JiTLv 1891.] 



AND OOIJXIIHT. 



remind one of the head of a gar-fish. The 

 eggs of the crocodile are said to be partially 

 elastic from haviiiji but little lime in the com- 

 position. The eggs of the alligator are very 

 hard, almost like a piece of porcelain, to drill. 

 I spent part of a winter on the South Ameri- 

 can coast some years ago, near Berlice, 

 Demerara, Esseqnibo and Surinam, and the 

 alligator had a different look from the Florida 

 creature, in having a bunch behind the eyes, 

 and the natives said the crocodiles went to 

 sea in the salt water, and that the alligator 

 did not, and they did not consider either dan- 

 gerous as fish were abundant and they did not 

 have to go hungry. I don't think they have 

 cither in Euroiie. Dr. Livingstone speaks of 

 their abundance in Africa and their great size. 

 They arc common in Asia. I remember of 

 reading twenty-five or thirty years ago of a 

 very large one taken at the Philippines that 

 was twenty-seven feet long, ten feet in circum- 

 ference under the arm pits. The head and 

 soft parts attached weiglied over 400 pounds. 

 The skull measured about four feet, and was 

 sent to the Boston Society of Natural History, 

 wheie I saw it, and tliink it is there now. 

 Mr. Iliirnaday killed the largest one I ever 

 saw in Florida. It was fourteen feet long. It 

 was nicely mounted and sent to the Smith- 

 sonian Institution at W.asliington. 



George A. Bixivihiuin. 

 CalaLs, Me. 



Editor of O. & O.: 



I have taken some rather scarce specimens 

 this spring that I thought you would like to 

 hear about. On March 7th I and a friend 

 shot a nice specimen of the common wildcat, 

 not very common though. My friend drew 

 first blood and I killed it. We chased it with 

 dogs, and killed it about four miles from this 

 place. 



On the 2.5th of March I shot a fine pair of 

 Dusky Ducks at one shot. They were feeding 

 in a cove along the river. They are not very 

 plenty and are very wild when here. During 

 April, ducks were not as plenty as they gen- 

 erally are. There was no heavy storm. 1 

 shot specimens of 3uflfleliead, Golden-eye, 

 Lesser Scaup and American .\lerg;uiser, also 

 one Loon, a number of Horned (irebcs and a 

 Bonaparte's Gull. 



Warblers wore quite plenty this last month. 

 I have taken this mouth a Pileated Wood- 

 pecker, May 2d, and two Pine Warblers. On 

 the l^tli I shot a Florida Gallinule and took a 

 set of five Brown Creeper's eggs. The nest 



was located under the bark of an olii hemlock 

 stub in a pine and hemlock woods, the nest 

 loosely constructed, but had quite soft lining. 

 I saw the birds when they first began building 



On the 21st I shot three Ring or Semipal- 

 mated Plover at one shot and took a set of 

 four ."ipotted Sandpipers. 



Yesterday a fine $ Velvet or White-winged 

 Scoter was shot. I secured it for mounting. 

 It is the first I ever saw. I never heanl of a 

 Gallinule before in this county. 



R. B. Simpxon. 



Warren, I'.-i., M.ay 28, IS91. 



Editor of O. <t O. ; 



On the way to ferry this forenoon, June 10, 

 I was met by a couple of fishermen who asked 

 me if I had in my collection a "Gale" bird. 

 As I did not know any "sweet warbler" by 

 that name I said no, and would like to gaze 

 upon it. Therewith, we wended our way to 

 the lonely hut of the fishers, and they brought 

 forth alive in their hands a fine specimen of 

 the Red Phalarope that they had, in the early 

 HKuning, rowed up to in their boat and picked 

 up by hand. I have the specimen now, alive, 

 and he is a bright little chap. But was it not 

 a curious way to capture him! I think so; 

 hence my reason for advising you of the 

 matter. 



.lune 19. The bird is still alive and doing 

 «ell. IJ- Austen. 



H.ililsx.X.S. 



Editor of O. d- O. : 



I would like to hear from any O. * O. reader 

 who has in his collection eggs of the Robin 

 {M. initiratorid) taken in either of the follow- 

 ing states: Georgia, Alabama, or Mississippi; 

 or in Arkansas or Indian Territory near or 

 south of latitude 8.5°. Also along the Southern 

 border of Tennessee. My object is to try and 

 find the Southern breeding limit of this bird 

 in the .Mississippi Valley. Would like especially 

 to hoar from observers residing in above 

 States (in proximity to latitude 3.5°) as to 

 whether this bird nests in their localities. 



J. T. Park: 



W:irner, Tenn. 



Editor of O. <fc O.: 



It was with great sadness of heart that I 

 read the account of the death of .John 0. Ca- 

 hoon. It was the same patient face (pictured 

 in the May number of O. Ji O.) that leaned 

 over my shoulder and directed my unruly 

 fingers to skin and prepare my first bird. He 



