THE OOLOGIST. 



103 



laid with blotches and specks of light 

 chestnut and on two eggs a very few 

 spots of a darker brown or umber. All 

 more or less inclined to form wreathes 

 at larger end. Sizes: 73x57; 70x56; 

 72x56; 69x54; 72x56. Type of markings 

 is very similar to some sets of Black 

 and White Warbler but eggs are small- 

 er and more pointed than that species. 

 The set is now in the fine collection of 

 Mr. W. A. Davidson of Detroit, Mich. 

 I might also mention the finding of 

 nests of Hooded and Cerulean Warbler 

 the same day. The former is becoming 

 <juite common here. 



Ernest H. Short, 

 Albion, N. Y. 



Queries Answered. 



In answer to Patronus Avium who 

 asks the questions in your September 

 number would say: 



1st. Birds have but a single eyelid, 

 as with most mammals, but they are 

 provided with a nictating membrane 

 beneath the regular eyelid. Many spe- 

 cies have two membranes making 

 three eyelids if you wish to call them 

 so. 



2d. The wishbone (clavicles joined) 

 is the better form of bony framework 

 to get a good wing action from the 

 use of the pectoral muscles. 



3d. All the Phalaropes fly, run and 

 swim with ease and perfect grace. 

 There are others, but none better 

 adapted than these in America. 



4th. The Great Crested Flycatcher 

 and Blue Grosbeak place cast-off snake 

 skins in their nests; the former in about 

 four instances in five; the latter not as 

 often. Other birds have this peculiar- 

 ity but not regularly. 



5th. Do as you like; but if you adopt 

 a style follow it exactly and give the 

 Roman pronounciation: a? as i; i as e; 

 e as a; a as ah; v as w, etc. Better to 

 adopt the English. 



6th. The Wilson's Phalarope (female) 



is in my opinion the handsomest bird 

 in America (not gaudy). It combines 

 perfection in coloration and blending, 

 and as well, necessary to beauty, per- 

 fect symmetry and grace in everj' 

 movement. The Blue Jay is the most 

 intelligent bird, or perhaps the Canada 

 Jay, or else the Black-billed Magpie or 

 Crow. One af these four and I prefer 

 to name the Jay. 



7th. A matter of opinion with us 

 no need of discussion. 



8tb. Albinism to any extent is a var- 

 iation and hence an abnormality, but it 

 is not a disease, for loss of pigment in 

 shell or feather may be in evidence and 

 the bird remain in perfect health. 



9th. Have repeatedly observed par- 

 ent-birds cover their eggs or young 

 with spreading wings during a rain 

 storm. 



10th. Have never seen Goat-suckers 

 transport their eggs, but believe that 

 they do do it in some manner. If Au- 

 dubon says so, it is so. In-so-far as I 

 have followed the great observer he is 

 always correct; certainly truthful. 

 Titus Andronicus Ornis Maternus. 

 Oozamalak. 



A Collecting Ladle. 



On the 11th of Junn, '92. I had the 

 good fortune to find a Yellow-billed 

 Cuckoo's nest, but the nest was situated 

 on a branch limb of a willow tree, which 

 limb of course would split off very easi- 

 ly, so I contrived an apparatus, which 

 consisted of a baking powder box cover 

 tacked on to the end of an 8 ft. stick, 

 thus making a crude ladle, then climbed 

 the tree, reached out with my primitive 

 ladle, and in a few seconds had a set of 

 five slightly incubated eggs. This idea 

 may be useful to collectors. 



E. H. Fletcher, 

 Brockton, Mass. 



Ripans Tabules cure dyspepsia. 

 Ripans Tabules cure nausea. 



