THE OO LOO 1ST, 



93 



Personal and Bird Notes. — Know- 

 ing that Dr. H. A. Atkins of Locke, 

 Michigan, was a close observer of nature 

 and thorough ornithologist we wrote 

 him to favor us with some notes of ob- 

 servation in the field for Publication. 

 The notes were promised, but on the 4th 

 of Otaober the Doctor was thrown from 

 his carriage, receiving terrible injuries 

 from which he is slowly recovering. 



The Doctor has paid much attention 

 to bird's nests in unusual positions, and 

 we believe he intends at no distant day 

 to give his observation to the public, 

 either in book form or in a series of Il- 

 lustrated Articles in the Ornithologist, 

 we sincerely hope by the time the birds 

 return in Spring, that the Doctor will 

 be fully recovered and able to take the 

 field once more. Besides some valuable 

 Wilson and Audubon matter, we re- 

 ceived the following. 



"The Oologist came to hand yester- 

 day and I was much pleased with its 

 contents. I trust I shall be able to give 

 you something for its columns in a few 

 days. I have with the aid of my son 

 kept up my usual fall and winter obser- 

 vations. I fired my gun January 1st 

 for the first time since Oct. 4th. I am 

 getting quite sound after my terrible in- 

 jury and by spring hope to be quite well, 

 I shot a Song Sparrow {Melospiza mel- 

 odia) Jan. 1st in full plumage, the first 

 time I ever met with it in midwinter. 

 I also saw the Red-bellied Nuthatch 

 Sitta canadensis Dec. 19, the first I ever 

 saw in winter. It is always rare here, 

 today, Jan. 6th, I saw over a dozen. 

 The Winter Wren ( Troglodytes hyem- 

 (dis) was taken here Jan. 3d, I never 

 met with it in Winter before." 



Editorial Notes. 



"Birds of Conn." — In our advertis- 

 ing columns will be found offered for 

 sale copies of " Familiar Science," in 

 which appeared the Birds of Conn, 

 written by Dr. William Wood. Be- 

 sides his own personal experience the 



Dr. spent much time in examining all 

 the Authorities extant. The articles 

 are written in the Author's remarkably 

 pleasing style ; each article being an ex- 

 haustive biography of the subject treated. 



To Ornithologists. — It is our desire 

 to give all the news in regard to Oology, 

 not only what comes to us direct but 

 what appears in other Journals. Our 

 readers will confer a great favor by 

 sending marked copies of Journals con- 

 taining any n^vf observations in Ornith- 

 ology or Oology from any part of the 

 U. S. A clipping will answer with 

 name of paper (and date) so that prop- 

 er credit can be given. 



Correction. — On receipt of the Jaq- 

 uary Oologist, Mr. D. D. Stone wrote 

 us as follows : " The article written by 

 me from Leadville should have; read 

 Pica Hudsonica. instead of P. nuttali. I 

 noticed the error some time ago but 

 had neglected to correct it." 



♦ 



Hooded Merganser. 



Under "November Notes" J. M. W. 

 says, " she has never seen but three * 

 specimens of the Hooded Merganser 

 here," (Norwich and Vicinity), It is 

 not common here, yet some seasons I 

 get ^ dozen or more, and then several 

 seasons may intervene before another is 

 captured. I presume I have taken and 

 received 25 or 30 specimens in as many 

 years. One of the handsomest sights 

 I ever saw was a flock of five males, in 

 perfect plumage, with crests erected, 

 playing in a stream. I lay on the ground 

 watching their movements with intense 

 interest, expecting to bag the major 

 portion, when in an instant they disap- 

 peared under the water, and I lost them. 

 After they have been frightened or 

 wounded, and dive, it is no use to look 

 after them. They are the swiftest 

 waterfowl on the wing that I know of, 

 and are seldom shot unless going 

 directly from the hunter* — Wm. Wood, 

 East Windsor Hill, Conn. 



