lOG 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 16-No. 



pairs (if angles fixed by the shadows of the 

 collector and of the tree are not precisely 

 equal, but the difference Is so slight, owing to 

 the great distance of the sun, that it does 

 not need to be considered in this kind of 

 measurement. E. il. Kindle 



A Nesting Joke. 



While looking over the collection of a friend 

 who is well known to most of your readers, I 

 was amused at the data accompanying a set of 

 Osprey's eggs, taken last year in the Bristol, 

 R. 1., colony. These grounds are yearly vis- 

 ited by several old collectors, but on account 

 of the great area the several parties .seldom 

 interfere with each other. 



Last year, however, my friend extended his 

 "beat," and was rewarded by finding many 

 trees containing nests, and eiich neatly labelled 

 for the benefit of a well-known gentleman 

 whom 1 will call A B C, the legends being to 

 the effect that Mr. X Y Z, equally well known, 

 had already been there. Consequently the 

 third party passed them by without troubling 

 himself to ascend. Finally he approached a 

 nest which he judged, from the actions of the 

 birds, to be of more than usual promise, but 

 was surprised to find a leaf torn from a note- 

 book and pinned securely to the bark of the 

 tree, on which was inscribed in lead pencil, 

 "To ABC. It looks well, but will not pay 

 you now," and signed by X Y Z, with date of 

 writing. As so many of the lalielled trees had 

 been accompanied by rather encouraging signs 

 my friend " smelled a rat," and determined to 

 investigate. His efforts were not in vain, for 

 a finely marked set of three eggs which were 

 taken from this nest "that would not pay" 

 now grace his cabinet, and the friendly note of 

 advice is securely fastened to the data slip. 



My friend pointedly remarked that, judging 

 from the date of X Y Z's note, and the 

 advanced incubation of the set, the clutch 

 must have already been commenced when 

 X Y Z was there. Harry Gordon White. 



The Rose-breasted Grosbeak 

 Washtenaw County, Mich. 



in 



breasted Grosbeak in its breeding haunts. 

 While passing through a wood bordering on 

 the Huron River, some two or three miles 

 west of Ann Arboi-, my attention was attracted 

 by a nest in a small bush along the pathway. 

 Closer inspection revealed the fact that it was 

 occuijied, and a moment later a female Rose- 

 breasted Grosl)eak flew off anil i>crcheil in a 

 tree near by. 



The nest, placed about five feet from the 

 ground, was very loose in structure, being 

 composed mainly of twigs, and lined with a 

 few rootlets. The eggs were live in number, 

 four of the Grosbeak's and one Cowbird's. 

 They were of tlie usual size and color, and 

 were nuirked almost exactly alike. 



Upon referring to tlie O. & O of last year 

 it will be seen that this species is mentioned 

 three times: in the first place as a " migrant" 

 in McLellan County, Texas; secondly, it is 

 reported as "rare" in Tioga County, N. Y., 

 and lasily the August number informs us ihat 

 in Maishall County, 111., it was "formerly 

 quite a common breeder, but rare of late 

 years." Hi Warren's liirds of Pen imy Ivan in it 

 is stated that "twenty-five years ago this 

 species was a rather common summer resident 

 in Chester and Delaware Counties," where its 

 iiests and eggs had been repeatedly found, but 

 that now it is rarely seen in the summer time. 

 The fact of its breeding at this place would 

 seem to corroborate the.se statements, imply- 

 ing that its breeding limit is being extended 

 farther noith. W'illiird L. Maris. 



Wasbtcn .wCn., Midi. 



Addition to the List of the Birds 

 of Minnesota. 



A Blue-gray Gnatcatcher was taken at Min- 

 neapolis, Minn., on May 19, 1877, by R. S. 

 Williams, now residing in Great Falls, Mont. 

 Geo. G. CaniwcU. 



On the twenty-third of May of the present 

 year it was my good fortune to find the Rose- 



It is a little siir|irising the way our oiilogists 

 have neglected the taking of nests. There are 

 many that are exceedingly interesting and if 

 placed with the collection would be a source 

 of pleasure and of great assistance in the 

 stndy. P. li. V. strikes the key note. 



