over and over with slight modifications at intervals of four or five seconds. 

 The Chat note, a nasal aoun, was a favorite preface, but we recognized also 

 Towhee, Summer Tanager, Song Sparrow, Catbird, Carolina Wren, English 

 Sparrow, Wood Thrush, and Warbling Vireo, in the order named. 



But while the bird is a good deal of a wag and something of a scold, we are 

 always ready to applaud his humor, and we may as readily condone his "nippy" 

 tongue when we remember that it is wielded in a good cause. The White-eyed 

 Vireo builds low, seldom above seven or eight feet from the ground, and it is 

 naturally anxious for the safety of its eggs or little ones. It is only when the 

 welfare of these is threatened that the bird becomes disagreeable and personal, 

 and not always then. 



The nest shown in the near-by illustration was pointed out to me by a 

 friend, Mr. C. H. Morris of McConnelsville. The bird was on but she occupied 

 the center of a little bower which was guarded by a wall of drooping vines and 

 bristling blackberry stems. With fear and trembling I cut an entrance way, 

 removing the stems one by one, and glancing apprehensively at the sitting bird, 

 but she sat on, unmoved. Next, the camera was brought in and advanced by 

 slow stages toward the watchful bird. Many twigs required to be cut away, 

 and there was much flapping of camera-cloths, gesticulating of unmanageable 

 "legs," and clicking of shutters, but the white-eyed beauty sat nicely for her 

 portrait, — once, twice, thrice, until the strain became too great for her. Next 

 the nest and eggs were photographed, and after removing the Cowbird's egg 

 (which appears in the picture just above the nearer rim) the rest were left to 

 be gathered later in the day. 



Returning some five hours later, the bird-man pressed eagerly into the copse, 

 intending to collect the set of eggs for a well-known museum. The bird was 

 on and happy now in a new-found confidence. Nearer — nearer — came the col- 

 lector. The bird sat on. Finally moved by some strange impulse the man 

 brought his face down close to hers, not above a foot away, and gazed wist- 

 fully, searchingly, into those trustful eyes. Then that old hard heart of mine 

 melted within me and I turned and fled. 



The Surf Scoter {Oldemia perspicillata) 

 By Frank M. Woodruff 



The Surf Scoter is also known by several other popular names, such as the 

 Surf Duck, the Surf or Sea Coot and, not infrequently, the Booby. The name 

 Velvet Duck, though more commonly applied to the white-winged scoter, is 

 also sometimes used to designate this species. 



This Scoter is an American species and is only an accidental visitor to 

 European coasts. Its range includes the "coasts and larger inland waters of 

 northern North America; in winter, south to Florida, to the Ohio River and to 

 San Quentin Bay, Lower California." 



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