92 



TRE OOLOGIST 



coustitute a large share of the disturbing 

 cause which has compelled certain Wood" 

 ])eckers of late to abandon the habits of 

 their ancestors. 



It is worthy of note, too, that the species 

 whicli have suffered most in this competi- 

 tion are among the largest of our Northern 

 Woodpeckers. With the exception of the 

 Pileated Woodpecker, they are in fact the 

 largest, and furnish another illustration of 

 the fact that nature looks with but small 

 favor upon mere bulk. A little nerve often 

 outweighs a large amount of muscle. \ 



The Pileated Woodpecker frequents deep 

 forests, and I have never been able to ob- 

 serve its habits. Its retirement, however, 

 has withdrawn it from competition with the 

 more agile forms we have noticed, and if 

 food is only sufficiently abundant there is \ 

 no immediate necessity for giving up its an- 

 cestral habits. The Red-head and Flicker, 

 preferring open glades, are brought into ' 

 constant and active competition with more 

 sprightly and energetic climbers, and find 

 themselves obliged to adopt other habits in 

 great measure, or perish. 



known that thousands are obtained annual 

 ly for taxidermists' purposes, and to escap 

 this destruction, many doubtless learn ti 

 evade certain localities which were danger 

 ous to them. However this may be, an( 

 whatever the reason, where once'the Tan- 

 agers occurred in large numbers quite reg- 

 ularly, they have gradually become lest 

 common, until now, they are to be num- 

 bered among the occasional summer res- 

 idents. 



Itcccut gxiblicntions. 



Comparative Scakcitv of the Scar- 

 let Tanaoer. — A perceptible diminution 

 in the numbers of this bird has been re- 

 marked in many localities where it was once 

 one of the most abundant species. For 

 Central New York, this seems certainly 

 quite true, for it is clear that there have been 

 fewer Tanagers observed within the past 

 iew years than formerly ; and tiiis can be 

 due to no lack of observation, for collectors 

 have been as diligent as ever — even more 

 so. What can this diminution be due to? 

 Such attractively plumaged birds naturally 

 not only I'all prey to those in search of pret- 

 ty specimens for ornament, but are sacri- 

 ticed to the destructiveness of rambling boys, 

 and it is probable that experience has done 

 much in teaching the birds to be more wary, 

 and to secrete themselves as much as pos- ! 

 sible upon the approach of a gunner. This I 

 seems more probable than that the birds I 

 are actually becoming scarcer. It is well 



Fhotographed Birds' Eggs. — A new de- 

 parture in bird-egg illustration, combining 

 ; merits seldom obtained by the usual pro- 

 t cesses, the figures possessing a remarkably 

 natural appearance, has been made in the 

 ; production of plates by the camera. The 

 ; illustrations are indeed excellent, the finish 

 and general appearance being very good, 

 while the aiTangement and backgrounds are 

 I such as to make the figures — all life size — 

 appear, through a roll of paper, very natu- 

 ral. Tlie purpose of the publishers is com- 

 ; niendable, and being in a fair way to advance 

 illustrated oological literature to a point 

 nearer perfection than is usually attained, 

 we trust the enterprise may succeed. We 

 understand the publishers propose to render 

 their plates as far educational as possible, 

 by illustrating the eggs in natural series, ac- 

 companied with appropriate explanatory 

 text uj)on the reverse side of the cards. The 

 plates would be a good acquisition for any 

 young oologist, and if colored, as we sup- 

 pose they will be at a slight additional ex- 

 pense, will prove a by no means small con- 

 tribution to current oological literature. 



Nests and Eggs of American Birds. — Fart 

 II. of this work contains two plates, repre- 

 senting the eggs of fourteen species, includ- 

 ing varieties, among which may be mention- 

 ed figures of the Cape St. Lucas Thrasher, 

 Sickle-bill, Wheat-ear, Ruby-crowned and 

 Golden - crested Kinglets, Black - headed 

 Gnatcatcher, Tufted, and California Tuft- 

 ed Tits. 



