12 



THE OSPREY. 



was well covered with water, were the 

 homes of the Coots and Florida gallinules, 

 the so-called Mud-hens. It is curious 

 that they are able to keep so well con- 

 cealed, when they are heard cackling and 

 splashing' on every side and their nests 

 are found at intervals of a few feet. 

 Their presence is also evident from the 

 broken and floating stems of the so-called 

 wild celery where they have been feeding 

 and sporting among the flags, the tender, 

 succulent portion of the stem at the base 

 being the part they clearly desire. Here 

 also we find the "squawks" or American 

 Bitterns feeding, and now and then as we 

 chance upon one he swings clumsil}- into 

 the air uttering the characteristic harsh 

 "squawks," straggering loosely in air 

 until he squares himself and settles into 

 his slow, regular flight, rising higher and 

 higher as he advances. Frequently the 

 cr}^ and iiscent of one will startle others, 

 and perhaps twenty or thirt}' will take 

 flight from as many different parts of the 

 pond, rising singj}' but uniting into a 

 flock and circulating about several times 

 before alighting one by one to continue 

 their feeding in the shallow parts of the 

 swamp. (to be c(mtinued. ) 



(Beneral 1Rotes« 



WESTERN VISITORS. 



Besides the throng- of our usual north- 

 ern spring guests, I had the pleasure of 

 greeting three rare visitors from the 

 West: Harris's Sparrow, the Western 

 Meadowlark, and Yellow-headed Black- 

 bird. 



(). WiDMANN. 



Old Orchard, Mo. 



DUCKS MIGKATINC;. 



I sav/ a flock of about a dozen White- 

 winged Scoter ( Oidcmia dclinidi) July 20, 

 and shut one together with a Surf Scoter, 

 ( Oldoiiia pcrsp/ci/hdd) July M). So the 

 Tail mii^ration has apparently set in, with 

 till- (lucks at least. 



Philip J. McCook. 



Hartford, Conn. 



A Murderous Woodpkckek. 



Sometime ago I found a Wood Pewee's 



nest with three fully fledged young. On 



climbing to the nest the young flew, two 



lig-hting- in a larg-e elm near by. A few 



minutes later a Red-headed Woodpecker 

 came crawling up the tree and soon spied 

 the young birds. He immediately pounc- 

 ed on one and with a blow of his sharp 

 beak drove a hole through its skull, letting 

 the brains ooze out. He then served the 

 other the same way. After this murder- 

 ous feat he hopped about and chattered 

 as though very much delighted. 



Frank C. Willard, 

 Galesburg, 111. 



domesticated quail. 

 On the farm of my brother-in-law, Wm. 

 York, at Millersburg, Mercer county, 111., 

 a Bob-white made its nest in a small 

 bunch of grass against the barn, and 

 within a few feet of the door. Although 

 Mr. York's family and others passed every 

 day within a few feet of the nest, the 

 quail paid no attention to them, and after 

 hatching out thirteen chicks, they imme- 

 diately made friends with the chickens 

 about the barn lot, and when I saw them 

 last, appeared to be much at home, though 

 I never could get very near to them. 



D. J. Van Meter. 



CORTLAND COUNTY NOTES. 



The Pileated Woodpecker { Ccophlocns. 

 pilcatus), which until a very few years 

 ago was considered a rare bird in this vi- 

 cinity, has become quite common in cer- 

 tain localities. In the town of McDon- 

 ough, Chenang-() county, several have 

 been shot, and they are known to breed 

 there annually. 



American Pine (xrosbeaks were very 

 common the past winter — several large 

 flocks being seen in this place and vicin- 

 ity. Only a very small per cent were 

 adult male birds. 



I am also i)leased to report the fondly 

 cherished Bluebird, although by no means 

 common, as much more numerous than 

 last year. I have discovered the nest of 

 a pair which I hope may succeed in rear- 

 ing their brood in safety. 



H. C. Hkk.ins. 



Cincinnatus, N. Y. 



Personal. 



Mr. Will. E. Saunders, of Loudon, Ont.. is 

 cnjoyinj^ a trip to British Coluniljia. He writes 

 that he will return about Sept. 20th. 



Dr. Robert H. Wolcott, Instructor of Zoolo<,'-y 

 at the University of Nebraska, is spending the 

 summer at his home in Grand Rapids, Mich. 



