TEE OOLOGIST 



Oblogical Notes for June. 



On the 24th of May, hearing that the 

 Blue Hcrous had a ucstiug ph\ce about 

 twenty miles from here, we set out to ob- 

 taiu some of their eggs, aud alter a long 

 drive over a muddy road we reached the 

 swamp at 1 : 00 p. m. We found the nests 

 in tall dead tamaracks, usually about sixty 

 feet from tlie ground. JMany of the trees 

 were not safe to climb, as they were not 

 more than three or four inches in diameter 

 where the nests were. Still we secured four 

 full sets of four eggs each and also four old 

 birds. We were rather late as most of the 

 eggs were nearly ready to hatch. 



Jasper, in his birds of N. A. says that 

 the Blue Heron lays two or three eggs — 

 not more than three. We found four in 

 each nest examined, and two nests of yoiaig 

 contained live each. German boys living 

 near the swamp say they lay five or six 

 eggs to each nest. Del<xs Match. 



Fond da La<\ Wis. 



[Let us hear from you in regard to the 

 nesting of the Black Tern. — Ei>.] 



TiiK question as to whether the Ruffed 

 Grouse will propagate in conliuemeut seems 

 to be affn-matively determined by Mr. M. 

 W. Clark of Maine, who, in a communica- 

 tion to Forest and Stream.! states that lie 

 has a male and two female Grouse, that 

 the two latter have made nests and up to 

 his writing laid one and two eggs respect- 

 ively. The result is eagerly awaited. 



Fourteen eggs were found in a Black- 

 capped Chickadee's nest on the 8th of this 

 month by two collectors in Utica. Con- 

 sidering the usual size of sets of this bird's 

 eggs, this seems to overstep the usual bound- 

 aries in point of mmiber. It may be pos- 

 sible, though it does not seem prolnible, that 

 (wo j)airs of birds occupied the same nest, 

 which, by the way, is a pretty and well built 

 affair. The eggs are so placed that the 

 wonder is how the undermost ones could be 

 heated in incubation, the nest being rather 

 deep and narrow. 



We have since learned that eisrht of the 



eggs of the above large set were addled, 

 which renders a different aspect tc the cir- 

 cumstance, and one which our rcsxlers will 

 probably be able to account for tlu niselves. 



Two weeks ago I secured the eggs of the 

 Broad-winged Hawk ; there were three eggs 

 in the nest, two of which were covered with 

 the usual blotches, while the third was of a 

 uniform light color. Is it generally the 

 case that eggs vary so much in color? . . . 

 Also found a Crow's nest with six (6) egcs. 

 Milford, N. H. J. O. TiLTON. 



[Our observations fully convince us that 

 there is no strict rule for the coloration of 

 eggs of B. pennsylvartlacus . Blotched and 

 inmiaculate specimens nva frequently found 

 in the same nest. — Ed.] 



This morning (June 23) I found a Yel- 

 low-shafted Flicker's nest containing six 

 eggs, two of which were of an uncommonly 

 large size. They wei'e so far advanced in 

 incubation that 1 was unable to blow them. 

 I therefore broke one open, and to my sur- 

 prise it contained tivo young birds instead 

 of one, both alive and in good condition. I 

 also broke the other, which contained but 

 one. C. W. Strumbek(;. 



Galeshurg, III. 

 I [A man exhibited a basket of twenty- 

 one chickens in this city recently, stoutly 

 : claiming that they were hatched from six- 

 , teen eggs. At first thought, this appears 

 quite improbable, but there are many wh(» 

 have found double-yolked eggs in hens' 

 nests, and if the germ is perfect, there is 

 no reason why, cceteris paribus^ they should 

 not develop as many chickens ; but such 

 [ anomalies are usually short lived. ( )ur (;or- 

 I respondents should preserve such cuiiosities 

 I in alcohol. — Ed.] 



I From reports of collectors, it may be iu- 

 ' ferred that the season just past has been 

 somewhat remai'kable for its brevity. The 

 birds seemed to arrive and nest later than 

 in previous years, but nevertheless they nest- 

 ed nearly imiformly in regard to date, ear- 

 I ly and late species very close together. The 

 i Yellow Bird yet remains to nest and rear 

 ' its young. 



