THE 00L0QI8T 



65 



"Insect Behavior" — This splendid 

 volume by Paul C. Howes, so well 

 and favorably known to the readers of 

 THE OOLOGIST, is as its title would 

 indicate, a recitation of the behavior 

 and a study into the life history of 

 many of our common insects, as well 

 as numerous uncommon ones, and 

 some South American species. It con- 

 tains 176 pages, every one of which 

 teems with interesting facts, and is 

 illustrated with upwards of a hundred 

 splendidly executed half-tone photo- 

 graphs, delineating the specie de- 

 scribed. 



It is written in the accurate as well 

 as popular method, with which our 

 readers are familiar with in all of 

 Howe's productions, and is a most en- 

 tertaining volume, deserving a high 

 place in the library of every nature 

 lover. 



There are but few observers who 

 are as able to unearth that which is 

 interesting in Nature Life, and pre- 

 sent it to the public, in as attractive 

 language as our friend Paul G. Howes. 



Long since we predicted in these 

 columns that he would go a long ways 

 as a naturalist and a writer. — R.M.B. 



An Albino Quail Found 



C. W. Huffman, a farmer, living 

 near Leon, Missouri, for a number 

 of years has claimed the honor of be- 

 ing the discoverer of more freak birds 

 than any other person in that state; 

 his latest being a perfectly white 

 quail which he discovered among a 

 covey on his farm. Huffman ran 

 across the bird while working in his 

 field. He at first thought it was some 

 other bird, but a peculiar whir of the 

 Quail as the bird arose convinced him 

 that it was of that family. 



W. A. Strong. 

 San Jose, Cal. 



Early 



V. David, of Ft. Worth, Texas, re- 

 ports a set of Black Vulture eggs, at 

 least one week incubated, taken 

 February 27th, which is certainly 

 early for this species, the earliest we 

 know of. — R. M. B. 



Observations From the Cab Window 

 of a Locomotive 



Being a bird student for something 

 over twenty-five years, a portion of 

 this time employed as an engine-man 

 for different railroads, in six differ- 

 ent states, I take pleasure in relat- 

 ing a few of the many incidents that 

 become my good fortune to see. 



Upon a cold night in January, sev- 

 eral years ago, the moon shining in 

 fullness with all its glory upon this 

 beautiful world of ours, over a broad 

 expanse of snowy whiteness save the 

 two lines of steel that we were cover- 

 ing so fast, the tall and thickly wood- 

 ed districts in the near by, a house, 

 barn, and surroundings, that go to 

 make up civilization. This is the pic- 

 ture I see before me, as I look ahead 

 to see that all is clear. 



I can see in the distance a dark ob- 

 ject which resembles a dog or wolf, 

 but as the keen eye never leaves the 

 object it grows larger and larger as 

 Ave are now closing in upon it rapidly. 

 All at once it straightens itself up, 

 just as we are about to strike it. 

 With two eyes (to me) as large as the 

 full moon itself, showing fire snapping 

 its bill. It raises and is boosted along 

 the same direction that we were going 

 and exactly with a parallel line with 

 the full moon. I thought to myself 

 (The Owl Moon) fortunately for the 

 great Horned Owl, he was not hurt 

 at all. His business there was his 

 own, the work of a meal, as I noticed 

 next day upon my return trip. He 

 either caught a rabbit or some train 



