October 1891.] 



AND OOLOGIST. 



157 



ning back tor a gun, we shoved off and started 

 in pursuit. As we approached it took flight, 

 rising slowly and gradually, the long tail 

 dragging the water, but soon settled back 

 again. Saw then that it was a new bird to us, 

 depending on its swimming powers to escape. 

 Passed behind it to cut itofifrom the opposite 

 shore and then gave chase, I at the oars, Les 

 on the alert with the gun. 



Tlie bird did not attempt to fly again but 

 dived, appealing soon with only head and neck 

 visible. Coming quite near now, shot at him, 

 iu vain, he disappearing from sight apparently 

 unharmed. But we were on the lookout, and 

 as lie arose Les knocked him over before he 

 had a chance to dive. Rowing alongside, I 

 pulled in what I knew at once, by the long, 

 hooked bill, yellow gular sack, webbed feet 

 and long, rounded tail, to be a Cormorant, the 

 first I had ever obtained. But he was not dead 

 yet, as I was informed by a vicious peck at my 

 bare arms while examining him, so I took 

 pains to secure him until we reached camp. 



Breakfast was cold, and though very hungry 

 (I tell you we had appetites out tliere) we were 

 too elated to care for that. Referring to my 

 " Key," found tlie bird to be the Double- 

 crested Cormorant. The boys obtained three 

 more in the afternoon. 



Below I give a list of birds obtained and 

 noted during our stay. They were numerous, 

 and I could have had others if time had 

 allowed, but being on a pleasure trip did not 

 devote all my time to work, so that many 

 birds were common tliere, though unfamiliar 

 to me, that I did not get. I am strongly 

 against destroying life simply for the practice, 

 and would allow no more birds killed than I 

 could use. As it was, the latter part of our 

 stay I was kept busy preserving those brought 

 in: Loon, Gull, Double-crested Cormorant, 

 Mallard, (rreen-winged Teal, Blue-winged 

 Teal, Wood Duck and others not identified, 

 American Bittern, Great Blue Heron, Black- 

 crowned Xight Heron, American Coot, Wil- 

 son's Snipe, Yellow-legs (and others), Killdeer, 

 Prairie Hen, Mourning Dove, American Osprey, 

 Marsh Hawk, Pigeon Hawk, Sharp-shinned 

 Hawk, American Sparrow Hawk, Red-tailed 

 Hawk (and others). Screech Owl, Belted King- 

 fisher, Downy Woodpecker, Red-headed Wood- 

 pecker, Flicker (and others). Night Hawk, 

 Chimney Swift, Kingbird, Plirebe, Blue .Jay, 

 Crow, Ked-winged Blackbird, Bronzed Black- 

 bird, Cow Blackbird, Barn Swallow, Catbird, 

 Brown Thrush, Chickadee, Robin, Bluebird. 

 Frank \V. Sheldon. 



Large Set of Eggs of the White - 

 breasted Nuthatch. 



In the August number of O. & O., under 

 the title of "Series of Eggs of White-breasted 

 Nuthatch," Mr. Norris in describing a set of 

 nine eggs speaks of it "as very unusual 

 number for this bird, set of ten very rare." 

 I thought it might be of interest to state that I 

 took a set of ten eggs of this bird on April 

 26, 1891. Nest was in white ash tree, 20 feet 

 up, in a natural cavity, and was composed of 

 rabbit's hair and muskrat fur. Incubation 

 advanced. M. B. Milh. 



Macon, IVIif^h. 



Late Nesting of the Bob White. 



On August 30, 1891, George Wilkes, a neigh- 

 bor of mine, found a Quail's nest containing 

 thirteen eggs, and on August 31st, out of 

 curiosity I visited the nest, and found them 

 about half hatclied. They probably will not 

 be all hatched out and ready to leave the nest 

 before Septembei 1st. Who can beat that for 

 a late Quail's nest ? Jamen B. Purdy. 



Plymouth, Michigan. 



Additions to the List of the Birds 

 of Minnesota. 



7.51. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher (PoUoptila cce- 

 rulea). Collected at Minneapolis, Minn., by 

 Mr. Robt. S. Williams on May 19, 1877. 



3.>5. Prairie Falcon (i*"aito mexicanus). Mr. 

 Chas. F. Carr of Madison, Wis., informs me 

 that he received a specimen of this species 

 last winter, in the flesh, with a lot of Snowy 

 Owls that were caught in steel traps in the 

 vicinity of Benson, Minn. 



English Sparrow {P. domesticiis) , common 

 in the larger cities and fast becoming a 

 nuisance. 



1.53. Buffie-he.ad Duck (Clangula albeola). 

 A common spring and fall migrant. 



(The two latter were omitted from the list 

 by an oversight.) 



Geo. G. Canticell. 



Colorado Springs, Col. 



