THE OOLOGIST. 



35 



trying to make it bat its ej'es His iiat 

 cauglit on his bill. 



Aside from tiie curiosity of the things 

 and an occasional Redbird for a present, 

 there seems to be but little value in 

 birds to the average resident. How- 

 ever, our knowledge of these things has 

 won for us a position that is not to be 

 <lespised. 



Our work meets an occasional admir- 

 er, but never yet have we had a job 

 brought to us, though we sell a few 

 specimens (high colored), of our own 

 collecting. 



I have learned when all too late of a 

 number of Bald Eagles and other rare 

 birds being killed and thrown away. 



We can convince a few that there is 

 some benefit gained by a knowledge of 

 the habits of dift'ei'ent birds, plants, in- 

 -sects. etc., and through the aid of these 

 few we gain some valuable datas and 

 sometimes specimens 



One of our near neighbors is of this 

 class, yet they could not identify a doz 

 en species of birds, further than to say 

 "it's a Sparrow " "a Wren" or "Wood- 

 pecker." 



There are three in the family, parents, 

 and daughter, and are quite fond of 

 pets especially birds and will not allow 

 them disturbed. They are very kind to 

 us too, and I have to respect their 

 wishes, that is, I dare not disturb eggs, 

 (no matter how rare to my collection) 

 and let them know it. They live on 

 the top the mountain while we do not, 

 by some 400 feet, and as I am consider- 

 ed PS not afraid of anything, I am call- 

 ed upon to help rob their bees, and sev- 

 eral other annual jobs of work; so 1 am 

 there often, and make it a point to stay 

 late sometimes, and go by a bird's nest 

 I may know of on their place. But 

 there was one nest I could not rob this 

 way. I had been there one day to help 

 with bees, and Miss Neighbor wanted 

 to know if that w^asn't a House Wren 

 building in their tool box in the shop. 

 I investigated, (for I had not known of 



that Wren building in this locality), and 

 found the conventional nest of sticks, 

 etc., packed away among a lot of plow 

 points. I began to think the lady was 

 right, when I heard a sweet song (all 

 for our benefit), much more musical 

 than the House Wren's, then a little 

 scolding and in popped a "slim Caroli- 

 na Wren with a long tail," which I 

 recognized as Jhryolhortis bewickii. 

 They were so glad that the birds built 

 there, and so was I for I had spent 

 many vain hours searching through 

 brush piles, rail piles, log heaps and 

 tree tops in one clearing, for their nests 

 which I supposed must be there some- 

 where, from the way the birds acted 

 and from the lateness of the season for 

 them to migrate North. 



Of course, I didn't hint around that I 

 wanted those eggs (?) by telling them 

 how valuable they were and that I had 

 none in my collection. Well I went 

 home that night, blaming them for not 

 telling me to take the eggs, and I blam- 

 ed myself for not inventing some plan 

 to get them. I thought to go some 

 night and get them but no, their dogs 

 would tell on me. 1 at last hit upon a 

 plan. I was sure I could persuade 

 them to let me substitute the eggs with 

 those of the Carolina Wren, but no 

 Carolina's could be found and I gave up 

 in despair. A week or so later they 

 called on me again to rob more bees, 

 this time at night. I took courage and 

 armed myself with my baking powder 

 can of cotton. Wife went along so we 

 could stay all night. I purposed to 

 make it an emergency if need be, and 

 grease the eggs, on the sly of course, 

 but what I got them. Luckily the 

 emergency had happened, for on in- 

 quiry as to their wellfare, I was told by 

 Miss Neighbor that she thought the cat 

 caught one of the birds, and if so I 

 could have the eggs but not to say any- 

 thing about it to the old folks. To 

 make this long story shorter, I went 

 out and could truthfully return and say 



