January. 1S93.] 



AND OOLOGIST. 



15 



Brief Notes, Correspondence, and 

 Clippings. 



"I am at home to-night midst a con- 

 fusion of manuscript proofs, birds and 

 mammals in my museum hall. The num- 

 ber of birds amount to something over 

 1500, half of which number are my own 

 work ; many have been sent by other 

 taxidermists for the World's Fair exhibit. 

 Chief among my own work is an African 

 Ostrich and four Flamingos. The mam- 

 mals number seventy-five, from the Chip- 

 munk to the Bear. About twenty heads 

 of various animals, including a fine Buf- 

 falo head of my mounting i ^ years ago. 

 The fishes and reptiles have had a share 

 of my attention in all manner of prepara- 

 tion. 



"If no unforeseen accident happens, I 

 shall be able to deliver my book soon after 

 the 25th." Oliver Davie. 



Pine Grosbeaks were verv plenty tlie 

 last of December. My brother and mv- 

 self saw over 40, in scattered flocks of 3 to 

 14, at Ponkapog, Mass. J. H. Bo-jjles. 



At Dedham, Mass., they are reported 

 in numbers during the first three weeks in 

 Januarv. 



The following gentlemen were elected 

 officers of the California Academy of 

 Sciences on January 3, 1893 : — 



President, H. W. Harkness ; first Vice- 

 President, H. H. Behr ; second Vice- 

 President, J. G. Cooper; Corresponding 

 Secretary, T. S. Brandegee ; Recording 

 Secretary, J. R. Scupham ; Treasurer, 

 L. H. Foote ; Librarian, Carlos Troyer ; 

 Director of Museum, J. Z. Davis; Trus- 

 tees, VV. C. Burnett, Charles F. Crocker, 

 D. E. Hayes, E. J. Molera, George C. 

 Perkins, Adolpli Sutro, John Taylor. 



Mr. George Atkins, of Pittsburg, Pa., 

 has a very fine collection of live Pheas- 

 ants, including Golden, Silver, Lady Am- 

 herst, Reeves, English, Mongolian, Versi- 



color Hoosfield-blue, Lyn-eaters, Elliott, 

 White and several crosses. 



I have just mounted three Golden Eagles 

 killed in the vicinity of Columbus, Ohio. 



Oliver Davie. 



"John Bachman — Letters and Mem- 

 ories of his Life," $2.00, is a book that 

 should be in the hands of all ornithologists. 

 We have a few copies on hand. 



The large fire in Boston on January 10 

 came very near burning the building occu- 

 pied by our friend, Joseph ^L Wade. 

 The surrounding buildings were destroyed. 

 In the midst of the excitement Mr. Wade 

 remained at his post, in order that his 

 publication might be out on time. 



We procured several fine Lesser Piairie 

 Hens in the meat this month. 



Nesting of the Carolina \Vren. 



While the Carolina Wren is reported as 

 occurring in nearly all parts of the state of 

 Pennsylvania, it is exceedingly abundant 

 along the Wissahickon Creek, Philadelphia. 



This rather shy bird spends most of its 

 time in the vicinity of water, around bush 

 piles and old logs, and may often be seen 

 circling about the trunks of trees, collect- 

 ing beetles and insects. 



I have found as high as thirteen nests of 

 this species in two days, all of which were 

 built in the ruined walls of old houses and 

 mills, except two, which were constructed 

 in holes in stumps of trees. The nest is 

 composed of moss, leaves, weeds, and 

 grass. 



The eggs, generally six or seven in num- 

 ber, creamy white, spotted and blotched 

 with reddish brown and lilac, measure 

 about .56X.75 to .60X.S0. 



I would like to hear (thiough the col- 

 umns of this paper) from some of tiie 

 readers of the " O & O." as to the abund- 

 ance of the Carolina Wren in their States. 

 J/. L. C. Wilde. 



