82 



THE OOLOGIST 



til em to tlie last in its own particular way. 

 This quality of carefulness seems to per- 

 \ ade the bird's whole being. We thus see 

 that the general character of a bird is often 

 determined by its demeanor in nest-build- 

 ing; and this is a fair criterion to judge 

 from, on account of the greater facility for 

 noticing differences, and better opportuni- 

 ties for observing numbers of cases which 

 to compare together. So when we observe 

 ;in instance of largely developed instinct, 

 which seems almost reason, in the selection 

 of a nesting place offering the best conceal- 

 ment, we see also the tendency of the birds 

 to place reliance in it, since they will not 

 leave it till the last moment, when discov- 

 ery is almost certain; then, in the same 

 occult manner, they glide off and away, 

 while to perfect the situation many species 

 utter no sound whatever. To follow this 

 out, it is unnecessary to state that as a gen- 

 (^•al thing, birds which are themselves the 

 most conspicuous build their nests and have 

 th.e approaches to them in exposed situa- 

 tions. One of a nestfull of birdliugs will 

 leave home sooner than another, and will 

 (■at and become domesticated long before 

 its companions ; its whole development, in 

 fact, is more rapid. 



Of course there are reverse instances : it 

 is absurd to say that because a bird may 

 l)e able to sing better than his fellows, that 

 he can build a better nest, or vice versa. 

 Or a bird may construct a poor nest, but 

 be attentive to the eggs and young — shift- 

 lessuess in nest-building is so marked a 

 trait in some birds, that did their other ac- 

 tions entirely correspond with it, there 

 would indeed be material for theorists and 

 philosophers which would fill a volume. 

 Nor can it be said that a connected train 

 of characteristics, chiming together, as we 

 have observed, will hold good in any ex- 

 tended series of cases — it is not as good as 

 a rule. Birds appai'ently negligent of their 

 eggs are often known to be greatly attach- 

 ed to their young. As above remarked, 

 however, a broad application of the subject 

 is in the case of marked development of the 

 faculties as a whole, as opposed to natural 



weakness or stupidity. The comparing of 

 cases wherein points illustrative of Avhat 

 has been said may tend to show the collect- 

 or much of importance relating to the inter- 

 nal or inside liistory of birds ; and many 

 curious anomalies and incongruities will 

 present themselves, which grow more inter- 

 esting as one's study in this field is en- 

 larjred. 



A Day's Spring Collecting. 



BY FRED. J. DAVIS. 



fN the spring of 1874, we were engag- 

 ed collecting the birds of New York 

 state for a prominent educational in- 

 stitution,* and a page or two from my note 

 book at that time may be of interest as 

 showing the variety of birds which are of- 

 ten congregated within a comparatively 

 small district. 



In the early morning of the 'iOtii of May, 

 after a lovely drive in the cool air we ar- 

 rived at our destination. About four miles 

 from the city we heard and saw tlie Orioles, 

 /. haJtimore^ among the elms and the little 

 Yellow Warbler, Dendroeca cestiva., flitting 

 by the roadside, while the Crows croaked 

 their satisfaction in the newly })lanted corn 

 field ; these and their surroundings tended 

 to make up an ideal picture of country life. 

 But not until we reached the woods did we 

 see our feathered friends in all their prodi- 

 gal abundance. The place we had chosen 

 for our day's campaign against the harm- 

 less beauties was a hill, covered with fine, 

 large old trees, while once tlie top was a 

 small cedar swamp and at tlie foot a swampy 

 grove of second growth extending its entire 

 length — about two miles. After seeing 

 our horse comfortably in the farnner's barn, 

 we walked up through the orchards and 

 fields, where the Bobolink and Meadow 

 Lark made the air melodious and the Spar- 

 row Hawk sat like a sentinel on the old 

 elm, in which his mate was sitting on her 

 nest. We soon reached the woods, and 



*Hamilton College. 



