48 



THE OOZOGL^T 



Great Crested Flycatcher- 



Th]3 bird arl'ives liero. Shelter Islaiul, 

 from tiie south about the 10th of May, 

 and is soon abundant, and begins to buiUl 

 about the 20th. The nest is usually plac- 

 ed in a hollow tree, and is composed of dry 

 leaves, grass, and sometimes a snake's skin 

 or two, and is lined with feathers. The 

 eggs are usually 5 or 6 in number. This 

 bird is so common here that it seems to be 

 a matter of some difficulty for them all to 

 ■find suitable nesting places, and so they are 

 glad to use a bird-box for a home. In 

 1879 three instances of its doing so came 

 to my notice, one of which was in a box 

 of my own, placed in the gable of a barn. 

 I have also known of two instances of the 

 same kind the present year (1«80), one of 

 these was built in a small box of my own, 

 which was in a tree a short distance from 

 the house. To the usual material used in 

 building, the bird in this instance carried 

 in a quantity of hair of the common skunk, 

 and laid 7 c^2.i>^ Avhich is the largest num- 

 ber I ever took. 'J'hey were fresh on June 

 7 when I took them. 



Biases B. Gri/jiiifj. 



Humming Birds at Saratoga, N.Y. 



This beautiful bird arrives in this part of 

 the state from May 10 to the 14, and leaves 

 about the loth of September. It seems 

 mated from its first ajjpearauce. It often 

 perches itself on some dead limb, or flower 

 stalk, and usually busies itself in smooth- 

 ing its fine feathers. It is not very shy ; 

 and is eager for a quarrel with any other 

 male during breeding season. Birds 

 many times larger are often attacked and 

 driven from the vicinity of its nest. 



About the first week in June it com- 

 mences its tiny home, and is then busy for 

 nearly two weeks in perfecting it. The 

 nest is about as often on a dead branch as 

 a live one, and in pine, oak, maple, and 

 beech trees. 



The nest is made of downy substances 

 obtained from ferns and milk weeds, and 



I is entirely covered Avith greenish lichens, 

 ! and from below looks like a knot. It is 

 about an inch and a-half in diameter, and 

 I the same in depth, externally. AVithin 

 being about one inch wide, and three- 

 quarters deep. One collected this year is 

 I all of two inches deep, externally ; but 

 this is an exception. 



The eggs are two : white atid eleptical. 

 I Fresh eggs may be found from June 16tli 

 I to July 2Gth. Great care must be used 

 : m gettmg eggs, as the least jar is liable to 

 throw them out. The bird constantly 

 ; hovers near as you get the nest, and fre- 

 j quently comes nt>ar, and even lights upon 

 ' the nest as the limb is being sawed off. 



The birds build usually near the old 

 nest, if undisturbed. I have now two 

 nests on the same limb, not six inches 

 apart. About the first of September the 

 old and young gather in flocks, and soon 

 move south. At this time but few males 

 are seen in or near the flock. 



G((y C. Rich. 



. ^ ^ ^ . . 



The Great Northern Shrike. (236.) 



Colhjoris Borealis Baircl. 



Double-Bkoodp:d in the North — This 

 species breeds here. A nest was found on 

 the 20th April, at Lachine. I have now 

 noticed the young in the down on the last 

 of July. It may be presumed, therefore, 

 that it is double-brooded. 



Wm. Couper, llontreal. 

 . <»► •■ 



Great Auk. 



Two genuine eggs of the Great Auk, not 

 previously recorded, were lately found in 

 an old private collection in Edinburgh. 

 They were sold July 2nd at Covent Gar- 

 den, London, one for 100 pounds, the 

 other for 102 guineas. — Journal of Horti- 

 culture. 



Our readers will confer a special favor 

 by showing their paper to friends interest- 

 ed in Oology, ftud if possible secure ad- 

 ditional subscribers. 



