THE OOLOGIST. 



?r)3 



Space will not permit lue lo relate 

 even one of the many pleasurable in- 

 cidents of that iifty mile cruise down the 

 Connecticut, nor to tell you of the 

 pleasant hours sul)se(]uently spent on 

 lakes and rivers with this craft, in pur- 

 suit of i)oth knowledge and recreation. 

 • One word, however, about my outtit. 

 I usually went alone. I carru'd a gun, 

 hunting knife, ammunition, a rubber 

 blanket, a few canned goods and other 

 light provisions, tishiug:tackle, sketch- 

 l)ooks. taxidermist's instruments, pock- 

 et drinking cup, mntches, soap and 



'. towels. It is well when taking a long 

 trip to carry-as little as possible trusting 

 to the houses along your course for 

 uicals and loilging. Still, ii's sometimes 

 necessary to econon)i/eand always well 

 to be prepared for an emergency Again, 

 boys who cannot swim must foiego the 

 l)leasure of canoeing. 



In a subsequent article we will con- 

 sider the construction of another craft 



1 also adapted to the neetis of students of 

 natural science. In conclusion, if an^' 

 of the readers of the Ot)Lo<;isT desire to 

 construct a boat similar to the one here- 



\ in described, yet tind this description 

 insufficient or iuadeijuale, the writer 

 will give them such information as he 

 is able if they will write a letter stating 

 their wants and mail it to 



■'Tommy H.\\vk," 

 Care of Ur. E., 118 South St., Uol- 

 yoke, Mass. 



The Rose-breasted Grosbeak at Home- 



The Rose-breasted Grosbeak is a not 

 uncommon bird hereai)Outs during the 

 summer; but, someway or other, like 

 certain other of our common birds it is 

 true of him that, though you see him 

 often himself, the place of his habita- 

 tion is not so frequently met with. 

 Hence it is that I have chosen to speak 

 of his majesty "at home.'' 



But perhaps you don't know where 

 he lives? Well, come with me and I 



will show you his private residences 

 Perhaps you better put on your rub- 

 ber boots before starting, as you are 

 likely to need them. 



Two miles south, turn to your right, 

 then a mile west. Here the X'oad skirts 

 a piece of woods. Over the fence and 

 j'ou are in the "Peat Swamp," many 

 acres in extent, anil thickly wooded, 

 Proceed straight south through the 

 woods. The land keeps getting lower 

 ami the water more plentiful, and soon 

 you come to an opening in the forest, 

 where you tind a vast swampy n\eadow 

 entii'ely surrounded i)y woods. The 

 meadow itself is nothing more than a 

 swamp, there being water on every 

 hauil, and progress is only practicable 

 along the higher elevations or by step- 

 ping from one tussock of grass to an- 

 other. 



All over this swampy nu'Mdow are 

 bushes growing, which become tliicker 

 and more entangled as we approach the 

 bordering woods 



Now look out. Here are numerous 

 vvari)lers and a tine place it is to study 

 them Yellow Warblers, Chestnut- 

 Sided, and the Maryland Yellow-throat 

 breed here, and Wilson's Thrush in the 

 woods near by; while in the bushes you 

 will liud an occasional Grosbeak's nest. 



As you come upon this rural I'esi- 

 dence of //. Inilovicidmi, you are quite 

 as likely to find the '}nrtn of the house in 

 as the lady, for he "spends his evenings 

 at home," in short, «loes his share of the 

 housework. You are quite as likely to 

 lind the male Grosbeak on the nest as 

 the female, and how different in ap- 

 l)earance, the tMOl The male in all the 

 rich gorgeousness of his red, white and 

 black, while the female is of a dull 

 brown throughout. As you approach 

 the nest, eithei' bird will iu)t leave until 

 you almost touch the nest, when it slides 

 out an<l away. If it be the male, he re- 

 mains in the immediate vicinity, lilting 

 from bush to bush and offering oc- 

 casional remonstrance. If it be the fe- 



