174 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 16-No. n 



weeks ago. She allows the woodchuck to 

 muse witli the kittens, and the mother cat 

 licks him and makes his toilet with the same 

 impartiality she exhibits toward her own 

 offspring. 



Another cat story conies from Bridgeport. 

 "Mike" is ,1 brindle puss belonging to Miles 

 B. Ferris. Twenty eggs packed in sawdust 

 were standing in a window of Mr. Ferris' 

 saloon, when Mike took it into his head to go 

 to sleep on them. Every attempt has been 

 made to drive him away from the box, and 

 every inducement in the way of soft beds was 

 offered to him, but he persists on lying on 

 those eggs all day, only leaving them long 

 enough to eat and drink. Xext week the 

 period of incub.ation will have expired. What 

 Mike will do with the brood, If he is success- 

 ful, is an interesting question. But perhaps 

 he knows what he is about, and is hatching 

 them for his own especial benefit. 



Milton Moshier of Sheltou heard sounds ! 

 from liis piano the other morning, and know- 

 ing that no one was in tlie room he began to 

 believe in spirits. On investigation he found his 

 cat prancing up and down the keyboard, seem- , 

 ingly delighted at the sounds produced. After 

 that she was watched, and whenever the piano 

 is left open she will play upon it to the best of 

 her ability. — New York Sun. 



Oct. l.'ith, a boy brought in a fine $ Ameri- 

 can Crossbill; he reports the first Oct. lith 

 (three seen). I have not collected any since 

 Nov. 18, 1886. I have added several tine 

 specimens to my collection this year. Among 

 the rarest are a fine Alliino Coot, American 

 Swan. Pileated Woodpecker, Oray Eagle and 

 a Timber wolf. I now have between (Son and 

 700 specimens, all jjrepared after business 

 hours. Carl Fritz Henning, Boone, Iowa. 



In closing his letter Mr. Henning expresses 

 his appreciation of the O. & O. His is a 

 sample of m.any letters that reach us as 

 renewals are sent in. 



The big Cinereous Owl of the far north is 

 the biggest of all our owl tribe. In contrast 

 is the little Pigmy Owl of the west, which is 

 hardly larger than a big Sparrow. So small is 

 it that it is a marvel that it ever dares to stick 

 its talons into a mouse, for fear of being run 

 away with. — Exchange. 



E. S. Felt has in liis possession a buffalo 

 skull taken from a well in A. H. Knecht's 

 feed lot at a depth of twenty-two feet below 

 the surface and at le.ast ten feet below tlie 

 present bed of Brush Creek. It must have 

 been tliere a great minv years as the surf.ace 

 . near by was covered witli large timber, some 

 trees being four feet and a half in diameter. — 

 Louisville, Kan. 



David Hunt. .Ir., rei)orts that a Golden-eyed 

 Duck w.as in the pond at the Public (iarden, 

 Boston. Mass., at 6 p.m. of Saturd.ay, Nov. 

 31st. On approach he rose and flew toward 

 the river. The identification was positive as 

 he approached within tifty yards. 



The family of Mockingbirds reported last 

 year from Marshfield. Mass., returned again 

 this year, and bred near by. They seem to 

 have become naturalized there. Reported by 

 H. A. Torrey of Rockland, Mass , as having 

 captured a young bird, Oct. ji2d. and ;saw 

 several about there. 



They took u)) the collection for the heathen in Cathay, 



Another for the naked kitls in Piam far away; 



They passed around tht! plate attain to pay the sexton's 



hill. 

 Another round — no money came — the church was 



very still. 

 '•Why pay ye not?" the pastor said — his voice was 



stern and deep — 

 "The Lord w(>uld be no ^h.-pherd if he diil not shear 



his sheep." 



— Ejti-hawje. 



To preserve insects this solution is recom- 

 mended: Dissolve 1 oz. chloral in 5 ozs. water; 

 dissolve 15 grains sodium chloride and 30 

 grains potassium nitrate in a mixture of \% 

 ozs. each of glycerine and alcohol. Mix the 

 two solutions and filter. Prevents attacks of 

 dermestes and retards deterioration fiom age. 



Foii f'niGOER Bites. — The following form- 

 ula is valuable for an application to chigger 

 bites: Sulpliurous acid and glyceiiiie, equal 

 parts; apply freely to the places attacked by 

 the ciiiggers. Collectors in the tro|)ics will 

 appreciate it. 



Anti-mos<;uito P.vstii.s. — Charcoal, ")00 

 parts; powdered nitre, 80 parts; carbolic acid, 

 40 parts; insect powder, 2.")0 parts. Form 

 into a paste with tragacanth mucilage and 

 make into pastils. Mosquitoes will emigrate 

 to the next county. 



Grease spots, if old, may be removed, sa> s 

 the American liookiiiakcr, from books, by 

 applying a solution of varying strength of 

 caustic potash upon the hack of the leaf. The 

 printing, which looks somewhat faded alter 

 the removal of the spot, may be freshened by 

 the application of a mixture of one part of 

 muriatic acid an<l twenty-five parts of water. 

 In a case of fresh gre.ase spots, carbonate of 

 potash (one part to thii-ty parts of water), 

 chloroform, ether or benzine renders good 

 service. Wax disapi>ears if, after saturating 

 withbenzineorturpentine.it is covered wiili 

 foldeil blotting papei-, and a hot flat-iion jiut 

 upon it. Paraftine is removed by boiliiii: water 

 or hot alcohol. Ink spots or rust yield to 

 oxalic acid in solution in hot water; chloride 

 of gold or silver spots to weak solution of 

 corrosive sublimate or cyanide of potassium. 

 Sealing wax is dissolved by hot alcohol, and 

 then rubbed oft' with cuttle-fish bone. 



The pouch of a Pelican will hold six gallons 

 of water. If he only knew his natornl ailvan- 

 tages, what a gay old bird lie would be. — 

 Boston Post. 



