72 



THE OOLOGIST 



The Flamingo. 



Have you ever heard 



Of the creature absurd — 



That ridiculous bird — the FlaiiiiugoV — 



With neck long and slim, 



And legs lean and trim, 



And the funniest sort of a lingo ? 



When a-fishing he goes 



He thrusts in his nose, — 



This humorous bird — the Flamingo — 



Without bait or hook. 



His long neck a-crook, 



Aloft in the air see his wing go. 



A plunge and a dive, 



And a fish all alive 



This wonderful bird — the Flamingo — 



Brings out to the land 



And'gobbles ott'-hand : 



In a twinkle he makes the whole thing go. 



Then the mate — the old womau^ 



As though she were human, — 



And not like a growling Flamingo — 



For lack of her share 



Sets up a great flare. 



And makes everything in a din go. 



But a screech loud and shrill 



Comes out of the bill 



Of the masculine bird — the Flamingo — 



His eyelids both close, 



And he stands on the toes 



Of one leg — he's asleep, bj' jingo ! 



Toronto Globe. 



General Items. 



— Three Carolina Doves {Z. carolinen- 

 .s/.-,) remained here tliis winter. They ob- 

 tained tlieir food from under a large barn, 

 where I saw them several times. About 

 March first two more arrived. They were 

 seen by several persons besides myself. . . 

 I shot a Pine Finch from a flock of six or 

 seven on Nov. 2yth, '78, but have seen 

 none since. Redpolls arrived about the 

 15th of Nov. and remained till about Jan. 

 10th, when they and the Snow Buntings 

 went south. About March loth the Snow 

 Buntings returned in two flocks, but none 

 are here now. . . . Robins arrived March 

 20 ;* Blue Birds March 14. f A lew Rob- 



* Utica : 1878— March 5 ; 1879— March 14. West- 

 em N. Y. : 1879— March 18. Penna. : 1879— March 

 8. 



t Utica : 1878— March 4 ; 1879— March 24. Conn. : 

 1879— March 20. N. J.: 1879— March 1. North'n 

 N. Y.: 1879— April 1. 



ins remained all winter, as some Avere seen 

 in the middle of January. Swamp Spar- 

 rows reached here about Mitrch '2'2 ; Cedar 

 Birds the 29 ; heard House Wrens singing 

 on the same day. The last may have been 

 Winter Wrens. P. Thalimer. 



Troy, N. Y. 



The ninth pai't oi' Birds of Florida has 

 made its appearance. Mr. Maynard's work 

 is written in a style calculated to appeal to 

 the sympathies of everyone who reads it. 

 The method of writing the life-histories of 

 birds in narrative style is and ever will be, 

 the most popular, and the author of this 

 work has the faculty of making his descrip- 

 tions interesting. Part X. is forthcoming. 



Town and Countrij is the name of a 

 monthly paper publislied by E. A. Samu- 

 els. It has a department devoted to or- 

 nithology, the editor's favorite study. Mr. 

 Pope writes a series of articles on the game 

 birds of the United States, illustrated bv 

 his own hand. 



Nests and Eggs of American Birds, by 

 Ernest IngersoU. — We were somewhat dis- 

 appointed when we received the first part 

 of this work. Its size, we think, should 

 have been larger, with corresponding si/e 

 of printed matter; for, if it is to be a na- 

 tional work, its points of excellence must 

 necessarily be consistent with the magni- 

 tude of its mission. The typography and 

 general appearance otherwise, are excellent. 

 Ten species and their varieties are discuss- 

 ed, the particulars of nidification and ovi- 

 position being given minutely. The plates, 

 representing eggs of the Robin, Oregon 

 Robin, Wood Thrush, Hermit Thrush, Ol- 

 ive-backed Thrush, Oregon Thrush, Wil- 

 son's Thrush, Mountain Mockingbird, 

 Mocking Bird, Cat Bird, Brown I'hrasher 

 and a variety of the last species, are very 

 accurate. The work promises to be one 

 of value to the student of oology, and when 

 completed, will form an important addition 

 to any library. 



