April 1891.] 



AND OOLOGIST. 



61 



game-pouoli of one "sportsman" on tlie Point 

 and his "bag" consisted of eleven Meadow 

 Larks, one Cuckoo and a Fish Hawk! 



J. M. ir. 



Norwich, Conn. 



Some Curious Sets of the Baltimore 

 Oriole's Eggs. 



There seems to be a wide range in the size 

 and coloration, of the eggs of the Baltimore 

 Oriole (Icterus ijalhxda) and although most 

 sets can be distinguished at a glance, I think 

 that the following ones would puzzle many 

 people: 



I. Three eggs, light bluish-white, entirely 

 unmarked: .88x.6S; .86x.C5; .88x.O0. 



JI. Four eggs, light bluish-white, entirely 

 unmarked: .y4x.02; .<.)8x.(ij; .92x.(i8; 

 .95X.65. 



IlL Six eggs, typical in color and markings, 

 but remarkably small: .TWx.OU; .SOx.tiO; 

 .78X.59; .70x..i7; .79x.(i0; .80x.58. Thisset 

 was taken on .Tunc (i, 1878, at Pieston, Conn., 

 by tlie celebrated oologist ".I. M. W." {.Mr. 

 0. L. li'iwson) who described tlie parents, 

 nest, etc., as normal. 



IV. Four eggs, coloration normal, but they 

 are the largest specimens of this species that 

 I have ever seen: l.()7x.0.i; l.Olx.O:!!; 

 .n.-)X.(!4; 1.0.Tx.fi4. J.P.N. 



Capture of a Glaucous Gull at Long 

 Island, N. Y. 



I wish to record the capture on January 1, 

 1891, at Far Rockaway Beach, L. I., of a .speci- 

 men of the Glaucous Gull (Lants riUuiciis). It 

 was shot by Mr. L. S. Foster and myself. We 

 were concealed in a shanty and the bird was 

 In the foremost ranks of a large Hock of Her- 

 ring Gulls. We fired simultaneously and our 

 bird toppled over, pierced in the neck by a 

 single shot which passed out the other si<le 

 and left no clew as to the owner. The distance 

 was ninety yards, and in a subsequent trial of 

 our guns we were unable to make any sort of 

 a target at that range, so were forced to the 

 conclusion that each gun carried forty-five 

 yards and the two combined did the work I 



The bird is an immature female, very ro- 

 bust, and measures 2(5.i!0 inches in length and 

 01 inches in alar extent. The stomach con- 

 tained clams. 



This bird is rare as far south as Long 

 Island. 



Briinnich's Guillemots (Uria Inmvia) have 

 been very common on our coasts this winter, 

 and Ipswich Sparrows (Ammodramii.t princppfi) 

 much les.'< common than usual both this winter 

 and last. Arthur U. Howell. 



Brooklyn, N. Y. 



Hungry Shrikes. 



This morning, March 7, 1801, I was attracted 

 by a loud tapping on the window at the west 

 end of my house. On going into the room I 

 saw a Great Xorthern Shrike on the upper sill, 

 trying to get at my canary. He wovild fly at 

 the glass and try to pick through it with his 

 bill. Nor did he seem to be frightened by my 

 approach, and did not fly until I had moved 

 the window up several inches. Then he flew 

 around to the other side of the house, where 

 there was another bird hanging, and performed 

 the .same antics there. He remained until I 

 had moved that window. There has been a 

 great scarcity of small birds around here this 

 winter, and as this is the second shrike that 

 has tried to get at ray birds (although the 

 other was not so persistent), I think they must 

 find grub scarce. I have just had a fine speci- 

 men of the Saw-whet Owl sent in to mount. 

 He was caught alive by a man and brought to 

 me. He seems to be very lively and snaps 

 vigorously at anyone attempting to put their 

 hand in bis box. (.'. E. Jtrovm. 



Variation in the Size of Cowbirds' 

 Eggs. 



The variation in the size of the eggs of the 

 Cowbird (il<ib)ttirus ater) is remarkable. The 

 largest eggs in a large series before me 

 measure .9;ix.72; .9.3 x .0(i, and .lUx.OO: the 

 smallest: .80x..58; and .80 x. 01. J. P. If. 



Black Gyrfalcon Taken at Lynn, 

 Mass. 



I received a male specimen of the Black 



Gyrfalcon, killed near hereon .January 1, 1891. 



A. M. Tuft.t. 

 Lynn, Mass. 



