188 



THS 0OIXXU8T. 



We read the first study in the book 

 through carefully (Hummingbird 

 Studies'). The editor of the Oologist 

 has no field acquaintance with West- 

 ern Hummers, but he has had several 

 opportunities to make pleasant and 

 profitable visits to Mrs. Rubythroat of 

 the Eastern U. S., while she was 

 home-building and housekeeping, and 

 in some respects his observations did 

 not point to the same conclusions as 

 Mr. Finley arrived at. 



We have not found the Eastern 

 bird selecting nesting sites with ref- 

 erence to protection from storms, as 

 a rule. In other respects their hab- 

 its appear to differ. 



Again, on page 46, he speaks of it 

 toeing a very rare occurrence for a 

 Wrd to sing on the nest, and quotes 

 Mr. Burroughs in support. Did eittier 

 Mr. Finley or Mr. Burroughs ever 

 make a close study of a pair of nest- 

 ing warbling vireos? 



As far as our oibservations go, every 

 sitting bird of this species slngS' from 

 its nest in early morn, to its mate, al- 

 ways in the near vicinity. 



On page 11 he advances a theory 

 in explanation of the apparent exile 

 of the father Hummer during the 

 rearing of the annual family that may 

 be correct. 



I might say much more. It is full 

 of interest. Read it. 



ERNEST H. SHORT. 



To the Editor Oologist, 



Dear Sir: — 



Will you kindly tell me if possible 

 what kind of bird makes a nest of 

 grasses wrapped nicely with leaves 

 with a very little hair inside, very 

 deep about 5 or 6 inches, and very 

 rough on the top, no pretention what- 

 ever to forming an edge as mostbirds 

 do. The grasses stand straight up 

 not formed around. Nest situated 

 near stream in the ground. The eggs 

 are pure white and about about size 

 of Phoebe's and spotted with reddish 

 brown near the larger end. 



I found the nest but could not see 

 the bird at all waited a long time. I 



think it must be some kind of a wai'b- 

 ler. Can you tell from my rather 

 vague description. 



Hoping you can assist me and 

 thanking you in advance for any in- 

 formation I remain, 



Yours sincerely, 



H. P. B. 

 Mass. 

 Would have to see the eggs. [Ed."] 

 Toledo, O., Oct. 14. 



Mr. Ernest H. Short, 



Dear Sir: — 



I wish to record the capture of a 

 Willet (symphemia semipalmata) by 

 Mr. A. K. Secor and Mr. Wm. A. 

 Ketcham, both well known business 

 as well' as sportsmen, at Cedar Point, 

 Oct. 10, 1907. This is an extremely 

 rare bird here; there is no record 

 that I can find since 1880, although 

 this is the third specimen that these 

 gentlemen have taken; the others 

 have not ibeen preserved. 

 Your truly, 



A. C. Read. 



Ed. Oologist: — 



Oct. 27, 1907, while out hunting, I 

 saw an albino crow, which was feed- 

 ing in a corn field in company with 

 a common black fellow. The plum- 

 mage was entirely white, with the 

 exception of the tail feathers, which 

 were marked with black. It was 

 very s'hy and could sot ^be approach- 

 ed. 



W. W. Jr., 

 Oct. 1, '07. Kalamazoo, Mich. 



EXPLANATORY. 

 In regard to our new Adv. Policy. 



For the following reasons, while as 

 stated in the "Oologist" Vol. XXI. 

 No. 8, Aug., 1904; we have accepted 

 such advertisements only on the un- 

 derstanding that the specimens were 

 legally collected in accordance with 

 the Game Laws of the State or Coun- 

 ty where collected and hence S'hould 

 be legally salable for the purposes 

 stipulated in the right to collect, still 

 we are informed that the Andubon 

 Societies and some of the State Game 

 Commissions object to any tendency 

 tow'ard these leaving the collectors 

 hands as a commercial commodity, 

 and thej^ also claim, probably with 

 some reason, that such advertisements 

 may tend to encourage illegal collect- 

 ing. 



