THE OSPREY. 



% 



We are pained to learn of the death, at Salem, 

 N. Y., on Jan. 31, of Mrs. Caroline Hall Audu- 

 bon, wife of John Woodhouse Audubon, and 

 mother of the Misses Maria R. and Florence 

 Audubon. Tliis venerable lady, born Dec. .'^, 

 181 1, was married Oct. 2, 1S41, thus becoming a 

 daughter-in-law of John James Audubon; and 

 her departure severs a link in the historic chain 

 of American Ornithology. Mrs. Audubon had 

 been a sad sufferer for many months when 

 death came, not unexpectedly, as a blessed re- 

 lease from pain. Our heartfelt sympathies are 

 extended to the bereaved family. 



Parable of the Clever Kid and his Aged Sire. 

 "Pa! Pa! " exclaimed the Clever Kid, as he 

 rushed in upon his Aged Sire, waving a copy of 



the Auk for January, 1S99; "they're tumbling to 

 the philological racket! They're getting onto 

 the orthographic curves!" 



"Calm yourself, my son," said the Aged Or- 

 nithologist, who had one foot in the grave aud 

 the other almost tht-re; "use no slanguage, but 

 inform me why this unseemly merriment." 



"Just you read it yourself, guv'uor," replied 

 the Kid. 



And the Sire's eye kindled as he saw on jiage 

 107 — P-e-d-i-o-e-c-e-t-e-s. 



"Hosanna to the Lord," cried the Aged Or- 

 nithologist, in a kind of holy rapture; "have I 

 lived to see this day? Now let nie lift my 

 other foot into the grave, and sleep the sleep 

 that knows no waking. The Committee on 

 Classification and Nomenclature of the Ameri- 

 can Ornithologists' I'nion are learning to spell." 



Letter Box. 



GarxeTT, Kas., Dec, 27th, 1898. 

 Editor of Thk Ospkky: 



I was witness of an unusual sight in bird life 

 on the ISth of this month; or at any rate it was 

 an unusual sight to me. On returning from a 

 trip into the country, I observed a remarkable 

 number of Bluebirds. There were between 50 

 and 75 of them. They flew across the road di- 

 rectly in front of me, and as I had a good view 

 of them I could not be mistaken in their iden- 

 tity. A few moments previously I had noticed 

 four Bluebirds in the midst of a large flock of 

 Robins, Chewinks and Yellow-hanuners. This 

 flock was near a large feed bi i.\. which accounted 

 for their numbers. There must have been sev- 

 eral hundred Robins. I had seen some large 



flocks of Robins this year, but never so many 

 birds of dift'erent species together. For two 

 weeks previously there had been a heavy fall of 

 snow aud sleet, covering the ground, and I pre- 

 sume the birds were compelled to seek for food 

 in the large feed lots we have here. Is it not 

 unusual for Bluebirds to associate in such large 

 numbers? In fact, they have been very con- 

 spicuous by their absence for several years past. 

 During the entire spring and summer I only 

 observed seven; and last year, four. I wish you 

 would intjuire through your columns if others 

 have witnessed any extraordinary numbers of 

 Bluebirds this winter. 



Yours Very Truly, 



Hakkv Johnson. 



Pigeon Holes. 



Ground Ne.st of 0.sprey. — The nest here point 

 figured was situated on the ground near the Maine 



'-^fc.^ v^^^^^*. 



OKOUND NEST OF OSIH 



of Coltshead Island, in Penobscot Bay, 

 , May 26. lS'-»7. The dimensions were : 

 outside diameter 7o inches; height 36 

 inc'nes; depth of cavity 3 inches. The 

 nest was composed of small driftwood 

 and other sticks, roots and rubbish, 

 with 3 lining of grass and a few feath- 

 ers. It contained three eggs, well ad- 

 vanced in incubation. Another nest 

 with the same complement of eggs was 

 found on the opposite point of the same 

 island. — O. W. Knight. 



OvR Northern Lanhs. — Many read- 

 ers of TuEOspREvare no doubt familiar 

 with our winter representative of the 

 common Loggerhead. He ranges south 

 to about the 36th parallel, breeding for 

 1 lie most part north of the United States. 

 In the vicinity of Chicago he is almost 

 IS common as the Loggerhead, though 

 less often seen on account of his shyness. 

 I have observed him at various times 

 'luring the winter from November 3 to 

 March 28, but do not doubt that he is 

 here several weeks longer. Lanius has 

 1 L-putation on account of his bird-eating 



