THE OOLOGIST. 



113 



The eggs, two or three in number, rarely- 

 4, 3 seems to be the mimber iisiiall}' de- 

 posited, are of a rich creamy white, thickly 

 spotted with deep reddish-brown and Hlac 

 often forming a continent ring around 

 larger end. 



Average measurement, .76 X .54: and .71 

 X.53. 



F. W. C, Wauwatosa, Wis. 



A Murderous Red -headed 

 Woodpecker. 



There is no pursuit that furnishes me 

 with so much delight as natural history; 

 but birds' habits have been so well studied 

 and recorded that it seems hardly possible 

 to note anything more that will be new for 

 our latitude. However that may be, I will 

 relate something I observed which strikes 

 me as an unusual trait in the habits of the 

 Ked-headed Woodjjecker: 



One day in Julv, 1880, I visited a farmer 

 and gardener named Abel Steele, who re- 

 sides about three miles west of Hyde Park, 

 and while walking with him to the back of 

 his farm we observed some youno; Robins 

 along the lane fence. They were able to 

 fly two or three rods at a time before 

 alighting. Returning an hour later by the 

 same route, Mr. Steele called my attention 

 to a Red-headed Woodpecker carrying 

 something large in its beak; I looked just 

 in time to see the Woodpecker drop its 

 drop its burden and alight u4)on a clod 

 close by it, and look at it with much eager- 

 ness. I went to see what it might be that 

 the Woodpecker had been flying away with, 

 and was greatly surprised to find it to be 

 one of the young Robins we had noticed 

 when passing that way before. It was just 

 newly killed; its head being smashed to 

 a jell}" and brain oozing out at a niimber 

 of jilaces. I have no doubt but that the 

 Woodpecker had killed the Robin, for I 

 have frequently in Winter seen Red-heads 

 chase Chickadees, Nuthatches and .smaller 

 species of Woodpeckers. 



I would like to hear from others on the 

 same subject. 



John A. Mordkn. Ontario, Can. 



Black-billed Cuckoo Nesting in 

 Dakota. 



As the writer of tlie aiticle on Cuckoos, in 

 the Jan. number of the Oologlst, desires 

 to hear from others on the subject, I 

 thought a few notes from Dakota might 

 prove interesting to my Oological friends. 



On the 29th of June, 1886, brother and I 

 were on a fishing excursion up the "James," 

 although a narrow river it is the longest one 

 wholly in the territory and abounds in many 

 species of fish. Numerous small willows 

 grow along its banks. Occasionally a small 

 grove of plum and choke cherry trees have 

 sprung up along its bluffs. Nine years ago 

 there were some good sized ash, elm, box- 

 elder and Cottonwood trees growing along its 

 banks in Beadle Co. ; but now we can only 

 speak of stumps and shrubs. 

 Returning to my subject; being somewhat 

 tired of rowing up this winding river, we 

 sought shelter from the sun in a thick 

 growth of willows, growing on the east bank 

 about 7 miles north and east of Huron. 

 After a short time I possessed a curiosity to 

 explore this tangle of willows and rose bush- 

 es, and consider myself well paid for my 

 trouble, for I had only gpne a short tlistance 

 when I caught sight of a female Black- 

 billed Cuckoo sitting on its nest. In a sec- 

 ond she had slipped of the nest and 

 disappeared . among the bushes and my eyes 

 rested upon a beautiful set of four gi-eenish- 

 blue eggs in as beautiful a nest, composed 

 of willow twigs, leaves and catkins. It was 

 well concealed in a wild rose bush, scarcely 

 ;i feet from the ground. The willows 

 formed a canopy a few feet overhead, the 

 silent river was not a rod away. I do not 

 believe I have e^er seen a more pleasant 

 place for a cuckoo to establish a summer 

 home. The eggs, which measure 1.06 x .84, 

 1.13 X. 84, 1.14 X.85 and 1.16 x .85 now 

 rest in a cotton lined tray in my cabinet 

 and call to mind many jjleasant thoughts of 

 that day we went fishing. 



E. S. C. 



