130 



THE OOLOdlST 



set of eggs properly prepared, I 

 spoiled both of these sets. I took a 

 pen knife and drilled a ragged hole 

 in each one large enough to take 

 out a heavily incubated embryo. 



These sets are spoiled so far as 

 Commercial Value is concerned, but 

 I will keep them as a memento of 

 my first egg collecting. 



Ligon Price, 

 Marlinton, West Virginia. 

 Pocahontas County. 



BRIEF NOTES ON THE BLUE-GREY 

 GNATCATCHER 



Undoubtedly my desire to further 

 my studies of the Blue-grey Gnat- 

 catcher, originated in an adventure 

 I had some years ago. At this time 

 I iwas specializing in Bird photogra- 

 phy. The back-waters or "houys" of 

 the river, with their numerous Is- 

 lands, of stunted trees and sedge 

 grass, afforded a veritable paradise 

 to the Ornithologist. 



The river was high, at this particu- 

 lar time, and covered the Islands to 

 a depth of about four feet. I was at- 

 tempting to obtain a series of pic- 

 tures of the Red-start, when I by 

 chance, discovered the Gnatcatcher's 

 nest. This was a rare treat for me 

 and I determined to obtain the set of 

 eggs, which I supposed were in it. 

 The nest was located far out on a 

 willow limb. I climbed as far out as 

 I dared and was cutting the limb, in- 

 tending to secure the set by this 

 method. 



I fear there was a smile of fond 

 anticipation on my face as I con- 

 templated the beautiful set that 

 would eventually grace my cabinet, 

 when a "crack" and ere I were 

 aware of it, I was under water! Un- 

 daunted, however, I made for the 

 nest, peacefully floating on the water, 



only to find four youngsters blink- 

 ing surprised like in it. 



Through later years I have become 

 intimately acquainted with this spe- 

 cies. My records of migration show 

 that this bird returns on the 27th of 

 April, as an average. This dainty 

 twitter can be heard frequently as 

 they search diligently among the new 

 leaves of birch and willow for un- 

 fortunate insects. I find that the pair 

 hunt together and I am inclined to 

 believe they spend a part of their 

 honeymoon in selecting a nesting 

 sight. 



About a week after their arrival, 

 they start nest building. Willows are 

 invariably chosen as the tree in 

 which to place their charming nest. 

 The "cotton" from the willow cat- 

 kins are obtained first, and are used 

 in this locality for the greater part of 

 the nest. These hirds are diligent 

 workers and the house is soon paint- 

 ed and lined with spider webs. But 

 the most renowned artists of the 

 world cannot camoufiage quite like 

 this bird. The bits of lichens used in 

 "painting" the nest, continue to re- 

 tain their color, due to the moist sit- 

 uation. The nest is the best imita- 

 tion of a knot that I have ever seen. 



The pretty little eggs are a treat 

 to both oologist and photogra^pher. 

 But the nests are indeed difficult to 

 find, and it takes a pretty good pair 

 of eyes to locate them, unless they 

 are found during the period the nests 

 are in construction. Then one may 

 easily find two dozen nests in a day. 

 Undoubtedly, most amateur oologists 

 possess one or more sets of this spe- 

 cies, acquired through exchange, but 

 by far the greater pleasure is lost, 

 unless the set recalls scenes of stag- 

 nant water; water moccasins dosing 

 on rotten logs; turtles sunning them- 

 selves; frogs croaking hoarsely; 

 dragon flies darting hither and 



