird skins, books, bird craft, 
squirrels and other fur bearers, wild animals 
Ihave known. Want skins, 155, 293, 294, 295, 
331, 337b, 443. EARL HAMILTON, Y ohog- 
hany, Pa. 


EGGS FOR EXCHANGE.—A few sets each 
of the following to exchange for other sets. 
Nos. 49. 120c, 122, 127, 294a. 360a. Send full list: 
J. 8. APPLETON, Simi, Ventura Co., Cal. 


WANTED. I will collect sets in North 


I want sets of 
Eagles, Hawks and ‘Owls. THOS. 8. HI ILIA 


Relics, fossils, sheils, Moodys. Okla. (ap) 


TO EXCHANGE.—Sets with data, North 
America and Foreign. C re : 
mon kinds of both. DR.T. W. RICHARDS, 
5 a Navy, 1911 N. St., N. W., Washington 


bas } 


FOR EXCHANGE.—Sets with data_and' 
singles for first class bird skins. B. G. WIL- 
LARD, 30 Huntington, Ave., Boston, a 

-p 


Marine Shells, Pacific Coast species, Smitb- 
sonian Identification, for specimens and 
CES of any kind, Birds’ Eggs preferred, 
W. W. WESTGATE, 809 1st North, Seattle. 
Wash. G 1-p) 


FOR EXCHANGE,—Two_ hundred sets. 
with data, in first class condition, includin 
50 European ee — Ke cabinet. bite 


ep) 


WANTED—Fine sets Flycatchers, especial- 
ly 459; also rare pestage stamps, British, 
North American colonies oa Offer sets 
with nests 228, 227a, 474b, 533, 558, 641, 648, 673, 
743c and others. H. MOUSLEY, Que. (1-p) 


list of fine sets 
ne sets of Rap- - 


FOR Ee ah lar 


EXCHANGE.—Vol. 23: BOWER Culture. 
Want Reed’s Color Key to North Americam 
Birds, Holland’s Butterfly book, Hurimers,. 
sets of 144 eggs, flying. squirrel skins. eat 
HAMILTON, Yohogany, Pa.. _ } (1-p) 


eudar Vere aaa Oologist, 
XVIII; Oologist, Vol. XXITI-XXVI-XXV 
: at 4-7-11; Vol. XI, Nos. jand 
9; Vol. XII, Nos. 10 and 11; Vol. XIV 3 
and7. ARTHUR W. *BROCKWAY, Tiyan oie: 
Conn. ' (-p) 


THE OOLOGIST. 


Went woe. NO. 7. AUBYON, N. Y. Juuy 15, 19138. WHOLE No. 312 


Owned and Published Monthly, by R. M. Barnes, Albion, N.Y., and Lacon, Ill. 


Milo Bennett Denny 


106 THE OOLOGIST 


Milo Bennett Denny, Artist and Natur- 
alist. 


As we came out of the thick under- 
brush we were surprised to find a 
beautiful little rustic log cabin pic- 


turesquely located in.virgin forests, . 


overlooking the beautiful Mapsie Riv- 


er, seven miles from a railroad and ~ 


apparently serving no purpose except 
for the beauty and charm with which 
it inspired the lonely spot. But in this 
rustic retreat away from the haunts 
of man an eccentric young artist and 
naturalist, namely, Milo Bennett Den- 
ny, fights out his problems of nature 
and art all alone, painting nature as 
he sees it through the eyes of a nat- 
uralist in a slightly impressionistic 
technique, yet with meaning to every 
stroke of the brush and with such col- 
or and atmosphere as only can be 
grasped by constant study in the open 
under all conditions. 

In this humble country studio Mr. 
Denny has produced some landscapes 
which have brought him a reputation 
few artists of his age can boast. He 
is not only an artist with brush and 
pencil but has displayed his superior 
artistic ability at the taxidermist’s 
art as well. Most of his mounted spe- 
cimeéns are donated to public museums 
from time to time, thereby applying 
his ‘art for art’s sake” to his scienti- 
fic productions as well as his paint- 
ings. Oh that more taxidermists might 
do as much. ee 


Do not conceive that our subject is 


a hermit who never leaves his cabin— 
—“far be it from such” for he_ has 
traveled and painted extensively 


through the west and Canada, has. 


studied at Cornell, Chicago Art Insti- 
tute and Fog at Harvard. When the 
trees lose their autumn leaves and 
the birds go South he too hies to the 
city to await the coming of another 
season. Mrs. Alys M, Scott. 


Personal. 

Mr. Karl W. Kahmann, of the Aca- 
demy of Science, Lincoln Park, Chi- 
cago, spent Sunday, June 29th, at the 
home of the editor. He comes in the 
interest of his institution to collect 
local birds and mammals, for life 
groups. es 

About the 9th of July Ye Hditor, 
accompanied by his mother and wite 
and a driver, left for an overland auto 
trip to the Hast. It is intended to 
visit Lake Champlain, the White 
Mountains, besides the principal ci- 
ties ,and return home by way of Long 
Island, Philadelphia and Washington. 
We hope to meet a number of our or- 
nithological friends on the trip. 

aPstett anes 
Bird Notes. 

Last year I reported Hnglish Spar- 
row with white head, this old bird 
with us this year and one of her 
young with her has partially white 
head, white spot on one wing and one 
side of tail white. 

On May 29, found nest A. O. U. 329% 
spotted eggs. One has several large 
splotches and good many necks: the 
other has numerous small markings 
in order of usual markings though 
barely so plain. 

On May 14, found nest of white- 
rumped shrike with seven eggs. Mark- 
ings, shape, etc., evidently bear out 
that one bird laid entire clutch. © 

On May 17, found long-billed Cur- 
lews on the plains: more plentiful 
than in a long time; several nests of 
4 each and no trouble to find. 

R. L. More. 

I noticed with interest the article 
in the June OOLOGIST, “Nesting of 
the Wood Thrush in Mississippi.” I 
have read several articles on the Wood 
Thrush and in each of them they plac- 
ed the breeding range of this member 
of the Thrush family in the northern 
part of the United States, ranging 


THE OOLOGIST 107 


from North Carolina and Kansas or 
Virginia and Missouri northward. 
Now the Wood Thrush is a common 
southern bird; certainly in this sec- 
tion, and I have collected a number 
of sets of their eggs in this, Gwinnett, 
county. I consider the Wood Thrush 
a common breeder in Georgia, and I 
believe an investigation will prove 
the same thing to be true of all the 
other southern states. 
John C. Houston. 

Lawrenceville, Ga. 

ae ee Se 

Winter Birds of Egypt. 

By F. T. Pember, Granville, N. Y. 

It was my good fortune, in the win- 
ter and spring of 1912, to spend six 
weeks on, and to travel by boat 700 
miles up the river Nile, or as far as 
Nubia in tropical Africa. This, with 
almost daily donkey rides through cul- 
tivated fields and over deserts, to visit 
the vast ruins of tombs, temples and 
pyramids, gave me the opportunity to 
observe the birds of that country, 
though as they were mostly new to 
ame, I failed to identify many of them. 

IT am glad that the sentiment to 
spare the birds, and to study them 
without shooting is growing, though 
in many years of collecting for mu- 
seum purposes, all over the country, 
I found that I could positively iden- 
tify more birds with a 12 gage 
Greener than with an opera glass. I 
like them in hand for study, but the 
birds enjoy the “absent treatment” 
‘Dest. 

The great triangular section called 
the Delta, is roughly 150 miles on 
each side. It comprises the most of 
Lower Egypt,—is made wonderfully 
productive by yearly inundations—and 
‘with the great, shallow Lake Menza- 
leh, is a perfect paradise for many spe- 
cies of birds. ¥ 

The irrigated section of the Nil 
walley above Cairo, is from one to 


our boat, 


twelve miles wide, and then the vast 
verdureless Libyan Desert on the 
west, and the utterly desolate Ara- 
bian and Nubian Deserts to the east. 
The first is rich in bird life, and a 
route of migration, while the desert, 
though destitute of plants and water, 
still has birds—Sand Grouse, Ravens, 
Rustards, etc., though how they man- 
age to sustain life is a mystery. 

On the great river, a very conspicu- 
ous bird, which easily claims most at- 
tention, is the Hgyptian or Parasitic 
Kite (Milvus ergyptinus). It is as 
large as our Red-shouldered Hawk, 
and at first I supposed it to be one of 
the buzzard hawks. The tail is rather 
long, slightly forked and banded, and 
the whole plumage is a very dark 
brown, almost black. These birds 
have much the habit of vultures and 
act aS scavengers in city and village 
streets. They are almost as tame as 
chickens, and often snatch meat or 


‘other food from the trays being. car- 


ried on the heads of the natives. They 
are so abundant that many are always 
in sight, and at Luxor and other 
places along the river, I have often 
counted over 50 flying like gulls about 
and they are circling in 
dozens over every town and city of 
Egypt. I also found them very plen- 
tiful in Palestine, Syria, Turkey and 
Greece, and several times I counted 
80 to 100 and over, from our hotel 
window in Damascus, as they sailed 
about over the city or rested on towers 
or prominent places, and [I could not 
overlook one-third of the city at that. 
I found that they could easily pick up 
any scraps or refuse they might fancy 
from the water, while on the--wing, 
and that without making even a rip- 
ple, using the beak only and not-the 


-claws for the purpose. I found these 
‘birds nesting in February and March 


on the lofty ruins of the great Temple 
of Ammon, at Karnak, and on other 


108 THE 
structures, as well as in the sont and 
lebbakh trees wherever they could 
find them, even in village streets, and 
always felt surprised at their tame 
ness, since our own Hawks and Kites 
are so wild and shy in the breeding 
season. 1 give but one instance to il- 
lustrate their utter fearlessness: 

While stopping at Shepard’s Hotel 
in Cairo, I found that a pair of these 
Kites had a nest in a carob shade 
tree, in front of the hotel. Now Cair9 
is as large as Boston and this was its 
busiest street, with thousands of vehi- 
cles and people on foot passing under 
it every hour. I judged that the nest 
was 40 feet above the walk, and not 
over 50 feet from my window, and 
my room being on the third floor, I 
could look directly into it, and I 
watched the family for ten days with 
great interest. The young were hatch- 
ed on our second day at the hotel, and 
the mother would rise up every few 
minutes to take a look at them, show- 
ing great concern and affection. I of- 
ten saw them fed, and one of the old 
birds was with them all the time, 
though they often changed places on 
the ,nest. I left Cairo reluctantly 
wishing I could stay till the young 
left the nest. The brood doubtless 
came to maturity, as no one molests 
them, the people according them pro- 
tection for the good they think they 
do. 

The next bird to claim our atten- 
tion is the Hooded Crow (Corvus 
cornix), very abundant in the Delta 
and all the way up the river, as well 
as in all the countries we visited in 
Europe and Asia. It is fully as large 
as the American Crow, and is con- 
spicuous by its light slate-colored 
body, with jet black head, tail and 
wings. It is as tame as the Kite, al- 
lowing one to walk within a few feet 
of it, and I often saw it looking for 


food within ten feet of people work- 


OOLOGIST 


ing in the fields. It breeds in Febru- 
ary and March, nesting in great num-— 
bers in the zoological garden and 
parks of Cairo, in the groves of date 
palms, or anywhere they can fire u 
carob or sont tree in which to piues 
the bulky nest, which may not be over 
ten feet above ground. Though it is 
so numerous, I never saw them in 
flocks. It feeds on dead animals, grain, 
insects, lizards, frogs, etc., but it is 
not a persistent hunter of birds’ eggs. 
like our crow. 

The Rook, (Corvus fruglegus), was. 
fairly common, but most seen about 
parks and gardens and near towns 
and cities. Not common in Upper 
Heypt. 

Egypt has two Ravens. The Brown- 
necked Raven (Corvus umbrinus) and 
the Abyssinian Raven, (C. affinis). 
The first I saw several times on the 
desert. The last, while probably seen, 
could not be positively identified. 

There are eight Eagles in the lists. 
of Hgyptian birds, most of them rare. 
I positively identified only the Spot- 
ted Hagle (Aquila nevia). 

Of five Vultures of Hgypt all were 
seen. The giant of all, the Griffon 
Vulture (Gyps fulvus), I saw many 
times, singly, or in twos or threes, 
on sand bars or low islands of Upper 
Hgypt. The black and white Hgyp- 
tian Vulture (Neophron percuopterus) 
was noticed but once, the Black Vul- 
ture (Vultur monachus) and the So- 
ciable Vulture (V. Auricularis), sey- 
eral times each, while I saw three of 
the great Southern Bearded Vulture 
(Gypetus nudipes) sailing about the 
base of the Mokattam hills to the east 
of Cairo. 

Over the river, the Fish Hawk, (Pan- 
dion Naliztus)—(Identical with ours) 
—was seen a few times. The Merlin. 
(Falco esalon) was noticed daily, 
while the Kestrel (F. tinnunculus) 


was abundant, and the lesser Kes- 


THE OOLOGIST 


trel (H. cenchris) rather common, and 
both were breeding, and _ feeding 
young, in the cliffs and great temple 
ruins all through the Nile valley. 
Other hawks were seen but not deter- 
mined with certainty. 

At night the hooting of the Hagle 
Owl (Bubo ignavus) was heard from 
cliffs and ruins, and must be rather 
common. The Barn Owl (Aluco noc- 
tua) was abundant everywhere. It is 
largely diurnal, inhabits all the old 
ruins and rocky cliffs, and was often 
seen sunning itself at midday, even 
in exposed situations. This is the 
bird -pictured on old Grecian coins, 
and by the Greeks was made sacred 
to Pallas Atnene. Hence its generic 
name. 

Some years ago noted naturalists 
thought best to introduce the Little 
Owl into England, and great num- 
bers were imported yearly, with strict 
orders to game keepers to protect 
them. Like our English Sparrows 
they increased beyond all expectation, 
and spread out over all adjoining 
counties, and they have become the 
worst pest that ever tortured the soul 
of game preservers. In that country 
thousands of partridge and pheasants 
are annually hatched under hens, and 
these broods are put out in the copes 
with the foster mother in a coop, but 
which does not confine the young. So 
with nothing to protect the downy 
game birds, these diurnal owls take 
daily or hourly toll to feed their own 
young, until all are destroyed. 

And now in place of being a pleas- 
ant addition to the bird life of the 
British Isles, the Little Owl is de- 
clared a nuisance and a scourge, and 
a relentless war of extermination has 
been declared against it. It is prob- 
able however, that it will pretty nearly 
hold its own against all efforts to re- 
duce its numbers. 

I saw the Wryneck (Yunx torquilla) © 


109 


common during migration, while the 
beautiful Hoopoe (Upupa epops) with 
its banded wings and magnificent 
crest, was conspicuous everywhere, 
and they were feeding their young in 
nests built in cracks and holes of the’ 
ruined walls and towers of ancient 


temples. This bird takes its name 
from its rather musical notes. The 
brilliant little European Kingfisher 


(Alcedo ispida) may be seen all along 
the river, and they are really abund- 
ant in some places. Equally plentiful 
was the much larger Black and White 
Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis), a most 
beautiful daring bird, nearly the size 
of ours. It was particularly numerous 
about the First Cataract, and later, I 
found it very common about the river 
Jordan. There is a smaller bird than 
the first, and of nearly the same color, 
the Little Indian Kingfisher (Alced 
bengalensis) found in Egypt, but I 
failed to identify it. 

There are three Bee-eaters, two of 
which are only seen during migration, 
but the Little Green Bee-eater (Mer- 
ops viridis) is resident, and very 
abundant throughout Upper Egypt. 
This is a beautiful bird, bright green 


in color, with the two central - tail 
feathers much lengthened. It has the 
habits of our flycatchers, and they 


show great affection for their mates, 
and they are seen sitting on telegraph 
wires as close together as it is pos- 
sible to get. 

The common Swallow’ (Hirundo 
rustica) which abounds in Europe and 
England, is not rare in most of Egypt, 
but the Egyptian Swallow (Hirundo 
savignii) is unusually numerous, and 
I saw thousands every day. Both of 
these birds have a long deeply forked 
tail and are similarly colored above, 
but the creamy under parts of the first 
are a dark rich reddish-brown in the 
last, and which is also an inch short- 
Cr, oy 


110 THR 
The Sand Martin (Cotile riparia) 
exists in countless thousands in all 


of Upper Egypt, and the banks of the 
Nile for miles are honeycombed with 
holes for their nesting sites. This is 
like our own Sand Martin. There is a 
smaller one in Hgypt, as well as sev- 
eral other swallows and swifts, but I 
failed to identify them certainly. 

An exceedingly common and most 
charming bird, seen everywhere in the 
Nile valley, is the White Wagtail 
(Monticilla alba) and said to be one 
of the smallest birds that both walks 
and runs. They deserve their name, 
for they always give the tail a jerk 
upward after alighting as also at other 
times. Their motions are quick and 
lively, and they seem to be all the 
time in pursuit of flies. It was one 
of this species that I saw on our 
steamer, while crossing from Africa 
to Southern France. At that time we 
were 200 miles from land. It was with 
us at least 100 miles further, and ex- 
pect it spent the night on the vessel, 
reaching shore at Monte Carlo in the 
morning. The list of the birds of 
Egypt has three other Wagtails. 
They were the Gray Wagtail, (Monti- 
cilla boarula) and the Blue Headed 
or Yellow Wagtail (Montacilla flava). 
The first deserves the name of White 
Wagtail. I saw more of them in Pales- 
tine and Syria. One of the Yellow 
Wagtails, with five other birds, was 
with us on the steamer Berlin the 
morning after leaving Gibraltar for 
New York. It was about the ship till 
nightfall, 400 miles * ~ land, but did 
not see it after, bul aort-toed Lark, 
was with us the nheac day when 70! 
miles from land. 

Of 20 Larks and Pipits credited to 
Egypt, but few of which I] identified, 
will mention but one, the Crested 
Lark (Galerita cristata). This bird in 
point of numbers probably exceeds 
that of any other in all Egypt, for 


OOLOGIST 


they are most exceedingly abundant 
everywhere. While the general plum- 
age is grayish brown like a dweller 
of the desert, its lofty crest; spright- 
ly ways and sweet warbling song, 
made it my especial favorite. While 
we would consider it too small for a 
game bird, it is netted and trapped in 
great numbers by the natives to be 
used as food. 

Throughout all Hgypt the Weather 
(Saxicola oenanthe), Stone Chat 
(Pratincola rubicola), Robin (Hritha- 
cus rubecula), Nightingale (Philomela 
luscinia) and the Starling (Sturnus 
vulgaris) were often seen. Of 100 
other small birds, Warblers, Sparrows, 
Thrushes, etc., part were determined, 
but I can say little of interest about 
them. So I only mentioned one, an 
old acquaintance, the Hnglish Spar- 
row (Passer domesticus). I found it 
over Hgypt, Palestine, Syria, Turkey 
and Greece, as also at Naples, Monte 
Carlo, Algiers and Gibraltar, in fact 
every place visited except the island 
of Madeira. Being non-migrant, the 
remotest islands of the sea are the 
only places that are safe from theit 
intrusion, though I must say that ! 
nowhere saw them so plentiful or in 
such large flocks as at home, and con- 
clude that something operates to hold 
them in partial check. 

Heypt has eight doves, and while the 
Rock Dove (Columba livia), Schimp- 
er’s Pigeon (C. schimperi), Turtle 
Dove (Turtur auritus), Sharpes Tur- 
tle Dove (T. sharpii), and the Egyp- 
tian Turtle Dove (i. senegalensis), 
are all common, the last in beauty and 
abundance seems to lead them all. It 
is also called Palm Dove because it 
nests in and is always found about the 
numerous groves of date palms. Its 
pretty color of pinkish-brown, umber 
brown, with a touch of pearl gray and 
black, looking in sunlight like bur- 
nished metal, with its charming ways 


THE OOLOGIST 411 


and the saintly character given to all 
doves, makes it a favorite even with 
the native people, who give it their 
protection. 

The Seven grouse and partridges of 
Egypt are- mostly desert birds, and I 
saw little of them. But I must not 
omit the Quail (Coturnix communis), 
one of the most abundant of birds. 
- So plentiful are they that they were 
cooked by hundreds on the Nile steam- 
ers, and in the hotels. These are 
mostly caught in nets, and during 
migration the shores of the Mediter- 
ranean for 150 miles along the Delta, 
are a complete line of nets for their 
capture, and they may still be as 
plenty as in the time of Moses. It is 
said that in Coronation year, 5,000,000 
were ordered, and shipped from Egypt 
to the English market. They are only 
half the size of Bob White, but are 
plump, fat and of fine flavor, and are 
in great demand for the table in a land 
Where meat is scarce, and high. In 
April these Quail seemed to be pip- 
ing their pleasing call notes to their 
mates, from every grain field, in 
Palestine, and a short walk in the di- 
rection of the sound would start the 
birds on the wing, fcr a low, short 
flight. No wonder it is numerous for 
it breeds over such a vast extent of 
country. For a species so excessively 
abundant, no other keeps so well hid- 
den, and is so little seen by travel- 
ers. I well remember the time, some 
thirty cr more years ago, when these 
Quails were brought to this country, 
and liberated in various sections by 
thousands, with the expectation of 
adding this, most prolific of all, to our 
list cf game birds. Many hundreds 
Were turned out near my home, and 
were later found with nests and seem- 
ed to be doing nicely, but their migra- 
tory habits took them away in autumn 
—no one knows where— and not one 
ever returned, and it is still an un- 


solved mystery what became of them. 

The family of waders is pretty well 
represented all through the Nile coun- 
try, but being largely new species to 
me, and not having a good work on 
Egyptian birds with me at the time, 
were difficult to determine. I could, 
however, identify the Lapwing (Vanel- 
lus cristalus), and Ruff (Machetes 
pugnax) which were common, and al- 
so the Spur-winged Plover (Hoplop- 
terus spinosus), Kentish Plover (Aegi- 
alitis contianus), Little Ringed Plover 
(A. minor), Jack Snipe (Gallinago 
galliruna), Little Stint (Tringa minu- 
ta), Greenshaw (Totanus canesecens), 
Green Sandpiper (T. ochropus), Com- 
mon Sandpiper (Actitis hypolencos) 
and others. The large fine Common 
Crane (Grus communis), Spoonbill 
(Platel ea leucorodia) and Night 
Heron (Nyctocorax griseus), were of- 
ten seen all up and down the great 


river. The Common Heron (Ardes 
cinerea (much like our Great Blue 
Heron), was numerous, while the 


Common Coot (Fulica atra) was very 
abundant in all shallow, still water, 
even in the parks and the Sacred Lake 
of Karnak. 

The prettiest of all the waders was 
the Buff-backed -Heron (ardeola rur- 
sata). They are snowy white, with 
a slight shading of reddish-buff on the 
back, though except in the breeding 
season it is practically white all over, 
and always looks so at a distance. 
This bird is often erroneously called 
Heret, by natives and others, and as 
tourists all want to see the Sacred 
Ibis of the Nile, (Ibis ethiopica) and 
enquire for it, the Arab dragomen 
have learned to please, and cheat 
them at the same time, by assuring 
them that this is the bird they so much 
desire to see. By the way the Sacred 
Ibis is three times as large, black and 
white in color, and is-no longer a bird 
of Egypt, and is only found, rarely, a 


112 


thousand miles further up the Nile. 
The Buffed-backed Heron is seldom 
geen alone, but keeps in flocks of con- 
siderable size, and I saw many on the 
river sand bars, but many more on the 
cultivated lands, in places fairly whit- 
ening the fields, and large flocks were 
seen about herds of domestic animals, 
with whom they were very familiar; 
even to perching on the backs of cat- 
tle and tame 
around them when lying down, and 
picking flies, ticks and other insects 
from their eyes, ears and noses, to the 
evident satisfaction of the animals. 
Their services are appreciated by the 
inhabitants, who think them their 
most beneficial bird. Anything that 
catches flies is deserving of gratitude, 
for this plague of Hgypt has never 
been suppressed, and there are more 
today to the square inch than in any 
country [I ever saw, and they are the 
most annoying, bloodthirsty, and pesti- 
ferous. 

IT saw the Black Stork (Ciconia nig- 
ra) in. four places, but the White 
Stork (C. alba) of world-wide renown, 
was seen at various places, without 
being very plentiful. It was abund- 
ant in Palestine, and I must have 
seen several thousand of them. I no- 
ticed 100 cr more circling over or 
alighting about a slaughter house, a 
mile or so out from Jerusalem. As they 


are perfectly fearless of man, they 
will look for food anywhere. But. it 
was reserved for Turkey to show 


these birds in greatest numbers, and 
the fields in places were closely spot- 
ted with them.for miles. In Constan- 
tinople, a place with a million people, 
they were breeding in the parks, 
shade trees or whenever it was pos- 
sible to locate a nest. One open space 
of less than one-half acre, and entire- 
ly. surrounded by tall buildings, and 
located on the west side of the Gol- 
den Horn, held seven or eight trees. 


buffalos, or walking - 


-(Mareca penelope), 


THE OOLOGIST 


One of these was a monster spreading 
sycamore, with numerous forked bran- 
ches, and at the risk of being disbe-~ 
lieved must say, that I counted twenty 
storks’ nests in it, with as many more 
in the smaller trees, so that forty 
pair, or eighty birds were breeding in 
this limited space. This bird is held 
in great respect and is considered as 
the harbinger of good luck, and so is 
likely to keep its numbers good. There 
are many ducks on the Nile, but they 
are more abundant on the lakes of 
Caior Zoological Garden. Among 
them I noticed the Mallard (Anas 
boschas) Pintail (Dufila acuta), Shov- 
erller Spatula clypeata), Widgeon 
Scaup (Fuligula 
marila), Tufted Duck (F’.. cristata) and 
many Others. Wild Geese were- seen 
several times but two distant for iden- 
tification. oS ee 

I also recognized the White Pelican 
(Pelacanus onocrotalus), and the Les- 
ser Pelican (P. minor) while the Little 
Grebe (Podicipides monor) are com- 
mon in still water in cultivated sec- 
tions. : : 

There are two dozen Gulls and 
Terns in Sgypt bird list, but thev 
scarcely go inland even on the great 
river above Cairo, and while I thought 
that I determined many of them, my 
knowledge is too uncertain to write 
about them, and so close my list of 
some of the most noticeable birds of 
HKeypt, from observations made in the 
month of February and March. At 
other seasons different species might 
be more conspicuous and these much 
less So. 

On the whole, Egypt, though hav- 
ing a very scant flora, is rich in bird 
life, and more particularly so during 
the season of migration. 

Two Old Timers. 

While at La Crescent, Minnesota, 

the first week in May (1913) we met 


__THE OOLOGIST 


Sa 


Nest and Eggs of Orchard Oriole 
—Photo by P. G. Howes 


THE OOLOGIST 


geass ona 


Ye. 


Nest and Eggs of Yellow-throated virec 
—Photo By P. G. Howes 


“THE OOLOGIST 


a 


Nest and Eggs of Yellow-throated Vireo 
—Photo By P, G. Howes 


116 _ 
a couple of old time ornithologists 
and oologists, Frank I. Harris, who 
was one of the best known of western 
bird students from 1885 to 1893, and 
Whit Harrison. Both are now advanc- 
ed in years, Mr. Harrison being the 
older. 


While there we learned from Mr. 
Harris that he was dismantling his 
home in the country with a view of 
moving to the village of La Crescent, 
and that he had disposed of his large 
collection of bird skins sometime ago; 
whereupon we promptly made a deal 
with him for about one-half. of his 
collection of eggs—getting a little 
over 2000 specimens. It is his pur- 
pose to rearrange the residue of his 
collection and donate it to some pub- 
lic institution. 

One of the really remarkable things 
we observed in his den was a mounted 
wild cat which for size, exceeds any- 
thing we have ever seen, and the his- 
tory of which is unique in that years 
ago Mr. Harris trapped the animal 
and desiring to preserve it for mount- 
ing purposes, and fearing he might in- 
jure it for that purpose in killing it, 
seized it and choked it to death with 
his hands, an undertaking which 
stands alone in its class so far as 

“our information goes, and one which 
we would not care to undertake. 
_Mr. Harrison lives in the village 
and has a_ beautiful collection of 
mounted birds, a number of rare 
skins and quite a lot of eggs, though 
in taxidermy he seems to have cen- 
tered his interest, having a collection 
of birds prepared by himself which it 
is well worth a visit to see, including 
Many: rare and unusual specimens for 
that locality. He is especially proud 
of a Turnstone secured by himself 
many years, and mounted, which is 
the only one of which there is any rec- 
ord in that locality. Mr. Harrison still 
keeps up his interest in ornithology, 


THE OOLOGIST 


and has been on the books as a sub- 
scriber to THE OOLOGIST for lo, 
these many years. 

Mr. Harris dropped out of ornithol- 
ogy and oology about 1893, since 
Which time he has done nothing to 
add to his large accumulations. The 
pleasure of meeting these gentlemen 
was one that will be long remembered. 


a eee 
Good News. 

The song birds in this part of the 
country, (Dallas Co., Tex.) are cer- 
tainly increasing, especially the Moek- 
ingbirds, Cardinals and Orchard Ori- 
oles. There is an abundance of Blue 
Jays, Crows, Lark Sparrow- Scissor- 
tailed Flycatcher, Crested Flycatcher 
and a few Blue Herons. But sad to 
relate, there were no Robins in Dallas 
Co., or adjoining counties this past 
winter. Cole Godsey. 
Dallas, Texas. 


2~< -o 

Runt Prairie Horned Lark Eggs. 

One day recently I found a set of 
eggs of the Prairie Horned Lark, con- 
taining three eggs, one of which was 
only half size. A family of Screech 
Owls, male red, have raised a family 
close to the house this spring. The 
male is usually to be seen on the 
house, and brings the family around 
for a concert every evening. 

Blue Jays were very scarce; Robins 
and Bluebirds not common. 

George vos Burgh. 

Clinton, Wis. 


ees 
Some 1911 Nests and Sets. 

May 15th. Noted a Warbling vireo, 
Vireosylvia gilva, carrying a long strip 
of bark to her nearly completed home 
in a maple tree. The nest was placed 
35 feet from the ground in a small 
crotch at the end of a limb, about 29 
feet from the main trunk. It was 
very compactly constructed of bark 
strips, grasses and pine needles, well 
ornamented with spiders eggs and a 


THE OOLOGIST 


few lichens. One week later, a Cow- 
bird, (Peace be to her ashes) ruined a 
beautiful set of four. 

On the same day I came across a 
nest of the Blue-winged warbler, Hel- 
minthophila pinus, just ready for the 
eggs. It was placed on the ground be- 
tween four dead weed stalks in a 
thicket near a small swamp. A won- 
derfully woven creation of grasses 
and a few leaves, slightly arched over 
with the entrance facing west. The 
birds were both in evidence, but not 
nearly as active as when being rob- 
bed of their egzs. 

In another thicket, close to a road- 
Way, two nests of the Yellow warbler, 
Dendroica estiva, were found, both 
ready for the materials, but one of 
them was perhaps somewhat shallow- 
er than the average, and was placed 
in a quince tree, three feet from the 
ground. The other nest was situated 
four feet from the ground in a dead 
spice bush which had been overgrown 
by honey-suckle vines. 

May 23d. Visited the Blue-winged 
Warbler’s nest, but it contained 
broken eggs of the owner and two of 
the Infernal Cowbird. 

Found a nest of the Ruby-throated 
humming bird, Trochilus colubris, sad- 
dled on a hemlock branch, six feet 
above the Mianus river, four miles 
north of Stamford. The nest was com- 
posed of soft yellow down, resembling 
fern down, and the exterior complete- 
ly covered with small scraps of lichen. 
Two enlongated, fresh eggs were the 
contents. 

May 25th. Found a beautiful nest 
of the Orchard Oriole, Icterus spur- 
ius, containing four fresh eggs, green- 
ish white, exquisitely marked with 
chocolate, umber and lavender, the 
spots being chiefly around the largest 
end. They measure well under the 
average, being only .65 x .43. The 
nest was, as usual, of fine green 


117 


grasses, lined with a small amount of 
fern down and placed 20 feet from the 
ground in a maple tree. 

May 29th. Took another set of four 
fresh eggs of the Orchard Oriole from 
a nest 20 feet up in the fork of an 
apple branch. This nest was exact- 
ly like the one found on the 25th, but 
the eggs are quite different, being 
very lightly spotted and blotched with 
grey, lavender, brown and light yel- 
lowish brown. One of the eggs bears 
a cross at the largest end. This set 
also measures .65 x .43 inches. The 
birds were very brave while I was 
robbing the nest, coming so: close to 
my face that I could feel the wind 
from their wings. 

The tree from which this set was 
taken, was in an orchard containing 
perhaps 25 others, and like all of the 
apple trees in this section of Connecti- 
cut which are not well cared for, they 
had been nourishing countless num- 
bers of Cancer worms. These hords 
of caterpillars must have all dropped 
from the trees to the ground to make 
their cocoons during the night of May 
28th, for when I entered that orchard 
at sunrise on the 29th, the sight which 
met my eyes was one never to be for- 
gotten. 

From every conceivable spot on 
every tree in sight there were actually 
millions of silken threads drooping to 
the ground, the threads by which the 
insects had let themselves down to 
earth during the night. Each of these 
tiny lines of silk had become spangled 
With dew and as the sun shown 
through, the whole orchard resembled 
a gigantic display of pyrotechnics, 
such as one sees at the resorts in 
summer. 

Two sets of the Yellow-throated 
vireo, Lanivireo flavifrons, were the 
next finds of the day. The first nest 
was placed in a fork of a _ gmall 
branch, close to the trunk of a maple 


118 


tree, just 15 feet from the ground. 
Composed of strips of bark and 


grasses, held together with spiders 
webs and lined with fine green 
grasses. The exterior was ornament- 


ed with birch bark, spiders eggs and 
lichens. Four fresh eggs, white; spot- 
ted at the largest end with deep cho- 
colate and lavender. The birds were 
very quiet while I was taking the nest. 

The second nest is a larger and 
more loosely constructed affair of bark 
strips, lined with extremely fine grass. 
The entire exterior of this nest is or- 
namented with large strips of birch 
bark, paper, spiders webs and eggs. 
It is the most exquisite vireo’s nest 
that I have ever seen. It was situat- 
ed in the fork of a small basswood 
branch, close to the main trunk 25 
feet from the ground. Unlike the 
other pair, these birds were very noisy 
while I was at the nest. 

May 31st. Found a nest of the Dow- 
ney woodpecker, Dryobates pubescens, 


’ which the birds had drilled on the un- 


der side of a broken off maple 
branch, 20 feet from the ground. The 
cavity in the limb, which is now be- 
fore me, is gourd shaped, seven 
inches in depth. It is three and one- 
half inches wide in one way and two 
and three-quarters inches the other 
way, a cross section having more or 
less the shape of a Lima bean. The 
entrance faced directly towards the 
ground and is only one inch in diame- 
ter. The two fresh eggs were desert- 
ed by the birds. They measure .71 x 
Spilled, 261 exe 50) 

June 6th. Took a nest and three 
eggs of the Red-eyed vireo, Vireosylvia 
olivacea, placed in the fork of a maple 
branch ten feet above the edge of a 
much used roadway. The nest is firm- 
ly built of moss-covered strips of Ar- 
bor-vitae bark, lined with shreds of 
bark and pine needles. A few pieces 
of birch bark, paper and spiders web 


THE OOLOGIST 


adorn the exterior. Measurements of 
the nest are, inside diameter, 1% 


inches. Outside diameter, 3 inches. 
Inside depth, 1% inches. Outside 
depth, 2% inches. The eggs were 


fresh and are white, lightly marked 
with minute specks of brown and lay- 
ender. All of the Vireo sets describ- 
ed above possessed a wonderful pink- 
ish hue when in the nest, but of course 
all of this was lost upon blowing. 
Paul G. Hawes. 
oe eee 
The Red-eyed Vireo as a Mocker. 
On June 23, 1913 I was walking 
along a small creek in Swarthmore, 
Pa. Suddenly I was attracted by 
notes similar to those of the Catbird, 
only more rapid. I was interested so 
I made up my mind to investigate the 
matter more closely, and the investi- 
gation proved it to be a Rey-eyed 
Vireo trying to mock a Catbird, and 
indeed it was a good imitation. 
E. M. Kenworthy. 
Wilmington, Delaware. 
(Se ee 
A Sunday Morning Walk. 
May 11, 1913. 
I was up at 7 o'clock and, after a 
good breakfast I took my rifle and dog 


“Sport” and started for a walk along 


the river, and in the woods. 

I crossed to the south side of the 
river (the Sangamon) and started into 
the woods along its banks. 

As I went along I saw many birds. 
Kingfishers were flying about, a large 
flock of Crows were making the woods 
noisy, and the Redheaded Woodpeck- 
ers could be heard drumming away 
on an old rotten limb. Crow-Black- 
birds, Wrens, Redbirds, Rose-breasted 
Grosbeaks, Bank Swallows, Sandpip- 
ers and a good many other birds 
seemed to be happy as they went dart- 
ing back and forth in the woods and 
along the river. 

I went on down the river to a place 


THE 


where the woods were pretty thick. 
On the outer edge of these woods 
stands an old Elm which is entangled 
with Wild Grape vines. In the top 
of this old tree there are several hol- 
low limbs. Wondering if any bird or 
animal stayed in one of these hol- 
lows, I climbed up to one that was in 
the very top of the tree, and saw one 
of the prettiest sights that one could 
wish to see. The hollow was in the 
end of a limb, and was about two feet. 
deep and six inches in diameter. The 
sun was just high enough to flood it 
with light and there in the bottom 
Was five young owls and the mother 
bird. The mother was asleep or pre- 
tending to be when I first looked into 
the nest. She played a fine game of 
Opossum for I took her out of the nest 
twice and examined her and the sec- 
ond time I set her on the edge of the 
hollow she flew into a near-by tree. 
The young Owls were of a Maltese 
color speckled with brown, and I 
judged them to be about ten days old. 

They were all asleep except one 
little fellow who seemed to be very 
much awake, and eyed me with great 
awe. I took that one home with me 
and he is making a dandy pet. 

In the same tree was another hol- 
low not three feet from the Owls’ nest 
and as I was examining the Owls I 
heard a scrambling noise and looked 
just in time to see a large Red-eyed 
Squirrel leap to the ground and 
scamper off into the woods. There 
was nothing else in the hollow. 

By that time I thought that it must 
be getting pretty late and I started 
for home getting there at 11 o’clock. 

If any one ever wished for a cam- 
era of any make or description that 
morning I surely did, for I could have 
gotten a picture that would have been 
well worth the trouble. 

Wm. Young, Jr. 
Decatur, Ill. 


OOLOGIST 


119 


Where Are Our Purple Finches? 

I have asked a number of ornitholo- 
gists this question during the past six 
years, and no one gives me a satis- 
factory answer. My active collecting 
days have long been a matter of past 
history, but 25 years ago I should not 
have hesitated to agree to locate 30 
pairs of these birds breeding in a cir- 
cle two miles in diameter, around my 
father’s home. 

This spring I had occasion to visit 
two ‘of their most popular haunts of 
the old days, and took what leisure 
time [I had to look up my old friends 
the Finches. Not a bird could I lo- 
cate, and this is in line with my ex- 
perience for some time back. : 

They used to coconixe in any place 
Where Spruce or Austrian Pine had 
been planted, and I have seen fifteen 
pairs nesting in one dooryard, in 
1892. So common, in fact, that I did 
not care to take any sets. Just went 
through the cocony and threw out the 
Cowbirds’ eggs; usually one or two of 
these in every nest. 

Have these birds moved permanent- 
ly to other parts, or are they becoming 
extinct? If the latter it cannot be laid 
to the shotgun, as few went that way. 
The horse car was always their worst 
enemy. Ernest E. Short. 
New York. 

os Se are en 
Nesting of the Bewick’s Wren. 


(Thryomanes pbewicki) 


During early May, 1911, I became 
especially interested in the Bewick’s 
Wren. Several times during previous 
springs I had seen a pair of these lit- 
{le wrens, flitting about, and singing 
their pretty songs, in the vicinity of 
a small farm house that stood near 
the top of a high ridge. This house 
was four miles from my home, so to- 
wards noon on May 5th I set out for 
a walk to it. My intentions were to 


120 


find a nest, and, if possible, secure a 
set of eges. 

When I came near the farm house 
IT heard the beautiful music of a wren’s 
song as he perched on a fence post 
below the farm yard. I at once began 
the search for a nest. All small build- 
ings were carefully inspected, with no 
results. Finally I came to a small 
wood shed very close to the dwelling 
house. Going to the lower side of this 
shed I saw a number of small twigs 
protruding from a shelf formed by a 
board which was nailed to a studding, 
just beneath the floor. I placed my 
hand back into the little room formed 
by the board and felt some tiny eggs. 
These I earefully removed, one by 
one, until I had counted eight—that 
was all—just eight; but that was cer- 
tainly a large set. It was a very beau- 
tiful clutch. The eggs were heavily 
marked on the larger ends by thick 
wreaths of dark red, and the entire 
shell surface was well speckled with 
tiny reddish dots. The nest consisted 
of a foundation of small twigs and 
coarse mud stalks, and was warmly 
lined with chicken feathers and horse 
hairs. The nesting site was just three 
feet above the ground, and only a 
short distance from the back porch of 
the house. This species of Wren 
seems very much to prefer the out 
buildings about farm yards as a sum- 
mer home; especially those situated 
on ridges. The wrens return year at- 
ter year to the same farm, and, if un- 
disturbed, they will use the same nest 
several times, only relining it each 
season. These birds rear two broods 
in a season; the second set being de- 
posited during late June, or early 
July. S. S. Dickey. 
Waynesburg, Pa. 

Two Unusual Sets. 

At Pequannock, N. J., on May Ist, a 
nest of the Song Sparrow, (Melospiza 
melodia) was located in which were 


THE OOLOGIST 


seven eggs. This nest was located 
under a clump of sod on the west bank 
of the canal and was discovered 
through a noisy battle between two 
females, apparently struggling for the 
possession of the nest. It is my opin- 
ion that two females had deposited 
eg2s in this nest owing to the uniform- 
ity of four which were well incubat- 
ed and the other three which indicat- 
ed but slight traces of incubation. Be- 
cause of this latter fact, I visited this 
nest on the 5th and found four young 
about a day old and the three other 
eggs in the nest. On the 9th the nest 
was again visited and found to con- 
tain five young, two about a day old 
and the others being the remaining 
members of the first brood. At this 
time three adult birds were bringing 
food to the young, a male and two fe- 
males. 

At Midvale on April 30th, 1913, a 
nest of the American Crow (Corvus 
brachyrhynchos) was located with 
four eggs. Of this set, three were 
quite normal in appearance, but the 
fourth was of the usual ground color, 
greenish white, but wholly devoid of 
markings, except for a few spots about 
the size of a pin head at the larger 
end. The eggs in this set measured 
1:58 x L103: 1.6) x Les Seer 
and 1.58 x 1.15, the latter being the ab- 
normal egg. This nest was visited on 
the 12th of May and found to contain 
three young, the abnormal egg being 
infertile and did not hatch. This the 
adult birds had pushed to one side 
among the coarse twigs which formed 
the base of nest. 

Louis S. Kohler. 
Bloomfield, N. J. 
Set se eee 

I do not want to lose any numbers. 
You are doing some good work on it. 
Your picture of the Red-shouldered 


Hawk I thought fine. 


E. B. Trescot. 
July §, 1912. 


THE OOLOGIST 


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Vil 


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STEPHENTOWN, N. Y. 


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THE OOLOGIST 


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Vol. 2. All Nos. except Nos. 1, 2. 
and 6. 


The Wolverine Naturalist. 
All issued after No. 4 of Vol. 1. 


The Empire State Exchange. 
Vol. 1, all except No. 3. 
Vol. 2, all. 

Vol. 3, Nos. 1 and-3 


GEORGE SETH GUION, 


The Hawkeye Ornithologist and Oolo- 
gist. 
Vol. 2, all after No. 6. 


The Humming Bird (Sans Souci, N.C.) 
All issued after No. 1 of Vol. 1. 


The Bittern (Cedar Rapids). 
All issued except June, August and 
October, 1900, and January, 1901. 


The Bittern (Damariscotta, Maine). 
All issued after No. 6 of Vol. 1. 


The Bittern (Canisteo, N. Y.) 
Sept., Oct. and Nov., 1891. 


The Exchange (Mendota, Ill.) 
All Nos. issued except No-3 of Vol. 1. 


The International Naturalist (Canis- 
Wee, ING YG) 
All issued except Nos. 4 and 5 of 
Vol. 2. 


The Naturalist (Des Moines, Iowa). 
. All issued except No. 1 of Vol. 1. 


The Curlew (Orleans, Indiana). 
All issued except Nos. 3, 4, 5 of Vol. 1. 


And many others too numerous to 
mention, so send me list of what you 
care to dispose of and either make me 


a cash offer, or let me make you one: 


Napoleonville, La. 


THE OOGLOGIST. 


BIRDS--NESTS--EGGS 
TAXIDERMY 


VOL, ox x. No: 8. 


ALBION, N. Y., Ava. 15, 1913. 


WHOLE No. 313 


BRIEF SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS 
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for each 25 words for one issue; each additional word 1 cent. 


serted for less than 25 cents. 


No notice in- 


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subscription expires. Remember we must 
be notified if you wish it discontinued and 
all arrearages must be paid. 312 your sub- 
scription expires with this issue. 305 your 
subscription expired with December issue 
1912. Other expirations can be computed by 
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Entered as second-class matter De- 
cember 21, 1903, at the post office at 
Albion, N. Y., under the Act of Congress 
of March 3, 1879. 


In answering advertisements in 
these columns mention “The Oologist,” 
and thereby help us, as well as the ad- 
vertiser and yourself. 


——_—— ee OO Specimens.6 OF. 
WwW mounted specimens 0 


e will not advertise the skins, nests, = 
These columns are for the use of those desiring 


North American Birds for sale. 


efeegs, or 


to make bona fide exchanges of such specimens for scientific collecting purpo- 


EDITOR. 
BIRDS 


ses only. 


WANTED-—Live American Wild Trumpet- 
er Swan. R. M. Barnes. Lacon, Il 


BIRD SKINS .—Exchange generally. 
oe cine S. WRIGHT, 14 Cayuga St., Auburn, 


N (2-p) 
WANTED.—10 exchange skins, also bird 


ee bos camera for cash. CORNEL- 
Us BUS, Detroit, Mich. (1-p) 


WANT TO BUY—Live wi'd ducks, geese, 
swan, cranes, stork, Pelican, eagles, Guinea 
Saas and all wild animals, IRL E. BEN- 

ETT. “Naturalist,” Cambridge. Ohio. (1-p) 


I desire to exchange bird skins and bird 
eggs with all collectors; send full list of skins 
andeggs. D. V. HEMBREE, Roswell, rie 


EXCHANGE.—Mounted birds, skins and 
many books on different subjects, for any- 
thing pertaining to ornithology. Send lists. 
O. M. GREENWOOD, 240 E. Main St., Man- 
chester, Iowa. (1-p) a 


Want following hummer skins: 427-429- 
430-432-433-437-439-440-440-1-441. Exchange Owl 
and Hawk skins for males, Hooded Mergan- 
ser, =e Eagle. EARL HAMILTON, Yohog- 
any, Pa, 


| 


TO EXCHANGE.—A large collection of 
birds’ skins asa whole only for a large col- 
lection of stamps. No trash wanted. F. T. 
CORLESS, 80 Killingsworth Ave., Portland, 
Ore. (2-p) 

EXCHANGE.—Can offer good exchange in 
skins and eggs to anyone who will mount 
some dried skins for me, such sets as; Man- 
dt’s Giullemot, Whistling Swan, Canada 
Geese. Old Squaw, etc. ARTHUR W. 
BROCKWAY, Hadlyme, Conn. (1-p) 


First class s kins Illinois, California and 
Costa Rica to exchange for birds from South- 
ern or Western States, or from other coun- 
tries. H. K. COALE, Highland Park, Ill. (1) 
aa ae ee ee eee eee 

WANTED.— First class skins of Passenger 
Pigeons, male and female, for which I will 

ive in exchange first class skins of Heath 

ens. FRED H. KENNARD, 220 Devonshire 
St., Boston, Mass. (1) 


WANTED. Scientific skins of A. O. U. 20, 
242, 289a, 320. 320a. 327, 360. 357, 372a 373a, 373b. 
373c, 373d. 373e. 373f. 373g, 373h, 373,1, 373.2, 374. 
374a, 377, 378a, 379. 379.1. 380381. Willexchange, 
for them A. O. U. 34, 380. The Owls must all 
be the small Genra of the Varieties. H. W- 
AITKEN, 1521 Vine St., Philadelphia, aw 

-p 


conian | 


ASTI Ege 


‘ an 
a 


i Pc et * 


THE OOLOGIST 


Skins Continued 


WANTED.—Skins of California Vulture, 
Whooping and Little Brown Crane, Trum- 
peter Swan and Falcons. Cash or good ex- 
change. A. H, Helme, Miller Place, New 
York. (1-p) 


WANTED.—Extra fine skins for mounting 
two Am. Ayvyocets, male,ads.,two Am. Wood 
cocks, male, ads., two Black-necked Stilts 
male, ads., and two Boxwhites, maJe, ads 
Offer A 1 Skins or mounted birds. FRANK- 
LIN J. SMITH, Box 98, Eureka, Cal. 


FOR EXCHANGE.—I have left one pair 
Passenger Pigeons, (Hctopistes Migratorius) 
nicely mounted and good condition. Will 
take part cash and part in rare sets or birds. 
PHILO SMITH, 1824 Byers Ave.. Jovle Mo: 

(-p 


WANTED.—General birdssin exchange, 
particularly Pacific Coast and Southern Col- 
lectors, though I solicit lists from anywhere. 
RAYMOND SPELLUM, Viroqua, Wis. Gees 

=10) 


WANTED.—A fine skin of Eskimo Curlew, 
for which I can offer such skins as Surf Bird, 
Black and Socorro Petrels, Xantus Murrelet, 
Ringed Kingfisher, Harlequin Duck, Roseate 
Spoonbill and others too numerous to men- 
tion. A. B. HOWELL, Covina, Cal. (1-p) 


OWLS.—I want the scientific skins of the 
Elf, Hoskins Pigmy, Dwarf Screech Owls, 
Flamulated, Mexican, Texan, Rocky Mt., 
Kennicots, Small Floria Screech Owls, Skins 
of Baby Moles, Baby Bats, Birds of Prey, 
Shore Birds in the Downey Stages, or the 
Nestlings, skins of Gophers, Burrowing Owls, 
newly hatched Green Turtles, Hawks-bill 
Turtles, Land Tortoises, and Wood Turtles, 
Willexchange Ferrig Pigmy Owls or Dovekis 
skins or other specimens. Baby Amidillas. 
H. W. AITKEN, 18 So. 20th Street, Philadel- 
phia, Pa. (1-p) 


EGGS. 


In sending in your exchange notices 
for nests, skins and eggs, we would ap- 
preciate it if you would arrange the 
numerals in your exchange notice in 
their numerical order, and not tumble 
them together hit and miss, as some of 
our readers are complaining, and we 
think justly so. 


# Send for my list of fine Southern and South- 
ester sets. E. F. POPE, Colmesneil, 
exas. 


WANTED.—Three or four good sets of Sage 
Grouse. Address, JOHN LEWIS CHILDS, 
Floral Park, New York. (3-t) 


EXCHANGE.—Personally taken sets, 263, 
300, 388, 412a, 444, 466a, 498, 528, 529, 540, 584, 624, 
for sets of Warblers only. H. MOUSLEY, 
Hatley, Quebec’ (1-p) 


I have a number of sets of Brandt’s Cor- 
morant for exchange. Can use duplicate sets, 
CHAS. H. CULP, Pacific Grove, Calif. (1-p) 


Have some personally collected finely pre- 
pared sets of eggs from the Farallone Islands 
to exchange. Satisfaction guaranteed. < 
W. CARRIGER, 5185 Trask Ave., Oakland, 
Calif. (1-p) 


I have a few good sets to exchange. Want 
334, 334a, 337a, 337d, 340, 344. (351) 352a, 356, 360c. 
361 and many others. DAVID E. BROWN, 
Room No. 11, Federal Bldg., Tacoma, Waste 

D) 


Fine sets from Greenland, Iceland, Arctic 
America, also Antarctic. Will exchange 
European for North American sets. H. T. 
BOOTH, 8 Cranbury Road. Fulham, See 

-p 


FOR SALE—700 egg trays, made with white 
paper all 2zes andin good condition. I will 
also exchange for sets of eggs for others new 
to my collection. I have also many maga- 
zines for exchange. C. M. CASH, 7 Holcomb- 
St., Hartford, Conn. 


EXCHANGE—Bird skins, books, bird craft. 
squirrels and other fur bearers, wild animals 
Ihave known. Want skins, 155, 293, 294, 295, 
331, 337b, 443. EARL HAMILTON, Yohog- 
hany, Pa. 


EGGS FOR EXCHANGE.—A few sets each 
of the following to exchange for other sets. 
Nos. 49, 120c, 122, 127, 294a. 360a. Send full list: 
J.S. APPLETON, Simi, Ventura Co., Cal. 


WANTED. I will collect sets in North 
West Canada this season. 
Hagles, Hawks and Owls. THOS. S. HILL’ 
Relics, fossils, sheils, Moodys. Okla. (1-p) 


TO EXCHANGE.—Sets with data, North 
America and Foreign. Can use many com- 
mon kinds of both. DR.T. W. RICHARDS, 
. Navy, 1911 N. St., N. W., Washington 


FOR EXCHANGE.—Sets with data and 
singles for first class bird skins. B. G. WIL- 
LARD, 30 Huntington, Ave., Boston, Mass 

(1-p 


FINE COLLECTION BIRD EGGS, many 
birds and nests photographed, to exchange 
for microscope, fly rod, casting rod, or tackle 
Box 775, Stanford University, Cal. 


Marine Shells, Pacific Coast species, Smith- 
sonian Identification, for specimens and 
curiosities of any kind, Birds’ Eggs preferred, 
W. W. WESTGATE, 809 Ist North, Seattle. 
Wash. a 1-p) 


FOR EXCHANGE.—Two. hundred sets 
with data, in first class condition, including 
50 European (without data) in cabinet. List 
sent on application.—_DR. JAMESON, 105 N. 
Washington St., Titusville, Pa. (4-p) 


WANTED—Fine sets Flycatchers, especial- 
ly 459; also rare postage stamps, British, 
North American colonies only. Offer sets 
with nests 228, 227a..474b, 533, 558, 641, 648, 673, 
748c and others. H. MOUSLEY, Que. 1-p) 


FOR SALE OR EXCHANGE.—For skins 
or eggs in sets. Bird Lore, Vol. VIII, Vol. 
VII, No. 5-6; Vol. IX, No.1. Nidiologist, Vol. 
III, No.1; Vol. II, No. 9; Vol. IIT, No. 2; Osprey. 
Vol. 1-3; Condor, Vol. 2-1; Museum, Vol. I, No. 
3-4-5-12. . Ornithologist and Oologist, Vol. 
XVIII; Oologist, Vol. XXIII-XX VI-X XVII- 
XXVIII; Vol. X, No. 4-7-11; Vol. XI, Nos.7 and 
9; Vol. XII, Nos. 10 and 115 Vol. XIV, No. 3 
and7. ARTHUR W. BROCK WAY, Hadlyme, 
Conn. (1-p) 


THE OOLOGIST. 


Vout. X¥KX. No. 8. ALBION, N. Y. Aua. 15, 19138. WHOLE No, 313 


Owned and Published Monthly, by R. M. Barnes, Albion, N.Y., and Lacon, Ill. 


A. C. Read, of McKinley, Isle of Pines 


122 


Impressions of the Birds of McKinley, 
Isle of Pines, Cuba, Made on an 
Early Spring Morning 
(March 18, 1911). 

As I awoke about 5 a. m. the first 
sound which reached my ears was the 
note of the Cuban Pigmy Owl; a shrill, 
sharp, short whistle beginning very 
high pitched, running down the scale 
and repeated over and over again. 
This owl is very small as its name sig- 
nifies and measures 7.2 inches in 
length. Glauciduine siju as it is scien- 
tifically known, is only partially noc- 
tual, feeding in the day time as well 
as at night. It is an inhabitant of the 
jungles along the rivers and arroyos 
although sometimes found in the open 
pine woods. Its food consists chiefly 
of chameleons, field mice and grass- 
hoppers, though on one occasion I 
saw it tackle a Meadowlark and kill 
it. The little fellow was then attadked 
by a half dozen Meadowlarks and 
driven off. : 

The voice I heard next was that of 
the Cuban Kingbird (Tolmarchus cau- 
difasceatus) or rather several were in 
chorus. This is very similar to our 
northern Kingbird, being about the 
same size and color but lacking the 
white tip of the tail and shows a light 
patch at the base of the tail when in 
flight. 

After breakfast I started to walk to 
the office, a distance of perhaps a 
mile and a half, part of the way being 
along the beautiful Nuevas River, 
which is bordered by thick jungles. 
The rest of the road is through open 
pine country and clearings until we 
come to the big 500 acre grove. The 
office is situated a little northwest of 
the center. 2 

Just as I turned out of the tract on- 
to the main road a Red-legged Thrush, 
perched high on the topmost branch of 
a beautiful elm-like ‘Jucaro,” burst 
into full song, if it can be called such. 


THE OOLOGIST 


This is locally called Cuban Robin and 
in general habits is similar to our 
American Robin, but is perhaps a lit- 
tle more fond of the woods. Mimoci- 
chla rubripes is about the same size 
as its northern cousin but it is slatey- 


gray in color, about that of a Catbird. 


It has a black throat bordered on each 
side with a white line; the lower 
breast and belly is tinged with rusty 
red about the color of an immature 
rcbin’s breast. Most of the time it is 
very silent only emitting occasional 
robin-like chirps when startled but at 
this season, especially in the early 
morning, as the sun rises from the 
heavy bank of clouds in the east, and 
in the late evening just as the sun is 
sinking in a blaze of glory which is 
beyond description in this country, it 
gives a poor imitation of the robin’s 
rain song. 

As I passed slowly down the road 
the prettiest bird of this section, the 
Isle of Pines Trogon, came into view 
perched in a thicket where a single 
ray of sunlight fell on its bright plum- 
age. This bird Priotelus temnurus 
vescus, measures about 10 inches, and 
has the crown of the head black shad- 
ing into purple on the neck and a 
green on the back. Its entire upper 
parts are iridiscent, changing from 
purple to green as the light falls dif 
ferently on it. The throat and breast 
are pure white while the belly is a 
bright vermillion. The outer tail 
feathers are shorter than the rest 
and have a peculiar curl outward. The 
Trogon inhabits thick jungles and 
nests in cavities of broken stubs of 
the Bottle Palm. & 

Coming to the river I looked down 
stream and saw a short distance off 
on a sand bar a lonely Limpkin, Ara 
mus giganteus, hunting snails, its 
principal diet. Often one finds a Limp- 
kin with its bill twisted out of shape 
by extracting the snails from their 


THE OOLOGIST 


shells. This bird is the connecting 

link between the rails and herons. It 

is solitary in its habits and is more of- 

ten heard than seen, especially at 

night. It has a peculiar, high wailing 

note from which it gets its name “Cry- © 
ing Bird,’ but when alarmed it utters 

at regular intervals a croak not un- 

like that of a frog. 

In the thickets along the road were 
Catbirds, Palm Warblers, a Gundlach’s 
Vireo,  Redstarts, Florida Yellow- 
throats, Anis, commonly known as 
Black Parrots though they belong to 
the Cuckoo family, Cuban Orioles and 
Grackles, Melodious Grassquits mem- 
bers of the fiinch family, and a Cuban 
Tody. This last is a small bright 
green bird with a large, flycatcher- 
like bill, a vermillion patch on the 
throat, breast and belly white, sides 
tinged with vermillion and some blue 
in the wings. It certainly lives up to 
its scientific name, Todus multicolor.” 
Its note is like hitting two small 
stones together. 

Back in the woods Cuban Parrots 
were screeching, the West Indian 
Mourning Doves cooing, and yet a good 
many people claim that there are no 
birds here. 

Arriving at the grove the Cuban 
Meadowlarks were just beginning to 
whistle while a few Turkey Buzzards 
were circling about adding all that 
had been lacking to a typical morning 
in this southland. A. C. Read. 

SSS. eee 

A Trip to Pine River, Isle of Pines. 

Wednesday morning, July 12, 1911, 
a survey party of six set out for Pine 
river to take soundings and stake out 
the channel preparatory to opening 
the harbor. We met at Commodore 
Cleland’s and from there the run down 
the Nuevas River to the mouth, a dist- 
ance of four miles was very interest- 
ing, as well as beautiful. - The upper 
river has good banks lined with Royal 


123 


Palms, palmettos and hard wood jun- 
gles while back a short distance were 
open pine woods among which were 
seen (Cuban) Quail, Meadowlark, 
Sparrow Haws, Kingbirds, Pewees, 
Ground Doves, Red-bellied Woodpeck- 
ers, and Parrots. In the jungles were 
Cuban Grackle, Isle of Pines Trogons, 
Isle of Pines Lizard Cuckoos, Cuban 
Pigmy Owls and Anis. The West In- 
dian Mourning Dove and Pigeons (Col- 
umba inornata) were also plentiful. 
The lower river is wide and lined with 
mangroves. The bird life here is al- 
most entirely aquatic, although some 
land birds were seen flying across. 
But one West Indian Tree Duck was 
seen. White Ibis were abundant, Lit- 
tle Blue Herons, Green Herons and 
Limpkins were also in evidence. 

The twenty-mile sea trip was most 
enjoyable, but practically no _ birds 
Were seen except several hundred 
Florida Cormorants. We arrived at 
Pine River about 2:30 p. m. About 
half a mile up the river it widens out 
into a large bay or sort of inland lake 
a mile long by a half wide. This is 
surrounded by a mangrove swamp 
ranging in width from 150 feet to over 
1690 feet. This basin ranges in depth 
from five feet to over fourteen feet, 
and is full of large fish. Several croc- 
odiles were also seen. Besides the 
birds recorded on the first part of the 
trip were added, Black-crowned Night 
Herons, Yellow-crowned Night Herons, 
Cuban White Herons, Cuban Green 
Heron, Cuban Crane, Ward’s Heron, 
West Indian Killdeer, Antillian Night- 
hawks, White-crowned Pigeons, Yel- 
lowfaced Grassquits, and Red-legged 
Thrush. There was a fine moon on 
the night of the 12th and over the 
still waters it was almost as light as 
day. The water fowl were seen and 
heard a great deal during the night, 
but of course nothing was identified. 
We finished our work and got back 


THE OOLOGIST 


124 


o 


Ines 


Isle of P 


River, 


Early Morning on Pine 


—Photo by A. C. Read. 


wcll 


THE OOLOGIST 125 


just at dusk, July 13th. Nothing new 
was seen and in fact very few birds 
were seen on the return trip, due to a 
heavy wind and sea, A total of thirty- 
three species of birds was recorded 
on this trip, which considering the 
season, and that the Isle is not rich 
in bird life, generally speaking, was 
excepticnally good for one day, the 
second day being simply a repetition 
of the first. A. C. Read. 
Isle of Pines, Cuba. 


; eS ees 
Summer Birds of Santa Barbara, Isle 
of Pines, Cuba. 

Of course we have various members 
of the Warbler family here all winter, 
so that it is very difficult to say which 
are spring migrants and which are 
winter residents. Thefefore, strictly 
speaking the first warning we have 
that summer and the rainy season 
are coming is when we hear the sweet 
warble of the Black-whiskered Vireo, 
one of our most abundant summer 
residents. It is found here in almost 
every thicket or small grove during 
‘the summer. About the first arrival is 
the 15th of March and the last that it 
is still common is October, although a 
few stragglers may be found almost 
any time during the year. 

Inland the shore birds are another 
harbinger of spring, though on the 
coast they may be found all winter. 
Among these are the Spotted Sandpip- 
er, Solitary Sandpiper, West Indian 
Killdeer, and Wilson Snipe. All but 
the Killdeer are on their northward 
journey. | 

The next to arrive (about the last 
of March) is the Cuban Martin. It is 
the fore runner of the Swallow family, 
which straggle in from the middle of 
April. The Cuban species of Martin 
and Cliff Swallow are the only kinds 
which I have found staying all sum- 
mer. 

The Antillean Nighthawk arrives 


about the first week in April and its 
“Spiggoty” is one of the commonest 
bird notes during the summer even- 
ings. It is shortly followed by its 
very rare cousin the Cuban Whip-poor- 
will. 
Among other of our summer birds 
to arrive in April are the Gray King- 
bird, White-crowned Pigeon, and “El 
Bobo” Pipeon, Columba squamosa. The 
latter is fast nearing extinction. 
Though formerly abundant all over 
the Isle, it is now only locally found 
on the West Coast or perhaps more 
correctly speaking the extreme west- 
ern side of the island including the 
South Coast. ; 
Some of our summer birds which 
are here the year around are as fol- 


lows: the Cuban species of Ground 
Dove, Meadowlark, Sparrow Hawk, 
Kingbird, Oriole, Grackle, Parrot, 


Crested Flycatcher, Tody, Pygmy and 
Barn Owls, Green and_ red-bellied 
Woodpeckers, Pewee, Quail, Crane, 
Green and White Herons; Southern 
Turkey Buzzard, Isle of Pines, Tanag- 
er and Lizard Cuckoo, Ani, Yellow-fac- 
ed and Melodious Grassquits, Red-leg- 
ged Thrush, W. I. Mourning Dove, 
Belted Kingfisher, Ricords Hummer, 
Gundlachs Vireo, Louisiana Heron, 
Black and  Yellow-crowned Night 
Herons, Great and Little Blue and 
Snowy Herons, White Ibis, W. I. Tree 
Duck, Fla. Cormorant, Caracara, Rudy 
Quail Dove and Cuban Crab Hawk. 
A. C. Read. 


+> 
Books Received. 

Handbook of Birds of Eastern North 
America, Revised Edition, May, 1912. 

This work needs no commendation 
nor introduction from us nor from any 
other oologist. It stands in a class by 
itself and speaks for itself, is typical- 
ly Chapman, and that means that it is 
a valuable production, containing as 
it does something over 500 pages, a 


126 THH OOLOGIST 


Royal Palms on West Coast, Isle of Pines 
—Photo by A. C. Read. 


THE OOLOGIST 


very large number of colored plates 
and the description, technical as well 
as popular of all birds found within 
the territory which it covers. It is 
indeed one of the most valuable bird 
books that can be acquired by either 
amateur or scientist, and within its 
pages will be found not only the de- 
scription of the birds, but a complete 
and thorough treatise of the manner 
of collecting, photographing or pre- 
serving the birds, their nests or eggs. 

Would that there were more Chap- 
mans in the ornithology of the coun- 
try, and more Chapmanlike books ac- 
cessible to us all. We can recom- 
mend this as standard in every way. 

oe 
Birds of the West Coast Section of 
Santa Barbara, During the 
Month of September. 


As this is the wind-up of the rainy 
season and because of new roads be- 
ing soft, we will go on horse. We leave 
Santa Barbara after an early break- 
fast riding along the fine main roads 
lined with open pine woods, pretty 
bungalows, pineapple patches and cit- 
rus fruit groves. In these the Cuban 
Quail, Robin (red-legged Thrush) and 
Yellow-faced Grassquit are in evi- 
dence. 

After about two miles we leave the 
main road and start west. Almost im- 
mediately we notice a change in the 
bird life. We pass a small marsh in 
which we notice a pair of Florida Gal- 
linules which the quite rare here; a 
Cuban Green Heron, also a rare bird; 
Southern Green Herons and Cuban 
Grackles. 

As we ride along, the road passes 
through a thick jungle (wet), the 
ditches at this time of year full of 
water. Here we see Little Blue Her- 
ons, Snowy Herons, Solitary Sandpip- 
ers, Least and Semi-palmated Sand- 
pipers and Yellowlegs. Feeding in the 
road are West Indian Mourning Doves, 


127 


Pigeons (Columba inornata) and the 
ever present Cuban Ground Doves. 
In the brush are Cuban Pewees and 
Crested Flycatchers while feeding on 
the “nuts” of the “Bottle Palms” are a 
score of Cuban Green Parrots. 

Passing through this we come to a 
higher rolling country, four hundred 
acres of which is being developed by 
Winnipeg people. This is the virgin 
open pine woods cut here and there 
by small streams lined with real 
tropical jungles. : 

First let us proceed to the main 
pineapple patch of over 20,000 plants. 
Here we see the Cuban Meadowlarks 
and West Indian Killdeer with an oc- 
casional Black-bellied Plover running 
between the plants looking for grubs 
and flitting from plant to plant are 
Yellow Palm Warblers and Yellow- 
faced Grassquits. 

From here let us go North a short 
distance for it is nearly lunch time, 
and find a cool shady spot on the 
panks of “Arroyo Largo.’ While here 
eating if we are quiet. we may see a 
Limpkin, Belted Kingfisher, Giant 
Kingbird, Cuban Tody, Florida Yellow- 
throat, Black and White, Blackpoll 
and Sycamore Warblers and also the 
Water thrush. 

While returning, at the edge of the 
jungle we see the Cuban Green Wood- 
pecker busily pegging away at an old 
stub while on a distant Palm is a 
Cuban Red-bellied Woodpecker. Here 
again we are in the pine woods and 
see some White-crowned Pigeons 
(rare at this time of year), also some 
“H] Bobo” or fool pigeons (Columba 
squamosa) the largest of our pigeons; 
in fact, it is as large as the domestic 
bird and greatly prized for food. It 
is only a question of a few years be- 
fore it will be entirely exterminated. 
Formerly it was abundant all over the 
Island and now it is only in a few 
places where it is found at all. At 


\ 


128 THE OOLOGIST 


Nest & Parent Cuban Martin, in Stub of Pine Tree, 30 ft. up, 
Santa Barbara, Isle of Pines, May, 1912. : 
—Photo by A. C. Read. 


129 


THE OOLOGIST 


Nest & Parent Cuban Parrot in Bettle Palm, 30 ft up, 


—Photo by A. C. Read. 


Santa Barbara, Isle of Pines 


130 : 


certain times it is still common on the 
West Coast. In a small tree is an Isle 
of Pines Lizard Cuckoo, while in the 
grass catching locusts are a flock of 
Cuban Grackles. In a “Hobo Plum” 
tree are several Cuban Orioles while 
in the “Ceco Plum” bushes are three 
or four Cuban-wings, also a rare bird. 

This is typical of the West Coast 
and is a daily experience for me as 
I have charge of the development in 
this section. Besides the birds I see 
lots of the so-called wild pigs and an 
occasional crocodile or more correctly 
I believe, “Cayman.” 

A. C. Read. 


Isle of Pines. 
Oo 


Isle of Pines Note. 

A. C. Read writes under date of 
December 19, 1912, as follows: “Some 
- specimens of note have just been 
taken here by Professor Linke of the 
Carnegie Institute, to-wit: Cuban 
Crow, Cuban Bullfinch, and Roseate 
Spoonbill. ; 


— 2 <i 
Birds Observed on the Isle of Pines, 
Cuba, 1912. 

Jan.—Cuban Ground Dove, Abundant. 
Cuban Meadowlark. Abundant. 
Cuban Sparrowhawk. Abundant. 
Cuban Kingbird. Abundant. 
Cuban Oriole. Abundant. 

Cuban Grackle. Abundant. 
Cuban Parrot. Abundant. 
Cuban Crested Flycatcher. Abund- 


ant. 

Southern Turkey Buzzard. Abund- 
ant. 

Southern Green Heron. Abund- 
ant. 

Little Blue Heron, Common. 

White Ibis. Common. 

¥ Pigeon (Columba inornata). Com- 

mon. 

Isle of Pines Lizard Cuckoo, Com- 
mon. 

Ani. Abundant. 


THE OOLOGIST 


iy 
han 


® 
Yellow-faced Grassquit. Abund- 

ant. : 
Red-legged Thrush. Common. 
W. I. Mourning Dove. Abundant. 
Gundlack’s Vireo. Rare. 
Yellow Palm Warbler. 

Winter resident. ; 
Belted ikngfisher. Not common. 


Catbird. Common winter resident. 


Abundant 


Florida Yellow-throat. Common 
_ Winter resident. 
Florida Yellow-throat. Common 


winter resident. »’- 
Cuban Tody. Common. 
Water-thrush. Winter resident. 
Cuban Crane. Common. 
Marsh Hawk. Rabe winter resi- 
dent. ¥§ 
Louisiana Heron. . Rare. 


Parula Warbler. Migrant. 
Ricord’s Hummer. »Common. 
Cuban Pigmy Owl. Common. 


Cuban Green Woodpecker. Com- 
mon, 
Cuban Red-bellied Woodpecker. 
Common, ; 
Isle of Pines Trogon. 
American Redstart. 
~ dent. 
4 “Chilina” Warbler (Teretistris 
permandine). Common. 
Ward’s Heron. Rare. 
Caracara. Common. 
Louisiana Water-thrush. 
resident. 
Snowy Heron. Common. 
Cuban Barn Owl. Common. 
Limpkin. Common. 
Cuban Quail. Abundant. 
Mch. 9.—Frigate Bird. Common. 
Royal Tern. Common. 
Florida Cormorant. Common. 
Mangrove Warbler. Rare. 
Anhigna. Not common. 
Mch. 12—Cuban Martin. Common sum- 
mer resident. 
Mech 20—Oven-bird. 
resident. 
Black-throated Blue Warbler. Com- 
mon winter resident. 


Common. 
Winter resi- 


Winter 


Common winter 


THE OOLOGIST 


Black & White Warbler. Common 
winter resident. 


Mech. 14—Cuban Nighthawk. Abund- 
ant summer resident. 
Cuban Gray Kingbird. Common 


summer resident. 
Mch. 17—Black-whiskered Vireo. Com- 
mon. 
Mch. 18—Barn Swallow. Rare migrant. 
Cuban Cliff Swallow. Abundant 
summer resident. 
Apr. 30—Cuban Redwing 
assimilis). Rare. 
May 11—White-crowned Pigeon. Com- 
mon. 
V “El Bobo” Pigeon (Columba squa- 
mosa). Common. 

West Indian Tree Duck. 

mon, 

Cuban Green Heron 

brunnescens). Rare. 

Yellow-crowned Night 

Rare. 

Virginia Rail. Rail. 
West Indian Killdeer. 
in summer. 

Wilson’s Snipe. Migrant. 
Aug. 13—Ruddy Quail Dove. 


Aug. 17—Florida Gallinule. Rare. 


(Agelaius 


Not com- 
(Butorides 


Heron. 


July Common 


Rare. 


“Cuban Crab Hawk (Urubitenga 

Gundlachis). Rare. 

Sept. 18—Golden Plover. Rare mi- 
grant. 

Sept. 24—Least Sandpiper. Common 
migrant. 

Sept. 27—Giant Kingbird. Summer 
resident. 

Oct. 20—Sycamore Warbler. Migrant. 

Oct.—Solitary Sandpiper. Migrant. 


Cuban Pewee. Common. 

Isle of Pines Tanager. Common. 

Spotted Sandpiper. Migrant. 

Brown Pelican. Common on South 
coast. : 

Semipalmated Sandpiper. Migrant. 

Limpkin. 


Black-poll. Warbler. 


131 


Birds Observed on the Isle of Pines 
From Dec. 1908, to Jan. 1912, 
Which Were Not Seen During 

1912 by A. C. Read. 
The Dates are First Records. 

1908 

Dec. 8—Blackburnian Warbler. 

Dec. 24—Prairie Warbler. 

1909 

Jan. 25—Parula Warbler. 
Prothonotary Warbler. 

Feb. 6—Bachman’s Warbler. 

Feb. 11—Cerulean Warbler. 

Mch. 13—Cuban White Heron. 

Apr. 20—Indigo Bunting. 

Apr. 21—Red-eyed Vireo. 

Apr. 28—Quail Dove. 
Yellow-bellied Flycatcher. 

May 8—Yellow-throated Vireo. 

Aug. 26—Blue-headed Quail Dove. 

May 11—Black-billed Cuckoo. 

June 28—American Egret. 

July 19—Cuban Whip-poor-will. 
Palm Swift. 


Jan. 31—Swift (Streploprocne zonaris ve 
a 


paldiifrons). 


Aug. 28—‘“‘Toti’ Blackbird (Ptiloxena 


atroviolacea). 

Sept. 18—Greater Yellow-legs. 

Oct. 21—Black-throated Green Warbler. 

Noy. 4—Tennessee Warbler. 

Oct. 26—Myrtle Warbler. 

Dec. 11—Grasshopper Sparrow. 

Dec. 25—Least Grebe. 

1910 

Jan. J—Worm-eating Warbler. 

Jan. 22—Melodius Grassquit. 

Apr. 29—West Indian Yellow-billed 
Cuckoo. 

May 9—Bobolink. 

Apr. 3—Broad-winged Hawk. 


June 24—Swift (Cypsloides niger). \—~ 


1911 
July 12—Black-crowned Night Heron. 
Mch. 25—Cape May Warbler. 

83 species observed during 1912. 

34 species observed previously and 
not during 1912. 

117 Species observed from Decem- 
ber 1908 to October 1912. 

A. C. Read. 


& 


132 


Notice. 

All half tones illustrating this issue 
of THE OOLOGIST are trom photos 
by A. C. Read, to whom we are all 
under obligations for his contributions 
concerning the birds of the Isle of 
Pines. 

Charles J. Pennock. j 

No tidings have been received of 
Mr. Pennock, whose mysterious disap- 
pearance was recently noted in THE 
OOLOGIST. That he is deranged, and 
has wandered away is now regarded 
as certain, otherwise his body would 
have been discovered. A countrywide 
search has been instituted and we 
hope it will prove successful. 


—~ 


Trumpter Swan. 

We have added another of these 
rare birds to our collection of living 
wildfowl. This gives us four of the 
eight known specimens. The skin of 
the one that died for us in the winter 
of 1911-12, we have presented to the 
Field Museum of Natural History. 
Would that there were more Olor buc- 
cinator. 


-- 2 


The Herons of the Isle of Pines, Cuba. 

The birds of the Heron Family, es- 
pecially during the rainy season, be- 
cause of their tameness and conspicu- 
ousness, appear more commonly than 
those of any other family. At this 
season when the road ditches are full 
of water or in fact every little hollow 


which holds water will have one or 


two herons near it feeding on young 


', frogs, etc. 


Ardea ripens, Cuban White Heron, 
is smaller than the Florida specimens 
and is entirely pure white with yellow 
bill and greenish-yellow legs and feet. 
This is an extremely rare bird. I 
have seen it very few times in four 
years continual residence on the Isle. 

Ardea herodias (wardii), Great Blue 
Heron. Although not really rare it is 
extremely wary. For two years I 


THE OOLOGIST 


lived on the Nuevas River where I saw 
it almost daily. Although I never. 
tcok a specimen of it, from observa- 
tions with the field glass at various ~ 
times I am confident that it is the sub- 
paveies “wardii.” 

Herodias egretta American Hgret, 
not rare, but I have observed it singly 
and never in pairs. 

\ Florida caerulea czerulescens, South- 
ern Little Blue Heron; abundant and 
quite tame, and very conspicuous, es- 
pecially in the immature white plum- 
age. This bird suffers quite a bit of 
persecution from “new comers” who 
do not know the distinguishing mark 
(cf greenish-yellow legs) mistake it 
for the Snowy Hgret or “Florida Plume 
Bird” as it is commonly known here, 
which has black legs. 

Egretta candidissima, Little White 
for Snowy Heron, not_as common as 
the last species, and much more wary, 
but observed frequently. 

Hydranassa tricolor ruficollis, Louis- 
iana Heron; common but only found 
along the coast in the brackish man- 
grove swamps and along the beaches. 

Nyctanassa violacea, Yellow-crown- 
ed Night Heron, was common on the 
South Coast last April, while I spent a 
week there, but I did not see any of 

[pe Black-crowned as I had expected. 

Butorides virescens maculata, 
Southern Green Heron; very abundant 
along all arroyos, or in fact where 
there is any fresh water. | 

Butorides brunnescens, Cuban Green 
Heron. Rare; I have seen this spe- 
cies several times this year in what 
is known as the “West Coast Section.” 
The distinguishing mark is that the 
white on the throat is entirely lack- 
ing; also foreneck and edging to wing 
coverts. 

\ Ixobrychus exilis, Least Bittern; 
common winter resident, but apparent- 
ly absent in the summer. 

A. C. Read. 
MeKinley, Isle of Pines. 


THD OOLVGIST 


New Bird Laws. 

Be it said to the credit of the Amer- 
ican Congress that recently there 
went into effect a law which may be 
found on page 387 of the Statutes at 
large of the United States, page 847, 
whereby all migratory birds are plac- 
ed under the protection of the Federal 
law, and hereafter state legislatures 
will not be permitted to sacrifice them 
at the will of local politicians. 

The penalty for violation is a $100 
fine or imprisonment not more than 
ninety days, or both, in the discretion 
of the court, for each violation. The 
Federal law also now prohibits the im- 
portation of egret plumes, also the so- 
called Osprey plumes, and all plumage 
of wild foreign birds. But the law re- 
lating to the possession of feathers of 
birds or parts of such birds, does not 
apply to the feathers of game birds 
and domestic birds. 

Under the law as adopted, the Sec- 
retary of Agriculture is to fix regula- 
tions for the protection of such birds. 
These regulations are now promulgat- 
ed and may be had upon application to 
the Secretary of the Treasury and are 
known as Bureau of Biological Sur- 
vey, Circular No. 92. 

Among the many good things whicn 
these regulations provide are the fol- 
lowing: 

Five year closed season from Sep- 
tember 1, 1913 on Band-tailed Pigeons, 


Little Brown, Sand Hill and Whooping 
Cranes, all swans, curlew and all 
shore birds except the Black Breasted 
and Golden Plover, Wilson’s Snipe, 
Woodcock and Greater and Lesser 
Yellow Legs, and all Wood duck and 
Woodcock in Minn., N. H., Vt., Mass., 
Bea, Coun,< N.2¥ N. J.; .Pa,0., Ind., 
Me., W. Va., and Wis., and on Rails in 
California and Vermont. 

The closed season is between Janu- 
ary 1, and October 31 of each year on 
all migratory birds, on the waters of 


133 


the Mississippi River between New 
Orleans.and Minneapolis, and on the 
Ohio. between its mouth and Pittsburg, 
and on the Missouri between its mouth 
and Bismarck, N. D. 

All night shooting is prohibited and 
from. sunrise to sunset is the day dur- 
ing which hunting may be done. 

Then follows the division of the 
country into two zones, that part of 
the country lying North of Lat. 40, 
and that part of the country lying 
South of Lat. 40, and certain special 
regulations are adopted for each of 
these zones and many of the states in- 
cluded therein. 

All Spring shooting is prohibited 
and insectiverous birds are protected 
for all time. 

The adoption of these bills is a long 
stretch toward protecting our feather- 
ed. friends, and we trust that every 
reader of THE OOLOGIST will ap- 
point himself a committee of one to 
see that these laws and regulations 
are enforced strictly to the letter in 
his individual territory. Permits for 
the collection of specimens may be 
procured from the authorities in the 
usual manner but unless the law as a 
whole is enforced according to the 
spirit thereof, it will be of little avail, 
and if it is, it will be greatly benefi- 
cial. y 

er ee 
List of Eggs Collected in Black Hawk 
Co., lowa, 1875. 
By George D. Peck. 

Readers of THE OOLOGIST: Just 
to show you how the old time Oolo- 
gists fared we publish the following: 


Date. Name No. of Eggs. 
March 

20—Great Horned Owl............ 2 
20.—Great Horned Owl............ 1 
29. -—Barred: OW 3c sceusiiallels! nce «ise = 2 
26. — Barred: LO Wil saccvata diate akstene (eho 3 
26.—Barred Owl ..........+-----> 3 
April 


134 


6.—Red-tailed Hawk .... 
7.—Barred Owl ......... 
7.—Red-tailed Hawk .... 


10.—Barred Owl ........ 
13.—Great Horned Owl ..: 
14.—Barred Owl ......... 
20—Barred Owl ......... 
20—Red-tailed Hawk .... 
21.—Red-tailed Hawk .... 


28. —Red-tailed Hawk .... 
May 

4——_Barred Owl 25. 5.---- 
11—Barred Owl ......... 


11.—Sparrow Hawk ...... 
12.—Turkey Vulture ..... 
12.—-Red-tailed Hawk .... 
12.—Cooper’s Hawk ...... 
14.—Swainson’s Hawk ... 
14.—Cooper’s Hawk ...... 
14.—Cooper’s Hawk ..... 
15.—Hairy Woodpecker .. 
15—Swainson’s Hawk ... 


17.—Long-eared Owl ..... 
17.—Prairie Hen ......... 
18.—Cooper’s Hawk ...... 
19—Swainson’s Hawk ... 
19—Swainson’s Hawk ... 
21.—Red-bellied Hawk ... 
21—wWhip-poor-will ....... 
24—Swainson’s Hawk ... 
24 —Red-bellied Hawk ... 
Hi —lbeieke Iino 65.6500 0e 
25—Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 
26.—Swainson’s Hawk ... 
26—Purple Martin ...... 
27.—Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 
27.— Field Sparrow ....... 
27.—Green Heron ....... 
29 —Yellow-breasted Chat 
30.—Redstart ............ 
31—Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 
31.—Downey Woodpecker 
31.—Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 


THH 


ee cer steer 
eee eee eee 
oe eee reece 


rr 


eee eee eee 


see eet eee 


eee ee ee ee 


a ee 


eee ew eee ee 


ace cee eee 


eee eee eee 


sere ee eee 


ee 


oor eee eee 


a 


ee eee wees 


see eee eee 


a 


er 


ee 


eee eee eee 


see eee eee 


eC 


i's je).6\ve,0) 6 ja. 


eee eee wee 


31—Reose-breasted Grosbeak....... 


31.—Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 
31.—Yellow-throated Vireo 
June 

1.—Blue-gray Gnatcatcher 


eee s cere 


‘OOLOGIST 
2 3.—*Swallow-tailed Kite.......... 3 
3 3.—Dickcissle in 2c. Yo eee eee 4 
3 3.—Purple Martin 2... 2s2eo sees 6 
iL 4.—Rose-breasted Grosbeak ...... 3 
3 4.—Blue-gray Gnatcatcher ........ 5 
2 4—Field Sparrow ............... 5 
2 8.—Blue-gray Gnatcatcher ........ 5 
2 8.—Yellow-bellied Cuckoo ........ 2 
2 8.—Least Flycatcher ............. 4 
2 8.—Great-crested Flycatcher ..... 6 
8—Lark Finch ....... 3 iE See 4 
2 8.—Yellow-breasted Chat ......... 4 
B} 8.—Yellow-breasted Chat ......... 4 
5 8.—Yellow-breasted Chat ......... 2 
2 8.—Red-eyed Vireo .............-- 3 
2 8—Bell’s’ Vireo >: ... 2. cee poeeeeeee 5 
4 8.—=Bell’s: Vireo 5. i. ws. esac eeeene 3 
2 8:—Bell’s* Vireo: S.. ~ <1 see 4 
4 10—Great-crested Flycatcher ..... 6 
4 10—Blue-gray Gnatcatcher ....... 3 
5  10—Red-headed Woodpecker ...... 4 
1 10—Green-crested Flycatcher ..... 2 
7 10—Swainson’s Hawk ............ 2 
5 12—Green-crested Flycatcher ..... 3 
7 12—Ruby-throated Hummer ...... 2 
5 12-—Blue-gray Gnatcatcher ........ 4 
3 12-—Yellow-throated Vireo ....... 4 
3 12-—Yellow-throated Vireo ........ 1 
3° 12-“Bell’s Vireo... oe eee 4 
2° 12:—Green, Heron: =...) eee 4 
3  12—Green-crested Flycatcher .... 3 
2 14—Ruby-throated Hummer ...... 2 
3 14—Ruby-throated Hummer ...... 2 
5 14-—Ruby-throated Hummer ...... 2 
2 14—Ruby-throated Hummer ...... 2 
6 14—Ruby-throated Hummer ...... 2 
5 14—Blue-gray Gnatcatcher ........ 5 
2 14——Red-eyed Vireo: 2:22... meee 4 
4 14—Ruby-throated Hummer ...... 2 
2 15.—Ruby-throated Hummer ...... 2 
4 15—=Wood “Pewee... 1s joe ee 2 
5 15—Great-crested Flycatcher ..... 2 
5 16—Great-crested Flycatcher ..... 3 
5 16—Ruby-throated Hummer ...... 2 
3 16—Red-bellied Woodpecker ...... 5 
5 16:—Least” Bittennis 2 oe ee 2 
3) 17 Least“ Bittern. ....css reine 4 
17.—Ruby-throated Hummer ...... 2 
4 17.—Swallow-tailed Kite ........ ty chee 


THE 


17.—Blur-gray Gnatcatcher 
19.—Ruby-throated Hummer ....... Z 


22—Great-crested Flycatcher ...... 4 
3—Ruby-throated Hummer ...... 2 
.4.—Ruby-throated Hummer ...... 2 
27.—Ruby-throated Hummer ...... 2 


* Of 14 sets of this Kite collected in 
Iowa, this is the only one containing 
three eggs. 

J ee eee 
The Louisiana Water Thrush. 
(Seiurus motocilla) 

In Southern Pennsylvania the Louis- 
iana Water-thrushes arrive from their 
winter home early in April. At this 
time one may find them busily engag- 
ed in searching the muddy banks of 
creeks and runs, bent upon securing 
their food. 

As the warm days of late April ap- 
pear, these birds seek a mate and re- 
pair to the brooks that slowly wind 
their way through the small clumps 
of woodland; these woods abounding 
in the locality. Here they wade about 
in the sparkling water, or flit from 
stone to stone, in search of some 
dainty mersel of food. 

Nest building is begun late in April 
or early in May, depending upon the 
weather. The sites chosen are varied. 
Some birds build their nests under 
overhanging rooty sod; others build 
their homes in crevices among a mass 
of fallen dry leaves; while a few Se- 
lect a bunch of tangled roots that 
dangle from a small tree, standing 
near the water. All of these situa- 
tions are near the clear water of a 
breok. 

The materials used for nest con- 
struction are dry oak or chestnut 
leaves, bits of dry grass, some root- 
lets, and a few horse hairs. 

From three to six eggs are deposit- 
ed in this cozy nest—three being a 
full clutch when the lazy cowbird adds 
one or more of her eggs. These have 
a pure white ground color, and are 


OOLOGIBT 135 


either heavily spotted, or lightly 
speckled with reddish brown and lilac. 

During a tramp of a single day I 
have found as many as 15 nests. Had 
I searched especially for nests of the 
waterbrush, I have no doubt that I 
should have found many more. 

The song is commonly a_ sharp 
“chip, chip’; but at times a very 
beautiful song is uttered from the. 
darker and quieter parts of the wood- 
land. 

Water-thrushes are busy birds, and 
seldom do we find them at rest. They 
are quite interesting to a bird lover, 
and great entertainment may be de- 
rived from studying their habits. 

S. S. Dickey. 
Waynesburg, Pa. 
aS eee 
Breeding Warblers of Harvey’s Lake, 
Luzerne County, Pa. 

Harvey’s. Lake is situated among 
the foot hills of the Blue Mountains, 
in Pennsylvania. It is the largest 
lake in the state, covering about six 
square miles, and is surrounded by 
high hills covered with Hemlock, 
White Pine, and a few Chestnut, Beech 
and other deciduous trees. 

My father and myself during two 
trips have found the following Warb- 
lers breeding: Black and White Warb- 
ler with young, and nest placed among 
roots of upturned tree; Parula Warb- 
lers were abundant among the higher 
Hemlocks, and evidently breeding. We 
found no nests. Black-throated Blue 
Warblers were fairly common, and 
several nests were seen among the 
Laurel and in small bushes. 

Of all the Warblers the Magnolia 
was by far the most abundant. We 
counted at least a dozen nests, and 
found a most beautiful set of five eggs 
which unfortunately were too much in- 
cubated to preserve. Most of the nests 
were on low branches of the Hem- 
locks. E 


136 


Chestnut-sided | Warblers were 
scarce, although we found one pair 
that evidently had a nest in the 
bushes. Blackburnian Warblers were 
scarce. One pair was noted feeding 
young at the nest, which was situat- 
ed in a large Hemlock and far out on 
the end of a limb. An almost inac- 
cessable place. My father observed a 
female of this species at work on a 
nest, the first nest having evidently 
been destroyed. 

Black-throated Green Warblers were 
common and were certainly breeding, 
but no nests were found. Ovenbirds 
were common breeders. One pair of 


Water Thrush were feeding their 
young. Nest under bank of small 
stream. 


Only one pair of Mourning Warb- 
lers was seen, and were evidently 
breeding in the underbrush, although 
we could not find the nest. A nest of 
the Yellow Warbler was found in an 


Apple tree with five small young 
therein. Maryland Yellow - throats 
Were breeding commonly in the 


bushes and briars along the lake. 

Yellow-breasted Chats were breed- 
ing also among the low bushes. Cana- 
dian Warblers were very common, and 
undoubtedly breeding, but no nests 
were located. Redstarts were nesting 
commonly along the edge of the lake 
in Beech trees. 

Some of the other birds we found 
breeding in this locality were Yellow- 
bellied Sapsucker (with young); Win- 
ter Wren, Bob-o-link, Least Flycatch- 


er, Bewick’s Rose-breasted 
Grosbeak, Marsh Hawk, Great-horned 
Owl, Woodcock, Nighthawk, Whip- 
poor-will, Brown Creeper, Scarlet Tan- 
Bob-white, Buffed 


Chickadee and Sparrow Hawk. 


Wren, 


ager, 


Grouse, 


Archie Benners. 
Ambler, Montgomery Co., Pa. 


THE OOLOGIST 


NOTES. 
Sad. 


Pingrey I. Osborne of Pasadena, 
California, who at one time had a 
bright and brilliant future as a promis- 
ing young naturalist, has been expelled 
from membership by the Cooper Orni- 
thological Club upon charges prefer- 
red against him. Those interested in 
knowing what the charges are can 
learn them by referring to the Jan- 
uary-February issue of The Condor. It 
is sad indeed that a young man in the 
morning of life will wreck a promising 
future in such a manner. And it 
leaves a feeling of dissatisfaction and 
suspicion lingering in the minds of 
every one of us who are unfortunate 
enough to have any of his specimens 
in our collections. 


“Skeered.” 


An ex-oologist calls upon the Su- 
preme Being to protect Ye Hditor un- 
til he shall meet us, that he may have 
the privilege of delivering the per- 
sonal violence that his communication 
threatens. 

We trust all interested oologists 
will-lend us their prayers until that 
occasion arrives, because we are 
“skeered.” 


Notice. 


The following persons will be denied 
the use of the advertising columns of 
THE OOLOGIST until further notice: 

Pingrey I. Osborne, J. D. Sornberg- 
er, D. Wilby. We have one or two 
others under consideration. 


To Panama. 

H. B. Bailey of Newport News, Va., 
one of the veteran Oologists, has 
been spending the last two months 
collecting birds and eggs in the Canal 
Zone. 


THE OOLOGIST 


Bird Books 


Bonaparte’e List of Birds of 


Europe - - $ .50 
Sn.ith’s The Canary, 12 ectored 

plates, 1870 - 1.50 
Tegetmeier’s The aaiae Pigeon, 

Illus., 1871 - - 1.25 


Canary Birds, A Manual for — 
Keepers, Illus. - - 1.0¢ 

Bird Neighbors, School edition; 
colored plates, 1899 - 1.00 

Life of Andubon, edited by his 
widow; Portrait, 1869 - 

A Book of Wild Things. Colored 
plates of a by Lenses 
artists 1.00 

Autograph atin of John Burroughs 
and other naturalists; also engraved 
portraits. 


State House Book Shop 
221 5Sth St. Philadelphia, Pa. 


1.50 


THE CONDOR 


A Magazine of ‘Western 
Ornithology 


Published Bi-monthly by the 
Cooper Ornithological Club of California 
Edited by J. Grinnell and Harry B. Swarth 


“The Condor’’ is strictly scientific 
but edited in such a way that a be- 
ginner of ‘‘Bird Study”’ can easily un- 
derstand it. 

The articles in ‘‘The Condor’’ are 
written by the leading Ornithologists 
of the United States and are illustrated 
by the highest quality of half tones. 

Our subscription rates are $1.50 per year in 
the United States and $1.75 in a Foreign coun- 
try. Sample Copy 30c. 


Address 


W. LEE CHAMBERS, Bus. Manager, 
Eagle Rock, Los Angeles, Cal. 


Vit 


BENJAMIN HOAG 
STEPHENTOWN, N. Y. 


Oologists Tools and Supplies, Books ang 
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lists. Write your special wants for quetations 
by letter. Ican save you money. 


Cut the Lining Egg Drills: 4 selected sizes for 
$1.00. If not the best you ever used re- 
turn and get-your money. 


Regular Egg Drills: No. 0,20c; No. 1, 20c; No, 
2, 25c: No. 3, 35c; No. 4, 45c; No. 5, 50c. 


Blowpipes: AJ] best nickle. No.1, 40c; No. 2. 
30¢; 20c. 


GINO. 0; 
Nickle plated, 25c. 


No, 2, best quality straight 
Finest quality straight, 


Embryo Hooks: 


Embryo Scissors: 
or curved, 50c. 
$1.00; curved, $1.25 


Best Steel Climbers: 
out, $1.90. 


With strap, $2.75; with- 


Books and Magazines: Let me quote and send 
list. I can supply anything in print, and 
always have old out of print books and 
back vol1mes of magazines. 


All prices prepaid 


BIRD-LORE 
FOR CHRISTMAS 


Tell us to whom you wish us 
to send Bird-Lore for you dur- 
ing 1913, and we will forward 
a Christmas Card, giving your 
name as donor, and afree copy 
of the 100-page Christmas num- 
ber of Bird-Lore, containing 
three colored plates and many 
half-tones. They will go in 
time to be received, with your 
greetings, on Christmas Day, 
and Bird-Lore will follow, as 
published, throughout the year. 
A valuable present, easily made, 
whether to a friend or to your- 


self. 

$1.00 a Year 
For Christmas: Five Subscriptions for 
$4.00, Three Subscriptions for $2.50 


BIRD-LORE, Harrisburg, Pa. 


Viti 


THE OOLOGIST 


I shall pay a good price for the following 


magazines, in good order and in their orig- 


inal covers, suitable for binding: 


The lowa Ornithologist (Salem, Iowa). 
Vol. 2, all except No. 3. 
Vol. 3, all except No. 4. 
Vol. 4, all. 


The Stormy Petrel (Mendota, II1.) 
All issued except No. 5 of Vol. 1. 


The Oregon Naturalist. 
Vol. 4, Nos. 10, 11 and 12. 


The American Osprey (Ashland, Ky.) 
All Nos. issued after No. 9 of Vol. 1. 


Wilson Bulletin. 
No. 3 and Index to Vol. 12. 


Bul. Mich. Orni. Club. 
Vol. 1, No. 1. 
Naturalist (Kansas City, Cont. of 


Hoosier Naturalist). 
All Nos. issued after No. 1 of Vol. 4. 


Oologist’s Advertiser. 
All Nos. issued except No. 2 of Vol. 1. 


Ornithologist & Botanist. 
Vol. 2. All Nos. .except Nos. 1, 2. 
and 6. 


The Wolverine Naturalist. 
All issued after No. 4 of Vol. 1. 


The Empire State Exchange. 
- Vol. 1, all except No. 3. 
Vol. 2, all. 
Vol. 3, Nos. 1 and 3. 


GEORGE SETH GUION, 


The Hawkeye Ornithologist and Oolo- 
gist. 
Vol. 2, all after No. 6. 


The Humming Bird (Sans Souci, N.C.) 
All issued after No. 1 of Vol. 1. 


The Bittern (Cedar Rapids). 
All issued except June, August and 
October, 1900, and January, 1901. 


The Bittern (Damariscotta, Maine). 
All issued after No. 6 of Vol. 1. 


The Bittern (Canisteo, N. Y.) 
Sept., Oct. and Nov., 1891. 


The Exchange (Mendota, III.) 
All Nos. issued except No. 3 of Vol. 1. 


The International Naturalist (Canis- 
teo, N. Y.) 
All issued except Nos. 4 and 5 of 
Vol. 2. 


The Naturalist (Des Moines, Iowa). 
All issued except No. 1 of Vol. 1. 


The Curlew (Orleans, Indiana). 
All issued except Nos. 3, 4, 5 of Vol. 1. 


And many others too numerous to 
mention, so send me list of what you 
care to dispose of and either make me 
a cash offer, or let me make you one. 


Napoleonville, La. 


THE OOLOGIST. 
BIRDS--NESTS--EGGS 
TAXIDERMY 


VoL. XXX. No. 9. 


ALBION, N. Y., Sepr. 15, 1913. 


WHOLE No. 314 


BRIEF SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS 
Wanted, Exchange, For Sale, Etc., inserted in this department at 25 cents 


for each 25 words for one issue; each additional word 1 cent. 


serted for less than 25 cents. 


No notice in- 


TAKE . NOTICE. 
SUBSCRIPTION, 50 CENTS PER YEAR 


Examine the number on the wrapper of 
your Oologist. It denotes the time your 
subscription expires. Remember we must 
be notified if you wish it discontinued and 
all arrearages must be paid. 314 your sub- 
scription expires with this issue. 305 your 
subscription expired with December issue 
1912. Other expirations can be computed by 
intermediate numbers at the rate of one 
number per month. 


Entered as second-class matter De- 
cember 21, 1908, at the post office at 
Albion, N. Y., under the Act of Congress 
of March 3, 1879. 


In answering advertisements in 
these columns mention “The Oologist,” 
and thereby help us, as well as the ad- 
vertiser and yourself. 


eS  HHOUNted «Specimens. «(Of 
€s, or mounted specimens 0 


We will not advertise the skins, n 
These co 


North American Birds for sale. 


ests, eg sae 
lumns are for the use of those desiring 


to make bona fide exchanges of such specimens for scientific collecting purpo- 


ses only.—EDITOR. 
BIRDS 


WANTED-—Live American Wild Trumpet- 
er Swan. R. M. Barnes. Lacon, Il. 


FOR SALE.—Pair of live Sand Hil] Cranes, 
live Hutchins and Blue Geese. PORTAGE 
WILD ANIMAL CO., Portage La Prairie, 
Manitoba, Canada, Box No. 223. (1-p) 
SA al ee Dt he 


EXCHANGE.—Bird Skins of Eastern 
United States for exchange and a 44c Stevens 
Pocket Collecting pistol for sale. J. H. 
WEBER, Palisades Park, N. J. (1-p) 


BIRD SKINS .—Exchange generally 
FRANK S,. WRIGHT, 14 Cayuga St., Auburn: 
Nae (2-p)_ 

WANTED.—TO exchange skins, also bird 

hotographing camera for cash. CORNEL- 
US BUS, Detroit, Mich. (1-p) 


WANT TO BUY—Live witd ducks, geese, 
swan, cranes, stork, Pelican, eagles, Guinea 
pies and _ all wild animals. IRL E. BEN- 

ETT, “Naturalist,” Cambridge, Ohio. (1-p) 


pik Rc Ce ne 
I desire to exchange bird skins and bird 
eggs with all collectors; send full list of skins. 
andeggs. D. V. HEMBREE, Roswell, it ) 
(-p 


EXCHANGE.—Mounted birds, skins and 
many books on different subjects, for any- 
thing pertaining to ornithology. Send lists. 
O. M. GREENWOOD, 240 E. Main St., Man- 
chester, Iowa. (1-p) 


Want following hummer skins: 427-429" 
430-432-433-437-439-440-440-1-441. Exchange Ow! 
and Hawk skins for males, Hooded Mergan™ 
ser, Bald Eagle. EARL HAMILTON. Yohog™ 
any. Pa. 


TO KXCHANGE.—A large collection of 
birds’ skins as a whole only for a large col- 
lection of stamps. No trash wanted. F. T. 
CORLESS, 80 Killingsworth Ave., Portland, 
Ore. (2-p) 

WANTED.—General birdssxin exchange, 
particularly Pacific Coast and Southern Col- 
lectors, though I solicit lists from anywhere. 
RAYMOND SPELLUM, Viroqua, Wis. Gp) 

=) C} 


SS 

First class s kins Illinois, California and 
Costa Rica to exchange for birds from South- 
ern or Western States, or from other coun- 
tries. H. K. COALE, Highland Park, Il. (1) 


2o eee Eee eee 
WANTED.—First class skins of Passenger 
Pigeons, male and female, for which I will 
gvie in exchange first class skins of Heath 
Hens. FRED H.KENNARD, 220 Devonshire 
St., Boston, Mas s. (1) 


~ ee 
qnsonian Instig-~ 


ey (es 


SEP19 1913 / 


[ THE OOLOGIST 


Skins Continued 


WANTED.—Skins of California Vulture, 
Whooping and Little Brown Crane, Trum- 
peter Swan and Falcons. Cash or good ex- 
change. A. H. Helme, Miller Place, New 
York. (1-p) 


WANTED.—Extra fine skins for mounting 
two Am. Ayocets, male,ads..two Am. Wood 
cocks, male, ads., two Black-necked Stilts 
male, ads., and two Boxwhites, malJe, ads 
Offer A 1 Skins or mounted birds. FRANK- 
LIN J. SMITH, Box 98, Eureka, Cal. (1-p) 


FOR EXCHANGE.—I have left one pair 
Passenger Pigeons, (Zctopistes Migratorius) 
nicely mounted and good condition. Will 
take part cash and part in rare sets or birds. 
PHILO SMITH, 1824 Byers Ave.. Tone Mo: 

(1-p 


EXCHANGE.—Can offer good exchange in 
skins and eggs to anyone who will mount 
some dried skins for me, such sets as; Man- 
dt’s Giullemot, Whistling Swan, Canada 
Geese, Old Squaw, etc. ARTHUR W. 
BROCKWAY, Hadlyme, Conn. (1-p) 


WANTED.— A fine skin of Eskimo Curlew, 
for which I can offer such skins as Surf Bird, 
Black and Socorro Petrels, Xantus Murrelet, 
Ringed Kingfisher, Harlequin Duck, Roseate 
Spoonbill and others too numerous to men- 
tion. A. B. HOWELL, Covina, Cal. (1-p) 


OWLS.—I want the scientific skins of the 
Elf, Hoskins Pigmy, Dwarf Screech Owls, 
Flamulated, Mexican, Texan, Rocky Mt., 
Kennicots, Small Floria Screech Owls, Skins 
of Baby Moles, Baby Bats, Birds of Prey, 
Shore Birds in the Downey Stages, or the 
Nestlings, skins of Gophers, Burrowing Owls, 
newly hatched Green Turtles, Hawks-bill 
Turtles, Land Tortoises, and Wood Turtles, 
Willexchange Ferrig Pigmy Owls or Dovekis 
skins or other specimens. Baby Amidillas. 
H. W. AITKEN, 18 So. 20th Street, Philadel- 
phia, Pa. (1-p) 


EGGS. 


In sending in your exchange notices 
for nests, skins and eggs, we would ap- 
preciate it if you would arrange the 
numerals in your exchange notice in 
their numerical order, and not tumble 
them tegether hit and miss, as some of 
our readers are complaining, and we 
think justly so. 

Py : Send for my list of fine Southern and South- 


western sets. E. F. POPE, Colmesneil, 
Texas. 


W ANTED.—Three or four good sets of Sage 
Grouse. Address, JOHN LEWIS CHIU s: 
Floral Park, New York. (3-t) 

EXCHANGE. — Personally taken. sets, 263, 
300, 388, 412a, 444, 466a, 498, 528, 529, 540, 584, 624, 
for sets of Warblers only. H. MOUSLEY, 
Hatley, Quebec’ (1-p) 


I have a number of sets of Brandt’s Cor- 
morant for exchange. Can use duplicate sets, 
CHAS. H. CULP, Pacific Grove, Calif. (1-p) 


Have some personally collected finely pre- 
pared sets of eggs from the Farallone Islands 
to exchange. Satisfaction guaranteed. H. 
W. CAR RIGER, 5185 Trask Ayve., Oakland, 
Calif. (1- p) 


I have a few good sets to exchange. Want 
334, 334a, 337a, 337d, 340, 344. (351) 352a, 356, 360c. 
361 and many others. DAVID BE. BROWN 
Room No. 11, Federal Bldg., Tacoma, Wash. 

1p) 


Fine sets from Greenland, Iceland, Arctic 
America, also Antarctic. | Will exchange 
European for North American sets. H. 
BOOTH, 8 Cranbury Road. Fulham, - England. 

-p 


FOR SALE—700 egg trays, made with white 
paper all 2.zes andin good condition. I will 
also exchange for sets of eggs for others new 
to my collection. I have also many maga- 
zines for exchange. M. CASE, 7 Holcomb 
St., Hartford, Conn. 


EXCHANGE—Bird skins, books, bird craft, 
squirrels and other fur bearers, wildanimals 
Ihave known. Want skins, 155, 293, 294, 295, 
a eels) 443, EARL HAMILTON, Yohog- 

any, Pa. 


EGGS FOR EXCHANGE.—A few sets each 
of the following to exchange for other sets. 
Nos. 49, 120c, 122, 127, 294a. 360a. Send full list: 
J.S. APPLETON, Simi, Ventura Co., Cal. 


WANTED. I will collect sets in North 
West Canada this season. I want sets of 
Eagles, Hawks and Owls. THOS. 8. HILIA 
Relics, fossils, sheils, Moodys. Okla. (1-p) 


TO EXCHANGE.—Sets with data, North 
America and Foreign. Can use many com- 
mon kinds of both. DR.T. W. RICHARDS, 
ie 5 Navy, 1911 N. St., N. W., Washington 


FOR EXCHANGE.—Sets with data_and 
singles for first class bird skins. B. G. WIL- 
LARD, 30 Huntington, Ave., Boston, ee ; 

-p 


FINE COLLECTION BIRD EGGS, many 
birds and nests photographed, to exchange 
for microscope, fly rod, casting rod, or tackle 
Box 775, Stanford University, Cal. 


Marine Shells, Pacific Coast species, Smith- 
sonian Tdentification, for specimens and 
curiosities of any kind, Birds’ Eggs preferred, 
W. W. WESTGATE, 809 Ist North, Seattle. 
Wash. 1-p) 


FOR EXCHANGE.—Two_ hundred sets 
with data, in first class condition, including 
50 European (without data) in cabinet. List 
sent on application._DR. JAMESON, 105 N. 
Washington St., Titusville, Pa. (4-p) 


W ANTED—Fine sets Flycatchers, especial- 
ly 459: also rare postage stamps, British, 
North American colonies only. Offer sets 
with nests 228, IRE 474b. 533, 558, 641, 648, 673, 
Wee ane others. H. MOUSLEY, Que. d-p) 


FOR SALE OR EXCHANGE. Rash skins 
or eggs in sets. Bird Lore, Vol. Vol. 
VII. No. 5-6; Vol. IX, No. 1. Nigloloulat, Vol. 
III, No. i Vol. II, No. 9; Vol. III, No. 2; Os te. 
Vol. 1-3: Condor, Vol. 3-1; Museum, Vol. 
3-4-5-12. Ornithologist and Oolo ist, Vou, 
XVIII; Oologist, Vol. XXTII-XX TeX 
XXVIII: Vol. X, No. 4-7-11; Vol. XI, Nos.7 and 
9; Vol. XII, Nos. 10 and Il: Vol. XIV, No. 3 
and7. ARTHUR W. BROCKWAY, Hadlyme, 
Conn. (1-p) 


THE OOLOGIST. 


VoL. XXX. No. 9. AuBtIon, N. Y. SEpr. 15, 1913. WHOLE No. 814 


Owned and Published Monthly, by R. M. Barnes, Albion, N.Y., and Lacon, Ill. 


Frank |. Harris, La Crescent, Minn. 


138 


A May Day Arfield. 

On May 11, 1913, in company with 
Mr. John Bausewein of Bloomfield, 
the writer spent five of the most pleas- 
ant hours afield that he has experi- 
enced for many a day. The country 
canvassed was that part of Morris 
County, New Jersey, which is known 
as the Troy Meadow section. Starting 
at the terminus of the trolley line in 
Caldwell, the course pursued was 
along Bloomfield Avenue to Pine 
Brook, thence over the Hanover Neck 
Road to the Rockaway, thence along 
its. southern shore to the Junction of 
the Whippany, thence to the Pleasant- 
dale Road to Swinefield Bridge over 
the Passaic River and finally to Beau- 
fort. 

While walking over this section 
many novel and interesting features, 
ornithologically and oologically occur- 
red and these are worthy of more 
than passing interest. On the way 
from Caldwell to Beaufort many spe- 
cies were encountered and numerous 
nests of the resident species located. 
Those which appeared in abundance 
were: Crow, Meadowlark, Field, Vesp- 
er, Chipping and Song Sparrows, Gold- 


finch, Redwings, Flicker, Starling, 
Barn and Tree Swallows, Catbird, 
Bluebird, Yellow-throated Vireo, 


Robin, Swift, Yellow Warbler, Purple 
Grackle, Kingbird, Redstart, Balti- 
more Oriole, Rose:breasted Grosbeak, 
Red-eyed Vireo and Bobolink. These 
species were heard many times and 
were present throughout the period 
spent afield. Just after leaving Cald- 
well a pair of Cliff Swallows were ob- 
served circling about over the low 
pasture lands on the right side of the 
road. For some unknown reason these 
birds have been rather scarce in this 
section for several years past. In 
this immediate vicinity a Marsh Hawk 
and a House Wren were seen and the 
latter often heard, 


THE OOLOGIST 


At Pine Brook a Great Blue Heron 
was seen and as he stood in the water 
calmly and _ silently watching its 
depths for a passing member of the 
finny tribe, presented a very beauti- 
ful and imposing picture. Along the 
Rockaway a Chewink was heard call- 
ing, as well-as several Blue Jays. In 
the open fields adjacent, a pair of Cow- 
birds were silently but very indus- 
triously searching the newly plowed 
surface for grubs and insects which 
prevailed in great abundance. At the 
junction of the Whippany and the 
Rockaway a pair of Chebecs were bus- 
ily engaged in completing their home 
in a low maple sapling. At the foot 
of this tree a pair of Swamp Spar- 
rows were also working on their fu- 
ture domicile. In the shallow waters 
of the Whippany a Green Heron was 
seen in about the same attitude as the 
Great Blue. Along the Whippany 14 
or 15 Wilson Snipes. were seen and 
often heard. Along the Pleasantdale 
Road a Sparrow Hawk was seen feast- 
ing upon the remains of a batrachian 
(species unknown). At the Swine- 
field Bridge a Red-headed Woodpeck- 
er was seen flying low over the water 
and as we left the vicinity its rolling 
tattoo was heard several times. Near 
Beaufort in a copse of White birches 
and Maples on the bank of the Pas- 
saic, numerous species were found and 
a number of these were nesting. 
Among these species were: Five 
Chickadees and one half completed 
nest in a white birch; one Crow’s nest 
with three young about ten days old 
and the parents in the near neighbor- 
hood uttering cries of protest all of 
the while we were in the vicinity; five 
Crested Flycatchers, three Killdeers, 
a Spotted Sandpiper, an QOvenbird, fe- 
male with completed nest; five White- 
breasted Nuthatches; a Downy and 
five Black and White Warblers. These 
latter were frequently heard as they 


THE OOLOGIST 


searched the tree trunks in the vicin- 
ity for the hidden larvae. An Orch- 
ard Oricle was also located here and 
its song often heard. 

In this section the country is but 
little populated and the birds have al- 
most a free range, and to the natur- 
alist this is, indeed, a Mecca well 
worth visiting, even if only for a few 
hours. Today 48 species of birds ap- 
peared and in addition an abundance 
of natural life, both botanically and 
otherwise, was apparent, sufficient to 
satisfy the cravings of the most en- 
thusiastic observer regardless of the 
department of the nature study which 
he may be seeking. 

A striking incident of the days out- 
ing was the battle between a Black 
Snake (Coluber constrictor) and a 
Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) in 
the grove near Beaufort for the pos- 
session of a small Green Frog (Rana 
clamata) which the Black Snake had 
captured and the Garter Snake was 
trying to get away from him. The 
battle lasted for about fifteen minutes 
during which the Black had complete- 
ly crushed the Garter Snake until all 


life was apparently extinct and then 


he swallowed the frog with a gleam 
in his eyes of apparent satisfaction 
as he coiled himself up to digest his 
prey and enjoy the heat of the sun as 
it receded over the western horizon. 
Although the T. Sirtalis was fully six 
inches longer and considerably stout- 
er than the C. constrictor, he was 
completely outclassed and fell an easy 
victim to the squeezings of the lat- 
ter. Louis S. Kohler. 
Bloomfield, N. 1. 
te eck. ASR 
Unusual Nesting Sites of the Ameri- 
can Merganser. 
(Merganser americanus.) 
By Walter Raine, Toronto. 
In all works on North American 

birds, nests and eggs the nesting sit- 


139 


uation of this species is given as be- 
ing in a hole ina tree, after the man- 
ner of the hooded merganser, buffle- 
head American golden-eye and wood 
duck. I was therefore very much sur- 
prised to find American mergansers 
nesting in holes under boulders on an 
island in Lake Winnipegosis, Manito- 
ba, during June, 1903. 

My son and I found about 30 pairs 
nesting on Gun Island on June 16th. 
All the nests that we could reach were 
built far back at the end of dark pas- 
sages under boulders on the highest 
part of the island, some nests being 
from four to six feet back from the en- 
trance and were hard to get at; in 
some cases my boy had to crawl be- 
tween the boulders to reach the eggs 
and I had to pull him out by the feet. 
In one hole he caught a female on the 
nest, and afterwards my boy tied a 
fishing line to its leg and let it swim 
around the boat. It was astonishing 
with what speed it cut through the 
water using its wings and fairly flying 
under water, after which we gave it 
its liberty and it flew away. The nests 
contained from 8 to 12 eggs, one nest 
containing as many as 13. They are 
easily distinguishable from other duck 
eges by their very large size and pale 
buff tint, averaging 2.60 x 1.80. One 
nest contained: eggs laid by two fe- 
males as half the eggs were of a deep- 
er tint and different size and shape 
than the others. The down is pale 
greyish-white after the fashion of all 
other ducks that nest in holes in trees 
or in the dark. The male mergansers 
flew away as our sail boat approached 
the island, but the females sat close 
dashing past our feet as we scrambled 
amongst the boulders where they 
were nesting. On this same island sev- 
eral red-breasted mergansers had nests 
containing 8 and 9 eggs each;, their 
nests were not at the end of burrows, 
but in depressions und@¢* dense under- 


140 


growth. The eggs are smaller than 
those of the American merganser and 
of a darker tint, being yellowish-drab 
or warm drab; average size 2.50 x 1.70. 
The down is also darker and of a 
warm greyish tint. Both ducks are 
very destructive to fish and are there- 
fore disliked by the fishermen. They 
are known to gunners as sawbills, and 
their flesh is rank and unpalatable.— 
The Ottawa Naturalist. 
PE SIE) 6 AE 
Field Notes. 

On May 9th I discovered a Marsh 
Hawk’s nest containing three eggs. 
Visited it again on May 10th, it then 
contained five eggs, and on the 17th 
it contained seven eggs. They meas- 
ured from 1.75 x 1.98 to 1.75 x 1.3. 
When I visited the nest on the 24th, 
all of the eggs had been punctured and 
all were in a different stage of incu- 
bation. This was the largest number 
of eggs I have ever found in a nest of 
this species. 

During the first week of April, 1912, 
a pair of Red-shouldered Hawks be- 
gan building in a beech tree in the 
border of the woods. They built a 
large nest and were about it until 
other birds of this kind left their nest- 
ing sites. The female set on the nest 
much of the time, but deposited no 
eggs. Again in April, 1915, a pair 
built in a beech about 15 rods from 
the first nest, and this one has not 
been used. I am convinced these are 
the same birds that built the first nest. 
Is this common and can any one give 
a reason for it? 

In April, 1912, I found the nest of a 
barred Owl containing three eggs. 
When the young were about one week 
old they disappeared from the nest, 
and a few days later I found three 
young Owls in an old stub about 30 
rods away. The last of March, 1913, 
I found this stub again occupied by 
a Barred Owl who deposited but two 


THE OOLOGIST 


eggs. When the young were six days 
old they also disappeared, and the sec- 
ond stub again contained two Owlets. 
Both seasons I examined these stubs, 
and nothing was in the stub up until 
within ten days of finding these. Do 
the old Owls carry the young away 
when disturbed? I am quite sure they 
did in this case, as the Owl at both 
stubs had lost part of its tail. 

Since sending in my article on birds 
of prey, which appeared in the May 
number of THE OOLOGIST, I was told 
by a man that Ravens were seen about 
an old slashing some 25 miles away. 
As this is a rare bird in this section I 
decided to visit the place. So on May 
20th in company with a young friend 
we wheeled to see the Ravens and 
look for the nest. But when we ar- 
rived we found the man had mistaken 
Turkey Buzzards for Ravens. We 
wanted to explore that slashing which 
contains about 1200 acres of land and 
is the home of many Turkey Vultures. 
It began to thunder so we left off 
hunting for nests and returned home. 
But in the heart of the woods and in 
a swampy part we found one of the 
finest large Herons I have ever known. 
With nests in all stages of construc- 
tion even up to good sized young 
Herons. 

My article in the May issue should 
have read, “I put the Young Ma Marsh 
Hawks in the coop.” 

The English Sparrows are here. I 
have watched them pick up many in- 
sects while I have been plowing, and 
that is good. This spring they have 
destroyed many nests and of more 
useful birds than they. Two nests of 
Phoebe, four of the Chipping Sparrow 
and three of the American Robins, all 
in my yard. These I have seen being 
robbed, and since then the shotgun 
has been doing good. 

S. V. Warram, 
Ohio, 


THE OOLOGIST 141 


May Birds in Essex County, N. J. 

During May, 1912, bird life in this 
section of northern New Jersey was 
unusually abundant and many species 
were found building homes and rear- 
ing their progeny in greater profusion 
than ever before. 

It is the concensus of opinion of lo- 
cal ornithologists, as well as my own, 
that this superabundance of our feath- 
ered friends was largely, if not whol- 
ly, due to the delightful weather con- 
ditions which were prevalent through- 
out the entire month. In all ninety- 
three species appeared locally during 
the month, which is far in advance 
of the usual quota of visitors and resi- 
dents, especially in view of the dense- 
ly populated district such as this coun- 
ty is. 

Among the above number were such 
species as the Least Sandpiper, Black- 
crowned Night Heron, Rough-winged 
Swallow and Carolina Wren which are 
very unusual, and, in fact, are the 
first of their kind which have appear- 
ed upon my personal records for May 
during the past decade. Other species 
such as the Grasshopper Sparrow, 
Chestnut-sided Warbler, Ruby-throat- 
ed Hummingbird, Mourning Dove and 
Screech Owl were found nesting to- 
wards the end of the month, the rec- 
ords of which are worthy of more than 
passing interest. The biggest find, of 
all, however, was a nest of the Blue- 
winged Warbler in a Platanus occiden- 
talis at Montclair Heights. 

Below will be found an annotated 
list of the species as they were record- 
ed during the month: 

(1) Starling—Sturnus vulgaris. 
Common on every day except the 6th 
and 16th. On these days they were for 
some reason, wholly absent. Seventy- 
six nests of this species were located 
during the month in many places, 
some odd and others quite usual. 

(2) American Robin—Planesticus 


Migratorius. Common on each day. 
Forty-two nests located and of these 
forty families reached maturity so far 
as I know. The other two were de- 
stroyed by several house cats, shortly 
after the eggs hatched. 

(3) Wood Thrush—Hylocichla mus- 
telina. Numerous birds of this spe- 
cies were present on fifteen days and 
three nests were located in Branch 
Brook Park, Newark, N. J. 

(4) Towhee—Pipilo  erythropthal- 
mus. Present on eleven days. Two 
nests located both with young about 
five days old. 

(5) Hermit Thrush—Tylocichla gut- 
tata pallasi. But one of this appeared 
on the ist. It was probably a strag- 
gler or last of the spring migrants to 
appear locally. 

(6) White-throated Sparrow—Zon- 
otrichia albicollis. Numbers of birds 
appeared on nine days during the ear- 
lier part of the month and were in full 
song whenever located. The last ap- 
peared on the 20th. 

(7) American Goldfinch—Astragali- 
nus tristis. Common on twelve days. 
One nest located in a pear sapling in 
southern Bloomfield, containing a com- 
pleted set of five eggs. 

(8) Cowbird—Molothrus ater. Pres- 
ent on eleven days. Two nests of the 
Red-eyed Vireo and one of the Yellow 
Warbler found with eggs of these 
birds in them. 

(9) Bluebird-—Hialia sialis. Pres- 
ent on eight days. No nests of this 
species were located this year any- 
where within the precincts of,the 
county. 

(10) Song Sparrow—Melospiza mel- 
edia. Common throughout the month 
and many nests were located in many 
places throughout the county. 

(11) Meadowlark—Sturnella mag- 
na. Present on eighteen days. Four 
nests located in old stubble fields, all 
of which contained completed sets of 
four and five eggs. 


143 THE 

(12) Red-winged Blackbird — Age- 
laius phoenicous. Common on twenty- 
eight days and numerous nests found 


throughout the country whereever 
swampy and marshy grounds were lo- 


cated. 

(13) American Crow—Corvus bra- 
chyrhynechos. Present on fifteen days 
and usually quite common. Two nests 
were located in a small swamp in 
southern Bloomfield in immense elms 
about sixty feet from the ground. 

(14) Flicker—Colaptes auratus lu- 
teus. Present on seventeen days and 
fifteen nests were located all of which 
contained completed sets in an advanc- 
ed stage of incubation. ee 

(15) Purple Grackle—Quiscalus 
quiscula. Present on twelve days and 
on most of these days were quite com- 
mon. Two nests were located in a 
pine near Bloomfield Centre. 

(16) Chipping Sparrow — Spizella 
passerina. Common on sixteen days. 
Five nests located, each of which con- 
tained broods of four and five fiedg- 
lings. 

(17) Junco—Junco hyemalis. One 
of this species appeared on the Ist 
day. ie 
(18) Barn Swallow—Hirundo ery- 
throgastra. Common on twenty-one 
days and two nests located with six 
eggs in each in old barns near the 
northern limits of the county. 

(19) Grasshopper Sparrow—Ammo- 
dramus savannarum australis. Pres- 
ent on three days in the northern part 
of the county. On each of these days 
a single nest was located containing 
uncompleted sets. ‘ 

(20) Yellow Warbler — Dendroica 
aestiva. Common on twenty-one days 
and numerous nests were located, all 
of which contained eggs well advanc- 
ed in incubation. 

(21) Pine Warbler—Dendroica vig- 
orsi. One individual of this species 
on the 2d. 


OOLOGIST 


(22) Wilson Thrush — Hylocichla 
fuscesons. Present on six days. No 
nests located this year, but in prior 
years usually one or two were found in 
isolated spots in this county. 

(23) Spotted Sandpiper—A ctitis 
macularia. Present on sixteen days on 
Newark Meadows and when present 
were usually very abundant. 

(24) Catbird—Dumetella carolinen- 
sis. Present and common on eleven 
days. Three nests with young found 
in Branch Brook Park. 

(25) Black and White Warbler— 
Mniotilla varia. Found on four days. 
Quite common on the eleventh. 

(26) Least Flycatcher—Empidonax 
minimus. Common on fourteen days. 
Four nests located in maple saplings 
containing in each case a completed 
set of four eggs well along in incuba- 
tion. 

(27) Cedar Waxwing—Bombycilla 
cedrorum. Present in small flocks on 
the 2d, 15th, 19th and 28th. 

(28) Field Sparrow—Spizella pusil- 
la. Common on nine days and twenty- 
seven nests located in hedgerows ia 
numerous places about the county. 
Some contained young four or five days 
old and others eggs which had just 
been laid. ; 

(29) Chimney Swift—Chaetura pel 
agica. Present in goodly numbers on 
fifteen days, and two nests were lo- 
cated containing freshly laid eggs in 
‘several house chimneys. 

(30) Tree Swallow — Iridoprocne 
bicolor. Common on fifteen days but 
no nests found this year where they 
have heretofore been located. 

(31) Killdeer—Oxyechus vociferus. 
Present on the 2d, 3d, 5th, 138th and 


_15th. Quite common on the 13th. 


Yellow Palm Warbler—Den- 
One 


(32) 
droica palmarum hypochrysea. 
of this species appeared on the 3d. 

(33) Blue Jay—Cyanocitta crista- 
ta. Common on ten days. No nests 


THE OOLOGIST 


located this year, whereas in prior 
years usually ten or twelve were lo- 
cated. 

(34) Wilson Snipe—Gallinago deli- 
cata. Located on the 3d, 6th and 11th. 
Common on the morning of the 3d. 

(35) Bank Swallow—Piparia ripa- 
ria. Present on eight days. Two nests 
located apparently with young as the 
parents were carrying insects into the 
openings and removing the excretia. 

(36) Kingfisher—Ceryle alcyon. 
Present on six days near the brook- 
sides in the northern half of the 
county. 

(37) White-breasted Nuthatch—Sit- 
ta carolinensis. Individuals located 
on the 4th and 12th. 

(38) House Wren—Troglodytes ae- 
don. Common on nine days. One nest 
located with five young about ten days 
old. 

(39) Kingbird—Tyrannus tyrannus. 
Present on eight days. Common on 
the 19th, 20th and 26th. No nests lo- 
cated this year. 

(40) Sharp-shinned Hawk—Accipi- 
ter velox. Only one of this species ap- 
peared. This was on the 4th. 

(41) Baltimore Oriole—Icterus gal- 
bula. Present and common on thir- 
teen days. Seven inaccessible nests 
located especially in elms and cher- 
ries. 

(42) Vesper 
graminous. 


Sparrow — Pooecetes 
Individuals present on 
five days. No nests located this year. 

(48) Ovenbird—Seiurus aurocapil- 
lus. Present on ten days. Two nests 
with young located on Crow Hill near 
State Normal School at Montclair 
Heights. 

(44) Phoebe—sayornis 
Present on six days. 
12th and 26th. 


phoebe. 
Common on the 


(45) Redstart — Setophaga ruticil- 
la. Common on nine days. Three 
nests located with young in each, 


ranging between ten and twelve days. 


148 


(46) Rosebreasted Grosbeak—Zam- 
edodia ludoviciana. Present on seven 
days. Common on the 11th and 19th. 
One nest located with three nestlings 
about four days old. 

(47) Parula Warble r— Compsoth- 
lypis americana usneae. Present on 
the 5th, 10th, 11th, 12th and 19th. Com- 
mon on the 11th and 19th. 

(48) Black-throated Green Warbler 
—Dendroica virens. Present on the 
5th, 19th and 20th. Common on the 
19th. 

(49) Warbling Vireo — Vireosylva 
gilva. Present on eight days. Com- 
mon on the 20th and 26th. 

(50) Yellow-throated Vireo—Lani- 
vireo Flavifrons. Present on twelve 
days. Common on the 12th and 19th. 
Two nests located with uncompleted 
sets. 

(51) Brown Thrasher—Texostoma 
rufum. Present on six days. Com- 
mon on the 26th. 

(52) Myrtle Warbler — Dendroica 
coronata. Present on the 5th only. 
Two individuals, both males, were 
seen this day. 

(53) Downy Woodpecker — Dryo- 
bates pubescens medians. Present on 
the 5th, 12th, 20th and 26th. 

(54) Sparrow Hawk—F alco spar- 
verius. Individuals present on 5th, 
10th, 11th and 28th. 

(55) Maryland Yellowthroat— 
Goothlypis trichas. Commen on nine 
days. Fourteen nests of this species 
located within the limits of the coun- 
ty. 

(56) 
ca magnolia. 
11th and 19th. 

(57) Chestnut-sided Warbler—Den- 
droica pensylvanica. At Montclair 
Heights on the 10th three pairs were 
located with partly completed nests. 

(58) Indigo Bunting—Passeriza 
cyanea. Present on the 10th, 11th, 
12th, 13th, 19th, 20th and 26th. Com- 


Magnolia Warbler—Dendroi- 
Common on the 10th, 


144 THE OOLOGIST 


mon on the 19th and 20th. No nests 
were located this year, which is very 
unusual. 

(59) Cooper Hawk—Accipiter coop- 
eri. An individual of this species ap- 
peared in Branch Brook Park on the 
10th. 

(60) Purple Martin—One appeared 
on Newark Meadows during the after- 
noon. 

(61) Least Sandpiper—Pisobia min- 
utilla. Common on Newark meadows 
on the 10th, 11th, 13th, 22d, 25th and 
ATG Ov 

(62) Red-eyed Vireo — Vireosylva 
elivacea. Common on 12 days after 
the 10th. Thirteen nests located to- 
wards the end of the month. Three 
of these had eggs of the Melothrus 
ater in them. 

(63) Canadian Warbler—Wilsonia 
canadensis. Individuals present on 
the 1ith and 19th. 

(64) Wilson Warbler — Wilsonia 
pusilla. Two seen on the 1ith. Com- 
mon on the 19th. 

(65) Bobolink — Delichoynx eryzi- 
vorus. Common on the 11th, 12th, 13th 
and 19th. 

(66) Red-headed Woodpecker— 
Melanerpes erythrocophalus. Individ- 
uals present on the 11th, 19th and 
29th. 

(67) Black-throated Blue Warbler 
—Dendroica caerulescens. Common 
on the iith. Individuals present on 
the 12th, 14th and 19th. 

(68) 
cichla ustulata swainseni. Individ- 
uals appeared on the 11th and 14th. 
Common on the 19th. 

(69) 
cichla alicae. On the 11th ten appear- 
ed. On the 19th were very common. 
On the 20th an individual was record- 
ed. 

(70) Worm-eating Warbler — One 
appeared on the 11th in Branch Brook 
Park. 


Olive-backed Thrush — Hylo- . 


Grey-cheeked Thrush — Hylo- 


(71) Black-crowned Night Heron— 
Nycticorax nycticerax naevius. One 
appeared in Branch Brook Park on the 
11th. This was an adult male and in 
excellent plumage. : 

(72) Ruby-throated Hummingbird 
—Archilochus colubris. One pair with 
nest located at Montclair Heights on 
the 11th. Individuals appeared on the 
lith and 20th. The nest mentioned 
hereto was placed on the horizontal 
limb of a cherry sapling in a sheltered 
grove on the northern slope of Crow 
Hill and both birds were busily en- 
gaged in putting the finishing touches 
just prior to the depositing of the 
eggs. On the 25th the nest was again 
visited and found to contain two eggs. 
Neither of the birds were to be seen 
anywhere within the vicinity 

(73) Swamp Sparrow — Melospiza 
georgiana. Individuals present on 
Newark Meadows on the 11th and 
19th. 

(74) Yellow-breasted Chat—Icteria 
virens. Individuals present on the 
12th and 20th. 

(75) Yellow-billed Cuckoo—Coccy- 
zus americanus. Common on the 
12th, 19th, 20th, 26th and 27th. 

(76) Rough-winged Swallow—Steig- 
idopteryx serripennis. One male of 
this species appeared in Branch 
Brook Park on the 11th. 

(77) Orchard Oriole—Icterus spur- 
ius. Individuals appeared on the 12th, 
19th and 26th. 

(78) Scarlet Tanager—Piranga ery- 
thremelas. Common on the 12th, 
19th, 20th and 26th. Three nests lo- 
cated in oaks on South Mountain Re- 
servation. 

(79) English Pheasant—Phasianus 
colchius. Individuals present on the 
12th and 138th. 

(80) Mourning Dove— Zenaidura 
macroura  carelinensis. Individuals 
present on the 12th, 13th and 20th. 
Two nests located on the 19th at Mont- 
clair Heights. 


THE OOLOGIST 145 


The Gulls, Catalina id., Calif., March, 1912 
—Photo by R. M. Barnes 


146 
(81) Hooded Warbler — Wilsonia 
citrina. Individuals present on the 


19th, 20th and 26th. 

(82) Wood Pewee — Myiechanos 
virens. Individuals present on the 
19th and 20th. This bird was unusual- 


ly rare during the month. Prior to 


this time the bird was always a reg- 
ular resident and home-builder here. 

(83) Blackpoll Warbler—Dendroica 
striata. Common on the 19th, 20th 
and 26th. 

(84) Black-billed Cuckoo — Soccy- 
zus arythroohthalmus. Individuals 
present on the 19th and 20th. 

(85) Crested Flycatcher — Myiar- 
chus crinitus. Common on the 19th, 
20th and 26th. 

(86) Blue-winged Warbler—Vermi- 
vera pinus. <A pair of this species 
were found working upon a nest in a 
sycamore at Montclair Heights on the 
19th. This is a very unusual species 
to nest in this vicinity. 

(87) Carolina Wren—Thryothorus 
ludevicianus. One of this species ap- 
peared in Branch Brook Park on the 
19th. 

(88) Marsh Hawk—Circus hudson- 
icus. One appeared on the 19th in 
Branch Brook Park. 

(89) Long-billed Marsh Wren—Tol- 
matodytes paustris. Common on New- 
arw Meadows on the 22d, 23d, 25th, 
27th and 30th. Numerous nests of 
this species with sets in them found 
here on these days. 

(90) Screech Owl—Otus asie. A 
pair found on the 20th with a breed 
of four young in a hollow tree in a 
small swamp in southern Bloomfield. 
These young birds were about two 
weeks old. 

(91) Nighthawk—Chordeiles virgin- 
ianus. Individuals appeared locally 
day on which they were present. 

(92) Whippoorwill — Antrstomus 
vociferus. Common on the 26th. Only 
on the 25th, 26th, 29th and 31st. 


THB OOLOGIST 


(93) Black Duck—Anas_ rubripes 
tristis. A pair observed at a small 
pond in Montclair Heights on the 26th. 

Louis S. Kohler. 
Bloomfield, N. J. 


To Brazil. 

Robert Becker, one of Wisconsin's 
leading naturalists, sailed for Brazil 
in December, where he will meet Mal- 
colm P. Anderson of the Field Museum 
of Natural History, and together they 
will make an investigation into the 
fauna of much little-known territory 
along the Amazon River. 

oie Ee 
The Red-Bellied Woodpecker. 
(Centurus carolinus) 

In many of the deciduous woods 
that adorn the steep ridges of South- 
western Pennsylvania, the Red-bellied 
Woodpecker may be found as a spring 
and summer resident. A few birds 
remain throughout the year during 
milder winters, but usually the leave 
us in October. : 

During early spring these Wood- 
peckers are quite noisy birds. Then 
they may be seen chasing each other 
about the woods, and occasionally 
they pause to pound upon some dead 
tree trunk. March is the mating 
month of the Red-bellied Woodpeck- 
ers; at this time they are quite noisy. 
Two males are often seen fighting at 
this time. 

As the nesting time approaches, 
which is early May, these birds be 
come quiet, and seldom is their pres- 
ence noticed. The dead tops of Oak 
trees or Maples provide these pretty 
Woodpeckers ample nesting places. 
One nest was dug into the live trunk 
of a tall, straight Red Oak tree that 
stood in a grove of Oaks, high up on 
a hillside. May 3d, it was examined 
and found to hold four glossy eggs, 
resting in soft wood chips. The birds 
were anxious as the intruder cut an 
opening to their home. Both of them 


THH OOLOGIST 147 


The Gulls, Catalina Id., Calif., March, 1912 
—Photo by R. M. Barnes 


148 


fluttering about on the tree trunks 
nearby, uttering their peculiar cluck- 
ing notes. 

The Red-bellied Woodpecker must 
do an enormous benefit to the wood- 
lets, for they are continually creeping 
about the trees picking at the crev- 
ices where they obtain their insect 
food. 

S. S. Dickey. 
Waynesburg, Pa. 
aD, Rnb ape pare Se 
Mourning Dove Sets. 

H. F. Duprey of Dixon, California, 
writes that he has a set of four of the 
western variety of this bird, taken by 
Alfred Shelton between Santa Rosa 
and Petaluma, California. We like- 
wise have sets of both three and four 
in our collection of this western varie- 
ty. 

RES Res ee 
Nesting of the Grasshopper Sparrow. 
(Ammodramus savannarum australis). 

Among the common birds I think 
that the Grasshopper Sparrow is my 
favorite. At least when I pass some 
deserted field and catch the sound of 
the faint Grasshopper-like notes of 
this inconspicuous sparrow, J find that 
the fondest memories return to me— 
memories of past experiences with 
this bird. And it is just these recol- 
lections of days spent in the woods 
and fields that makes the study of 
birds and eggs so attractive. 

IT shall ever remember my first nest 
of the Grasshopper Sparrow. On 
May 15, 1908, I was slowiy tramping 
through a field of heavy grass which 
lay on a steep hillside, when sudden- 
ly, but a step or two beyond me, one 
of these Sparrows dashed from the 
grass and flew out of sight around the 
hill. Upon close examination I found 
the nest built in a slight tuft of grass, 
and somewhat arched over. It held 
four eggs. Dark grass stems and 
stalks of weeds were the constituents 


THE OOLOGIST 


of the nest; and it was lined with soft 
blades of grass. I left the nest and in 
two days returned to find that it held 
five eggs. These were pure white in 
ground color and were well spotted 
with chestnut-brown. 

May 17, 1909, after hearing one of 
these Sparrows singing in a pasture 
field that lay part way up a hillside, 
I made a careful search of the tufts of 
grass; finally I found an arched nest 
built in a deep depression in a grass 
tuft. At this time it held no eggs. 
On May 24, I returned and flushed 
the female bird from five fresh eggs. 
These specimens proved to be light- 
er marked than those of the preced- 
ing set, being blotched with finer 
spots which were of a _ vyellowisn- 
brown shade. 

A year or so later, during the first 
week in May, while I was tramping 
through a grassy orchard, high up on 
a ridge, I was fortunate enough to 
flush a Grasshopper Sparrow from a 
tuft of grass where she had started 
to build her nest. Upon a visit two 
weeks later the nest was found to hold 
five exceptionally lightly marked eggs. 
These specimens were speckled with 
light reddish-brown, chiefly about 
the larger ends. 

This year I located my last nest. 
May 29, accompanied by two friends 
I was walking through a level field, 
covered with rather long grass, when 
a Grasshopper Sparrow flew up in 
front of us. A search revealed the 
nest. It was built in an exposed sit- 
uation beside a bare space of ground, 
and was composed of dark grass 
stems. In her hurry to leave the 
nest the female scattered two of the 
eggs on the ground. The five eggs of 
this clutch were the heaviest mark- 


ed of all four sets, having large 
wreaths of chestnut on them. 
S. S. Dickey. 


Waynesburg, Pa. 


THB 


An Albino Crow. 

On July 6th Mr. J. Isaac of this 
city was working in his field, and no- 
ticed a pure white bird flying with a 
flock of crows. 

After expending much time and la- 
bor he managed to shoot the bird, and 
upon examination found that it was an 
albino crow, being pure white from 
the tip of its bill to the tips of its 
toes. 

It is the first bird of its kind that 
has ever been killed around Fond du 
Lac, Wis. 

O. J. Gromme. 

This is an Albino Crow and very 
unusual.—Hd. 


<> -— 
Tufted Titmouse. 

There lies at the head of a long, 
narrow ravine, some four miles from 
my home, a grove of oaks, consisting 
of both the red and white varieties. It 
was my great pleasure to stroll 
through this cluster of trees upon a 
bright, sunny morning, late in April, 
of a few years past. As I neared a 
splashing brook which merrily made 
its way down the ravine, I caught 
sight of a Tufted Titmouse with nest- 
ing material in its bill; it flitted from 
tree to tree finally reaching a large 
white oak that stood on the very bord- 
er of the grove. After pausing a mo- 
ment to look about, it flew to a cavity 
in the end of a partly dead limb, and 
disappeared within. Of course it was 
too early to expect eggs, so I departed 
intending to return early in May. 

May 4, appeared,—dark drizzly, and 
wet. I left the house immediately af- 
ter dinner, and splashed along the 
muddy road. I reached the ravine 
about 3 o’clock and made my way to 
the nesting tree of the Titmouse. 
Sinec the day was so dark and wet 
there were few birds to be seen, and 
no signs of the Titmouse could be 
noted. Upon my reaching the limb 


OOLOGIST 149 


which held the nest the female Tit- 
mouse dashed out scolding and flutter- 
ing about. I reached the cavity, af- 
ter I had removed sufficient dead wood 
to admit my hand, and found six, seven 
—surely that was the full set—no 
there were eight lovely eggs! These 
rested upon a lining of black horse 
hair and soft green moss. 
S. 8. Dickey. 
Waynesburg, Pa. 
OS a eee 
After Ducks and Shore Birds. 

Several years ago while spending 
a few days on the “Peninsula” at 
Erie, Pa., in the fall I found quite a 
flight of birds on October 6th. All 
day it was cloudy and sultry with a 
moderate and rather warm S. W. wind. 

I crossed Misery Bay at day light 
and went at once to the outside beach. 

Three Mallards flew over but were 
a little too high. 

Noticing a small duck coming I laid 
low but it alighted just out of range. 
The instant it struck the water I rush- 
ed it and by the time it got started 
out again I was in long range and se- 
cured a fine Greenwinged Teal. See- 
ing one large and several small shore 
birds along the water edge, I sneaked 
up and gathered in a Black-bellied 
Plover. Following up the smaller ones 
I found one Dunlin and four or five 
snaderlings. I shot the Dunlin but 
iet the others go. 

Off shore aways several dark ducks 
were flying low over the breakers. I 
think they were Scoters. A few Her- 
ring Gulls were about and here and 
there a little bunch of Horned Grebes. 
Noticed several Loons flying during 
the morning. 

Quite a few flocks of ducks passed 
but were all well off shore. Seeing a 
bunch of eight or ten Sanderlings I 
sneaked up and noticed two odd ones 
among them. These I shot and found 
them to be a Dunlin and a Semipal- 


150 THE OOLOGIST 


mated. A Black-bellied Plover came 
speeding along and I dropped him. 
Farther up I found a bunch ef a dozen 
Sanderlings and with them one Dun- 
lin. These I passed by. The next 
bunch contained about fifteen birds 
and noting the direction they were 
working I made a detour and hid be 
hind some wreckage. They passed 
very close and I saw that there were 
three Dunlins, one Semipalmated, one 
odd one and the rest Sanderlings. I 
shot the odd one and found it to be a 
Bairds Sandpiper, a rather rare bird 
in this state. At the report of the gun 
a larger bird got up off the high beach 
and as it swung around me I connect- 
ed with a load of 8’s and got a Golden 
Plover. A few more Dunlins and Sand- 
erlings were along the beach but noth- 
ing rare. 

As I was well up toward the Flash 
Light I turned inland to the woods 
and ponds. 

I found large numbers of birds. 
Some places fairly swarmed with 
small migrants. The great bulk seem- 
ed to be Whiteythroated Sparrows. 
There was many flocks of Robins and 
quite a few Hermit and Olive-backed 
Thrushes. Myrtle and  Black-poll 
Warblers were quite plentiful, but the 
most of the Warblers had passed at 
this date. Going around one of the 
ponds I shot a Rusty Grackle in fine 
rusty plumage and flushed and shot 
about the largest and nicest specimen 
of Wilson’s Snipe that I ever took. 

At the next pond, I saw two Mal- 
lards and a Black Duck feeding, but 
they were out of range. From some 
wild rice at this pond I bagged a pair 
of Coots. In the thicket I saw what 
I am sure was an Orange-crowned 
Warbler, but lost sight before I could 
slip in a light load. 

At the next pond which was always 
the best, I took a good look and soon 
made out some ducks feeding. Sneak- 


ing out a little wooded ridge until I 
got about opposite I crawled out 
through the brush and bog until I got 
into the long grass then I took a care- 
ful look and in nice range I saw three 
Black Mallards and two smaller 
ducks. When the Mallards got bunch- 
ed I saluted them, killing two and 
badly wounding the third. When the 
two smaller ones jumped they happen- 
ed to get in line and I dropped both 
dead with the second barrel. Another 
shot was needed for the wounded Mal- 
lard. The smaller ducks were a 
Green-wing Teal, and a fine Pintail. 


‘I was just in sight of the bay again, 


when I saw a long necked duck feed- 
ing and I crawled up and bagged a 
drake Pintail. - 

This concluded the day’s perform- 
ance and I had a nice string of game. 

The best specimens I saved, and the 
rest kept us in meat for several meals. 

R. B. Simpson. 
Warren, Pa. ; 
bee eee 
Great Blue Heron. 

On April 27th, 1913, visited the 
Herony here, which is seven miles 
north of Spencer, Wis. and contains 
about seventy-five nests. It is located 
in an interminable, dense, wooded 
district. The nesting grounds are 
partly in the lowlands and about one 
mile from the Hau Plaine River. 

The nests are placed near the out- 
er ends of the topmost branches of the 
largest Elms, but few were in Birch 
and Bass wood trees. There is an in- 
termingling of fine Hemlock trees, but 
none contain nests. As we entered 
the grounds, we at once busied our- 
selves with the camera, and a few ex- 
posures were made. 

The Herons would soar over our 
heaflis at low elevations, and a dozen 
or more could be seen ata time. With 
slowly beating wing, flying about in 
large circles, they kept an eye on 
their intruders. 


THE 


Strange to say, they were not very 
noisy, and not many sounds escaped 
the birds. It was only frequently 
that a harsh squeak was heard. Nor 
were they very timid, lighting high up 
in the trees, at almost a stone’s throw. 

J. W. Stierle. 
Marshfield, Wisconsin. 


Frank I. Harris. 
We are in receipt of a card from 
Frank I. Harris of La Crescent, Min- 
nesota, an oologist well known 
threughout the country, advising us 
that he had the misfortune to break 
one of his legs and is now confined to 
a hospital at La Crosse, Wis. We 
trust he may be favored with an early 
recovery. 


Notes on the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. 
My seeing an article on the Scissor- 
tailed Flycatcher in THE OOLOGIST 
(Vol. XXVIII, No. 6, June, 1911) has 
prompted this attempt to add further 
notes to the data already acquired in 
reference to this interesting bird. 

There is very little variance in the 
dates of arrival at Houston, the birds 
usually making their appearance about 
March 23d. 

Found breeding in the neighborhood 
of ranch and farm houses in the 
prairie districts, but never in wooded 
localities or, to the best of my knowl- 
edge, on the edges of woods or for- 
ests. 

About the 26th of April the birds be- 
gin courting, and perform many queer 
aerial gymnastics, which, to the casual 
observer, would indicate that the bird 
had gone crazy. The males dart at 
each other angrily, sometimes as 
many as four or five seemingly en- 
tangled and rising straight up in the 
air with a gyroscopic motion. 

The first nests are usually complet- 
ed about May 10th, and the first egg 
laid on the 11th; the first full sets of 
eggs were found on the 17th and 18th, 


OOLOGIST 


161 


and the first young hatched on May 
3lst. There are rarely any variations 
in these dates for the first brood from 
year to year, but the second brood, 
wherever one is raised, comes any 
time in June and July. 

The nests are built in isolated hui- 
saches on the prairie, in the occasion- 
al oak ‘‘mottes,’ and in the trees 
which grow around every house on the 
prairie, planted there by the hand of 
man. They are placed in the extremi- 
ties of the branches and very difficult 
to reach, as low as six feet and as 
high as thirty. They are composed of 
weed-stems, small twigs and thistle 
down, and lined with thistle down, 
cotton or small fibrous rootlets. Some- 
times the nests contain pieces of 
string, newspaper, rags and other rub- 
bish; all thrown together into a very 
untidy structure. All the sets which 
have come under my observation were 
composed of four and five eggs, never 
Six 

A nest found on June 21, 1911, on 
the coastal prairie south of Houston, 
was placed in the structure of a wind- 
mill behind a ranch house. The nest 
Was under the gearing near the top 
and within six inches of the flying 
planes of the fan. This did not seem 
to bother the bird at all. Nest com- 
posed of twigs and clover stems, and 
lined with a small quantity of cot- 
ton; and contained four slightly in- 
cubated eggs. 

The birds are very pugnacious when 
the nest is reached, and quite often I 
have felt their wings fan my face as 
they flashed angrily about their pos- 
sessions, all the while keeping up an 
excited twittering. 


A set of four eggs measures: .870x 
J6f%8,, 850 x653, 877 x: 645e8 870 x1653 
inches. 


The annual molt takes place about 
July and August, when the birds as- 
semble in small flocks and wander 


152 THE 
around the cotton and corn field after 
the breeding season is over. 

Observations made of a pair of these 
birds from which a set of eggs had 
been collected, showed that within 
forty-two days they selected a site, 
built a nest, laid five eggs, hatched 
them and raised the young. In other 
words within forty-two days after their 
first set was collected, they had fully 
grown young flying about. 

When flying, the bird goes in a di- 
rect line with the long tail streaming 
out straight behind; there is no undu- 
lating motion as is observed in the 
flight of most Passeres. 

The last Scissor-tailed Flycatchers 
were observed on the 18th of October, 
although the majority leave for the 
south about the last of September. 

Finlay Simmons. 
Houston, Texas. 


Personal. 

The Editor returned to his office 
after seven weeks’ absence, on the 
last day of August, and is again able 
to take up routine matters. Our cor- 
respondence has got badly behind dur- 
ing our absence but will receive at- 
tention in due time. All that those 
awaiting reply need is a little pa- 
tience, and in due time we will also 
enlighten our readers on some things 
that we observed during our absence, 
during which we met many of the 
leading ornithologists of the Hast. 

Our old friend, Charles Russell 
Orcutt of San Diego, California, is at 
it again. We are in receipt of Vol- 
ume I No. 1, August,-1913, of OR- 
CUTT’S MEXICO, published in the 
City of Mexico. Orcutt for many 
years was one of the best known pub- 
lishers of amateur and scientific mag- 
azines on the west coast. It seems 
like a disease, when you once get it, 
you can’t let go. We trust he will re- 
ceive the best of encouragement and 
success with his new undertaking. 


OOLOGIST te he) 


Harry C. Bigglestone sends us a 
separate from the Wilson Bulletin of 
June, 1913, “A Study of the Nesting 
Behavior of the Yellow Warbler,” 
which is a very exhaustive and thor- 
ough treatise of the subject. 

We are in receipt of a sample “Bird 
Study Note Book,” published by Clara 
Cozad Keezel at Carnett, Kansas, 
which is one of the best arrangements 
for notes on bird study that has come 
under our observation in a long time, 
and would be of great deal of service 
to the fraternity were it adopted gen- 
erally. 

We are glad to note that Isaac E. 
Hess is meeting with unusual success 
in his weekly bird talks published in 
the Decatur (Ill.) Herald, with the re- 
sult that the Herald subscription list 


is growing because thereof. 
o> _._—__- —_ — —- 


Editor OOLOGIST:—Have you ever 
heard of a Blue egg of the Prairie 
Hen? It is about the shade of the eggs 
of the White-faced Glossy Ibis. 

C. H. Vandercook. 
Odin, Il. 


No; it is unusual.—Hditor. 
ee 


Another Double Shelled Hen’s Egg. 
Arthur W. Brockway, of Hadlyme, 
Connecticut, writes: “I have the larg- 
est double shelled hen’s egg that I 
have heard of as yet, measuring 9% 
inches by 7%4 inches. It weighed be- 
fore its contents was removed, seven 
ounces and was laid by one of the 
Rhode Island Red variety.” 

= 
Our Birds. ~ 

Last summer C. F. Willard of Tomb- 
stone, Arizona, who is well known to 
the readers of THE OOLOGIST as 
one of the leading bird students of 
the Southwest, spent the day at Ye 
Editor’s home and during that time 
took some photos of our wild fowl, two 
of which are published in this issue of 
THE OOLOGIST. 


THE OOLOGIST 


Bird Books 


Bonaparte’e List of 20S of 


Europe - $ .50 
Sn.ith’s The Canary, 12 colored 
plates, 1870 - 1.50 


Tegetmeier’s The Hemine Pi dee 


Mus., 1871") - - 1.25 
Canary Birds, A Manual i Bund 
Keepers, Illus. - - 1.0€ 
Bird Neighbors, School edition; 
colored plates, 1899 - 1.00 
Life of Andubon, edited by his 
widow; Portrait, 1869 - 1.50 
A Book of Wild Things. Colored 
plates of Birds by cepaniese 
artists - 1,00 


Autograph letters of John Burroughs 
and other naturalists; also engraved 
portraits. 


State House Book Shop 
221 Sth St. Philadelphia, Pa. 


THE CONDOR 


A Magazine of ‘Western 
Ornithology 


Published Bi-monthly by the 
Cooper Ornithological Club of California 
Edited by J: Grinnell and Harry B. Swarth 


“The Condor’’ is strictly scientific 
but edited in such a way that a be- 
ginner of ‘‘Bird Study’’ can easily un- 
derstand it. 

The articles in ‘‘The Condor’ are 
written by the leading Ornithologists 
of the United States and are illustrated 
by the highest quality of half tones. 

Our subscription rates are $1.50 per year in 
the United States and $1.75 in a Foreign coun- 
try. Sample Copy 30c. 


Address 


W. LEE CHAMBERS, Bus. Manager, 
Eagle Rock, Los Angeles, Cal. 


vii 


BENJAMIN HOAG 
STEPHENTOWN, N. Y. 


Oologists Tools and Supplies, Books and 
Magazines of every description. Send for 
lists. Write your special wants for quetations 
by letter. I can save you money. 


Cut the Lining Egg Drills: 4 selected sizes for 
$1.00. Ifnot the best you ever used re- 
turn and get your money. 


Regular Egg Drills: No.0, 20c; No. 1, 20c; No, 
Beane: No. 3, 35¢; No. 4, 45c; "No. 5, 50c. 


Blowpipes: All best nickle. No.1, 40c; No. 2. 
30c; No. 3, 20c. 


Oa; 
Nickle plated, 25c. 


No, 2, best quality straight 
Finest quality straight, 


Embryo Hooks: 


Embryo Scissors: 
or curved, 50c. 
$1.00; curved, $1.25. 


Best Steel Climbers: 
out, $1.90. 


With strap, $2.75; with- 


Books and Magazines: Let me quote and send 


list. I can supply anything in print, and 
always have old out of print books and 
back vol1mes of magazines. 


All prices prepaid 


BIRD-LORE 
FOR CHRISTMAS 


Tell us to whom you wish us 
to send Bird-Lore for you dur- 
ing 1913, and we will forward 
a Christmas Card, giving your 
name as donor, and afree copy 
of the 100-page Christmas num- 
ber of Bird-Lore, containing 
three colored plates and many 
half-tones. They will go in 
time to be received, with your 
greetings, on Christmas Day, 
and Bird-Lore will follow, as 
published, throughout the year. 
A valuable present, easily made, 
whether to a friend or to your- 


self. 

$1.00 a Year 
For Christmas: Five Subscriptions for 
$4.00, Three Subscriptions for $2.50 


BIRD-LORE, Harrisburg, Pa. 


VIli 


THH OOLOGIST 


| shall pay a good price for the following 


magazines, in good order and in their orig- 


inal covers, suitable for binding: 


The lowa Ornithologist (Salem, Iowa). 
Vol. 2, all except No. 3. 
Vol. 3, all except No. 4. 
Vol. 4, all. 


The Stormy Petrel (Mendota, III.) 
All issued except No. 5 of Vol. 1. 


The Oregon Naturalist. 
Vol. 4, Nos.-10, 11 and 12. 


The American Osprey (Ashland, Ky.) 
All Nos. issued after No. 9 of Vol. 1. 


Wilson Bulletin. 
No. 3 and Index to Vol. 12. 


Bul. Mich. Orni. Club. 
Vol. 1, No. 1. 


Naturalist (Kansas City, Cont. of 
Hoosier Naturalist). 
All Nos. issued after No. 1 of Vol. 4. 


Oologist’s Advertiser. 
All Nos. issued except No. 2 of Vol. 1. 


Ornithologist & Botanist. 
Vol. 2. All Nos. except Nos. 1, 2. 
and 6. 


The Wolverine Naturalist. 
All issued after No. 4 of Vol. 1. 


The Empire State Exchange. 
Vol. 1, all except No. 3. 
Vol. 2, all. 

Vol, 3, Nos. 1 and 3. 


GEORGE SETH GUION, 


The Hawkeye Ornithologist and Oolo- 
gist. 
Vol. 2, all-after No. 6. 


' The Humming Bird (Sans Souci, N.C.) . 


All issued after No. 1 of Vol. 1. 


The Bittern (Cedar Rapids). 
All issued except June, August and 
October, 1900, and January, 1901. ~ 


The Bittern (Damariscotta, Maine). 
All issued after No. 6 of Vol. 1. 


The Bittern (Canisteo, N. Y.) 
Sept., Oct. and Nov., 1891. 


The Exchange (Mendota, Ill.) 
All Nos. issued except No. 3 of Vol. 1. 


The International Naturalist (Canis- 
teo, N. Y.) 
All issued except Nos. 4 and 5 of 
Vol. 2. 


The Naturalist (Des Moines, Iowa). 


All issued except No. 1 of Vol. 1. 


The Curlew (Orleans, Indiana). 
All issued except Nos. 3, 4, 5 of Vol. 1. 


And many others too numerous to 
mention, so send me list of what you 
care to dispose of and either make me 
a cash offer, or let me make you one. 


Napoleonville, La. 


THE OOLOGIST. 


Zag FZ Synian Taste. 


So KS 


OCT16 1913 


A< 


BIRDS--NESTS--EGG 
TAXIDERMY 


= 


VoL. XXX. No. 10. 


ALBION, N. Y.,.-0cr. 15; 1913: 


WHOLE No. 3815 


BRIEF SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS 


Wanted, Exchange, For Sale, 


serted for less than 25 cents. 


Etce., 


x ) inserted in this department at 25 cents 
for each 25 words for one issue; each additional 


word 1 cent. No notice in- 


TAKE NOTICE. 
SUBSCRIPTION, 50 CENTS PER YEAR 


Examine the number on the wrapper of 
your Oologist. It denotes the time your 
subscription expires. Remember we must 
be notified if you wish it discontinued and 
all arrearages must be paid. 315 your sub- 
scription expires with this issue. 305 your 
subscription expired with December issue 
1912. Other expirations can be computed by 
intermediate numbers at the rate of one 
number per month. 


North American Birds for sale. 


We will not advertise the skins, nests, 
These columns are for the use of those desiring 


Entered as second-class matter De- 
cember 21, 1903, at the post office al 
Albion, N. Y., under the Act of Congress 


of March 3, 1879. 


In answering advertisements in 
these columns mention ‘‘The Oologist,” 
and thereby help us, as well as the ad- 
vertiser and yourself. 


or mounted specimens oO 


esss, 


to make bona fide exchanges of such specimens for scientific collecting purpo- 


ses only.—EDITOR. 


BIRDS 


WANTED—Live American Wild Trumpet- 
er Swan. R. M. Barnes. Lacon, Il. 


FOR SALE.—Pair of live Sand Hill Cranes, 
live Hutchins and Blue Geese. PORTAGE 
WILD ANIMAL CO., Portage La Prairie, 
Manitoba, Canada, Box No. 223. (1-p) 


EXCHANGE.—Bird Skins of Eastern 
United States for exchange and a 44c Stevens 
Pocket Collecting pistol for sale. J. H. 
WEBER, Palisades Park, N. J. ‘1-p) 


BIRD SKINS .—Exchange generally 
ae W RIGHT, 14 Cayuga St., evar: 
p) 
ost ED.—1To exchange skins, also bird 
Pos ening camera for cash. CORNEL- 
US BUS, Detroit, Mich. (1-p) 
"WANT TO BUY—Live wi'd ducks, geese, 
swan, cranes, stork, Pelican, eagles, Guinea 
pigs, and all wild animals. IRL E. BEN- 
NETT. “Naturalist,” Cambridge. Ohio. (1-p) 


I desire to exchange bird skins and bird 
eggs with all collectors; send full list of skins. 
andeggs. D. V. HEMBREE, Roswell, Ga. 

: (1-p 


a  ——  ——— 


EXCHANGE.—Mounted birds, skins and 
many books on different subjects, for any- 
thing pertaining to ornithology. Send lists. 
O. M. Se 240 E. Main St., Man- 
chester, Iowa (1-p) 


Want following hummer skins: 427-429" 
430-432-433-437-439-440-440-1-441. Exchange Ow! 
and Hawk skins for males, Hooded Mergan™ 
ser, Bald Eagle. EARL HAMILTON. Yohog- 
any. Pa. 


TO tXCHANGE.—A large collection of 
birds’ skins asa whole only for a large col- 
lection of stamps. No trash wanted. Pa tis 
CORLESS, 80 Killingsworth Ave., aoe 
Ore. 


WANTED.—Generai birdsxin exchange, 
particularly Pacific Coast and Southern Col- 
lectors, though I solicit lists from anywhere. 
RAYMOND SPELLUM, Viroqua, Wis. an 

(1-p 


First class s kins Illinois, California and 
Costa Rica to exchange for birds from South- 
ern or Western States, or from other coun- 
tries. H. K. COALE, Highland Park, Ill. (1) 


EXCHANGE.— Male Passenger Pigeon fine- 
ly mounted, nearly perfect, for Winchester 
automatic shot-gun, or might consider a 
Winchester pump gun asapart. PHILO W. 
SMITH, 1915 Penn. Ave., Joplin, Mo. (1-p) 


{ THE OOLOGIST 


Skins Continued 


EXCHANGE.—Skins of male and female 
Wood Duck, for first class eggsin sets. Write 
and make offer. ERNEST A. BUTLER, 3875 
N. 7th St., Philadelphia, Pa. (2-p) 


WANTED.—Bird skins American or For- 
eign; offer in exchange mounted birds, skins 
and eggs in sets. Send lists. JESSE T. 
CRAVEN, 811 Roosevelt Ave., eg eae 

19) 


EXCHANGE.—Southern bird skins and 
birdeggs. Tensets of Turkey and Black Vul- 
tures with datas. RAMON GRAHAM, Taxi- 
dermist, 401 W. Lenda St., Ft. Worrh, Hens. 
- -p' 


WANTED.—First class skins of Passenger 
Pigeons, male and female, for which I will 
gvie in exchange first class skins of Heath 
Hens. FRED H.KENNARD, 220 Devonshire 
St., Boston, Mass. (1) 


FXCHANGE-Bird skins, books, bird craft, 
squirrels and other fur bearers, wild animals 
I have known. Want skins 155, 293, 294, 295, 
331, 337b, 448. EARL HAMILTON, Yohog- 
hany, Pa. 


WANTED.—Skins of California Vulture. 
Whooping and Little Brown Crane, Trum- 
peter Swan and Falcons. Cash or good ex- 
A. H. Helme, Miller Place, New 
York. (1-p) 


WANTED.—Extra fine skins for mounting 
two Am. Avocets, male,ads..two Am. Wood 
cocks, male, ads., two Black-necked_ Stilts 
male, ads., and two Boxwhites, malJe, ads 
Offer A 1 Skins or mounted birds. FRANK- 
LIN J. SMITH, Box 98, Eureka, Cal. 


FOR EXCHANGE.—I have left one pair 
Passenger Pigeons, (Hctopistes Migratorius) 
nicely mounted and good condition. Will 
take part cash and part in rare sets or birds. 
PHILO SMITH, 1824 Byers Ave.. Jopue Mo: 

(-p 


EXCHANGE.—Can offer good exchange in 
skins and eggs to anyone who will mount 
some dried skins for me, such sets as; Man- 
dt’s Giullemot, Whistling Swan. Canada 
Geese, Old Squaw. etc. ARTHUR W. 
BROCK WAY, Hadlyme, Conn. (1-p) 


WANTED.—A fine skin of Eskimo Curlew, 
for which I can offer such skins as Surf Bird, 
Black and Socorro Petrels, Xantus Murrelet, 
Ringed Kingtisher, Harlequin Duck, Roseate 
Spoonbill and others too numerous to men- 
tion. A. B. HOWELL, Coyina, Cal. (1-p) 


OWLS.—I want the scientific skins of the 
Elf, doskins Pigmy, Dwarf Screech Owls, 
Flamulated, Mexican, Texan, Rocky Mt., 
Kennicots, Small Floria Screech Owls. Skins 
of Baby Moles, Baby Bats, Birds of Prey, 
Shore Birds in the Downey Stages, or the 
Nestlings, skins of Gophers, Burrowing Owls, 
newly hatched Green Turtles, Hawks-bill 
Turtles, Land Tortoises, and Wood Turtles, 
Willexchange Ferrig Pigmy Owls or Dovekis 
skins or other specimens. Baby Amidillas. 
H. W. AITKEN, 18 So. 20th Street, Philadel- 
phia, Pa. (1-p) 


EGGS. 


In sending in your exchange notices 
for nests, skins and eggs, we would ap- 
preciate it if you would arrange the 
numerals in your exchange notice in 
their numerical order, and not tumble 
them together hit and miss, as some of 
our readers are complaining, and we 
think justly so. 


Send for my list of fine Southern and South- 
Wester sets. E. F. POPE, Colmesneil, 
exas. 


WANTED.—Three or four good sets of Sage 
Grouse. Address, JOHN LEWIS CHILDS, 
Floral Park, New York. (3-t) 

EXCHANGE.—Personally taken sets, 263, 
300, 388, 412a, 444, 466a. 498, 528, 529, 540. 584, 624 
for sets of Warblers only. H. MOUSLEY 
Hatley, Quebec’ (1-p) 


I have a number of sets of Brandt’s Cor- 
morant for exchange. Can use duplicate sets, 
CHAS. H. CULP, Pacific Grove, Calif. (1-p) 


Fine sets from Greenland, Iceland, Arctic 
America, also Antarctic. Will exchange 
European for North American sets. red bs 
BOOTH, 8 Cranbury Road, Fulham, Ene 

. -p 


Have some personally collected finely pre- 
pared sets of eggs from the Farallone Islands 
to exchange. Satisfaction guaranteed. H. 
W. CARRIGER, 5185 Trask Ave., Oakland. 
Calif. (1-p) 


I have a few good sets to exchange. Want 
334, 334a, 337a, 337d, 340, 344. (251) 352a, 356, 360c. 
361 and many others. DAVID E. BROWN, 
Room No. 11, Federal Bldg., Tacoma, Vee 

p) 


FOR SALE—700 egg trays, made with white 
paper all &zes andin good condition. I will 
also exchange for sets of eggs for others new 
to my collection. I have also man 
zines for exchange. C. M. CASH, 7 
St., Hartford, Conn. 


EXCHANGE.—I have for exchange sets of 
Woodcock, Wilson’s Snipe, Upland Plover 
I want choice sets 
of Falcons, shore-birds and Warblers. G.A. 
ABBOTT, 945 Marquette Bldg., Chittee 

ao 


WANTED.—The following eggs in A 1 sets: 
186, 196. 215. 224. 249, 277, 277a, 291, 298, 299. 304, 
308b. 310. 310b. 328, 347a, 377a, 432, 435, 463, 644. 
647. 660, 675a. 685. Can ofier good exchange in 
] G.. B. BENNERS, Ambler, Mont- 
gomery Co., Pa. (1-p) 


, 
, 


EXCHANGE.—A. O. U. Nos. 114.1. 2-3; 122, 
5-4: 194, 2-3, 2-4; 394a, 1-3; 430. N-2; 498e, 2-3; 573a, 
N-3. N-4; 591.la, 1-2; 607, N2-3; 633a, N-4; 741b, 
N2-6, N-5; first class, with data. Wanted first 
class sets with data; no_nes's. G. K. 
SRN 142 W. Jefferson St., Los Apeee 

19, j ( -p P 


THE OOLOGIST. 


VoL. XXX. No. 10. 


Auption, N. Y. Oor. 15, 1913. 


WHOLE No. 315 


Owned and Published Monthly, by R. M. Barnes, Albion, N.Y., and Lacon, Ill. 


Notes from Texas. 

Bird life is certainly holding its 
own down here. I think I found alto- 
gether over 200 nests of the Mocking- 
bird this summer. The following is 
a list of birds taken from a buggy 
that was driven on a rural mail route 
and therefore I had several varieties 
of road: 


Pelion Muar kas ParlOW: ct... 6-0 100 
Kingbird)... 02 66. Biwi. 5 
(CLOW ae rico eile cisteteuss Bs 5 
Oy ayileee es ealcraiexalcietaccle cscud 3 
Mo@kainie Bird! se. ccs ee as 27 
Sissor-tailed Flycatcher... 26 
OrehardvOriole 22%... <5... ig 
Burkey Vulture, 2.265. 9 
Red-headed Woodpecker.. 1 
TBI CS) Ona ee eee aie eee 3 
Mourning Dove, ....abundant 
Cowbird (Female)........ 11 
Cowbird (Male) .......... 2 
IME RU aan oe ccishietioe ce se +s 4 
FUGA eMEUUTIMGT (frente teehee f.«. 7 
(Opie buna baie en oe 5 
Aug. 20. Orchard Oriole........... 11 


Turkey Vulture 
Red Headed Woodpecker.. 2 


BIG SWIRG eee ays ce Nees ss 4 
Mourning Dove .......... 35 
WMIGADEE Toc, nes cs sees es 5 
Cowbird (Female)........ 6 
Cowbird (Male) .......... 4 
JST ALAA Awe cence teens See eeee 2 
Yellow-billed Cuckoo...... 1 
Road PRUNNMer ss. i. oe ete 2 2 5 
Downey Woodrecker ..... i 
Sissor-tailed Flycatcher... 20 
MOGCKINe DIT. is .o-dt.ne)syo0 ois os 3 
Qa re irc acc ios whekauers stele acai 1 


Candee. pr, vs Mea ee eee coke 3 
COW? Sas cies once se 3 
Kane bird! ik, 2. eee sae 3 
Aug. 23. Sparrow Hawk .......... 11 
Red-tailed Hawk ......... if 
Cooper’s Hawk ........... 1 
iplancdeelOvermeara ances i 
CROW soe o2 ae on ce ee tl 
Quail So. Shie eee Pee 5 
WOVEMe Sache See abundant 
Kailldieermy as asreeera abundant 
Barn Swallows...... hundreds 
Mallard (range 2 miles)... 6 
Ga se ecevo sep ROTReeee A cue cie ene tes 5 


I visited a Lake Club several times 
and saw several Coots, Mallards and 
a bunch of White Cranes. There were 
about 25 in the bunch and they were 
eating dead fish along the bank. There 
were many small water birds, Kill- 
deer, Plover, Blue Heron, etc. 

Taking it all around I saw more 
birds this summer than ever before. 
I think that the recent bill that was 
passed by Congress is about the best 
thing that could be done, if it is only 
enforced. I wish THE OOLOGIST 
could print the rules of that fine bill. 

Cole Godsey. 


Dallas, Texas. 
——_— _ ——_* <> _ e—_ 


Bird Life on the National Pike. 

During the latter part of June and 
the first of July, 1913, I had the pleas- 
ure of spending several weeks in the 
Allegheny Mountains and the bird life 
there differing so much from the local- 
ity from which I had come, I had a 
very interesting time. There was 
hardly a place within five mlies of my 


254 


residence, that I did not visit but my 
favorite walk was on the National 
Pike and it was there that I saw many 
birds found in no other locality. The 
highest point on the Pike is known as 
the Summit and from there, for a mile 


or so toward Farmington, Pa., the 
place is extremely wild, quite free 
from any civilization whatever. This 


is the favorite haunt of many unusual 
birds, and one of the most plentiful 
of them is the Slate-colored Junco. I 
had in no other place seen this bird 
during the summer months and I soon 
found that its habits were quite dif- 
ferent from those I had always known, 
watching it in the winter. The males 
were most often seen and almost in- 
variably, they would be perched on a 
telegraph wire or pole, singing occa- 
sionally, to be sure. J found them 
feeding on the road but usually when 
I came across them in this position it 
would turn out to be a female or a 
young bird. I was somewhat surprised 
to find them feeding on Horse-manure 
after the fashion of the Hnglish Spar- 
row, and often seemed so eager for it 
that I could walk up to within a foot 
or so of them before they flew. Asa 
matter of fact, I always found them 
quite tame and easy to approach. 
Another bird which I also saw for 
the first time during the summer, and 
which was around in unusually large 
numbers was the Canadian warblers. 
I never walked along the Pile with- 
out seeing at least ten of them and of- 
ten I saw many more. They were al- 
ways very inquisitive and when I stop- 
ped near one of them to look at a bird 
it would come within two or three feet 
of me, so I never had any trouble in 
watching them. At this time of the 
year they had young just out of the 
nest, and when I would appear they 
would by their excited shipping, cause 
quite a number of the birds to come 
around. The majority of these birds 


THE OOLOGIST 


would, however, always turn out to be 
Canadians. 

Next to them in abundance, were 
the Black-throated Blue Warblers. At 
all times I could hear their notes com- 
ing from the woods near me but I did 
not see them often. They usually fed 
in the larger trees and were quite 
adept to keeping out of sight. I soon 
found a way, however, by which I 
could always get them quite close to 
me. This was by exciting a Canadian 
Warbler. All the birds seem to enjoy 
coming around when there is any dis- 
turbance and I found that the Black- 
throated Blue Warblers were no ex- 
ception to this. In most cases, how- 
ever, it was the males that appeared; 
only once did I see a female. 

It was in this manner that I saw 
two Warblers, the Blackburnian and 
the Black-throated Green Warbler. 
These birds were rather scarce, and 
I saw each of these but twice during 
my stay. 

One oi the rarest Warblers that I 
saw, I came across quite accidentally 
and in an unexpected manner. I was 
watching a Red-eyed Vireo when I 
noticed a small bird in a bush near 
me and on looking at it carefully I was 
delighted to find that it was a Hooded 
Warbler. It was an adult male, quite 
a handsome bird, and proved to be 
rather tame. allowing me to get a fine 
view of it. In passing this place the 
next day, I looked for it again and was 
fortunate enough in soon seeing it, al- 
most in the same place. It evidently 
had a nest nearby but although I 
searched for it, I was unable to find it. 

Another bird which was quite plen- 
tiful was the Vireo, but unfortunately, 
it was also very timid. For three days 
I heard its peculiar song without get- 
ting a glimpse of the bird, although at 
every opportunity I followed it until 
it disappeared. Finally, I was reward- 
ed. Though so plentiful, 1 saw them 


THE OOLOGIST 255 


so seldom that I always considered 
myself fortunate when I did so. 
Besides these more or less rare 
birds, the common ones such as the 
White-throated Nuthatch, Hairy Wood- 
pecker, Oven-bird and Towhee were 
around in large numbers, so that it 
would be hard to find a place that con- 
tained more birds that this nole or so 
on the Pike. 
Thos. D. Burleigh. 
Pittsburg, Pa. 
ts BOS Se eee 
STATEMENT OF THE OWNER- 
ship, Management, Circulation, etc., of 
The Oologist, published monthly at 
Albion, N. Y., required by the Act of 
August 24, 1912. Editor, R. Magoon 
Barnes, Lacon, Ill.; Managing Editor, 
R. Magoon Barnes, Lacon, IIl.; Busi- 
ness Manager, R. Magoon Barnes, La- 
con, [ll.; Publisher, R. Magoon Barnes, 
Lacon, Ill. Owner, R. Magoon Barnes. 
Known bondholders, mortgagees, and 
other security holders, holding 1 per 
cent or more of total amount of bonds, 
mortgages, or other securities: None. 
R. MAGOON BARNES. 
Sworn to and subscribed before me 
this 23d day of Sept., 1913. 
(Seal) Erma Thiedohn, 
Notary Public. 


1+ <2 


Cape Cod Notes. 

With a friend, Mr. Howard A. Jones, 
of Greenwood, Mass., I spent three 
days August 30th to September Ist, 
1913, at a hunting camp at Great Her- 
ring Pond, near the town of Cedar- 
ville, Cape Cod. This pond is perhaps 
two miles long by three-fourths of a 
mile wide, and is connected by Car- 
ter’s River with a smaller pond called 
Little Herring, about one-half a mile 
to the North. These two ponds are 
situated on a narrow part of the Cape, 
and are only about three miles from 
Cape Cod Bay, on the North and pos- 
sibly a little longer distance from buz- 


zard’s Bay on the South. The coun- 
try around the ponds is rather hilly. 
with very sandy soil, the prevailing 
vegetation consisting of scrubby oak 
brush three or four feet high, which at 
this season of the year bears an 
abundand supply of unripe acorns. 

Formerly a thin growth of pitch 
pine forty or fifty feet tall was scat- 
tered over much of this territory, but 
the forest fires, which annually sweep 
over the Cape districts have killed 
most of the trees near the ponds, and 
their bear trunks and limbs stand out 
very prominently above the oak 
growth. 

The path, or wood road, from the 
camp to the beach on the north or 
Cape Cod Bay side, leads through this 
kind of country for about two and one- 
half miles, the remainder of the way 
being an ordinary carriage road where 
we pass through the village of Cedar- 
ville. Occasionally a few bushes of 
beach plums, with clusters of purple 
fruit nearly ripe, relieve the monotony 
of the scrub oaks. 

The beach of coarse yellow sand, is 
about seventy-five feet wide at ordin- 
ary high tide, and, on the side toward 
the woods, the sand bluffs rise almost 
perpendicularly to a height of about 
fifty feet, and in a few places the 
higher peaks are fully seventy-five 
feet above the sea level. 

As we travel eastward along the 
beach these sand bluffs gradually de- 
crease in height, until finally, at a 
distance of possibly three miles, the 
land becomes a flat point of sand, 
sparsely grown with patches of coarse 
beach grass, and soon we come to a 
river flowing down from the _ salt 
marshes, which are situated a few 
hundred yards inland from the beach 
proper. 

Saturday, August 30, we spent most 
of the day at the beach described 
above. Of the shore-birds which we 


256 


found there, the Semipalmated Sand- 
pipers were the most abundant; hun- 
dreds of them were seen, both on the 
beach and on the salt marshes. Close- 
ly associated with them were the 
Semipalmated Plovers, which were 
also quite plentiful. On the beach 
Sanderlings were quite common, and 
four or five Black-breasted Plovers 
were scattered along the end nearest 
the river. One of the latter birds ap- 
peared to be in full plumage, with a 
glossy black breast, but this bird 
could not be approached within gun 
range. A pair of Knots were feeding 
among the Sandpipers. A few Gulls 
were present, mostly Herring Gulls. 

Hundreds of Terns were in the air, 
the greater part of them were Wil- 
son’*s Terns, but other species were 
undoubtedly with them. 

A Harbor Seal came up to breath a 
few yards off shore. On the salt 
marsh a flock of about twenty-five 
Lesser Yellow Legs were feeding in 
a shallow salt pond. I flushed one 
Pectoral Sandpiper from the grass. 

We collected the following birds for 
specimens: Two Black Breasted Plov- 
ers, (adult birds, but in transition 
plumage), two Knots, two Lesser Tel- 
low Legs, one Pectoral Sandpiper, six 
or seven Semipalmated Plovers, a few 
Sanderlings and some Semipalmated 
Sandpipers. 

Sunday, August 31, I spent most of 
the day in camps making bird skins, 
for shore birds will not keep very long 
without spoiling during the hot weath- 
O=; 

Late Sunday afternoon I took a walk 
around the shores of the two ponds. 
I saw an Osprey and an immature spe- 
cimen of the Bald Eagle on some dead 
trees in the scrub oak country. At 
the Northern end of the Little Herring 
pond I saw a fine adult Red-shouldered 
Hawk, several green Herons, a pair of 
Nighthawks and a flock of eight Wood 


THE OOLOGIST 


Ducks. The latter appeared to be still 
in their summer plumage. 

White tailed Deer are rather plen- 
tiful on this part of the Cape, and 
we found fresh tracks of two which 
had been down to the ponds. 

Monday, September ist, we again 
made the trip to the beach. Along 
the wood-road we saw the tracks of 
Ruffed Grouse, and Bobwhite, but saw 
no birds of either species. A flock 
of four Wood Ducks flew over our 
heads, going toward the larger pond. 
Hairy Woodpeckers and Chickadees 
were seen on the dead trees along the 
path and one lone Chipmunk fearless- 
ly watched us from the lower branch 
of an old stub. Towhees were com- 
mon under the Oak brush. 

A fiock of Crows started an outcry 
in a grove of pitch pine, and just as 
I went in to investigate matters a 
warning shout from Mr. Jones noti- 
fied me that something had taken 
place at the other side of the grove. 
When I rejoined him, he said that a 
White-tailed Deer had jumped from 
the bushes and had just crossed a 
nearby clearing. Whether or not this 
deer was the cause of the excitement 
among the crows I am not certain, but 
it seems very probable. 

When we reached the beach we 
found the Semipalmated Sandpipers, 
Semipalmated Plovers, Sanderlings 
and Terns as common as they were 
two days before. On the salt marsh 
we found but one Lesser Yellow legs. 
We saw four Pectoral Sandpipers, 
which we collected. 

As we walked along the beach on 
our return to camp we saw a flock of 
thirteen Loons, (Gavia imber) swim- 
ming about two hundred yards off 
shore. Their loud, laughing cry was 
repeated many times as long as we 
were in hearing distance of them. 

An Osprey sailed over us, quite 
close, apparently not at all disturbed 
by the proximity of hunters. 


THE OOLOGIST 257 


When we once more reached Great 
Herring Pond we saw a young Bald 
Eagle, probably the same one which 
we saw the day before. He attempted 
to catch a fish with his talons while 
we were watching him, but I could not 
see whether he was successful or not. 
Although this was the only Bald 
Eagle seen on our trip this species is 
still common around these ponds. 

Of course they are not so numerous 
as they were twenty years ago but for 
the last ten years they seem to have 
held their own pretty well. I believe 
this locality not only is, but will be 
for years to come, one of the last 
strongholds of the Bald Eagle in Mas- 
sachusetts. 

The above notes are by no means a 
complete list of the birds which we 
saw during the three days. I have 
simply mentioned these, which for 
various reasons, most strongly attract- 
ed our attention. Even the common 
Chicadees, Towhees and Hairy Wood- 
peckers prove highly interesting in a 
locality where they are practically the 
only small birds to be seen in a wild 
bush grown country which stretches 
for mile after mile as an unbroken 
waste. 

Although trips like this lack the ex- 
citement of hunting in the wilderness 
proper, remote from civilization, nev- 
ertheless they are a source of pleas- 
ant recreation to those of us who are 
unable to make long excursions. 

Horace O. Green. 


Stoneham, Mass. 
Ooi eo 


Notes from Mississippi. 

In the five years that I have been 
collecting I have observed that the 
Bob White is a rather careless bird 
in its nesting habits. I have found 
single eggs a number of times in 
fields. Last January I found a fresh 
egg in the middle of an old cotton 
field. I have seen their eggs in 


Meadowlark nests at least twice and 
have found them in guinea fowl nests 
as many as three times. One day this 
summer I came upon a guinea nest 
out in the field and flushed a female 
Bob White from the nest or very near 
it. I was surprised to find that the 
nest had six guinea eggs and three 
Bob White eggs. 

I have found or examined about 
fifty Cardinal nests as my notes show 
and have found that the full comple- 
ment of eggs is usually three or some- 
times two. But on May 8th, 1911, I 
found a nest in a thick tangle of 
vines which held four eggs. All were 
natural but appeared to be advanced 
in incubation so I did not take the set. 
This is the only case I have ever 
seen or heard of that had over three 
eggs. 

Sometime ago a number of Hungar- 
ian Partridges were liberated near 
Starkville, in the Northwest part of 
the state and a few days ago while out 
walking I flushed a single bird. I 
could find no others although I tried, 
so I suppose they are making poor 
headway. 

I have searched long and earnestly 
for a set of Bachman Sparrows in a 
pasture near here which has several 
groves of pines in it but could never 
even find a nest although a school 
mate of mine took a fine set of four 
in this same pasture. The birds were 
plentiful but no amount of watching 
would help and searching was no bet- 
ter. But this spring quite by accident 
I stumbled on what I took to be a 
fresh nest. I watched from a dist- 
ance and sure enough one of the birds 
soon went to the nest. I watched that 
nest carefully and always from a dist: 
ance but never got a thing for my 
pains. I finally concluded that it was 
an old nest and so am biding my time 
until next year, when I’ll be on hand 
early. 


258 


This spring while I was on my way 
to what I thought was a Red Shoulder- 
ed Hawk’s nest I saw a large nest in 
an oak which was in an open place by 
a big pecan grove. The nest was 
about sixty-five feet up and out of a 
large limb but was an easy climb to 
me. It was a fresh nest not quite fin- 
ished, and of decided Hawk architec 
ture. But as I had accidentally put my 
hand in it I was not expecting any- 
thing from it. I went on down the 
branch to the swamp where my other 
nest was located. This was about 
ninety feet up in a tall sweetgum and 
was the hardest climb that I have ever 
had. It had five young Crows in it 
and I was disappointed, but going back 
I found another nest, apparently fresh, 
in a small piece of woodland not far 
from the first nest. This had nothing 
in it and so I went back two weeks 
later but only a little work had been 
done on both nests. A week later I 
heard that the hawks were still hang- 
ing around and so I went back. The 
first nest held two beauties and the 
second nothing. I left the eggs three 
days to see if I could not get a third 
put no more were laid. This nest 
was found on March 21st but did not 
contain eggs until April 14th, which is 
rather late for these birds in this state. 
I am almost certain that the 
same pair of Hawks worked on both 
nests, but have wondered why. I am 
rather looking for a set of eggs from 
the second nest next spring as the 
Hawks are still in that neighborhood. 

J. B. Lackey. 
Clinton, Miss. 


—_____—_—_o<@ e—__—_—_—_—_ 


A July Tramp in Allegheny Co., Pa. 

July is the month when everything 
in bird life is at a stand still. The 
month before the birds were still nest- 
ing; the next month the Autumn mi- 
gration will have begun; but in July, 
there is little of interest for the bird 


THE OOLOGIST 


student. Birds are usually scarce and 
far between and those seen are usual- 
ly the ones that, at any other time can 
be seen without looking for them. So, 
when I started out on the 19th of 
July, 1913, for a long tramp through 
the country, I had little expectations 
of seeing many birds, but I was inter- 
ested in seeing what birds were still 
in evidence. From the minute I start- 
ed out however, when I came across 
a Sparrow Hawk trying to do away 
with a Robin, until I arrived home, I 
found the birds plentiful and things 
were almost as interesting as they 
were in June. The following are the 
species ‘seen with notes as to their 
abundance, etc.: 

Spotted Sandpiper—Seen occasion- 
ally at small creeks. 

Bob-white—Heard several times; 
gradually increasing within the last 
few years. : 

Morning Dove—Rather scarce. 

Sparrow Hawk—Seen but once. 

Black-billed Cuckoo—Scarce. 

Belted Kingfisher—Common at large 
creeks. 

Downy Woodpecker—Fairly 
mon. 

Red-headed Woodpecker—Seen but 
once. 

Flicker—Very common. 

Nighthawk—Seen toward end of. 
walk. 

Chimney Swift—Common, 
small flocks. 

Ruby-throated Hummingbird—Seen 
twice; both males. 

Kingbird—Rather plentiful. 

Phoebe—Scarce. 

Wood Pewee—Scarce. 

Least Flycatcher—Seen but once. 

Crow—Rather scarce. 

Meadowlark—Not very plentiful. 

Baltimore Oriole—One bird, an 
adult male, seen. 

Bronzed Grackle—Scarce. 

American Goldfinch—Very plentiful. 


_ com- 


seen in 


259 


THE OOLOGIST 


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THE OOLOGIST 


260 


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261 


THE OOLOGIST 


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THE OOLOGIST 


262 


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‘ymeuyBIN UeIpul 32M 40 SHBA pue 3SON 


THE OOLOGIST 


Vesper Sparrow—Fairly plentiful; 
feeding in the road. 

Chipping Sparrow—Common. 

Field Sparrow—Common. 

Song Sparrow—Very plentiful. 

Towhee—Quite abundant. 

Cardinal—Rather scarce. 


Rose-breasted Grosbeak—Seen but 
once; a female. 

Indigo Bunting—Scarce. 

Barn Swallow—Common; seen in 


small flocks. 

Cedar Waxwing—Rather scarce. 

Red-eyed Vireo—Scarce. 

Golden-winged Warbler—One bird 
seen. 

Black-and White Warbler—Scarce. 

Yellow Warbler—Rather plentiful. 

Oven-bird—Somewhat scarce. 

Louisiana Water Thrush—Seen but 
once. 

Kentucky Warbler—Scarce. 

Maryland Yellow-throat—Very plen- 
tiful; heard and seen all day. 

American Redstart—Scarce. 

Catbird—Very plentiful; found nest- 
ing. 

Brown Thrasher—Scarce. 

Carolina Wren—Rather common. 

House Wren—Plentiful. 

Tufted Titmouse—Little flocks ob- 
served. 

Chickadee—Plentiful. 

Blue-gray Gnatcatcher—Fairly plen- 
tiful; seen occasionally. 

Wood-thrush—Scarce. 

Robin—Quite abundant. 

In all, forty-eight species were seen, 
which is not, I think, a bad showing 
for a hot July day. 

Thomas D. Burleigh. 
Pittsburgh, Pa. 
eS BB ee 5 ee. 
Records. 

The following records may be of in- 
terest to your readers, as it is the first 
time I have met these species in this 
locality, although I have resided here 
for several years, making numerous 


263 


hunting and fishing trips into the sur- 
rounding country. 

Mourning Dove (Zenaidura macrou- 
ra). On Sunday, August 24th, 1913, 
while spending the day at Silver Is- 
land, a deserted mining settlement on 
the north shore of Lake Superior 
about five miles from Thunder Cape, 
now used as a Summer resort; my at- 
tention was attracted by a bird of this 
species feeding on the trail in front 
of the cottages, it did not seem in the 
least disturbed by passers by, only 
flying out of their way, to resume its 
feeding after they had passed. I saw 
it frequently during the day and on 
one occasion was able to get within 
a comparatively short distance of it. 
It was apparently alone and though I 
have spent a considerable time at this 
spot during the summer, this was its 
first appearance. 

Great Blue Heron (Ardea Herodias). 
I came across an individual of this 
species, on Monday September 1, 
1913, while on a fishing trip to a small 
lake about 35 miles east of this city 
(Fort William, Ont). It was first ob- 
served flying overhead, but I later saw 
it wading in the shallows of the lake. 

I have frequently seen this bird in 
the vicinity of Guelph, Ont., but this is 
the first time I have met with it in 
this northern country. 

L. S. Dear. 
Fort William, Ontario, Can. 
oe eee 
The Yellow Warbler. 

Since 1909 I have been trying in 
vain to find a nest of this pretty lit- 
tle warbler in Mississippi, but my 
search has been in vain. When I 
started collecting in 1909 I remember 
that one of the first nests I ever found 
was one that I was sure was a Yel- 
low Warbler’s nest. It was in a good 
place, along the railroad but I never 
took a setting of eggs from it and 
thus spoiled what was my only chance 


264 


to take a setting here. I have seen 
the bird here only twice in the sum- 
mer that I can remember and while 
I have searched carefully for their 
nests I have about decided that they 
do not nest here. They are fairly 
common in the fall and even in the 
winter I have at times seen numbers 
of them but I am sure that those two 
I saw in the summer were isolated 
cases. I have looked their range up 
in several books by various authors 
and have found that they are supposed 
to breed here, but neither myself nor 
another collector, A. W. Hager, have 
ever been able to find nests or rec- 
ords of nests. I have tried in three 
counties of the state, widely separat- 
ed. Of these three counties Hinds Co. 
is well adapted for the birds, but 
brought no results. If anyone has a 
record of their nesting, especially in 
the central or southern part of the 
state, I would like to hear of it. 
J. B. Lackey. 

Clinton, Miss. 


Rare Bird Thought Extinct, Found by 
Standfordite. 

Professor Harold Heath of the 
zoology department of Stanford Uni- 
versity, reports the discovery made 
this summer of a colony of the rhi- 
nocerous Auk, supposed extinct. 

The birds were found in large num- 
bers on Forrest Island, off the south- 
ern coast of Alaska. 

Heath also found that the King Sal- 
mon were not being destroyed by 
native birds, as has been thought. He 
was sent to Alaska by the National 
Audubon Society expressly to investi- 
gate the report. 

The Auk Heath found to be a noc- 
turnal bird, about the size of a large 
pigeon. It makes its home in the 
earth, burrowing about fifteen feet be- 
low the surface.—San Francisco Bul- 
letin. 


THE OOLOGIST 


The articles published in this is- 
sue of THE OOLOGIST entitled “Cape 
Cod Notes,” and “Birds on the Nation- 
al Pike,’ are specially interesting to 
the editor, as he passed over both of 
these roads in last summer auto trip. 
We propose giving our readers, in due 
time, some news and notes gathered 
while on this trip. 

San ee ne eee eee 
Birds Seen on a Long Journey. 

As I made a business trip from the 
Island last month to Winnipeg, Mani- 
toba, and was constantly on the look- 
out for my old friends the birds, I 
thought that my observations might 
be of interest to you. 

The start was made Thursday, July 
3, at 2 p. m. for Nueva Gerona, where 
we took the boat for Batabano, Cuba. 
The following birds were seen from 
the machine: 

. Cuban Quail. 

W. I. Mourning Dove. 

I. of P. Lizard Cuckoo. 

. Southern Turkey Buzzard. 
. Limpkin. 

. Red-legged Thrush. 

. Florida Cormorant. 

. White Ibis. 

. Snowy Heron. 

10. Cuban Barn Owl. 

July 4, Batabano to Havana, Cuba, 
30 miles. 

1. Southern Turkey Buzzard. 

2. Cuban Grackle. ; 

3. Red-legged Thrush. 

4. Cuban Red-winged Blackbird. © 

5. Cuban Sparrow Hawk. 
6 
7 
8 
9 


wom nm or WD 


. Cuban Kingbird. 

. Cuban Crow. 

. W. I. Mourning Dove. 

. W. I. Killdeer. 

10. Ani. 

11. English Sparrow. 

12. Cuban Meadowlark. 

13. Cuban Ground Dove. 

14. Cuban Green Heron. 

Havana, Cuba, to Key West, Fla., 


THE OOLOGIST 


92 mfiles. 
15. Royal Tern. 
16. Noddy. 
17. Frigate Bird. 


July 5, Carson to Jacksonville, Fla. 


. White Ibis. 

Fla. Grackle. 

. Kingbird. 

Fish Crow. 

Great Blue Heron. 
Fla. Ground Dove. 
. Turkey Buzzard. 

. Fla. Cormorant. 

. Nighthawk. 

10. Little Green Heron. 
11. Purple Martin. 
12. Royal Tern. 

13. English Sparrow. 


Ww 


OW OMAAD 1. co 


July 6, Bolingbroke, Ga., to Ind. 


. English Sparrow. 

. Red-eyed Vireo (Tenn. Mts.) 
Meadowlark. 

Turkey Buzzard. 
Red-winged Blackbird. 

. American Goldfinch. 

. Phoebe (Gutherie, Ky.) 
. Robin. 

. Red-headed Woodpecker. 
10. Bronzed Grackle. 

11. Song Sparrow. 

12. Kingbird. 

13. American Crow. 

14. Purple Martin. 


July 7, Homestead to Chicago, II. 


1. Mourning Dove. 

2. Crow. 

3. Bronzed Grackle. 

4. Song Sparrow. 

5. English Sparrow. 
Chicago to Saint Paul, Minn. 
. Barn Swallow. 

. Red-headed Woodpecker. 
. Crow. 

. Kingbird. 

. Meadowlark. 

. Bronzed Grackle. 

. Red-winged Blackbird. 

. Yellow-headed Blackbird. 
. American Sparrow Hawk. 


SContnanrr won r 


10. Cowbird. 
11. House Wren. 


265 


12. Western Red-tailed Hawk. 


13. Song Sparrow. 
14. Goldfinch. 

15. Pied-billed Grebe. 
16. Chimney Swift. 


July 8, Saint Paul to Winnipeg, 


Manitoba: 


1. Red-winged Blackbird. 
Crow. 

Eng. Sparrow. 
Meadowlark. 

. Great Blue Heron. 

. Barn Swallow. 

. Killdeer. 

. Kingbird. 

9. Chimney Swift. 

10. Purple Martin. 

11. Barn Swallow. 

12. Red-eyed Vireo. 

13. Robin. 

14. Song Sparrow. 

July 9, Assiniboine Park, 


“10 OF PB WLW DO 


ee) 


peg. 


1. Song Sparrow. 
2. Cliff Swallow. 

3. Barn Swallow. 

4. Yellow Warbler. 
5. Robin. 

6. Bronzed Grackle. 
7. Meadowlark. 

8. Kingbird. 

9. Red-eyed Vireo. 

10. Chimney Swift. 


Winni- 


July 11, Auto ride through the eile 


of Winnipeg. 


. Song Sparrow. 
Purple Martin. 
Robin. 

. Red-eyed Vireo. 
. Bronzed Grackle. 
. Chimney Swift. 


Do Pw de 


sil 13, Kildonan Park, a natural 


1. Bronzed Grackle. 

2. Robin. 

3. Crow. 

4. Rose-breasted Grosbeak, 


park on the Red river, Winnipeg. 


266 


ao 1 


THE OOLOGIST 


. Cedar Waxwing. 
. Barn Swallow. 
. Red-eyed Vireo. 


8. Song Sparrow. 

July 16, Winnipeg Beach, 60 miles 
north of the city on the lake of the 
same name. 


1 


Oo od SD Ol B® CO bo 


HH 
SS) 


Be ee 
ol Be co LS 


Bronzed Grackle. 


. Prairie Chicken. 
. Robin. 

. Kingbird. 

. Meadowlark. 


Crow. 


. Song Sparrow. 

. Franklin’s Gull. 

. Common Tern. 

. Purple Martin. 

. American Bittern. 
. Cowbird. 

. Red-eyed Vireo. 

. Black Tern. 

. Barn Swallow. 
16. 
July 19, 


Red-headed Woodpecker. 
Winnipeg to Manitoba 


Beach, 60 miles west on the lake of 


the 


HCOOADAPwWhH 


same name. 


Robin. 


. Purple Martin. 

. Bronzed Grackle. 

. Kingbird. 

. Red-winged Blackbird. 
. Meadowlark. 


Robin. 


. Song Sparrow. 


Barn Swallow. 


. Crow. 

. Goldfinch. 
12. 
113%. 
14. 
iby. 
16. 
Wie 
18. 


Field Sparrow. 
Pied-billed Grebe. 
Prairie Chicken. 

Black Tern. 

Franklin’s Gull. 

Herring Gull. 
Long-billed Marsh Wren. 


July 20, Manitoba Beach is ideally 
located for the observation of differ- 


ent 
mile 
old 


birds. The beach lies about a 
from the station which is in an 
French village, between which 


is a good sized marsh; the village (St. 
Laurent) lies in an immense prairie, 


while east of it 


is a large poplar 


thicket. 


il. 


bo 


FPwuoanNn sD of co 


Black Tern. 


. Bonaparte Gull. 

. Yellow-headed Blackbird. 
. Kingbird. 

. Bronzed Grackle. 

. Prairie Horned Lark. 


Meadowlark. 


. Song Sparrow. 

. Field Sparrow. 

. House Wren. 

. Purple Martin. 

. Tree Swallow. 

. Red-winged Blackbird. 
. Long-billed Marsh Wren. 
. American Goldfinch. 

. American Robin. 

. American Bittern. 

. Herring Gull. 

. Crow. 

. Virginia Hail. 

. Common Tern. 

. Barn Swallow. 

. Black Duck. 

. Mallard. 

. Catbird. 

. Red-head Duck. 

. Cliff Swallow. 

. Little Green Heron. 

. Cowbird. 

. Marsh Sparrow. 

. Sora Rail. 

. Killdeer. 

. Red-backed Sandpiper. 
34. 


Franklin’s Gull. 


July 21, Manitoba Beach to Winni- 


peg. 


j 


SAND OTP wb 


. Black Tern. 

. Bonaparte Gull. j 
. Yellow-headed Blackbird. 
. Kingbird. 

. Bronzed Grackle. 

. Bobolink. 


Robin. 


. Meadowlark. 
eae 
. Common Tern. 


THE OOLOGIST 


10. 
Juke 
12. 
13. 
14. 
15. 
16. 
ive 
18. 


Killdeer. 

Cowbird. 

Song Sparrow. 

Prairie Chicken. 

Crow. 

Franklin’s Gull. 

Red-winged Blackbird. 

Barn Swallow. 

Cliff. 

19. Long-billed Marsh Wren. 

20. Goldfinch. 

July 22, Winniueg, Nighthawk. 
July 25, Red River, Bank Swallow. 
July 26, To Winnipeg Beach, 6:30 


E 


. Kingbird. 

. Bronzed Grackle. 

. Robin. 

Meadowlark. 

Crow. 

. Barn Swallow. 

. Herring Gull. 

July 28, Winnipeg to Saint Paul, 
PAD pe 1 

. Bronzed Grackle. 

. Robin. 

Crow. 

Barn Swallow. 

. Mourning Dove. 

. Sowbird. 

. Kingbird. 

. Song Sparrow. 

9. Red-winged Blackbird. 
10. Yellow-headed Blackbird. 
11. King Rail. 

12. Black Tern. 

13. Long-billed Marsh Wren. 
July 29, Saint Paul to Chicago, IIL., 
:30 a.m. 

1. Mourning Dove. 

. Bronzed Grackle. 

. Song Sparrow. 

. Red-winged Blackbird. 

. Flicker. 

. Chimney Swift. 

. Sparrow Hawk. 

. Crow. 

9. Kingbird. 

10. Goldfinch. 

11. Barn Swallow. 


SI oo Ot He Co BS 


AANA PWN 


con D OF PR W LO 


12. 
13. 
14. 
15. 
16. 
ie 
18. 
19. 
20. 
21. 


267 


Red-headed Woodpecker. 
Spotted Sandpiper. 
Bobolink. 

Field Sparrow. 

Solitary Sandpiper. 
Meadowlark. 

Belted Kingfisher. 
Vesper Sparrow. 

Marsh Hawk. 
Sharp-shinned Hawk. 


July 31, Cincinnati, O., to Chattanoo- 
ga, Tenn. 


BAD OTP WF DW FH 


9 


10. 


Belted Kingfisher. 
Barn Swallow. 
Crow. 


. Mourning Dove. 
. Sparrow Hawk. 


Meadowlark. 


. Bobolink. 
. Yellow Warbler. 


Goldfinch. 
Bronzed Grackle. 


August 1, Jesup, Ga., to Jacksonville, 


Fla. 
ile 
We 
Be 
4, 


August 2, 


la: 


Black Buzzard. 

Sparrow Hawk. 

Belted Kingfisher. 

Turkey Buzzard. 

Keylargo to Key West, 


. Everglade Kite and nest. 


Great Blue Heron. 
Louisiana Heron. 


. Little Blue Heron. 


Fla. Quail. 


. Spotted Sandpiper. 


Belted Kingfisher. 


. Little Green Heron. 
. Mourning Dove. 

. Fla. Ground Dove. 

. White-crowned Pigeon. 
. Fla. Cormorant. 

. Royal Tern. 

. Snowy Heron. 

. Crow. 

. Kingbird. 

. Great White Heron. 
. American Egret. 

. Turkey Buzzard. 
Ani. 


268 THE 
21. Barn Swallow. 
22. Killdeer. 
23. Red-winged Blackbird. 
24. Brown Pelican. 
25. Black Buzzard. 
26. Fla. Fish Crow. 
27. Semi-palmated Sandpiper. 
28. Frigate Bird; Key West to Ha- 


Seine). 

29. Noddy. 

30. Wilson’s Petrel. 

31. While 50 miles from Key West 
a Yellow Palm Warbler flew 
aboard several times but did 
not settle down. 

Havana, Cuba, to Los Indios, 

of Pines, August 5 to 8; 300 miles. 

1. Royal Tern. 

2. Noddy Tern. 

3. Sooty Tern. 

4. While 180 miles west of Havana 
during a small squall a Parula 
Warbler flew aboard of us and 
all around the cabin. 

August 9, Los Indios and dock. 

1. W. I. Mourning Dove. 

2. Cuban Crab Hawk. 
3 
4 


Isle 


. Ani. 

. Cuban Ground Dove. 

5. Cuban Green Parrot. 

6. Cuban Green Woodpecker. 

7. Cuban Grackle. 

8. White fbis. 

9. Pigeon (C. inornata). 

10. Black-crowned Night Heron. 

11. Fla. Cormorant. 

12. Royal Tern. 

13. Southern Turkey Buzzard. 

14. Mangrove Warbler. 

15. Cuban Meadowlark. 

16. Cuban Kingbird. 

17. Red-legged Thrush. 

18. Cuban Red-bellied Woodpecker. 

19. Cuban Quail. 

20. I. of P. Lizard Cuckoo. 

21. I. of P. Trogon. 

22. Antillean Nighthawk. 

23. Great Blue Heron. 

A. C. Read. 

Isle of Pines. 


OOLOGIST 


Hanford, Sept. 4—Sportsmen who 
annually hunt ducks on the shores of 
Lake Tulare see before them this sea- 
son a dismal outlook. The same 
strange disease which in 1910 and 
1911 appeared among the ducks has 
broken out and thousands of birds 
are dead and more are dying. 

The birds, while fat and apparent- 
ly in the healthiest condition, become 
seized with paralysis and are unable 
first to fly and then to walk. 

The University of California in 1911 
investigated the disease, but was un- 
able to trace its origin—The San 
Francisco Hxaminer. 

W. A. Strong. 


San Jose, Cal. 
———__—__*+-~ «—--- »— 


The Isle of Pines. 

We propose to devote the August 
issue of THE OOLOGIST to The Isle 
of Pines. This little-known Isle has 
a splendid bird student now and we 
and our readers are in luck that he 
takes time to send, for our and your 
benefit, notes on the birds from time 
to time. Our August number will be 
good. Mark that. 


ee ee 

I also want to take this opportunity 
to tell you what a fine little magazine 
The Oologist is. I read quite a num- 
ber of the current bird magazines but 
I always look forward with greater 
pleasure to the coming of The Oolo- 
gist than to any other. I have yet 
to find an article in it that isn’t re- 
liable and any magazine that can 
have that said of it, is bound to be 
good. 

June 3, 1912. Thos. D. Burleigh. 
ee eee 
Personal Notice. 

As this issue of THE OOLOGIST is 
closed (Oct. 6th), the Editor leaves 
for California on a sad errand, occa- 
sioned by the death of a very dear 
brother-in-law, and expects to be ab- 
sent until the 25th of the month; dur- 
ing which time our correspondents 
will have to bear with us, as we leave 
directions. that no ornithological mail 


be forwarded. 


THE OOLOGIST vil 


Bird Books 


Bonaparte’e List of uss of 


Europe - $ .50 
©._‘th’s The Canary, 12 wate 
plates, 1870 - - - 1.50 
Tegetmeier’s The Homing Pigeon, 
Miug:, 1871 . - - - 1.25 
Canary Eas. A Manual for Bod 
Keepers, Illus. - - 1.0C 


Bird Neighbors, School adiion: 
colored plates, 1899 - - 

Life of Andubon, edited by his 
widow; Portrait, 1869 - 

A Book of Wild Things. Colored 
plates of Birds by eee 
artists - 

Autograph letters of John Burroughs 
and other naturalists; also engraved 
portraits. 


State House Book Shop 
221 5th St. Philadelphia, Pa. 


1.50 


THE CONDOR 


A Magazine of Western 
Ornithology 


Published Bi-monthly by the 
Coop=r Ornithological Club of California 
Edited by J. Grinnell and Harry S. Swarth 


‘“‘The Condor’’ is strictly scientific 
but edited in such a way that a be- 
ginner of ‘‘Bird Study”’ can easily un- 
derstand it. 

The articles in ‘‘The Condor’’ are 
written by the leading Ornithologists 
of the United States and are illustrated 
by the highest quality of half tones. 

Our subscription rates are $1.50 per year in 
the United States and $1.75 in a Foreign coun- 
try. Sample Copy 30c. 


Address 


W. LEE CHAMBERS, Bus. Manager, 
Eagle Rock, Los Angeles, Cal. 


BENJAMIN HOAG 
STEPHENTOWN,N Y. 


Oologists Tools and Supplies, Books and 
Magazines of every description. Send for 
lists. Write your special wants for quotations 
by letter. I can save you money. 


Cut the Lining Egg Drills: 4 selected sizes for 
$1.00. Ifnot the best you ever used re- 
turn and get your monpy. 


Regular Ege Drills: No.0, 20c; 
2, 25¢e: No. 3, 35c; No. 4, 45c; Nw 


No. 1, 40c; No. 2. 


el 20G3) No 
, 00¢. 


Blowpipes: AJ] best nickle. 
30c; No. 3, 20e 

Embryo Hooks: Nickle plated, 25c. 

Embryo Scissors: No,2, best quality straight 
or curved, 50c. Finest quality straight, 
$1.00; curved, $1.25. 


Best Steel Climbers: With strap, $2.75; with- 
out, $1.90 


Books and Magazines: Let me quote and send 
list. I can supply anything in print, and 
always have old out of print books and 
back vol7zmes of magazines. 


All prices prepaid 


BIRD-LORE 
FOR CHRISTMAS 


Tell us to whom you wish us 
to send Bird-Lore for you dur- 
ing 1913, and we will forward 
a Christmas Card, giving your 
name as donor, and afree copy 
of the 100-page Christmas num- 
ber of Bird-Lore, containing 
three colored plates and many 
half-tones. They will go in 
time to be received, with your 
greetings, on Christmas Day, 
and Bird-Lore will follow, as 
published, throughout the year. 
A valuable present, easily made, 
whether to a friend or to your: 


self. 
$1.00 a Year 

For Christmas: Five Subscriptions for 
$4.00, Three Subscriptions for $2.50 


BIRD-LORE, Harrisburg, Pa 


THE OOLOGIST 


I shall pay a good price for the following 


magazines, in good order and in their orig- 


inal covers, suitable for binding: 


The lowa Ornithologist (Salem, Iowa). 
Vol. 2, all except No. 3. 
Vol. 3, all except No. 4. 
Vol. 4, all. 


The Stormy Petrel (Mendota, III.) 
All issued except No. 5 of Vol. 1. 


The Oregon Naturalist. 
Vol. 4, Nos. 10, 11 and 12. 


The American Osprey (Ashland, Ky.) 
All Nos. issued after No. 9 of Vol. 1. 


Wilson Bulletin. 
No. 3 and Index to Vol. 12. 


Bul. Mich. Orni. Club. 
Vol. 1, No. 1. 


Naturalist (Kansas City, Cont. of 


Hoosier Naturalist). 
All Nos. issued after No. 1 of Vol. 4. 


Oologist’s Advertiser. 
All Nos. issued except No. 2 of Vol. 1. 


Ornithologist & Botanist. 
Vol. 2. All Nos. except Nos. 1, 2. 
and 6. 


The Wolverine Naturalist. 
All issued after No. 4 of Vol. 1. 


The Empire State Exchange. 
Vol. 1, all except No. 3. 
Vol. 2, all. 

Vol, 3, Nos. 1 and 3. 


GEORGE SETH GUION, 


The Hawkeye Ornithologist and Oolo- 
gist. 
Vol. 2, all after No. 6. 


The Humming Bird (Sans Souci, N.C.) 
All issued after No. 1 of Vol. 1. 


The Bittern (Cedar Rapids). 
All issued except June, August and 
October, 1900, and January, 1901. 


The Bittern (Damariscotta, Maine). 
All issued after No. 6 of Vol. 1. 


The Bittern (Canisteo, N. Y.) 
Sept., Oct. and Nov., 1891. 


The Exchange (Mendota, IIl.) 
All Nos. issued except No. 3 of Vol. 1. 


The International Naturalist (Canis- 
teo, N. Y.) 
All issued except Nos. 4 and 5 of 
Vol. 2. 


The Naturalist (Ves Moines, Iowa). 
All issued except No. 1 of Vol. 1. 


The Curlew (Orleans, Indiana). 
All issued except Nos. 3, 4, 5 of Vol. 1. 


And many others too numerous to 
mention, so send me list of what you 
care to dispose of and either make me 


a cash offer, or let me make you one. 


Napoleonville, La. 


THE OOLOGIST. 


BIRDS--NESTS--EGGS 
TAXIDERMY 


VoL. XXX. No. ll. 


ALBION, N. Y., Nov. 15, 1918. 


WHOLE No. 316 


BRIEF SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS 
Wanted, Exchange, For Sale, Etc., inserted in this department at 25 cents 


for each 25 words for one issue; each additional word 1 cent. 


serted for less than 25 cents. 


No notice in- 


TAKE NOTICE. 
SUBSCRIPTION, 50 CENTS PER YEAR 


Examine the number on the wrapper of 
your Oologist. It denotes the time your 
subscription expires. Remember we must 
be notified if you wish it discontinued and 
all arrearages must be paid, 316 your sub- 
scription expires with this issue. 305 your 
subscription expired with December issue 
1912. Other expirations can be computed by 
intermediate numbers at the rate of one 
number per month. 


Entered as second-class matter De- 
cember 21, 1903, at the post office at 
Albion, N. Y., under the Act of Congress 
of March 3, 1879. 


In answering advertisements in 
these columns mention “The Oologist,” 
and thereby help us, as well as the ad- 
vertiser and yourself. 


— We will not advertise the Skins, eae8, or mounted specimens of 


We will not advertise the skins, nests, 


North American Birds for sale. 


These columns are for the use of those desiring 


to make bona fide exchanges of such specimens for scientific collecting purpo- 


ses only.—EDITOR. 
BIRDS 


WANTED-—Live American Wild Trumpet- 
er Swan. R. M. Barnes. Lacon, Il. 
cone RETESET SSS eR ENE Ae 


EXCHANGE.—Bird Skins of Eastern 
United States for exchange and a 44c Stevens 
Pocket Collecting pistol for sale. eds 
WEBER, Palisades Park, N. J. \1-p) 


BIRD SKINS .—Exchange generally 
FRANKS, WRIGHT, 14 Cayuga St., Auburn, 
Ni (2-p) _ 

ANTED.—TO exchange skins, also bird 
Heo oe camera for cash. CORNEL- 
US BUS, Detroit, Mich. (1-p) 


WANT TO BUY—Live wi'd ducks, geese, 
swan, cranes, stork, Pelican, eagles, Guinea 
pies. and all wild animals. IRL E. BEN- 

ETT, “Naturalist,” Cambridge. Ohio. (1-p) 


I desire to exchange bird skins and bird 
eggs with all collectors; send full list of skins. 
andeggs. D. V. HEMBREH, Roswell, Ge. ; 

(-p 


EXCHANGE.—Skins of male and female 
Wood Duck. for first class eggsinsets. Write 
and make offer. ERNEST A. BUTLER, 3875 
N. 7th 8t., Philadelphia, Pa. (2-p) 


ee eee 
EXCHANGE.—Mounted birds, skins and 


many books on different subjects, for any- 
thing pertaining to ornithology. Send lists. 
O. M. GREENWOOD, 240 E. Main St., Man- 
chester, Iowa. (1-p) 


Want following hummer skins: 427-429- 
430-432-433-437-439-440-440-1-441. Exchange Owl 
and Hawk skins for males, Hooded Mergan- 
ger, Bald Eagle. EARL HAMILTON. Yohog- 
any. Pa. 


TO EXCHANGE.—A large collection of 
birds’ skins as a whole only for a large col- 
lection of stamps. No trash wanted. F. T. 
CORLESS, 80 Killingsworth Ave., ea ee 
Ore. 2-p 


WANTED.—Generai birdssxin exchange, 
particularly Pacific Coast and Southern Col- 
lectors, though I solicit lists from anywhere. 
RAYMOND SPELLUM, Viroqua, Wis. fo) 

=D 


First class s kins Dlinois, California and 
Costa Rica to exchange for birds from South- 
ern or Western States, or from other coun- 
tries. H. K. COALE, Highland Park, Ill. (1) 


EXCHANGE.— Male Passenger Pigeon fine- 
ly mounted, nearly perfect, for Winchester 
automatic shot-gun, or might consider a 
Winchester pump gun as a part. PHILO W. 
SMITH, 1915 Penn. Ave., Joplin, Mo. (1-p) 


: 


\ ANA Vy d 8 1912 


{ THE OOLOGIST 


Skins Continued 


WANTED.—Bird skins American or For- 
pie m, offer in exchange mounted birds, Sane 
and eggs in sets. Send lists. JESSE 
CRAVEN, 811 Roosevelt Ave., Detroit, ain: 

2-p 


EXCHANGE.—Southern bird skins and 
bird eggs. Ten sets of Turkey and Black Vul- 
tures with datas. RAMON GRAHAM, Taxi- 
dermist, 401 W. Lenda St., Ft. Worth, ones 

-p) 


WANTED.—Good. skins: 65, 79, 222, 281, 286, 
8371. 372. 404, 415, 424. 588, 592, 623. ©. L: 
PHILLIPS, 5 West Weir St., Taunton, de 

1-p 


EXCHANGE-—Bird skins, books, bird craft, 
squirrels and other fur bearers, wild animals 
I haye known. Want skins 155, 293, 294, 295, 
331, 337b, 448. EARL HAMILTON, Yohog- 
hany, Pa. 


WANTED.—Skins of California Vulture, 
Whooping and Little Brown Crane, Trum- 
peter Swan and Falcons. Cash or good ex- 
change. A. H. Helme, Miller Place, New 
York. (1-p) 


WANTED.—Extra fine skins for mounting 
two Am. Avocets, male, ads..two Am. Wood 
cocks, male, ads., two Black-necked Stilts 
male, ads., and two Boxwhites, male, ads 
Offer A 1 Skins or mounted birds. FRANK- 
LIN J. SMITH, Box 98, Hureka, Cal. (1-p) 


FOR EXCHANGH.—Fine skins of 278, 289a, 
320, 395. 477a, 479, 501, 51a, 513, 549, 550, 575a, 703, 
729. and others, for skins or eggs not in my 
collection. Send lists. C. W. CHAMBER- 
LAIN, 36 Lincoln St., Boston, Mass. (11-13) 


EXCHANGE.—Can offer good exchange in 
skins and eggs to anyone who will mount 
some dried skins for me, such sets as; Man- 
dt’s Giullemot, Whistling Swan, Canada 
Geese, Old Squaw, etc. ARTHUR W. 
BROCKWAY, Hadlyme, Conn. (1-p) 


WANTED.—A fine skin of Eskimo Curlew, 
for which I can offer such skins as Surf Bird, 
Black and Socorro Petrels, Xantus Murrelet, 
Ringed Kingfisher, Harlequin Duck, Roseate 
Spoonbill and others too numerous to men- 
tion. A.B. HOWELL, Covina, Cal. (1-p) 


WANTED.—Five Mounted Horned Owls, 
five Barred Owls, three American Bitterns, 
five Woodcocks, two Ruffed Grouse, a few 
Hawks, a lot of smaJ] western birds. western 
mammals, first class; have fine sea shells, 
mammal specimens, Indian relics, minerals 
in large or small collections. Send lists. 
JOHN B. WHEELER, East Templeton, tee 


WANTED.—First class skins of Passenger 
Pigeons, male and female, for which I will 
gvie in exchange first class skins of Heath 
Hens. FRED H.KENNARD, 220 Devonshire 
St., Boston, Mass. (1) 


FOR EXCHANGE.—I have left one pair 
Passenger Pigeons, (Hctopistes Migratorius) 
nicely mounted and good condition. Will 
take part cash and part in rare sets or birds. 
PHILO SMITH, 1824 Byers Ave.. Jovi ae 

(1-p 


EGGS. 


In sending in your exchange notices 
for nests, skins and eggs, we would ap- 
preciate it if you would arrange the 
numerals in your exchange notice in 
their numerical order, and not tumble 
them together hit and miss, as some of 
our readers are complaining, and we 
think justly so. 


Send for r my list of fine Southern and South- 
mcsuere sets. EH. EF. POPE, Colmesneil, 
exas 


Eggs of many common and rare species for 
exchange. Many common ones desired. 
poo me your list. R. M. BARNBS, Lacon, 


EXCHANGE.— Personally taken sets, 263, 
300, 388, 412a, 444, 466a, 498, 528, Oe 540, 584, 624: 
for sets of Warblers only. . MOUSLEY, 
Hatley, Quebec’ (1-p) 


I have a number of sets of Brandt’s Cor- 
morant for exchange. Can use duplicate sets, 
CHAS. H. CULP, Pacific Grove, Calif. (-p) 


Fine sets from Greenland, Iceland, Arctic 
America, also Antarctic. | Will exchange 
European for North American sets. H. 
BOOTH, 8 Cranbury Road. Fulham, - England. 

2 


Have some personally collected finely pre- 
pared sets of eggs from the Farallone Islands 
to exchange. Satisfaction guaranteed. H. 
W. CARRIGER, 5185 Trask Ave., Oakland, 
Calif. (1-p) 


I have a few good sets to exchange. Want 
334, 334a, 337a, 337d, 340, 344. (851) 352a, 356 ue 
361 and many others. DAVID E. BROW 
Room No. 11, Federal Bldg., Tacoma, Wash: 

1p) 


FOR SALE--700 egg trays, made with white 
paper all 2zes andin good condition. I will 
also exchange for sets of eggs for others new 
to my collection. I have also many maga- 
zines for exchange. M. CASH, 7 Holcomb 
St., Hartford, Conn. 


EXCHANGE.—I have for exchange sets of 
Woodcock, Wilson’s Snipe, Upland Plover 
and afew rare Warblers. I want choice sets 
of Falcons. shore-birds and Warblers. G. A. 
ABBOTT, 945 Marquette Bldg., Chicago, ne 

(1-p 


WANTED.—The following eggs in A 1 sets: 
186, 196. 215, 224, 249, 277, 277a, 291, 298, 299. 304, 
308b. 310. 310b. 328, 347a, 377a, 432, 435, 463, 644, 
647. 660, 675a, 685. Can ofier good exchange in 
A 1 sets. G.B. BENNERS, Ambler, Mont- 
gomery Co., Pa. (1-p) 


HXCHANGH.—51, 59, 64, 202, 318, 364, 375, 
385d, 477, 488, 528, 587, 637, 639, 674, 681. 7194, 725, 
7éla. I want all Sandpipers 970, 272, 309, 328, 
330, 332, 370, 371, 398. 399, 400, 401, 446, 451 and 
others. R. P. SHARPLES, West Chesten 

a. 


EXCHANGE.—A. O. U. Nos. 114.1. 2-3; 122, 
5-4; 194, 2-3, 2-4; 394a, 1-3; 480, N-2; 498e, 2-3; 573a, 
N-3, N-4: 591.Ja, 1-2; 607, N2-3; 63a, "N-4: 741b; 
N2-6, N-5: first class, with data. Wanted first 
class sets with data; no_ nests. K. 
SNE, 142 W. Jefferson St., Los Medics: 

a -p 


THE OOLOGIST. 


Vou. XXX. No. 11. ALBION, N. Y. Novy. 15, 1918. WHOLE No. 316 


Owned and Published Monthly, by R. M. Barnes, Albion, N.Y., and Lacon, Ill. 


Ricord’s Hummingbird and Nest, 34 life size, Sept. 
22, 1912, Los Indias, Isle of Fines. Nest in 
Grapefruit tree. —Photo by A. C. Read. 


270 


Bird Tagging. 
J. Claire Wood. 

What wonderful impulse causes the 
great southward movement of vast 
multitudes of birds and directs their 
return in Spring? All attempts to 
solve this problem will ever remain, 
in my opinion, just as satisfactory as 
the origin of species and sources of 
life. The key to the whole mystery 
concentrates in the materialization of 
the properties of instinct. Despite all 
that has and will be said, the only 
probable satisfactory explanation is 
the guidance of that mighty and mys- 
terious influence that directs the work- 
ings of all nature. I believe in trans- 
mutation of species on the data gen- 
erally accepted as absolute fact of 
gradation. Though less definite, a 
’ consideration of such problems as nat- 
ural selection, law of design, condi- 
tions of existance, etc., where they 
bear in any manner, on migration to- 
gether with traits I have observed in 
both birds and mammals (even very 
young examples of the genus homo) 
has convinced me that migration is 
hereditary habit. But I would like to 
see it proved. To attempt this, in- 
volves consideration along the lines 
of contradictory evidence. I frankly 
confess a confusion of understand- 
ing, and as a recreation turn to a 
consideration of the floral and other 
beauties of summertime in northern 
climes and look upon migration as a 
provision of nature that birds should 
swarm into the scene, and by their 
beauty, melody and activity, assist in 
making it a season of delight. Warn- 
ed, by instinct, of winter’s approach, 
they retreat into the land of perpet- 
ual warmth, timing their departure 
according to their constitutional sus- 
ceptibility to the cold or the first 
promptings of an inner foreboding. 
Many, like the Bobolink, abandon an 
abundance of food to begin the jour- 


THE OOLOGIST 


ney and never wait until warned by 
physical contact with cold weather. 
The Bobolink is southward bound in 
August and does not reappear until 
the fruit trees are in blossom. And 
so strongly is he influenced by the 
southward impulse that he passes 
beyond our border, even to the marsh- 
es of the Rio de la Plata. 

Contemplating the wonderful in na- 
ture, we fail to understand why an 
evolutionary tendency has not hard- 
ened these birds to endure the severity 
of winter as some species do; but 
these species are in turn, more or less 
migratory; being forced southward by 
extreme cold or failure of food sup- 
ply. There is nothing remarkable in 
being driven by a sense of feeling and 
hunger, but what more impressive of 
intelligence and design in nature than 
the early migrants taking an unerr- 
ing direction to continued warmth and 
plenty? 

The glacial epoch theory gives no 
reason why birds should leave warmth 
and plenty beyond the rather weak ex- 
planation of seeking the barren waste 
to rear their young safe from numer- 
ous tropical enemies, but we know if 
birds possessed such intelligent sa- 
gacity they would take advantage of 
the many southern retreats affording 
almost absolute security. The ques- 
tion naturally arises of how they ex- 
isted before this northern land became 
accessable, if it is now necessary to 
them. Thousands perish during these 
migrations, and it might be asked if 
the movement is not a natural cause 
to check increase beyond stipulated 
bounds; or, on the other hand, to as- 
sist in keeping down the over-produc- 
tion of tropical insect and plant life; 
but all such questions are mere spec- 
ulation; and of no value except to 
stimulate discussion. Some endeavor 
has been made to prove a “law of re- 
tracement” and again to show that 


THE OOLOGIST 271 


birds are guided on their journey by 
landmarks, the adults acting as pilots, 
but as the majority travel by night, 
this would necessitate a knowledge 
of astronomy, nothing said of those 
that travel in cloudy weather or over 
a vast expanse of water, while we 
meet with numerous small parties of 
juveniles working southward without 
an adult among them. 

Despite the various theories and 
convictions entertained by the Orni- 
thological world regarding the phe- 
nomena of bird migration, we all have 
a common interest in the great move- 
ment, and as a detailed discussion of 
the general subject is not my inten- 
tion, those who are not wholly famil- 
iar with it, are referred to Leon J. 
Cole’s paper in Vol. IV, No. 1, of the 
Michigan Bulletin, but it is Mr. Cole’s 
second communication in No. 4 of 
same volume that has induced me to 
take up the subject there presented, 
in order to efface the erroneous im- 
pression that considerable difficulty 
would attend the securing of birds 
for the purpose of “tagging’’, and fur- 
thermore to second his proposition 
that the work be taken in hand by an 
Ornithological organization. 

The possibilities of bird “tagging” 
offers far greater satisfaction and 
stimulates a greater interest than the 
method of tracing the migratory move- 
ment by records of arrivals, depart- 
ures, etc., where so much depends up- 
on the data of individuals without posi- 
tive proof of their competency or ve- 
racity. The return of a tag, however, 
is proof beyond question; and hence 
of the highest value and interest. 
Young birds, just prior to leaving the 
nest, furnish an abundance of ma- 
terial. 

A reference to my note book for the 
season of 1903 reveals a personal find 
of 2015 eggs and nestlings in Wayne 
and Oakland Counties, and this does 


not include the finds of other members 
of the party. Making every allow- 
ance, I could have easily “tagged” one 
hundred nestlings of appropriate spe- 
cies, and at least a dozen bird stu- 
dents in the state could have done the 
same. And surely the neighborhood 
of twelve hundred labeled birds could 
not fail to produce some results. It 
is an accepted fact that many birds 
return yearly to the same nesting 
site or vicinity, but what -becomes of 
the young? The proposed system is 
doubtless the only satisfactory road 
to a solution of the question. Per- 
sonal observation has shown conclus- 
ively that Great Blue Herons and Red- 
shouldered Hawks reared in this lo- 
cality do not return to breed, and this 
is probably the case with most spe- 
cies. A majority of the few new pairs 
of Red-shoulders that nested here 
were shot and examined and were in 
the first adult plumage. For years my 
field work was confined to Greenfield 
township and every pair of hawks, and 
all the larger nests of the various 
pieces of timber were well known to 
me; so probably the pair of Broad- 
wings that nested in that township 
were the only ones to do so. The 
nest was located by Mr. Bradshaw 
Swales, who secured. the female, 
which is now in his collection. But 
the bird is in the immature plumage 
of the second year. 

Six species of birds were selected 
for especial observation by the Com- 
mittee on Geographical Distribution. 
One of these is resident and none are 
suitable for the proposed system. 
This is obvious when we contemplate 
the vast area to the south and the 
comparative small number of Orni- 
thologists in it; but sportsmen invade 
every section of the country, and who 
knows of a village, no matter how 
small, that cannot claim a gunner or 
so. And nearly every farmer pos- 


272 THE OOLOGIST 


sesses fire arms. Few can resist a 
shot at hawk or crow, and the village 
or city boy will down any bird of size, 
while the sportsman enjoys blackbird 
and meadow lark shooting in the ab- 
sence of more worthy game. It thus 
becomes evident that meadow lark, 
blackbird, jay, shrike and any bird 
of much greater size should be select- 
ed. Red-winged Blackbirds could be 
easily obtained as they are found in 
every piece of marsh land of any size, 
but are the least desirable by reason 
of migrating in large flocks, and re- 
taining this social tendency at the 
winter quarters, and the same may be 
said of the crow, though to a lesser 
extent, but fair results could be ex- 
pected after their return in Spring. 
My choice would be the meadow lark 
and hawk, with preference to the 
latter as the larger the bird the less 
an artificial weight would hamper it. 
2 
Note. 

A female Red-tailed Hawk was 
brought to me for mounting today, of 
which the stomach contents proved 
very interesting. 

The stomach contained one com- 
plete Grey Squirrel torn to pieces, 
for swallowing; one Garter Snake, 21 
inches long, and one Water Snake 15 
inches long. The heads of both 
snakes were missing, but otherwise 
the bodies were not mutilated and the 


Due 
to the crowded condition of the stom- 


measurements are of the pieces. 


ach, the Garter Snake was contained 
in the mouth and gullet of the bird 
and several folds of the snake could 
be seen on opening the beak. This is 
the first case of snakes in this bird’s 
food with me, and I wondered if it 
was common. 
Raymond Spellum. 

Viroqua, Wis. 


The Caliiope Hummingbird. 
By Charles S. Moody. 

The theory of protected mimicry 
may be overworked as some natural- 
ists insist, but that the Calliope Hum- 
mingbird is advised of its value will 
be equally patent to any person who 
has put in any time hunting one of 
their nests. Most birds resort to 
some degree of protection, either by 
position, manner of nest building, or 
concealment, but none, so far as I 
have investigated, takes the pains to 
blend the nest so perfectly with the 
surroundings as this aerial sprite. 

The Calliope is a western bird, the 
smallest and most unobtrusive of the 
family. It is quite different from the 
eastern and southern species which 
nest about farm houses, even in rose 
arbors in towns and villages. Calli. . 
ope is a forest lover, haunting the 
deep confiers of the Pacific slope, 
north into Alaska, south into nortih- 
ern California. I have found them at 
an altitude of 11,000 feet in the Bit- 
ter Root mountains, again at sea level 
in the Douglass fir belt along the Pa- 
cific Ocean. 

The nest is invariably placed upon 
a iow horizontal branch of cedar, 
spruce, or black pine, extending over 
a mountain stream, and in plain 
sight—if you can see it. 

There’s the rub; no larger than an 
English walnut, composed of cotton- 
wood down, sitting flat on the branch, 
the outside covered with fine bits of 
gray bark lain on with glue, it is 
the most baffling thing in nest hunt- 
ing. You may be positive that the 
tree contains a nest, but you cannot 
find it. 

An amusing incident occurred at 
Mullan, Idaho, a few years ago. The 
teacher of ornithology in one of the 
state institutions visited our country 
during the nesting season. His edu- 
cation had been accomplished in the 


THE OOLOGIST 273 


Nest and Eggs of Caliope Hummingbird 
—Photo by Chas. S. Moody 


274 


east, and he was making a study of 
western birds. A few days previous 
I had located three nests of the Calli- 
ope in one tree, a black pine. Black 
pine trees retain their cones for a 
year or more. This tree was covered 
with them. I took the professor 
down and asked him to locate the 
nests. He spent an hour without 
avail. All the time the three were 
within four feet of him. They so 
closely resembled the cones that he 
could not distinguish them apart. 


SS 


Whit Harrison, one of the real old 
time ornithologists of La Credcent. 
Minnesota, sends us the following clip- 
ping from one of the local La Crosse, 
Wisconsin, papers, which will be of 
interest to all of the older readers of 
THE OOLOGIST. Mr. Boehm was 
known throughout the northwest as a 
student of nature and a taxidermist of 
unusual ability as well as a man havy- 
ing real scientific attainments: 

“Albert Boehm, taxidermist, orni- 
thologist and student of nature, is 
dead. 

“Apoplexy called one of La Crosse’s 
well known men at the age of almost 
84 years, at 3:19 o’clock this morning, 
at his home, 512 Oakland street. He 
had lingered a week after being 
stricken. His wife was at his bedside 
when death came. 

“Mr. Boehm was in apparently good 
health and active in his wark, for 
which he was known throughout the 
northwest, until his first attack on 
Tuesday of last week, since which 
time he gradually failed. 

“Over a thousand birds and animals 
which at present adorn the new east 
room at the La Crosse public library 
were preserved and mounted by him 
and it is considered one of the finest 
exhibits of its kind in this part of the 
country. Every bird from the smalJ- 
est humming bird to the largest hawk 


THE OOLOGIST 


and eagle was stuffed by Mr. Boehm. 
Hven the snakes of all varieties and 
species are the produce of his labor. 

“In his study of nature, birds, bees, 
butterflies and the trees, hundreds of 
children of this city became associated 
with him. Whenever a dead bird or 
animal was found, the thought which 
was uppermost in many of their minds 
was to take it to Mr. Boehm to-have 
him preserve and mount it. 

“A number of prizes were awarded 
Mr. Boehm for various exhibits of his. 
He received several awards from dis- 
plays at the World’s fair at St. Louis 
in 1904. 

“Decedent was born in Germany on 
December 4, 1829, and came to Amer- 
ica when a small boy. He has resided 
in La Crosse for the past 27 years. 

“Surviving are a widow and four 
children. The children are Mrs. A. J. 
Lange of Superior, Mrs. M. Rassmann 
of Beaver Dam, Charles A. Boehm of 
Neenah and Mrs. J. T. Riordan of 
Marion, Ind. 

“The remains will be taken to the 
home of a sister at Beaver Dam to- 
morrow noon and interment will be at 
that town. Previous to the sending 
of the body, short services, conducted 
by Rev. D. C. Jones, will be held at 
the late home of the deceased.” 

ee 
Migration Notes. 

On the 13th of May, 1908, while 
visiting at Pompton Lakes, N. J., I 
witnessed one of those scenes most 
deplored by the bird lover and over 
which he can have but little or no 
control. On the morning of the 12th 
I found at the foot of a rather lofty 
windmill the dead bodies of two Myr- 
tle and three Chestnut-sided Warb- 
lers, they having apparently hit the 
blades of the wheel in their flight 
over this section on their way north- 
ward, as I found traces of bloodstains 
on several of the steel blades upon 
close inspection. 


THE OOLOGIST 


On the evening of the 13th a heavy 
wind from the southeast prevailed and 
the mechanism of the mill became dis- 
engaged from the heavy strain and it 
was hecessary to carry a light upon 
the tower to the point of trouble and 
repair the damage before a far greater 
trouble might arise. We found that 
it required several hours of hard and 
constant labor to get things back into 
shape. While thus engaged during 
the first hour I was hit about the legs 
and body by several small birds, but 
in each case they righted themselves 
and continued their flight. Close on 
to midnight this flight increased in 
immense numbers, and, as the light 
which we had was apparently drawing 
the birds towards it, they were con- 
tinually striking against mine and my 
helper’s body and on all parts of the 
wheels. As it was very dark and the 
high wind made it rather difficult to 
maintain our foothold and together 
with the trouble in hand, we were 
given but little opportunity to think 
of anything but our own and the 
wheels’ safety and but little attention 
was paid to the migrating birds. 
When, after two hours and a half of 
hazardous labor we had fixed things 
up temporarily for the night we both 
went to the house and retired. 

I arose shortly after sunrise the 
next morning and immediately went 
to the windmill to see if any further 
trouble had arisen, but found things 
in the same condition as left the night 
before. 

But on the ground at the foot of the 
mill I beheld a sight which was indeed 
very heartrending. All about were the 
bruised and maimed bodies of Warb- 
lers and other small Passerine birds. 
On gathering them up found thirty- 
two all together. There were six 
Chestnut-sided, two Black-throated 
Blue, four Black-throated Green, four 
Magnolia, two Parula, five Canadian 


275 


and five Myrtle Warblers, two Mary- 
land Yellowthroats, an Indigo Bunt- 
ing and a Savanna Sparrow. On the 
platform near the tank were six more 
Canadian and four additional Myrtle 
Warblers. 

Since that time I have often visited 
this mill to see if any further trage- 
dies of this kind had occurred, but 
have never found another occurrence 
in the vicinity. 

Louis S. Kohler. 
Bloomfield, New Jersey. 
Saat eS ee 
Notes From the Lower Connecticut 
Valley. 

The following records from my note- 
book may be of some interest to the 
readers of THE OOLOGIST: 

Aug. 16, 1911. At Saybrook Point 
and up the valley. Warm and clear. 
Thousands of Swallows, mostly Tree, 
some Barn and Bank, were perched 
in rows along the wires. The pass- 
ing trains would send clouds of them 
into the air. Blackbirds were as 
abundant. These consisted of Red- 
winged, Bronzed and Purple Grackles 
and Cowbirds. Kingfishers, Green 
Herons, Meadowlarks, Savannah and 
Sharp-tailed Sparrows, Ducks—too 
distant to identify—and Semi-palmat- 
ed and Least Sandpipers were com- 
mon. The very extensive marshes at 
this point, and the numerous creeks 
connected with the river, make it an 
ideal resort for marsh loving birds. 

Aug. 6, 1912: Warehouse Point, 
Conn. Hot and clear. Great flocks 
of Tree Swallows were noted, flocking 
for their southern movement. Six 
Sparrow Hawks observed in the val- 
ley and as many Nighthawks were 
zig-zagging over Hartford last even- 
ing, uttering their peculiar and char- 
acteristic notes. 

Aug. 14-15, 1912. Saybrook Point. 
warm and a little fog. Tree and Baru 
Swallows abundant. Red-wings, 


276 THE OOLOGIST 


Bronzed and Purple Grackles, Night 
and Green Herons, Bitterns, Sharp- 
tailed Sparrows and Semi-palmated 
Sandpipers common. Saw flocks of 
20 to 50 of the latter. Kingfishers not 
so common as previous year, when 
they were very plentiful for the spe- 
cies. Saw five Summer Yellow-legs 
hurrying around in shallow water 
near hotel. I watched them for five 
minutes, not over forty feet away. 
They were securing food in shallow 
water and their long legs and bills 
were perfectly adapted to the work. 
One took a nice bath in six inches of 
water. He partly spread his wings 
and fluttered and shook himself and 
spent a minute in apparent enjoy- 
ment. 

Aug. 16, 1912. 
Clear and cool. 


Saybrook Point. 
Noted on and around 
muddy beach, near Long Island 
Sound: 200 Semi-palmated Sandpi- 
pers, 50 Least Sandpipers, 300 Semi- 
palmated Plovers, 75 Summer Yellow- 
legs, 2 Night Herons, 2 Green Herons, 
1 Sharp-tailed Sparrow, 6 Kingbirds, 
1 Kingfisher and 1000 Swallows, most- 
ly Tree and Barn, a few Bank and 
Cliff observed. 

The small Sandpipers frequently 
flew, wheeled, showing white under- 
parts, when they might easily be mis 
taken for Sanderlings or Piping Plov- 
ers, and returned to nearly the same 
spot to resume feeding. They con- 
stantly emitted their low, peeping 
notes. A flock whesled over my head 
as I was standin, ~» «a ridge the 
evening before. I cow: ea: the vari- 
ous species whistling all the evening. 
There was a small crescent moon. 
The small Sandpipers frequently 
bathed in two inches of water. The 
Yellow-legs, Plovers and Sandpipers 
kept in separate companies, as a rule. 
The former preferred shallow water 
to the bare flats. All frequently 
changed position. 


This locality is exceedingly rich in 
bird life and it would pay one to spend 
some time there in observation and 
study. 

Charles L. Phillips. 
Taunton, Mass. 
ea ot a a ele 
Urinator Imber—Loon. 

This wild inhabitant of our north- 
ern lakes and ponds possesses all the 
characteristic traits of the Divers. It 
is rarely seen on ponds of less than 
several acres in extent and is never 
common, except on the larger rivers 
and lakes, where it keeps in the open 
water and escapes its pursuers by div- 
ing and swimming long distances un- 
der water. In this manner it can 
elude the swiftest oarsman, but when 
cornered in shallow water, it takes 
wing and makes a long flight before 
alighting. 

When on land the Loon is a very 
ackward fellow. He stands with his 
body erect and his tarsi usually rest- 
ing on the ground. He cannot walk, 
but progresses by tumbling forward 
and flopping his wings and pushing 
his feet in a most ungainly manner. 

it is asserted by the best authorities 
that this bird can evade a gunshot by 
diving at the flash, and I have no 
doubt that this is true when black 
powder is used, but with a modern 
gun loaded with buck-shot there was 
no trouble to secure a fine male on 
Muskoko Lake, in Canada, where they 
breed quite abundantly. Our guide 
told us that he never saw more than 
2 eggs in a nest, which is invariably 
near the waters edge, so that you can 
easily wade to the same. It is a mere 
depression in the rock or ground. 

T:2 upper parts, wings, tail and 
neck black with bluish or greenish 


reflections, spaces on the side of 
the neck streaked with white; 
back and wings spotted and bar- 
red with white; breast and belly 


277 


THE OOLOGIST 


uoo7 


ajewey pue sew Vv 


278 

white; sides around a band at 
the base of the under-tail-coverts 
black, spotted with white. The fe- 


male has none of those gorgeous cdl- 
ors, which proves that in all animal 
life for beauty the male is superior. 

The eggs are grayish, olive-brown, 
thinly spotted with blackish, size 3.50 
x 2.20. The young are covered with 
a soft down, sooty-brown in color and 
leave the nest as soon as hatched. 

What a fine group, a male and fe- 
male with the two young would make 
when given to our artistic taxiderm- 
ist, Mr. H. Grieb in Buffalo. Such a 
group would equal those of the Great 
FIVE—OOLOGIST 
Blue Herons and theWhistling Swans 
in the Buffalo Society of Natural Sci- 
ences. 

The food of the Loon consists en- 
tirely of fish, which it catches by 
swimming after them beneath the sur- 
face of the water. 

In the early spring some can be 
found near Navy Island, above Niag- 
ara Falls and some have been seen in 
our Buffalo harbor near the new 
water works before their northern mi- 
gration to their breeding places and 
in the same localities late in Septem- 
ber on their southward journey to the 
Gulf of Mexico. 

I am indebted for an exceedingly 
fine male, which can be seen at my 
home, to Mr. Christ Schwartz, of Ni- 
agara Falls. 


Ottomar Reinecke. 
ee 


Notes on the Kingbird from Harris 
County, Texas. 

The Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) 
is a common summer resident of the 
prairie districts of Harris county, 
Texas, one or more pairs being found 
in every orchard, “motte”, or ranch 
yard. They inhabit the same locali- 
ties as frequented by the Scissor-tail- 
ed Flycatcher, although the Kingbird 


THE OOLOGIST 


is more often seen along the edges 
of woods. 

They arrive at Houston from their 
winter quarters about April 2, and by 
the 27th the birds are mated and be- 
gin their nests. The first nests are 
completed May 10 and the first egg 
laid the following day. By the 17th 
or 18th the set is usually completed 
and the birds commence incubation. 
The first young noted were hatched 
on May 31. 

In this locality I think only two 
broods are raised yearly, the second 
set being laid about the end of June 
or first of July. August 1 sees the 
birds gathering in flocks and wander- 


-ing around cotton and corn fields and 


by the end of that month they begin 
migrating southward. This migra 
tion continues up until the first part 
of October, when the last stragglers 
are seen. 

The food in this locality consists 
of insects, fruits and berries; num- 
bers of times I have seen these birds 
feeding on ripe figs, grapes, pears and 
various berries, as well as following 
plows, in company with many other 
species, securing the worms brought 
to light. 

The birds are very vicious in the 
defense of nests and young, and dur- 
ing the nesting season I have seen 
vultures, hawks, and many smaller 
species fleeing panic-stricken before 
the rush of this dauntless little war- 
rior. 

The nest is placed in the orchard 
trees, and in the “mottes” and shade 
trees around the ranch houses or 
farms, on either horizontal limbs or 
in crotches near the tops of the high- 
est branches. It is a bulky structure, 
and, like the Scissor-tail’s is a very 
untidy structure and very easy to find; 
composed of twigs, weed-stems, 
grasses, rootlets, cotton, string and 
thistle-down, and lined with thistle- 


wa 


THE OOLOGIST 


down, cotton or rootlets. 

For the last four years a pair has 
nested in a certain persimmon tree 
in a Red-wing colony near Houston, 
and it would be of interest to know 
whether this is the same pair of birds 
each year, or the offspring of the pre- 
ceding pair. 

The eggs are either three or four 
in this number, some of the eggs be- 
ing identical with those of the Scis- 
sor-tailed Flycatcher. The smallest 
eggs are those from a set of three 
taken June 21, 1911, from a nest in a 
hui sache five feet from the ground. 
They measure: .86x.70, .90 x .69, and 
.87x.70 inches. On the other hand 
the largest set of eggs measures: 
1.04 x .70, 1.02 x .70, 1.03 x .70, and 1.04 
x.70 in. This set was taken May 27, 
1912, about seven miles south of Hous- 
ton. Other sets from this region 
yield the following measurements: 
91x .64, .94x.64, .92x.66, and 94x 
-67; .90 x .64, .96 x .68, .86 x .69, and .87 
664; .92x..65, .92x..68, .94x.67, .87-x 
Se eONexX.( Oy con XL, 90 X.125 and 
another set of three.91 x .68, .94 x .68, 
.92 x .67 inches. 


Unusual Wintering of the Catbird at 
Pittsburg, Pa. 
Thomas D. Burleigh. 

On the 10th of November, while out 
on a tramp, I was surprised to see a 
Catbird fly out from a thicket of grape 
vines, the first I had seen for over a 
month. It appeared in good condi- 
tion, but was entirely silent for the 
few minutes that I observed it. I was 
very much surprised at seeing it at 
this late date, but I was more sur- 
prised when several weeks later, on 
the 23d of November, I saw another 
of these birds. The first one was 
seen near Harmarville, some eight 
miles from where the second one was 
seen, at Pittsburg, and so whether 
they were the same bird or not, I do 
not know. 


~<. _- 


279 


Like the first, the second was seer 
in a thicket of grape vines and was 
also entirely silent, making no sound 
at all. I visited this place the next 
day but found the bird gone, and I 
had no idea of seeing any more of 
these birds until the following Spring, 
but was surprised a month or so later 
to find it still around, although again 
in a different place. 

With Henry S. Frank I was, on the 
4th of January, 1913, exploring Mc- 
Kinley Park, a small park on the out- 
skirts of Pittsburg, near Mt. Oliver, 
when I heard a Catbird calling (or 
mewing) and soon saw it in a dense 
thicket of bushes. The weather on 
that day was fairly cold and very 
windy, temperature 32 degrees, with 
several inches of snow-on the ground, 
but the Catbird seemed contented and 
appeared well fed. 

A week later, on the 12th, I was at 
this place again and had the satis- 
faction of finding the bird in the same 
place, in as good spirits apparently, 
as on a warm day in June. From 
that date on, I have been at the park 
once a week and have always, except 
once, on the 18th of January, found it 
at the same place, up to the present 
date (February 16th.) 

I fully expect that it will remain 
there the remainder of the Winter, 
and I intend to continue my visits 
until the other Catbirds arrive, as I 
wish to make my record as complete 
as possible. Why, however, a bird 
like the Catbird, one of the last to 
arrive in the Spring and one of the 
first to leave in the Fall, should re- 
main here during the winter, I am 
unable to understand. I would al- 
most as soon have expected to see a 
Nighthawk or a Barn Swallow, for I 
have never before heard or read of a 
Catbird wintering anywhere except in 
the extreme southern parts of the 
United States. Thomas D. Burleigh, 
Pittsburg, Pa, 


280 


The Northern Pileated Woodpecker. 
May 7, 1913, a friend and I left State 
College, Pennsylvania, for a moun- 
tain valley, situated on the northern 
border of Huntington county, and 
about fourteen miles distant from the 
college. The country here is much 
covered with timber slashings, which 
provide excellent abodes for the 
Northern Pileated Woodpecker. 

Late in the afternoon of this day we 
reached a low, wet timber slashing 
in which there were many dead snags 
that showed evidence of former nest- 
ing places of this Woodpecker. We 
soon found an old logging road by 
which were enabled to penetrate the 
thick undergrowth of laurel and rho- 
dodendron. We had just crossed a 
swift stream when my friend caught 
sight of a Pileated Woodpecker as it 
Silently flitted from the trunk of a 
large sugar maple tree that stood by 
our road. The presence of this bird 
gave us great hope of finding a nest, 
so we carefully scanned all the old 
snags in sight. Evening was now 
fast approaching and we made our 
way down the valley to a farm house 
where we spent the night. 

On the following morning we arose 
early and started on our way to the 
haunts of the Pileateds. No sooner 
had we entered the slashing than we 
heard the peculiar notes of a Wood- 
pecker as he called from some dis- 
tant hemlock spike. The search for 
a nest was begun where we left off 
last evening. On account of the thick 
undergrowth we found it difficult to 
reach and properly examine many of 
the dead snags. Upon approaching a 
forty-foot, leaning, dead red maple 
snag I could discern two newly exca- 
vated entrance holes; and beneath 
these there were many large chips. 
This snag stood by a small open 
space, close to a clump of young hem- 
locks, Vigorous pounding on the 


THE OOLOGIST 


stump failed to arouse the Wood- 
pecker, but as the holes appeared so 
new, I decided to investigate them. I 
procured the climbing irons:-and as- 
cended to the lower cavity; it was 
new, but only slightly excavated. As 
I neared the upper cavity, which was 
thirty feet above the ground, my 
friend called out from below, “there 
she is!” A female Woodpecker left 
the nest and hurriedly secluded her- 
self among the neighboring trees. 
From her hiding place she sent forth 
vigorous alarm notes which soon 
brought the male bird to the vicinity. 
I carefully examined the nest-hole and 
found that it contained four large, 
glossy, white eggs, quite fresh, and 
resting on soft chips of wood. 

The entrance hole measured three 
and one-fourth inches wide; it was 
not circular, but ovate. The cavity 
turned downward after extending in 
for an inch or more. The eggs rested 
fifteen inches below the entrance. 

While I was at the nest the female 
bird flew quite near, clucking and 
making a great fuss. She soon set- 
tled herself on the higher part of an 
old snag, from which she sent forth 
her loud cries. 

With a camera I secured a number 
of views of the nesting snag and its 
surroundings. The two days follow- 
ing were spent in other parts of the. 
mountain valley searching for nests 
of this Woodpecker. Two more pairs 
were located and a promising looking 
nest found. It was inaccessable to 
me, however. 

Throughout the mountainous coun- 
try of central Pennsylvania many bare. 
snags show the remnants of former 
nesting sites of these great Wood- 
peckers. However, the lovely birds 
are seldom met with, and it will not 
be long until they will all vanish from 
our forests. 


S. S. Dickey. 
Waynesburg, Pa. 


THE OOLOGIST 


Unusual Winter Birds. 
Thomas D. Burleigh. 

The winter 1912-13 was remarkable 
to me because of the number of Sum- 
mer residents that remained here, 
many of which I had never before 
seen during the winter and had never 
heard of anyone seeing. The one 
that most surprised me was the Cat- 
bird, but as I have dealt more fully 
with it in another article, let it suffice 
to say that it was seen occassionally 
the entire winter, remaining for the 
last two months in almost the same 
thicket. 

The Flickers were quite plentiful 
and I was surprised at their abund- 
ance, especially as I have never re- 
corded them here in the winter be- 
fore. Up to the middle of October, I 
saw them almost daily, but at that 
time they suddenly dissappeared and 
I saw no more of them until the 9th 
of November. On that date I saw two 
and after that I occassionally came 
across them; seldom, however, in the 
same place. 

On the 28th of November, while 
watching a large flock of Tree Spar- 
rows, I was amazed to hear a Towhee. 
At first I thought I must have imag- 
ined it, but I soon found out that I 
had not, for while I was listening for 
the sound to be repeated, the bird, a 
male, very obligingly hopped into 
view from a dense thicket, allowing 
me to absolutely identify it. I came 
back to this place several times later, 
hoping to see it again, but with no 
success and I finally gave it up. It 
must have wintered there, however, 
for as I was passing the same place 
on the 18th of February, I again saw 
a Towhee, presumably the same bird, 
for as before it was a male and was 
exactly in the same place. 

The crow is more or less of a resi- 
dent here, but I was rather surprised 
on the 31st of December, while out on, 


281 


a tramp near Harmaville, to come 
across a flock of about one hundred 
and fifty of these birds. They were 
feeding in a large field, almost cover- 
ing it, and, as I approached, flew off 
in small detachments, continuing to 
do so for quite a while. 

On the same day, I also saw two 
Golden Crowned Kinglets feeding in 
some hemlocks, the first ’ve ever seen 
during the winter. 

While crossing a large field on the 
22nd of January, I flushed two Mead- 
owlarks from the ground (or snow) 
and I was delighted to see them, as 
they very rarely winter here. They 
must have left soon after, for although 
I searched for them several days later 
I was unable to find them. 

While out on a tramp on the 11th 
of January, I came across a flock of 
ten birds feeding near the tops of 
some large trees, which I did not at 
first recognize. One of them, how- 
ever, finally flew down to the ground 
and I saw at once that they were 
Bluebirds. Most of them were males 
and I certainly did enjoy watching 
them (what ornithologist would not?) 
Just about a month later, on the 12th 
of February, I saw another little flock 
of Bluebirds at this same place, but 
whether they were the same birds, 
I do not know. 


Ce ee 
Two Partridge Nests. 
Geo. H. Murphy. 

How many of you have ever seen 
a Partridge nest? I remember of 
seeing one about ten years ago. My 
sister and I lived at our uncle’s, and 
he had a habit of wandering around 
the woods. One Sunday he told us 
he had found a Partridge nest up in 
“Aunt Betty’s” woods, but he would- 
n’t tell us just where it was for fear 
we would spend the whole day in 
looking for it, and he didn’t like to 
haye us do that, We went to church 


282 THE OOLOGIST 


The Gulls, Catalina Id., Calif, March, 1912. 
—Photo by R. M. Barnes, 


THE OOLOGIST 


in the morning and in the afternoon 
we decided we would find the Part- 
ridge nest without any more asking. 
The woods were not very large, and 
we carefully hunted and had about 
given up when, just as we were com- 
ing out of the woods we heard a slight 
rustling and turned just in time to see 
Mrs. Partridge leaving the nest—we 
were within a few feet of it. It was 
at the foot of a maple tree, and in 
plain sight of anything that passed. 
There were twelve or fourteen brown- 
ish-buff colored eggs in the nest. The 
nest was simply a hollow lined with 
leaves. 

About a week ago we were at our 
uncle’s and he told us he had found 
a Partridge nest with twelve eggs in 
it, out in the west woods. Now, in 
the ten years that have gone, I have 
become a “Camera fiend”, as some of 
my friends now call me. Here was a 
chance for a picture, I thought, so 
next day I got permission to try it, if 
I would get back as soon as I could. 
I loaded up the No. 2A Brownie and 
took my Vest Pocket Kodak and ask- 
ed my brother if he wanted to go; he 
said he did, so we cranked up the 
Overland and in about thirty-five min- 
utes we were at uncle’s. It didn’t 
take any urging to get him to say he 
would show us the nest. 

They thought it best that I take the 
auto and go out to my Friend Bill’s 
and get his five-by-seven camera, 
which I did. While I was gone, they 
thought they would go out to the 
woods and I would come in on the 
other side. I didn’t expect to find 
Bill home, but did, and it didn’t take 
very long to get some holders loaded. 

When we got to the woods the other 
fellows were there. Uncle told us to 
go quiet and we would probably see 
the Partridge leave the nest. . We 
soon came to the nest and they gave 
me the big camera and thought L 


283 


might get a snap shot as she was 
leaving. I nearly strained my eye- 
sight trying to see the nest. The 
other fellows kept telling me they 
could see her head move, but I soon 
discovered that it was a leaf moving 
in the breeze instead of the bird. I 
finally got clear up to the place where 
my uncle said the nest was. Uncle 
said he might have got mixed up, but 
he was quite sure we were in the right 
place; all at once he knelt down and 
lifted up some cedar branches, and 
there underneath was all that was left 
of a once beautiful nest, just a hollow 
in the ground lined with leaves. We 
knew the eggs had not hatched, as 
there weren’t any shells scattered 
around. We looked around closely, 
and found quite a few feathers, wet 
down by a yesterday’s rain, and we 
then knew that the little mother Part- 
ridge had met her death as she was 
covering her precious eggs. Uncle 
was mad. “Some hanged old fox has 
done this,’ he said; “if I knew there 
was a den of foxes in this wood, I 
would dig them out to pay for this.” 
“Tt’s against the law,” I cautioned him. 
“Well, I would be a law-breaker then,” 
he answered. 

As we were going out of the woods, 
we heard a Partridge fly by, and it 
was the drummer. We soon left for 
home, feeling sorry about the little 
tragedy that had been enacted there 
in the lonely wood road. 


Vermont. 
— al 


Owl Nesting on the Illinois. 

Big floods in Ohio and Indiana; 
dangerously high water in Southern 
Illinois; streams full everywhere. The 
Illinois river was no exception and at 
the end of the railway trip, the bridge 
at Lacon being submerged to reach 
the home of the Editor of THE OOLO- 
GIST a motor-driven flatboat was 
prought into requisition, It was a 


284 


pleasant passage across the flooded 
bottoms, the willow-haunting song 
sparrows and cardinals singing their 
vespers, and on the morrow the broad 
expanse of the river a mile or more 
in width, was to be traversed to the 
site of a barred owl’s nest, previously 
located by the Editor Barnes. 

Day broke unpromisingly but the 
adventures set forth, and before the 
motor boat, ready at the river side, 
had cast off the sun began to shine. 
Soon a fair progress was had against 
the stormy current which, even in the 
dead water covering cornfields and 
willow swamps, was to be reckoned 
with, and the voyage bade fair to pros- 
per. On the way birds of recent ar- 
rival were noticed. One was struck, 
particularly, with the large numbers 
of male tree-swallows, evidently hav- 
ing come with the warm rain of the 
night before. The writer had never 
before met a sight such as was afford- 
ed by a raft of blue-bills, some three 
or four thousand in number. All the 
blue-bills on the river, it seemed, had 
gathered in one flock. We were told 
by Mr. Barnes, that a greater flock 
had not been seen at this point for sey- 
eral years. 

A barred owl, we may judge, will 
not be denied residence of its form- 
er home. At least the bird to which 
our visit was paid showed some such 
pertinacity. A river fisherman had set 
up his tent beneath her ancient bass 
wood tree long before the duties of 
incubation had urged her to select a 
nesting -site; but no other would do. 
Into the domain of the fisherman and 
the owl, enter the editor and the re- 
porter of this tale. Of the former one 
may be sure that he is no more closet 
naturalist; as a witness the account 
given in the paragraph below. 

Now the well-built young man who 
piloted us up the river seemed the log- 
ical person to climb thirty feet into 


THE OOLOGIST 


that tree;—a fine vegetable seven feet 
around—but no! in a twinkling the 
editor-guide and woodland expert, had 
harnessed on his climbing irons. It 
was no slight task for a younger man 
—the Editor of THE OOLOGIST is 
more than fifty,—but the difficulties of 
protruding knots and snags were over- 


. come with a skill nothing short of sur- 


prising. 

The Owl left the hollow as the climb- 
er put spurs in the base of the tree,— 
this is contrary to the belief of the 
writer, who held that the species sets 
closely. Flying into the upper bran- 
ches of a nearby tree one or two fur- 
ther flights lost her in the timber and 
she was not seen again. The nesting 
site was a natural elliptical hollow, 
the lower portion descending below 
the rim of the ellipse and in a measure 
protected by the extension of the eaiv- 
ity above. The eggs were far advanc- 
ed in incubation. 

An invitation to the fisherman to 
guide us to other owl trees of which 
he had knowledge was declined. A 
heavy wind had come up blowing con- 
trary to the current, and the river man 
didn’t “like the looks of things out 
there.’ But the leader of the expedi- 
tion obtaining directions from our 
squatter-host, we undertook to reach 
two more “snags” supposed to contain 
nesting owls. These were, however, 
untenanted and so the run was made 
for home with a stop enroute in the 


shelter of a timbered “hog-back” to 
lunch and talk and let the sun and 
wind “soakin.” 

Nothing is lacking of a successful 
Oologist experience when a bright 
April day, good company and to ac- 
quire the special treasure sought are 
all so happily combined. 

5 E. A, Ford. 
Chicago, Illinois, 


THE OOLOGIST vil 


Bird Books 


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Autograph aes of John Burroughs 
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Published Bi-monthly by the 
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Edited by J. Grinnell and Harry S. Swarth 


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The articles in ‘‘The Condor’ are 
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Regular Eee Drills: No.0, 20c; No. 1, 20c; No, 

2, 25c: No. 3, 35c; No. 4, ‘45¢; No. 5, 50c. 
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Vill: THE OOLOGIST 


1914 


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The friends of The Oologist have been loyal 
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For all NEW subscriptions received before 
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THE OOLOGIST. 


BIRDS--NESTS--EGGS 
TAXIDERMY 


VoL. XXX. No. 12. 


ALBION, N. Y., Dec. 15, 1913. 


WHOLE NO. 317 


BRIEF SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS 


Wanted, Exchange, For Sale, 


serted for less than 25 cents. 


Ete., inserted in this department at 25 cents 
for each 25 words for one issue; each udditional word 1 cent. 


No notice in- 


TAKE NOTICE. 
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Examine the number on the wrapper of 
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all arrearages must be paid, 316 your sub- 
scription expires with this issue. 305 your 
subscription expired with December issue 

Other expirations can be computed by 
intermediate numbers at the rate of one 
number per month. 


Entered as second-class matter De- 
cember 21, 1903, at the post office at 
Albion, N. Y., under the Act of Congress 
of March 3, 1879. 


In answering advertisements in 
these columns mention “The Oologist,” 
and thereby help us, as well as the ad- 
vertiser and yourself. 


We will not advertise the skins, nests, eggs, or mounted specimens of 


North American Birds for sale. 


These columns are for the use of those desiring 


to make bona fide exchanges of such specimens for scientific collecting purpo- 


ses onlyv.—EDITOR. 
BIRDS 


WANTED-—Live American Wild Trumpet- 
er Swan. R. M. Barnes. Lacon, III. 
El 


EXCHANGE.—Bird Skins of Eastern 
United States for exchange and a 44c Stevens 
Pocket Collecting pistol for sale. J. H. 
WEBER, Palisades Park, N. J. ‘1-p) 


BIRD SKINS .—Exchange generally 
FRANK S, WRIGHT, 14 Cayuga St., Auburn, 


N.Y. (2-p) 
WANTED.— 10 exchange skins, also bird 


photographing camera for cash. CORNEL- 
IUS BUS, Detroit, Mich. (1-p) 


WANT TO BU Y—Live wi'd ducks, geese, 
swan, cranes, stork, Pelican, eagles, Guinea 
igs, and all wild animals. IRL E. BEN- 
ETT. “Naturalist,” Cambridge. Ohio. (1-p) 


I desire to exchange bird skins and bird 
eggs With all collectors; send full list of skins. 
and eggs. D. V. HEMBREE, Roswell, ac 

( = 


D) 


EXCHANGE.—Skins of male and female 
Wood Duck. for first class eggsinsets. Write 
and make offer. ERNEST A. BUTLER, 3875 
N. 7th St., Philadelphia, Pa. (2-p) 


EXCHANGE.—Mounted birds, skins and 
many books on different subjects, for any- 
thing pertaining to ornithology. Send lists. 
O. M. GREENWOOD, 240 E. Main St., Man- 
chester, Iowa. (1-p) 


Want following hummer skins: 427-429" 
430-422-433-437-439-440-440-1-441. Exchange Owl 
and Hawk skins for males, Hooded Mergan- 
ser, Bald Eagle. EARL HAMILTON, Yohog- 
any. Pa. 


TO EXCHANGE.—A large collection of 
birds’ skins as a whole only for a large col- 
lection of stamps. No trash wanted. F. T. 
CORLESS, 80 Killingsworth Ave., Eon 
Ore. -p 


ee 
WANTED.—General birdssin exchange, 
particularly Pacific Coast and Southern Col- 
lectors, though I solicit lists from anywhere. 
RAYMOND SPELLUM, Viroqua, Wis. cea) 
-p 


eS eee 

First class s kins Illinois, California and 
Costa Rica to exchange for birds from South- 
ern or Western States, or from other coun- 
tries. H. K.COALE, Highland Park, Il. (1) 
psec Se rg eh a ep eee 


EXCHANGE.— Male Passenger Pigeon fine- 
ly mounted, nearly perfect, for Winchester 
automatic shot-gun, or might consider a 
Winchester pump gun asa part. PHILO W. 
SMITH, 1915 Penn. Ave., Joplin, Mo. —(1-p) 


! THE OOLOGIST 


Skins Continued 


ae 
WANTED.—Bird skins American or For- 
ere offer in exchange mounted birds, ae 
and eggs in sets. Send lists. JESSE 
CRAVEN, 811 Roosevelt Ave., Detroit, Mich, 
-p 


EXCHANGE.—Southern bird skins and 
bird eggs. Ten sets of Turkey and Black Vul- 
tures with datas. RAMON GRAHAM, Taxi- 
dermist, 401 W. Lenda St., Ft. Worth, teas 

-p) 


WANTED.—Good skins: 65, 79, 222, 281, a 
371, 372. 404, 415, 424. 588, 592, 623. ©. 
PHILLIPS, 5 West Weir St., Taunton, . Mass! 

1-p 


FXCHANGE-Bird skins, books, bird craft, 
squirrels and other fur bearers, wild animals 
I have known. Want skins 155, 293, 294, 295, 
331, 337b, 443. EARL HAMILTON, Yohog- 
hany, Pa. 


WANTED.—Skins of California Vulture, 
Whooping and Little Brown Crane, Trum- 
peter Swan and Falcons. Cash or good ex- 
-change. A. H. Helme, Miller Place, New 
York. (1-p) 


WANTED.—Extra fine skins for mounting 
two Am. Avocets, male, ads.,two Am. Wood 
cocks, male, ads., two Black-necked Stilts 
male, ads., and two Boxwhites, male, ads 
Offer A 1 Skins or mounted birds. FRANK- 
LIN J. SMITH, Box 98, Eureka, Cal. (1-p) 


FOR EXCHANGE.—Fine skins of 273, 289a, 
320, 395. 477a, 479, 501, 51a, 513, 549. 530, 575a, 703, 
729, and others, for skins or aeees not in my 
collection. Send lists. C. CHAMBER- 
LAIN, 36 Lincoln St., orice Mee (11-18) 


EXCHANGE.—Can offer good exchange in 
skins and eggs to anyone who will mount 
some dried skins for me, such sets as; Man- 
dt’s Giullemot, Whistling Swan, Canada 
Geese, Old Squaw, etc. ARTHUR W. 
BROCKWAY, Hadlyme, Conn. (1-p) 


WANTED.— A fine skin of Eskimo Curlew, 
for which IJ can offer such skins as Surf Bird, 
Black and Socorro Petrels, Xantus Murrelet, 
Ringed Kingfisher, Harlequin Duck, Roseate 
Spoonbill and others too numerous to men- 
tion. A. B. HOWELL, Covina, Cal. \1-p) 


WANTED.—Five Mounted Horned Owls, 
five Barred Owls, three American Bitterns, 
five Woodcocks, two Rutfed Grouse, a few 
Hawks, a lot of smal] western birds, western 
mammals, first class: have fine sea shells, 
mammal specimens, Indian relics, minerals 
in large or small collections. Send lists. 
JOHN B. WHEELER, East Templeton, Mees: 


WANTED.— First class skins of Passenger 
Pigeons, male and female, for which IJ will 
gvie in exchange first class skins of Heath 
Hens. FRED H.KENNARD, 220 Devonshire 
St., Boston, Mass. (1) 


FOR EXCHANGE.—I have left one pair 
Passenger Pigeons, (Hctopistes Migratorius) 
nicely mounted and good condition. Will 
pene cash and part in rare sets or birds. 
PHILO SMITH, 1824 Byers Ave.. out Mc 

(1-p 


EGGS. 


In sending in your exchange notices: 
for nests, skins and eggs, we would ap— 
preciate it if you would arrange the 
numerals in your exchange notice in 
their numerical order, and not tumble 
them together hit and miss, as some of 
our readers are complaining, and we 
think justly so. 


Send for my list of fine Southern and South— 
western sets. E. F. POPE, Colmesneil, 
exas 


Eggs of many common and rare species for 
exchange. Many common ones _ desired.. 
pend me your list. R. M. BARNES, Lacon,. 


EXCHANGE.—Personally taken sets, 263, 
300, 388, 412a, 444, 466a, 498, 528, oe 540, 584 
for sets of Warblers only. ” OUSLY” 
Hatley, Quebec’ (1-p) 


I have a number of sets of Brandt’s Cor- 
morant for exchange. Can use duplicate sets, 
CHAS. H. CULP, Pacitic Grove, Calif. (1-p) 


Fine sets from Greenland, Iceland, Arctic: 
America, also Antarctic. Will exchange 
European for North American sets. H. 
BOOTH, 8 Cranbury Road. Fulham, England, 

-p 


Have some personally collected finely pre- 
pared sets of eggs from the Farallone Islands- 
a exchange. Satisfaction guaranteed. : 

CARRIGER, 5185 Trask Ave., Oakland, 
Cait ( 1-p) 


I have a few good sets to exchange. Want 
334, 334a, 337a, 337d, 340, 344. (B51) 352a, 356, 360c. 
361 and many others. AVID HE. BROWN, 
Room No. 11, Federal Bldg., Tacoma, Wash... 

(1 p) 


FOR SALE -700 egg trays, made with white 
paper all 2zes andin good condition. I wilk 
also exchange for sets of eggs for others new 
to my collection. I have also many maga- 
zines for exchange. C. M. CASE, 7 Holcomb: 
St.. Hartford. Conn. 


EXCHANGE..--I have for exchange sets of 
Woodcock, Wilson’s Snipe, Upland Plover 
and afew rare Warblers. I want choice sets 
of Falcons. shore-birds and Warblers. G. A. 
ABBOTT, 9145 Marquette Bldg., Chicago, es 

(1-p 


WANTED.—The following eggs in A 1 sets:. 
186, 196. 215. 224, 249, 277, 277a, 291, 298, 299. 304,. 
308b. 310, 310b. 328, 347a, 377a, 432, 435, 463, 644,. 
647. 660, 675a. 685. Can ofier good exchange in: 
A lsets. G. B. BENNERS, Ambler, Mont-- 
gomery Co., Pa. (1 -P)' 


EXCHANGE.—51, 59, 64, 202, 313, 364, a1: 
385d, 477, 488, 528, 587, 637, 639, 674, 681, "719d, 
76la. I want all Sandpipers 270, 272, 309, pe 
330, 332, 370, 371, 398. 399, 400, 401, 446. 451 and. 
oe R. P. SHARPLES, West Chester 

a 


EXCHANGE.—A. O. U. Nos. 114.1, 2-3; 122, 
5-4; 194, 2-3, 2-4; 394a, 1-3; 430, N-2; 498e, 2-3; 5738, 
N-3, N-4; 591. la, 1-2: 607, N2- 3; 633a, 'N-4: 741b, 
N2-6, N-5; first class, with data. Wanted first 
class sets with data; no nests. G. K, 
ae YDER, 142 W. Jefferson St., Los ee: 

al (i-p 


THE OOLOGIST. 


Vou. XXX. No. 12. ALBION, N. Y. Dec. 15, 19138. WHOLE No. 317 


Owned and Published Monthly, by R. M. Barnes, Albion, N.Y., and Lacon, Ill. 


1913 and 1914 


Anno Domini 1913 is behind us. The year has been prolific in good bird 
news. The Federal Game Protection Act has become a law, much to the delight 
of all true lovers of nature. This is the chief stride forward made in bird 
protection in the past year. 

Muck has been added to our knowledge of Ornithology during the past 
twelve months. Species whose nidification has hee unknown, have revealed 
their nesting treasures and secrets. Interest in our favorite study was never 
at a higher pitch than at this time. All has not been of pleasure to the bird 
men. Sorrow, misfortune and death have stalked ruthlessly amongst us. 
Some of our leaders, beloved and revered, are no more. The process of consoe- 
lidation cf the smaller with a few of the very large collections continues. All 
this leaves a most alluring opening for the beginner with a real nature lover’s 
desire to learn and to do. 

THE OOLOGIST for 1914 will be conducted along the lines of the past. 
We have, with the aid of its friends, made it better than it was. We will make 
it better than it is. To this end we crave the aid of all its friends. The end of 
the year is a good time to pay up subscription, and this is a good time to send 
THE OOLOGIST to some friend as a Christmas present. 

The Hditor. 


286 


THE OOLOGIST 


Fred B. Spaulding 


THE OOLOGIST 287 


Fred Spaulding. 

Mr. F. B. Spaulding of Lancaster, N. 
‘H., died October 22d. What this means 
to me and to many other of his friends, 
the heart has not power to express. To 
have known Mr. Spaulding, long and 
intimately was an honor. Viewing his 
character from every standpoint, it 
may well be said that he was one of 
the noblest works of God. 

My acquaintance with him dates 
back to 1901, and from our first meet- 
ing I have prized him as a friend and 
as aman. Calm, deliberate, unpreten- 
tious, intelligent, accurate, loyal and 
true, with a heart that knew no limits 
in love and sympathy, and a nature 
that knew no limits in kindness and 
hospitality. In him a sterling man 
has gone to his rest and the places 
that knew him will miss him for all 
time. 

I believe Mr. Spaulding never recov- 
ered from the loss of his little daugh- 
ter Helen, in August, 1910. She was a 
remarkably lovely child whom I knew 
and loved from the time she was four 
years old. At the age of seven she 
developed a disease of the heart, from 
which she died six years later. The 
anxiety and untiring effort during this 
period of time to save her life was 
worthy of success, but it was not to 
be so, and the blow which finally fell 
did much to shatter Mr. Spaulding’s 
hold on life. The last letter, which I 
received from him, only a month or 
two ago, related tears in his words as 
he spoke of his lonesomeness in the 
woods, on collecting trips, “now that 
the sweet little face that always greet- 
ed me on my return, to ask- what new 
eggs I had fennd for myself and what 
new flowers I had found for her, was 
no more’—a wail from the depths of 
a wounded soul—heart-yearns that 
only death can calm. 

Mr. Spaulding was born in Lancast- 
er, about thirty-eight years ago and 


has been all his life an enthusiastic 
student of Ornithology, and he has 
done valuable work in a most prolific 
locality, that has scarcely been touch- 
ed by any one else—the White Moun- 
tain region. 

Energetic, tireless and observant, 
never jumping at conclusions, the ac- 
curacy of his records has never been 
questioned. The variety of Warblers, 
which he found breeding in his local- 
ity, is most remarkable, and the state 
of New Hampshire is indebted to him 
for many of its rarest records. Among 
a wide circle of friends and corres- 
pondents, particularly in Oology, Mr. 
Spaulding will be missed, possibly 
more than any other, who might have 
been removed from the sphere of use- 
fulness in that field. 

John Lewis Child. 
October 25, 1913. 
i eg ee ee 
Two Months in the Everglades. 
PART te 
By Oscar E. Barnard. 

The Spring of 1911 saw the fulfill- 
ment of a trip I had long planned for 
and I was able to spend part of Febru- 
ary, all of March and part of April in 
this wonderful ‘“‘Naturalist’s Paradise.” 
To treat the subject right I will divide 
it into two parts, first the one describ- 
ing the water trip, the second the land 
trip. 

T left Fort Myers one evening on the 
“Wanderer,” a cabin launch with my 
canoe behind. The trip up the Caloos- 
ahatchie River is one of the finest to 
be had any where. The river is very 
crooked, one is always being surprised 
at the natural scenery, it flows be- 
tween high banks and for several 
miles flows through a settled country 
and some of the finest groves of citrus 
fruit to be found any where are along 
its banks. The vegetation is largely 
hammocks of the beautiful Cabbage 
Palmetto, Pine and Oak. Very few 


288 THE OOLOGIST 


Coffee Mill Hammock, a Famous Camping Place 
—Photo by O. HE. Baynard 


Lirds were seen excepting Kingfishes 
and Water Turkeys until we passed 
Fort Thompson the end of the River, 
and the beginning of a 40 mile canal 
running through the fiooded marshes 
and Lake Flirt. Bonnet Lake and 
Lake Aicopogee and then into Lake 
Okeechobee. After leaving Fort 
Thompson large flocks of White Ivis, 
all the Herons and Egrets, Gallinules, 
Coots, Bitterns, Blackbirds were to be 
seen at all times until we reached 
Lake Okeechobee. Sanhill Cranes 
were heard now for the first time 
trumpeting in the adjacent marshes 
and occasionally a bunch of a dozen or 
more would rise in the air with a 
great noise and go sailing off, a very 
shy bird this, but one of the most in- 
teresting to study. While passing 
through Lake Flirt i saw my firsi 
Swallow Tailed Kites for the trip. 
Four of these most handsome and 
graceful ‘“Forked-Tailed Fish-Hawks,” 
(their local name here) kept sailing 
over our boat for several hours and 
it is beyond me to describe their won- 
derful and graceful antics in the air. 
I saw them catching wasps on the 
wing. These birds are becoming scar- 
cer yearly and it wont be long before 
they are in the missing column. I 
have heard of one licensed Hog com- 
ing down here earlier in the Winter 
and collecting 22 of these fine birds for 
scientific (Spare the word) purposes. 
However he will never get another 
license to collect in Florida as we 
have the “dope” on him now. 

After crossing Lake Chicapogee we 
entered a canal leading to Lake Okee- 
chobee and now we could see the real 
saw grass, as far as the eye could 
see, nothing but vast sea of saw grass 
resembling in color a half ripened 
wheat field waving in the wind. This 
is murderous grass alright and true 
to its name and to penetrate in any 
distance requires grit, it is from ankle 


THE OOLOGIST 289 


deep in mud and water to passed one’s 
armpits and snakes, snakes, every- 
where, and the nasty Cotton Mouth 
Moccasin at that. After a few excur- 
sions into it I would pass it up for 
anything but the mysteries of a Cary 
Bittern or Everglade Kite’s nest. The 
saw grass abounds in snakes, frogs, 
frogs and aligators and is the feeding 
grounds of Ibis, Herons, and in fact 
all birds of this character, which con- 
gregate here by the thousands. 

The canal enters Lake Okeechobee 
by a large flat topped cypress ‘the 
lone sentinel of the Lake” and camp- 
ing here for the night I experienced 
the first real trouble. This is, I guess, 
mosquito factory for the world and to 
cook in a closed cabin was an almost 
impossibility and I took to my mos- 
quito bar at once. This was invari- 
ably the case at night during my whole 
trip and on three occasions during 
the day I had to seek the shelter of 
the net. 

Lake Okeechobee is a wonderful 
body of water, 70 miles long by about 
59 wide, it looks like a real Ocean and 
in the canoe, I was several times out 
of sight of land. I left the launch 
here and taking the canoe I struck 
out on a trip by myself for exploring 
the lake and everglades. I pushed up 
every canal, river, creek, slough, bay 
or ditch around the Lake, penetrating 
south into the sawgrass as far as pos- 
sible and in all covered about 300 
miles in this way. On one occasion 
was eight days without seeing a white 
man. It was lonely alright but being 
all new to me, never noticed the lack 
of human company for did I not have 
the better company of Nature’s chil- 
dren? Birds were everywhere feed- 
ing and flying, very few were nesting 
at this time but saw migrants on their 
way north. Next to snakes in abund- 
ance were the frogs and to. them I 
am indebted for most of my fresh 


THE OOLOGIST 


290 


puvudeg Oo Aq 0}04q— 
ajyo,eysoojeg 9y} UO adRj}q Buidweg ouy 


THE OOLOGIST 291 


meat. Suitable camping places are 
hard to find in this country and many 
nights had to bunk down in the bot- 
tom of my canoe on my blankets. 
Here under the net I passed the long 
hours of the night and they were long, 
believe me. Would have to eat before 
dark on account of “Skeets” and I 
would pass the time before becoming 
sleepy playing my harmonica and lis- 
tening to the eternal song of the 
“Skeet” and the never ending “glug- 
glug-glug” (frog talk for O-you Kid) 
very often changed to a cry of distress 
and help as some wily old Moccasin 
would make a meal off him. Then for 
a few seconds there would be quiet, 
then the frog chorus would resume. 

About 8:30 one night I arrived at a 
small camping place on a canal bank 
on edge of Lake, I should of stopped 
earlier but wanted to make a camp 
where I could do a little cooking as 
grub out of cans, and crackers were 
beginning to become too much like 
“monkey food.’ I carried no tent as 
was traveling light, so put down my 
poncho on ground, spread blankets on 
it and hung net over them, then an- 
other poncho over net to keep off the 
heavy dews and fogs, getting inside 
and tucking net under blanket I was 
ready to sleep. This was the regular 
way I camped on this trip. Just as 
day was beginning to show signs of 
breaking I was awakened by a violent 
movement of the net, thinking it was 
only a raccoon, of which I usually had 
plenty as nightly visitors, I called out 
and rolled over. The net kept moving 
so I knew it was no coon and looking 
sharply I saw a hugh Moccassin was 
outside nosing the net and evidently 
trying to get inside. I slipped out the 
cpposite side and soon put an end to 
his fun with a stick and killed two 
others equally as large that had just 
crawled out of the saw grass. There 


was a well worn path around the net 


showing the Moccasin had trailed 
around the net a long time. 

When broad daylight had again wak- 
ened me, I came out and saw four 
more large Moccasins on the camping 
ground, making seven in all killed 
there. I camped one night with a fish- 
erman and as the gators had been mo- 
lesting his nets and lines, he suggest- 
ed a gator hunt for the night. I put 
a Bulls Eye Lamp on my head and 
seated in bow of his boat he noiseless- 
ly paddled me around the winding 
creek in the Everglades. It was weird 
and then some, the rays of the lamp 
catching the eyes of Coon and a few 
Wild Cats, besides the eyes of gators, 
often having to break away through 
the ever hanging moss, and hearing 
large snakes slipping off logs and once 
an ottor slid into the dark water of 
the creek. The absolute quiet neces- 
sary to hunt the gators made the dark- 
ness more intense. Once we were 
nearly startled out of our senses by a 
Barred Owl right over our heads let- 
ting loose his weird ‘‘Whoo-Whoo- 
Whoo-Whoo-ah”. After several hours 
we succeeded in killing five gators. 

Ospreys were very abundant around 
the Lake and Eagles very scarce, even 
in Hagle Bay saw not a single one. 
Hence its name? Had the pleasure of 
seeing the beautiful Black Necked 
Stilt, saw seven in one bunch mating 
and was sorry was too early for nests, 
same way with Everglade Kites, found 
them beginning to build in the saw 
grass. Found one rookery of over 400 
pairs of Florida Corwarants with new- 
ly hatched young late in March, while 
10 miles further along there were two 
small rookeries that had hatched off 
in December. One cypress had 32 
rests in, another 55 and the fishermen 
had named the nearest camp “Nigger 
Duck’. This is the local name here 
for the Camorants and is a fitting one 
as they are hatched out black and 


THE OOLOGIST 


292 


preudeg “@ °O Aq 0,04q— 
8149}eYSOO|eD 94} UO yUuIod snowes, e—puag edoy 


293 


THE OOLOGIST 


a 


pieudkeg "q ‘°O Aq 0104q— 
UdsAPDH B4eUS—=sddBHodod!IH, 2y4e7 


a eee ee” ee ee — 


tg rm penne e - 


ae 


294 


never recover from it. 

Boat Tailed Grackles were nesting 
and over 600 nests were counted in 
less than one-fourth mile in saw grass 
along an old abandoned canal, all of 
which contained three eggs. Here in 
this old canal choked with water let- 
tuce I had another seance with the 
snakes, every dip of the paddle 
brought one of the wriggling monsters 
out and one landed in the canoe but 
started something he could not finish, 
as his tanned hide on my wall will tes- 
tify. It was about this time I had a 
mix-up with a steamer carrying sup- 
plies to the dredges. We met in a 
narrow crooked canal and I was wash- 
ed bodily out of the canal, canoe and 
all, into the saw grass, losing over- 
poard a large box of nearly all of my 
dry plates and what sets I had collect- 
ed, into over 20 feet of swiftly run- 
ning water. It was hard to see all my 
photographic work go after the hard 
time I had in getting it. However, the 
Captain of the steamer heard a few 
“new ones” beside my usual stock on 
hand before he got away. I was lucky 
to get away alive under the circum- 
stances, I suppose. 

March 24 and 25 will long be remem- 
bered days to me. I was in one of 
those severe galls on the lake that 
sometimes sweep across this part of 
the world. I had chartered a small 
launch to carry me across the lake 
to a camp of a guide who was to go 
on the Prairie with me. Having the 
canoe in tow we came out of the 
creek and onto Okeechobee where the 
waves were piling up 10 to 15 feet 
high and wind was blowing a gale. 
After a few minutes run we decided 
it was too rough to cross and so head- 
ed in for harbor in Hagle Bay. This we 
nhiade after two hours of the wildest 
riding I ever experienced. We drop- 
ped anchor in the bay but lost it right 
now, and the wind then blew us up in- 


THE OOLOGIST 


to the saw grass and here we stayed, 
as our old-styled propellor would not 
work on the grass and weeds. Two 
days and nights we stayed here until 
the gale abated somewhat. We had 
plenty of rations to cook but no land 
to get on to build a fire. A few cans 
of sardines and Uneeda Biscuits on 
board and we sure lived high on them. 


We would change our menu from 
Uneedas and lake water for 
breakfast, to water and Uneedas 


for dinner and plain Uneedas 
for supper. Uneedas are good, no 
doubt of it, but very slow in filling up. 
IT recall the supper of the second night, 
sitting with one arm around a stan- 
chion to keep from being blown away 
eating Uneedas and drinking water, 
the ‘Cracker’ owner of the launch 
spoke up, “Say, Professor, how many 
of these d—— crackers does it take to 
fill a man up, no how.” We were each 
in the middle of our fourth package 
then. Sleeping on a 12 inch seat has 
its disadvantages also, when one has 
to keep an arm around a stanchion to 
stay in the boat, and there might be 
harder beds than a board, but I never 
slept on them. However, as is usual 
in such cases, the wind died down the 
next day and by nightfall we arrived 
at the guide’s camp in time for supper. 
As luck would have it, he had a part 
ot four ducks and two squirrels stew- 
ed with potatoes and remarked that 
for men who had been dining so freely 
on Uneeda biscuits, “we could sure 
eat some.” 
(To be continued.) 
2) 
Books Received. 

Game Laws For 1913—A summary 
of the provisions relating to seasons, 
export, sale, limits and licenses, by 
T. S. Palmer, W. F. Bancroft and 
Frank L. Hrnshaw. 

This bulletin of 59 pages, is a com- 
prehensive review of the subject 


295 


pavudeg “ °O Aq OJ0YG— 
sseuB mes 34} YBnouy} jeues ‘sadoyosay%O 9y4e7 


THE OOLOGIST 


THE OOLOGIST 


296 


pavudvg 


‘a ‘O Aq ojoYG— 
asdoysse%7O eye 7 


pe) 


Jeulzuag suOF SUL 


THE OOLOGIST 


treated. It is to be hoped that the 
laws with reference to the protection 
of game will be rigidly and impartial- 
ly enforced and this summary of the 
laws on these subjects is issued for 
the purpose of enlightening all those 
who desire to know what the law is. 

North American Fauna, No. 35—Life 
Zones and Crop Zones of New Mexico, 
by Vernon Bailey. 

This Fauna contains 100 pages, is 
well illustrated, and has an addenda 
of bibliography relating to the sub- 
jects of the bulletin. Much valuable 
and desirable information is included 
within its pages, including lists of 
birds, mammals, reptiles, plants and 
the like which are to be found within 
the territory covered. 

The Defenseless Child, 
Dayton Curtis. Brethren Publishing 
House, Elgin, Ill. 1912. 

This small book is an appeal for 
the helpless and homeless little ones, 
and touches the tender chords of any 
and all who peruse its pages, setting 
forth as it does, the work of caring 
for the homeless children in attractive 
well chosen sentences. 

Catalogue of a Collection of Books 
on Ornithology in the Library of 
John E. Thayer. Compiled by Evelyn 
Thayer and Virginia Keyes, privately 
printed, Boston, 1913. 

This is a well arranged, beautifully 


by Josie 


bound and splendidly printed cata- . 


logue of the wonderful collection of 
books relating to the subject of birds 
that have been gathered together by 
Honorable John E. Thayer, than whom 
no better known ornithologist and 
collector exists on the North Ameri- 
can continent. 

The catalogue is arranged alphabet- 
ically under the names of the authors, 
contains 187 pages, and within its cov- 
ers will be found nearly all of the 
works relating to North American or- 
nithology, as well as many very rare 


297 


titles. It is especially rich in Audu- 
bonia, is a monument to Mr. Thayer 
and a credit to the compilers, as well 
as a pleasure to those who are favored 
with a copy. 

The Birds of Virginia, by Harold 
H. Bailey. J. P. Bell Company, pub- 
lishers, Lynchburg, Va., 19138; with 14 
full page colored plates, one map and 
108 half-tones taken from nature. 

This monumental work, treating of 
185 species and sub-species of birds 
that are known to breed within the 
state of Virginia, is the result of years 
and years of laborious field work and 
close library study. It is dedicated to 
the father of the author, and without 
doubt, will remain for many years the 
standard work upon the subject of the 
breeding birds of Virginia. 

It is especially rich in half tones 
and a perusal of its pages will delight 
the lover of birds as well as store 
his mind with much that we have no 
doubt is new. This at least was the 
result of our investigation. 


The arrangement of the species is 
that of the A. O. U. list, giving the 
A. O. U. number, the scientific name 
and the common name of each variety 
in that order, following this with the 
description of the range and then a 
popularly written description of the 
breeding habits of the species. 

Interpolated throughout the work 
are numerous species treated under 
the head of “Hypothetical,” and under 
these headings are placed all of those 
species which are not absolutely and 


authentically known to breed within 
the state. The volume contains 362 
pages, is nicely bound and will be a 
valued addition to the library of any 
scientific 


ornithologist or amateur 


bird lover. 


298 


Preliminary List of Water Birds of the 
Middle Delaware Valley. 
A Correction. 

In the September, 1912, OOLOGIST, 
I published a paper, “Preliminary List 
of Water Birds in the Middle Delaware 
Valley,” which was severly criticized 
in the Auk, 1913, p. 139; and Cassinia, 
1913, p. 64. These criticisms seem to 
call for a reply and as Mr. Barnes has 
asked me to explain what there is in 
them it is necessary for me to do so. 

The chief faults of my article, ac- 
cording to the critic, appears to be its 
lack of originality and the enumera- 
tion of some species of which there are 
no published records, but as I wrote 
the paper without any pretention to 
originality and as it is only a prelim- 
inary list I really cannot see where 
J have erred in enumerating the doubt- 
ful occurrence of these species, par- 
ticularly in view of the fact that full 
data upon these misleading? records 
were to be given in the final report. 
My paper, moreover, was purposely 
written to excite the professional or- 
nithologists to adverse criticism—and 
it seems to have accomplished its pur- 
pose! But it may not be as mislead- 
ing as they appear to think or believe. 

Mr. Whitmer Stone has written me 
upon this subject and I present here- 
with a list of most of the species which 
are supposed never to have occurred 
in this region or are of exceedingly 
rarity, as accidental stragglers, which 
struck Mr. Stone as open to criticism. 
‘The quotations are his: 

Kittiwake—“‘No published evidence 
as far as I know.” 

Franklin’s Gull—‘Purely accidental. 
No record but mine in the Auk, 1912.” 

Gull-billed Tern—“I know of only 
one not very satisfactory record.” 

Royal Tern—‘No record.” 

Foster’s Tern—Purely surmise, as 
you say, ‘There is no evidence’.” 

Least Tern—‘‘No evidence that it 


THE OOLOGIST 


was anything but an extremely rare 
straggler.” 

Roseate Tern—‘‘No evidence.” 

Greater Shearwater—‘No record.” 

Strom Petrel—“One record which is 
probably erroneous as has been point- 
ed out.” 

Brown Pelican—‘No record.” 

Scotters—‘Pure guess work for two 
at least.” 

- White-franted Goose—“Only one rec- 
ord.” 

Roseate Spoonbill—‘“No record.” 

White Ibis—‘‘No record.” 

Buff-breasted Sandpiper—‘No rec- 
ord.” 

With several exceptions, there are 
no authentic records of the occurrence 
of most of the foregoing species in the 
Middle Delaware Valley, but that does 
not indicate that they have never oc- 
curred or been taken here because 
their capture or observance were 
never recorded. - 

In conclusion I will again assert 
that what I shall have to say in re- 
gard to the unfortunateness and mis- 
leadings of my paper apropos my lack 
of annotations, etc., will be dealt fully 
with in my final report upon the 
“Water Birds of the Middle Delaware 
Valley.” 

Richard F. Miller. 
Philadelphia, Pa. 


—___4 o—_______—_ 
Notes on the Red-cockaded Woodpeck- 
er From Texas. 

The Red-cockaded Woodpecker is 
an extremely rare resident of pine 
woods near Houston, Texas, and in all 
my roamings about Harris county in 
search of interesting bird nests since 
moving to Houston in 1909, I never 
found a nest of this bird until one day 
in May, 1912. 

The birds had occasionally been 
seen in a certain tract of pine woods 
bordering Buffalo Bayou west of Hous- 
ton, so on May 25, I gathered my out- 


THE OOLOGIST 


fit together and struck out for that 
locality. A brisk. walk brought me to 
the locality about eleven o’clock, for it 
was a good eight miles from town, and 
I begun my search. 

One of the birds was seen on a tall 
dead pine over a pigsty on the edge of 
this tract, but a careful search failed 
to show a likely looking hole in any 
of the trees, so I crossed over on the 
north side of the stream, and began 
searching carefully among the dead 
pine stumps. I had hardly gone a hun- 
dred yards before I spied another Red- 
cockaded Woodpecker on a tall dead 
pine in a small clearing, and just 
above the bird a likely looking hole. 
With difficulty I reached the base of 
the tree, for a dense thicket covered 
the clearing and it was almost impos- 
sible to pass through on account of 
the thorns on the Cherokee rose and 
blackberry vines. 

Strapping on my climbers I was 
soon at the cavity, twenty-one feet 
from the ground, and by removing the 
front I found the nest contained two 
well-incubated eggs, nest stained and 
laid on a small quantity of pithy pine 
chips. The bird was very shy while 
I was at the nest and stayed a consid- 
erable distance, now and then utter- 
ing their short, shrill, and very clear 
note. 

The birds are extremely active in 
their movements and very difficult to 
observe for the reason that they al- 
ways keep the tree trunk between 
themselves and the observer, as well 
as keeping to the tops of the tallest 
trees. 

The two eggs taken from the nest 
87 x 69 
and .91 x69 inches, and are very glos- 


mentioned above, measure: 


sy. Finlay Simmons. 
Houston, Texas. 


299 


The Henslow’s Sparrow A Summer 
Resident in Central Pennsylvania. 
(Passerherbulus h. henslowi.) 

During early May, 1913, Mr. R. C. 
Harlow and I made a visit to a moun- 
tain valley on the northern border of 
Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. 
One morning as we tramped along a 
road bordering a low, boggy pasture 
field, Mr. Harlow discovered the pres- 
ence of a Henslow’s Sparrow as it ut- 
tered its peculiar notes while perched 
on a tall weed. 

May 23d, we returned to this field 
and made a search for the nest. The 
Sparrows were there and flitted about 
in the grass, but were unable to find 
their nest. 

On the evening of the day follow- 
ing we again went to this field and, 
with long switches, beat over the 
clumps of grass quite thoroughly. 
Just about dusk I flushed one of the 
Sparrows from a tuft of grass, but 
failed to see a nest. However, I hid 
myself nearby and saw the bird re- 
turn. Upon my hurrying up to the 
spot she flittered from the nest and 
secluded herself in the grass near at 
hand. 

The nest held five slightly incubat- 
ed eggs and was composed of soft 
blades of swamp grass, being lined 
with fine grass stems. It was placed 
on a deep clump of grass and was 
slightly arched over. This bordered 
on a slight, damp depression in the 
ground, and was about thirty feet 
above a small swamp. 

One week later Mr. David E. Har- 
rower and I visited this valley and I 
was fortunate enough to locate a sec- 
ond pair of these sparrows. They 
were in a low, wet field about one- 
half mile from the preceding field. 
After we had spent several hours in 
careful search for the nest Mr. Har- 
rower was so fortunate as to locate a 
second one. On this day, which was 


300 


May 30, the nest held but a single egg. 
Five days later we returned and 
flushed the female bird from the nest 
of four eggs. This nest was not so 
well concealed as nest number one; 
it was built in a depression beside a 
tuft of grass and was near several wet 
places. The nest was, as in the first 
case, composed of soft grass blades. 

The finding of this second nest 
caused me to search for another pair 
of birds. On June 4, I returned to 
field number one. Farther down this 
field I found another pair of Sparrows. 
They frequented the very center of 
a small swamp that contained many 
large tufts of swamp grass. With a 
switch I carefully worked over the 
whole area. Finally I flushed the 
Sparrow from her nest and found that 
it held four quite young birds. The 
nest was built in the center of a large 
clump of grass which grew beside 
several wet places. The construction 
of this nest resembled that of the 
others. 

The two sets of eggs were very 
much alike in ground color which is 
a faint greenish-white. The first set 
Was more heavily marked in the form 
of wreaths about the larger ends of 
the specimens. The set of four con- 
tained the markings on all parts of 
the shell. These eggs remind me of 
large specimens from the field Spar- 
rows. 

To my knowledge these are the only 
records of the MHenslow’s Sparrow 
nesting in Pennsylvania. 

S. S. Dickey. 
Waynesburg, Pa. 


AN Rc oe ly es en i See 
Notes. 

We have recently come into posses- 
sion of the larger portion of a collec- 
tion of eggs made by Lieutenant F. B. 
Eastman of the U. S. Army at differ- 
ent places where he has been station- 
ed, and have just settled up with him. 


THE OOLOGIST 


lt is a pleasure to quote, for the bene- 
fit of our readers, a clause in the let- 
ter which we sent him at the time of 
the final settlement which is as fol- 
lows: 

“T have at last got your specimens 
unpacked and proved up with data, 
and I want to say to you that they 
are the most satisfactory lot of speci- 
mens as a lot that I have received in 
many a long day.’” 

Among the rarities included in this 
collection, is a full series of beautiful 
sets of the Semi-palmated Sandpiper, 
and many others equally as rare, 
though none showing a more beautiful 
variation in series. 

We notice by the Associated Press 
dispatches that Dr. Ora W. Knight of 
Bangor, Maine, has recently bequeath- 
ed to the United States National 
Museum (Smithsonian) his entire col- 
lection of Ornithological, Oological, 
and Hntomological specimens. Some 
time ago the Doctor sent us a list of 
the eggs contained in this collection 
which at the time impressed us as be- 
ing one of rare value. 

* * * 

Finlay Simmons of Houston, Texas, 
has contracted with the Houston Post, 
a leading daily of that city, to supply 
them a weekly article on the subject 
of birds of that locality, and it is a 
pleasure to note the success he is hav- 
ing along these lines. The articles 
first appear in the Sunday Post and 
later in the Farm and Fireside, reach- 
ing approximately 80,000 readers ulti- 
mately. 

A vast amount of good can be done 
by work of this kind, and we should 
be glad to see it taken up by other 
competent ornithologists in different 
parts of the country. 


THE OOLOGIST vn 


Bird Books 


Bonaparte’e List of Bus of 


Europe - $ .50 
Sr_-th’s The Canary, 12 colored 
plates, 1870 - 1.50 


Tegetmeier’s The Hosiae Pigeon, 
Eibgs:, 1871: 2 - 


Canary Birds, A Manual for eu 


Keepers, Illus. - - 1.0C 
Bird Neighbors, School canons 
colored plates, 1899 - - 
Life of Andubon, edited by his 
widow; Portrait, 1869 - 1.50 


A Book of Wild Things. Colored 
plates of Birds by ap are 
artists - 1.00 


Autograph letters of John Burroughs 
and other naturalists; also engraved 
portraits. 


State House Book Shop 
221 Sth St. Philadelphia, Pa. 


THE CONDOR 


A Magazine of Western 
Ornithology 


Published Bi-monthly by the 
Coop2r Ornithological Club of California 
Edited by J. Grinnell and Harry S. Swarth 


““The Condor’’ is strictly scientific 
but edited in such a way that a be- 
ginner of ‘‘Bird Study”’’ can easily un- 
derstand it. 

The articles in ‘‘The Condor’’ are 
written by the leading Ornithologists 
of the United States and are illustrated 
by the highest quality of half tones. 

Our subscription rates are $1.50 per year in 
the United States and $1.76 in a Foreign coun- 
try. Sample Copy 30c. 


Address 


W. LEE CHAMBERS, Bus. Manager, 
Eagle Rock, Los Angeles, Cal. 


BENJAMIN HOAG 
STEPHENTOWN,N Y. 


Oologists Tools and Supplies, Books and 
Magazines of every description. Send for 
lists. Write your special wants for quotations 
by letter. Ican save you money. 


Cut the Lining Egg Drills: 4 selected sizes for 
$1.00. If not the best you ever used re- 
turn and get your money. 


Regular Egg Drills: No.0, 20c; No. 1, ate: No, 
2, 25c: No. 3, 35c; No. 4, "45¢; No. 5, 50¢ 


Blowpipes: AJ] best nickle. No.1, 40c; No. 2. 
30c; No. 3, 20c. 

Embryo Hooks: Nickle plated, 25c. 

Embryo Scissors: No, 2, best quality straight 
or curved, 50c. Finest quality straight, 
$1.00; curved, $1.25. 

Best Steel Climbers: With strap, $2.75; with- 
out, $1.90. 

Books and Magazines: Let me quote and send 

list. I can supply anything in print, and 

always have old out of print books and 
back vol mes of magazines. 


All prices prepaid 


BIRD-LORE 
FOR CHRISTMAS 


Tell us to whom you wish us: 
to send Bird-Lore for you dur- 
ing 1914, and we will forward 
a Christmas Card, giving your 
name as donor, and afree copy 
of the 100-page Christmas num- 
ber of Bird-Lore, containing 
three colored plates and many 
half-tones. They will go in 
time to be received, with your 
greetings, on Christmas Day, 
and Bird-Lore will follow, as 
published, throughout the year. 
A valuable present, easily made, 
whether to a friend or to your- 


self. 

$1.00 a Year 
For Christmas: Five Subscriptions for 
$4.00, Three Subscriptions for $2.50 


BIRD-LORE, Harrisburg, Pa. 


VIll THE OOLOGIST 


1914 


The Oologist will improve with the New 
ear. 


It has improved with each New Year under 
the present management. 


The friends of The Oologist have been loyal 
in the past and they wiil continue so in the 
future. 


Will you be one of us in the futurer We 
hope so and you will never regret it, and 
neither will we. 


For all NEW subscriptions received before 
January I, 1914, we will send the Christmas 
issue of the Oologist free of charge. It will 
be some issue, be sure of that. 


‘e i od 
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