ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. iS-No. 4 



builds a compact nest, soft, firm secure and 

 substantial, and I have observed them out- 

 riding sometimes the rigors of even a second 

 winter and reflecting credit on the marvel- 

 lous ingenuity and skill of the architect. 



It recalls to my mind some curious cir- 

 cumstances in the history of this nest, chiefly 

 to note which this article was penned. About 

 two weeks after I first observed it, apparently 

 just about completed, I essayed to look into 

 it one day in passing. Pulling the branch 

 down till the nest was in easy reach I placed 

 my hand on it, and to say I was startled but 

 faindy expresses the feeling with which I let 

 loose my grasp on the branch as a lively 

 little animal sprang from the nest like a tlash 

 almost into my face and thence to the ground. 

 One of those long-tailed mice that I some- 

 times meet in the woods had ejected the 

 rightful owner and appropriated to his own 

 use the cosy little nest. This tree stood 

 quite alone beside a much travelled highway, 

 the branch on which the nest was built ex- 

 tending nearly at right angles from the trunk, 

 as before intimated, directly over the wagon 

 track about twenty feet from it and about 

 twelve feet above the roadway. 



It is the strange and unexpected that sur- 

 prises us, and of all things to ha\'e found a 

 mouse in such a situation seemed the very 

 last thing in the last possible place. The 

 mouse met a well deserved fate on the spot. 

 The birds reared their brood in another nest 

 in the top of a tall chestnut tree near at hand 

 and the deserted nest still waves a conspic- 

 uous object at the end of the naked branch 

 over the street. John N. Clark. 



Saybrook, Conn. 



.Andrew Downs, the veteran taxidermist of 

 Halifax, Nova Scotia, died August 26, 1892, 

 aged 81 years. He was born in New Jersey, 

 removed to Halifax early in life, where he 

 was apprentice to his father, William Downs, 

 a plumber and tinsmith. He traveled ex- 

 tensively in Europe and America. 



Harry Jordan W/iite. 



Distribution of the Bobolink in 

 Illinois. 



Since the publication of the list of con- 

 tributors' names in the February number, 

 four additional names are herein presented. 

 It is desired to increase the number of con- 

 tributors, and we trust that those in this and 

 adjoining States who ha^e not already re- 

 sponded will do so soon. 



Contributors will greatly oblige by send- 

 ing their reports in on time. If desired, the 

 whole yearly report may be sent in at once. 



F. L. Charles, Cook County, No. 7. 



B. T. Gault, Du Page County, No. 8. 



C. F. Tindall, Morgan County, No. 54. 

 E. S. Currier, Keokuk, Iowa. 

 County No. 3. J. E. Dickinson. 



Very common summer resident. .Arrives 

 the first week in May ; departs the latter 

 part of September. 



County No. 3. F. .A. Gregory. 



Summer resident ; common breeder in 

 meadows along the creeks. 



County No. 6. Gordon Schanck. 



Summer resident. .Arrives latter part of 

 .April ; departs latter part of October. Breeds 

 abundantly in clover fields from May 15 to 

 (une 15. Incubation lasts about two weeks ; 

 eggs 4-6 ; one brood. 



County No. 6. O. H. .Swazey. 



Summer resident ; very abundant ; breeds 

 in meadows ; arrives the middle of May ; 

 departs the latter part of the summer. 



Counties 6 and 7. W. E. Pratt. 



" Abundant in Lake and Cook Counties, 

 especially so on the broad prairies just west 

 and south of Chicago, where hundreds of 

 pairs breed. In Lake County there is a 

 nest in* nearly every large field. From the 

 20th of May to the loth of June, fresh eggs 

 may be found, and the nest complement 

 varies from an exceptional instance of 3 to 

 7, 5 and 6 being the usual number here." 

 Has found 3 or 4 Cowbird's eggs in a nest 

 of this bird. 



County No. 7. George B. Holmes. 



