tV2 



THE OOLOGIST 



for locality, in the nesting of several pairs 1 

 of Red-eyed Greenlets for successive years, 

 ill the little saplings upon the edge of a path 

 through the woods, i'requented daily by both 

 men and cattle. A small group of maples 

 contained six of these uests ; iind the men- 

 tion of this circumstance induces the query 

 hearing upon this subject : are not Red-eyed 

 Vireos often gregarious in nesting? Or is 

 it true tliat these gi'oups of nests one some- 

 times finds, make up a "family settlement" ? 

 Vireos delight to nidificate in small trees, 

 iind in the vicinity of these one is most lia- 

 ble to find their nests : hence, if a certain 

 group of young trees offers suitable advan- 

 tages for a common nesting place, and there 

 is a probability of protection, the adaptation 

 is complete, though not marked. Crow 

 Blackbirds are nc^tably indillerent as regards 

 the position of their nests, placing them in 

 all sorts of odd situations — and tliei'e seems 

 to be nothing gained eitlier. A few years 

 ago (1874), large numbers of Yellow Birds 

 nested in the elder bushes which grew in a- 

 bundance beside one of the numerous New- 

 port roads, in Herkimer county, and the 

 very multitude of their nests indicated that 

 tliese buslies — which grew to the height of 

 tour or five feet — formed a most advanta- 

 geous nesting place. 



Individual instances to a large number 

 might be mentioned to illustrate the desire of 

 birds for new and different nesting places, 

 anil perhaps many could be cited which 

 would point more strongly to adaptation ; 

 but limited space forbids further lengthen- 

 ing of what was intended to be a mere skel- 

 eton of the subject. 



General Items. 



— The " Woodruff Scientific P^xpedition 

 around the World" is expected to leave the 

 port of New York in May. Its object has 

 already been briefly alluded to in this jour- 

 nal. The material which must necessarily 

 accumulate to those who accompany this 

 expedition will be important and interesting. 



— About this time of the year the Hawks, 

 after a hard struggle with Imnger for three 

 months, begin to realize something i'nnn 

 their predatoi-y excursions. Tlie field mice, 

 enticed from their burrows and nests by the 

 opening of the meadows, now form their 

 principal food, and numbers of Hawks may 

 be seen searching for them. On the 15th, 

 while watching a Harrier in his search, he 

 suddenly alit on the ground not many paces 

 away, and, grasping a mouse-nest, lilted 

 the whole into the air, but losing a part, lie 

 settled to the task of devouring what he had. 

 He had evidently taken the whole family in 

 the nest, for we found on the ground two 

 dead mice pierced by his talons, which he 

 had dropjied, and which he afterward bore 

 away. Doubtless a large number of these 

 annoying little animals are captured in their 

 uests by the Hawks. 



— The first arrival in the vicinity of Utica 

 was a Robin — March 1 1 . The correspond- 

 ing arrival last year was March 4. 



— The partial opening of the rivers and 

 ponds has brought the van of Ducks and 

 Geese, which are seen by twos and threes. 



— The winter of 1878-9 has in many re- 

 spects been a severe one for the small non- 

 migratory and "winter" species, and the 

 finding of frozen birds is reported from 

 many parts of the north. Red-polls, Pine 

 Finches, Pine Bnlfinches and Sparrows of 

 many kinds have been compelled to apj)ly 

 at the doors of man for food ; and their ap- 

 pearance about gardens in the cities has 

 been a very common occurrence. 



— It may not be generally believed that 

 the Crow can really be taught to talk. Sev- 

 eral instances, however, have come to our 

 notice which fully demonstrate that there 

 is considerable linguistic ability in this bird, 

 and this may be developed to a surprising 

 extent by proper training. It is not neces- 

 sary, though it probably is an advantage, 

 to slit the tongue, for the bird, if intelligent, 

 will pick up simple sounds in a short time 

 of its own accord. 



— EvEiiY young oologist should subscribe 

 for this journal. 



