Feb. 1889.] 



AXD OOLOGIST. 



29 



Brief Notes. 



We are in receipt of the December number of the Or- 

 nithologist and Oologist, published by-Frank B. Webster 

 of Bost(m. It is liandsomely printed and otherwise well 

 got up, wliile the contents are briglit and highly enter- 

 taining and instructive. We are pleased to notice that 

 Mr. Frank A. Bates, son of our Town Clerk, is one of 

 the associate editors.— [Braintree (Mass.) Observer. 



A t Swainson's Rosy Fincli (Leucosticte teplirocotis) 

 was secured near this city, Jan. .3. Bluebirds, taking ad- 

 vantage of the mild weatlier, paid frequent visits during 

 the liolidays. Geo. G. Cantwell, Minneapolis, Minn. 



"Line" Daniels of Portland, Me., is a regular combina- 

 tion of guide, taxidermi.st and Yankee. Owen, Moore 

 & Co., a firm in his city, wishing to create a sensation, 

 secured the services of the "Professor." He procured a 

 large stuffed bear, and, removing the interior make-up, 

 by padding and ingenious manipulations, he arranged 

 for the introduction of animation in the form of a vig- 

 orous boy. When Christmas week came, Bruin was on 

 hand, and under control of a keeper was assigned a 

 prominent position. Then the racket began. Surprise, 

 pleasure, disgust, and fear manifested itself in the vis- 

 iting ])atrons, "according as they were built." One 

 latly thought it was an outrage, "The number of people 

 made it close enough," she could smell the bear the 

 minute she opened the door ; while another suggested 

 that the least they could do should be to keep the thing 

 clean, and so it went on. Meantime the graceful man- 

 ner in which the bear seoojjcd in the nickles and stood 

 on his ear for half dollar.s will be a legend of the future. 

 The proceeds were donated to an ori)han asylum, and 

 the story of Line's bear is now a nur.^ery s<ing of the 

 Portland infant. 



A white-throated sparrow taken at Arlington Heights, 

 Mass., Jan. 8. W. F. Hadley. 



Blanks are now being sent out by the U. S. Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture for the use of those who intend to 

 observe the bird migration. Those who are interested 

 should apply to the department. 



Prof. L. L. Dyche, Lawrence, Kansas, writes that he 

 has ju-t returned from a trip to Xo Man's Land, Texas. 

 He succeeded in securing eleven fine buffalo. These 

 will be preserved for .-cientific use, and it is a matter t)f 

 congratulation that they fell into his hands instead of 

 those of the "t-kin hunter." The day has now come 

 when all we have practically left of this interesting 

 sjjecies is a few i)reserved specimens — thanks to the 

 taxidermists. He also secured four great gray wolves, 

 two coyot^3s, two lynxes, three swifts, several antelope 

 and a number of smaller objects of interest. 



I have been a subscriber to the O. it O. since it was 

 commenced by Willard. — [.Jerouie Trombley. 

 That is the support that gives us encouragement. 



Henry Hales, whose articles occasionally appear in 

 the O. & O., in addition to being an ornithologist is 

 •(juite a poultry fancier. He took Ki premiums on IG 

 birds (Silver (Jray and Colored Dorkings) at the Inter- 

 national Poultry Show at Buffalo last month. 



The Owl had Eaten Porcupine.— Charles R. 

 Coombs, taxidermist, of this city, in preparing to 

 mount a Great Horned Owl last week found the owl's 

 body full of i)orcapine tjuills. The flesh was literally 

 packed full of them, as well as the roof of the mouth. 

 The owl evidently had dined on hedgehog. — [Belfast 

 Journal. 



The owl was shot at Castine, Me. I found the flesh 

 full of quills, some of them over two inches in length ; 

 I do not see how the bird could live. — [Chas. R. Coombs. 



A fine ^ specimen oi the Swallow-tailed Kite was shot 

 June 2, and a J Black-throated Green Warbler Dec. ffi' 

 1888, both at Hamilton, Ohio. George Harbron. 



Marcus N. Baker shot a Killdeer Plover at Scituate, 

 Mass., Dec. 31, 1888; length 10, wing 6.25, extent 20, tail 

 4, tarsus 1.40, bill .80 ; a splendid specimen, the pectoral 

 half ring unusually broad. H. D. Eastman, Framing- 

 ham, Mass. 



A Golden Eagle, freshly killed, was placed in the cold 

 storage of the Mechanical Refrigerating company two 

 years ago. We took it out a few days since and mounted 

 it. It had remained frozen solid during the time ; upon 

 thawing, the feet and head were found to be somewhat 

 dry, but otherwise it appeared the same as if it had 

 only been in a short time. 



The last of January without having any snow to 

 speak of, has caused poor business for the taxidermists 

 of this section. Northern birds have failed to put in an 

 appearance in the usual numbers. 



I saw in our market (Buffalo, N. Y.) an Albino Chip- 

 munk O , pink eyes and pure white body, three faint 

 dirty concealed stripes down the back. Why would it 

 not be a good scheme for our friend in December num- 

 ber of the O. & O. to purchase it and go into the stock 

 raising? G. E. H. 



An ExTixfT Food Bird. — In the American Museum 

 of Natural History there are four specimens of the 

 Labrador Duck, according to the New York Times. 

 Two are adult males, one an adult female, and one a 

 young male. Fifteen or twenty years ago these ducks 

 were very plentiful, and were sold in Fulton market for 

 food at very moderate prices. Now they are entirely 

 extinct, and only five specimens are known to be in 

 this country, the filth having formerly belonged to the 

 museum collection, but being now at the Smithsonian 

 Institution. In all the museums of Europe there are 

 only seven. The adult male is quite black, excepting 

 on the wings, head and neck, which are perfectly white, 

 the crown of the head being topped with black. The 

 female is of a grayish dove color, the young male being 

 exactly the same in appearance, except that the head 

 and neck are somewhat larger than those of the female. 

 The bill and foot are very similar to those of the Mal- 

 lard Duck, and the size is about the same as that of the 

 ordinary canvas back.— [Boston Herald. 



At a meeting of ornithologists held in San Francisco, 

 Cal., Feb. 9, 1881), a "California Ornithological Club" 

 was organized, for the study and advancement of the 

 ornithology of the Pacific coast. The following officers 

 were elected for the year 188:) : President, Mr. Walter 

 E. Bryant; vice-president, Mr. Harry R. Taylor; sec- 

 retary and treasurer, Mr. W. Otto Emerson. 



The advance guard of migration appeared at 

 Hay wards, Cal., Feb. 11. A weary traveller, " Trochilus 

 rufus" (made tired by carrying its name), was received 

 by the blooming flowers, and a temperature of sn" in the 

 shade. "Rufus" says hundreds are coming this way, 

 brother Jonathan, as the honey is sweeter.— [Squib. 



Reports 6 and 7 of the Colorado Biological Associa- 

 tion now ready. 



During the last three years we have had reported a 

 noticeable number of instances where the Acadian Owl 

 has been found dead during the winter. Why is it? 



