110 



THE OOLOGIST. 



Osteology in February No. It is a sub- 

 ject which will furnish much interest 

 to the observer, "Notes from Isabella 

 Co," and 'Birds as Pets,' in January 

 No. show thought and observation and 

 something outside of the common run. 

 Trusting that I may be forgiven for 

 my expressions I will subside. 



G. SlRROM. 



iNesting of the Blue-winged Yellow Warbler. 

 Helminthophila x>iniis. 



Although this bird seems to be com- 

 mon in this vicinity, I see very little in 

 OoLOGiST as regards him. He might 

 be called rare by those- not acquainted 

 with his song. After, learning the song 

 and thus having my attention fur- 

 ther called to him, I was surprised 

 to tind how many were in the woods 

 which otherwise I should never have 

 noticed. 



The nest however is hard to find. 

 On May 30, 1893, I found a nest which 

 was betrayed by tlie birds, after they 

 had been watched for sometime, the 

 female bird had disappeared and I had 

 given up finding the nest. I gave a 

 .sharp whistle as a signal to my com- 

 panion, who had become lost to my 

 view, that it was time to move on. At 

 once a bird flew up from the tall grass 

 a few feet distant to a neighboring ti'ee, 

 I recognized my Blue-winged Warbler. 

 In a few minutes I had found the nest 

 which was about completed, but con- 

 tained no eggs. 



June 7th I paid it another visit. 

 The nest had been crushed by a Cow- 

 hiM{Molothrus atcr) who had left be- 

 hind her complement of one egg. The 

 birds were not to be seen, the nest ap- 

 peared to be deserted. However I re- 

 moved the Cowbird's egg. 



June 9th happening to pass the nest 

 I looked in and was surprised to find 

 two eggs of the warbler. Birds not seen. 



June 12th I paid it another visit and 



found 3 eggs which was all the bird 

 laved in the nest unless one or two were 

 thrown out by the Covvbird. The ex- 

 perience of others in this locality give 

 the common number laid as five. 



The ^nest was composed wholly of 

 leaves on the outside. The inner parts 

 were composed of strips of bark and 

 grass, the material growing finer as it 

 neared the interior. It was narrow 

 and deep, not inA'erfed cone shape. 

 It was placed in a plot of high grass 

 between some stalks :of Golden Rod 

 and barely touched the ground. There 

 were no leaves on the ground near the 

 nest. It was supported by the grass 

 and Golden Rod on which it depended 

 for concealment. 



The plot of grass abounded with 

 various vines and briers. It was next 

 to a pine grove on one of the banks of 

 the Housatonic river. 



W. L. Dunbar. 

 Bridgeport, Conn. 



SCENES PROM THE LIFE OF ALEXANDER 

 WILSON. 



Wilson in Scotland. 



G. Vrooman Smith. 



I wha stand here, in this brae scowry coat. 

 Was once a packman, worth mony a groat ; 

 I've carried packs as big's your mekele table, 

 I've scarted pats, and sleepit in a stable : 

 Sax pounds I wadna for my pack ance taen. 

 And I could bauldly brag 'twas a mine ain. 

 (A Pedlar's Stoky.) 



On the 6th day of July, 1766, in the 

 town of Paisley, Scotland, was born the 

 author of the above Scottish rhj'me and 

 one who was destined to attain a pure 

 and enduring fame in the country of 

 his adoption. 



His parents though not of royal birth, 

 were by no means ordinary pei'sonages. 

 His mother died when Alexander had 

 scarcely reached the age of ten. The 

 death of his mother and the unhappi- 

 ness caused bv his father's second mar- 



