il8 



THE MUSEUM. 



of moss. It is always placed where 

 the spray of rushing waters will keep 

 it damp, and the moss soon takes root 

 and grows. Its size is from loto 14 

 inches long, and eight to ten in- 

 ches high, and about the same in width. 

 When placed against the moss covered 

 rocks or logs, it cannot be told from a 

 tuft of moss except by a practiced eye. 

 The entrance is on the side and gener- 

 ally a little below the center. Inside 

 the nest is dry and warm. 



It has been my pleasure to examine 

 several nests, and it might be of inter- 

 est to mention a few, (a) May i, '91 

 Contained 3 slightly incubated eggs, 

 pure white, and measured i.oi x 74, 

 1. 00 X yT,, I.OI X 73. Placed on a 

 beam of an old deserted saw mill, so 

 situated that the sprayand flowing 

 water kept the nest very wet outside. 

 In order for the bird to reach the 

 nest proper, she must pass upward 

 and back. The lining of nest was 

 moss and dry grass. Size of nest, 

 length, 12 inches, width, 11 inches, 

 height, 7h inches, (On exhibition Nat. 

 Mus.) 



(B) Found May 4, '91, containing 

 3 young. The nest was placed on 

 side of perpendicular rocks, about four 

 feet from surface of water and sixteen 

 feet from the top of cliff and was only 

 accessable by lowering one over the 

 cliff by a rope. 



(C) Found May 10, '93, in the 

 center of a stream on a dead log, con- 

 taining 4 fresh eggs. Nest similar 

 to those already described, but situ- 

 ated just below a heavy water fall. It 

 will thus be seen that the time of nest- 

 ing is from April 1 5 to May i 5. 



This bird will return and use the 

 same nest year after year and I might 



add that it is a constant resident of 

 these parts. 



What a pleasure it is for one to 

 wander up and down these mountain 

 streams, catching trout and finding an 

 occassional nest of the American Dip- 

 per, to vary the monotony of such an 

 occasion. 



Much more might be said, but fear- 

 ing the editor's wrath I will desist. 

 A. G. Prill, M. D. 



Winter Birds. 



The town of Boonville, N. Y. , lies 

 on the northern border of Oneida 

 County. Here in winter the snow 

 piles up to the depth of several feet, 

 and the mercury is constantly strug- 

 gling to condense itself into as small a 

 space as possible. A few winters ago, 

 for three continuous weeks, the ther- 

 mometer registered below ten degrees 

 below zero. Notwithstanding our 

 frigid climate, the birds do not all de- 

 sert us at winter. 



I have compiled the following list 

 of our winter visitants and residents, 

 known by us to visit this town. 



Several species not included in this 

 list have been observed near here, and 

 undoubtedly a few visit the town of 

 which I have no knowledge. 



1 i'ria lojuvia. Brunnich's Murre. 

 One captured in the southern part of 

 the town, December 5th last. One 

 also taken near the same place the 

 middle of the month, and one near 

 Utica the 24th. These, I believe are 

 the only birds from the family Alcidae 

 taken in Oneida county. 



2 /'Otiasa uiiibcllus. Ruffed 

 Grouse. Remain here during the win- 

 ter. 



3 HaliacttKs U-ncoccplialus. Bald 



