88 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 17-No. 6 



put on over some other shade, a reddish tinge 

 showing through in the centre. This led me 

 to try an experiment. First using a piece of 

 wliite silk dipped in water, I tried to remove 

 the lavender; a little rubbing made it appear 

 rather darker. Not satisfied, I then took my 

 sliari)est scalpel and carefully cut off the 

 marking. Every shave, as line as it was, 

 made the lavender blotch darker, until I 

 finally cut down to a dark reddish-brown with 

 a very dark brown spot in the centre. Still 

 continuing the scrape, my brown began to 

 lighten up. Thinking it about time to let up 

 scraping, if I wanted any shell left, I laid down 

 the scrapel and put the egg back into the box, 

 scraped spot up, which was a plain lavender 

 when I started to scrai)e, but now it had a dark 

 brown centre with a light brown circle around 

 it whicli was iu turn enclosed with a lavender 

 circle; then came the buff ground color. Tak- 

 ing the other egg and treating it in a similar 

 manner the same result was obtained. Some 

 of the lavender spots do not have brown xuuler 

 them. 



Has it ever been proved beyond doubt how 

 the Wood Pewee and IIummingl>irds attach 

 the lichen so tightly to their nests'? I am 

 aware that some argue that it is wound on 

 with spiders thread; others, again, seem to 

 think that the bird uses a sticky fluid, which is 

 secrete, similiar to the Eave Swallow. 



Any reader of the 0.& O. who will funli^sh 

 an article, positively from observation how 

 and with what it is fastened to, will do me 

 and no doubt others a great favor. 



Walter B'A. Hyan. 



Kentville, N. S. 



Birds of Five-mile Beach. 



[Continued.] 



394. Downy Woodpecker {Bry abates puhea- 

 cens). Not common; have seen a few. 



402. Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (S2>hyrapicu!< 

 varius). Very common during early part of 

 October; have not observed the species in 

 spring. 



412. Flicker {Colaptes auratux). Very com- 

 mon, particularly from middle to end of 

 September, when hundreds are shot. Few if 

 any remain on the beach to breed. 



420. Nighthawk (Chordeiles viryininnus). 

 Two secured during August, 1889, is my only 

 record of the species on the beach. 



423. Chimney Swift {Chcetura pelar/ica). 

 Common. Breeds. Arrives about May 1st. 



428. liuby-throated Hummingbird (Trochilus 

 colubrls). Kare. Breeds on the beach. 



444. Kingbird {T7jrannus tyrannus). Com- 

 mon. Breeds. The nest is generally placed 

 in a cedar tree, and is a beautiful structure. 

 The body of the nest is generally com])Osed of 

 the usnia or Florida moss, as it is here gener- 

 ally called. 



456. Ph(ebe. {Sayornis phoehe). Not com- 

 mon. What few come remain to breed. 



474. Horned Lark (Ofocorts aijjestris). Very 

 common. During the fall and winter months, 

 generally found on the meadows, but occas- 

 ionally seen on the beach. 



488. American Crow (Corvus ainericanus). 

 Common resident. Breeds on the l)each. 



490. Fish Crow {Curvus ossifragu.s). Not 

 common. I'robably breeds as its nest has 

 been found on the opposite beach. 



494. Boholiul^ (Dulichumjx oryzivorus). Not 

 observed during spring migrations, but often 

 common during the fall migrations. 



498. Ked-winged Blackbird {A(/elaiuis phxii- 

 niceiis). Very common. Large numbers 

 breeding back of the beach. The nest is 

 always placed in the bayberry bushes. 



501. Meadow Lark {Hturnella ma<jna). Com- 

 mon resident. More numerous in fall and 

 winter than at any other time of the year. 



507. Baltimore Oriole {Icterus yalbula). 

 Rare. My companion, Mr. H. Winzel, shot a 

 9 on Septemljer 20, 1890, which is my only 

 record of its occurrence on the beach. 



511. Purple Grackle {(Juiscdlus quiscnla). 

 Common spring and fall migrant. 



513. Boat-tailed Grackle {(^uiscalus major). 

 Very rare. Two birds of this species made 

 their appearance in company with a number 

 of Purple Gracklcs; one was shot by Samuel 

 Ludlam who had it mounted. 



517. Purple Finch (Carpodacus purpureus). 

 I have observed this species on several 

 occasions during the winter months. They 

 were generally found in cedar thickets. 



529. American Goldfinch {Spinus tristis). 

 Common, particularly during the month of 

 March. Few observed during the summer 

 months. 



541. Ipswich Sparrow {Ammodromvs prin- 

 ceps). The only record of this species on the 

 beach is a sijecimen shot by Mr. John Sterner, 

 on April 3, 1889, and sent to me with a lot of 

 other birds. 



542a. Savanna Sparrow {Ammodromus snnd- 

 wicJiensis savanna). Common spring and fall 

 migrant. 



549. Sharp-tailed SpaiTow {Ainniodramus 



