66 



THE OSPREY. 



The nest is quite a neat structure, be- 

 ing- built upon the g-round beneath a 

 weed or grass clump, and most excellently 

 concealed. All that I ev^er examined 

 were composed entirely of grass, the 

 coarser upon the outside and the finer 

 used as lining. The female exercises 

 great skill in the preservation of her 

 home, often worming her way through the 

 g-rass for several rods, and then not fly- 

 ing unless nearly trodden upon 



While the clutch is being taken the 

 bird will remain but a few rods distant, 

 quietly eyeing you, but never singing 

 after she sees you have discovered the 

 nest, but if you be not so fortunate she 

 will mount a convenient grass stem and 

 exultantly utter a triumphal "see-nic, se- 

 nic" to her mate. 



Never have I seen a nest with more 

 than four eggs — often three are a full 

 complement. They do not differ materi- 

 ally from the general run of coloration 

 met with in nearly allied species of Spar- 

 rows. The ground color being a pale 

 greenish white, blotched and spotted all 

 over with sepia and madder, the color 

 becoming darker and the marking's heav- 

 ier and more confluent near the larger 

 end, one set in my collection having a 

 few dots and splashes of black scattered 

 over their surface. This set measures 

 about .75x.60 as an average. 



In the days following the breeding 

 season the birds gradually become more 

 silent, and until the first of September, 

 when the bulk depart, they are quite 

 retiring. But just before leaving they 

 cheer up again and the swampy meadow 

 echoes once more until the last straggling 

 migrant has gone South to join his com- 

 panions who started a few weeks previous. 

 Akthuk M. Fakmek. 



Clinton, Mass. 



MORE ALBINISM. 



IN recent numbers of The Ospkev have 

 appeared notes on albinism. I wish 

 to add to the list the following: 

 American Robin. — Male taken in April 

 from a flock of normally colored birds. 

 Back mostly pure white, under parts mot- 

 tle with white, and several primaries and 

 secondaries white. A female taken in 

 early summer showing a scattering of 

 white throughout the plumage, including 

 several white wing- and tail feathers. 



Both specimens taken at Millbury, 

 Mass., by myself. 



Barn Swallow. — Young, pure white 

 with pink eyes; taken during the summer 

 at Worcester, Mass. 



Field Sparrow. — Male, tail pure 

 white including- upper and under coverts, 

 otherwise in normal plumage. Shot from 

 a flock of the same species at Millbury, 

 Mass., by myself. 



Red-winged Blackbird. — Several 

 males taken in Worcester County, Mass., 

 showing a white feather here and there. 



Screech Owl. — Female in red plum- 

 age. First three primaries of the right 

 wing, the first two primary coverts, 

 and the first and third primaries of the 

 left wing pure white. Shot Jan. 17th, 

 1896, at Millbury, Mass. 



Ruffed Grouse. — Mottled with white 

 on the back and breast. Taken in Wor- 

 cester County, Mass. 



BoBWHiTE. — One specimen, nearly 

 white; taken in Mass. 



Woodcock. — One specimen, uniform 

 dingy white; taken in Mass. 



H. T. Van Ostrand. 



Morganza, Pa. 



WHEATEAR in ALASKA. 



I observed a Wheatear here at Juneau, 

 Alaska, on October 21st, among the 

 stones and grass of a tide marsh. I was 

 duck hunting at the time, and had but 

 two loads of four shot left. I shot both 

 at the bird, but for some unknown 

 reason it v/as unharmed, and I was obliged 

 to leave it hopping about the beech. I 

 was within a few feet of the bird at times, 

 and am positive of my identification, 

 although I had never seen a Wheatear 

 before. The very strangeness of the 

 bird, both in color, actions and note im- 

 mediately attracted my attention, and I 

 observed it very closely. I saw but the 

 one, and that was not to be found again 

 on a later visit to the place. 



Juneau, Alaska. G. G. Cantwell. 



A bittern in the mountains. 



A Bittern was taken in the forest in 

 the vicinity of this place a few days since. 

 Its habitat is probably fifty or seventy- 

 five miles south of here. It was evidently 

 carried beyond its range by the gale, and, 

 having lost its course, became a wanderer 

 in this mountainous section. 



Walhalla, S. C. C. S. Reid. 



