THE YOUNG OOLOGIST. 



21 



Queries. Answered. 



Queries to be answered in these columns should be 

 written an a postal or slip of paper — never mix them 

 in your letter when writing about other matters. 



T. N. J., Santa Barbara, Cal.— Your 

 " bush bird " is the Crimson House Fincli, 

 and your " liang bird." ■•titmouse" is tlie 

 Least Tit. 



W. H. T. Jr., Pliila., Pa.— Tlie Bar- 

 tram's Vireo ( Vireo virescens) is a Soutli 

 American species, and was consequeiitlj' 

 omitted from "Ridgwaj''s Nomenclature of 

 Nm'th Americd ti Birds.,' 



H. T. E., Bradford, Pa.— Tlie measure^ 

 ments given in Davie's Kgg Check List of 

 the eggs of the White-bellied Nuthatch are 

 correct. Your small Nuthatch eggs are 

 Black-capped Chickadee's. 



F. C, Ashland, O. — From description 

 of the nest and eggs of your " Mumac- 

 bird, " would say that it is either the Y'el- 

 low-bilkd Cuckoo or Green Heron. Send 

 us measurements of the eggs and we'll in- 

 form you. 



G. G. ('., Minneapolis, iliiui. — There is 

 but slight if any difference between the 

 eggs of the "western" and "eastern" vari- 

 eties of many birds, but the birds them- 

 selves, of these varieties, can be more or 

 less readily distinguished. Renewals can 

 be sent in at any time. 



H. S. W., Normal. III. — We have never 

 used or tried the "Preservative Prepara- 

 tion " you mention, and consequently can 

 neither praise nor condemn. We take the 

 following from our scrap-book, and think 

 it will answer the purpose just as well, and 

 possibly is nearly the same preparation : 

 "To preserve small birds entire, take 

 strong alcohol and dissolve in it about one 

 drachm of corrosive sublimate to every 

 quart of the spirits. Test with a black 

 feather to see that it is not too strong of 

 the sublimate. Soak small birds in this 

 preparation three or four days, then take 

 them out and allow to drj'. For a bird the 

 size of a pigeon, remove the entrails, wash 

 it clean and let it remain ten to tifteen 

 days." 



J. R. H., San Francisco, Cal, The eggs 

 of the Arizona Goldfinch are a trifle 

 smaller than those of the American. 



H. P. B., New Y'ork ( ily.— Portions of 

 the embryo can he pulled through the hole 

 in the shell and can be flipped off with the 

 eml.iryo scissors piece-meal. The Wilson's 

 Thrush nests on or near the ground. The 

 Wood Thrush usually nests in saiiliiigs in 

 thickets. 



M. G., Basil, O.— The Little Screech 

 Owl lays from four to seven pure white 

 eggs, nearly round, about 1.38 by 1.19 in. 



E. L. W., Chatham Centre, O.— The 

 eggs of the Ai-ctic Bluebird are similar to 

 those of the common Bluebird. Davie, in 

 his Egg Check List, gives them a little 

 larger. Also from the same we take the 

 following description of the eggs of the 

 Baird's Sandpiper : ' ' Buff or clay colored, 

 spotted and blotched with varying shades 

 of chestnut-brown ; size variable, average 

 1.30 by .90 in." 



H. C. L.. Hanford, Cal.— The Red- 

 shafted Flicker replaces the Y'ellow-shafted 

 in Western N. A. Cones' Key is the 

 standard work. 



F. E. W., Oskaloosa, Li.-The Y'ellow- 

 breasted Chat has a golden yellow breast 

 and olive green back. 



O. P., Little Neck, N. Y., would like to 

 know the various local names by which 

 the Yellow-shafted Flicker is known, and 

 suggests that the subscribers of The 

 YoijNG OoLOGisT Send in the names by 

 which it is known in their respective local- 

 ities. Let us hear from all. This list will 

 prove e.xceediugl}' interesting. 



R. B. T.. Valparaiso. Ind. — Glass and 

 lic|Uids are immailable unless packed in 

 wooden, or some equallv strong substitute, 

 boxes. • 



A. S, R., Sycamore, 111. — The Downy 

 Woodpecker is a permanent resident here, 

 and is doubtless in your locality. 



H. N. B.. Polo, 111., desires to learn the 

 correct name for the Colorado bird known 

 as the " Camp Robbrr. " 



A. C. S., Toledo, O.— The bird which 

 you call "Ground Chippie" is llie Field 

 Sparrow. 



Nest of the Ruby-Throated Humming- 

 bird. 



I received your monthly yesterdaj-, and 

 read it through last evening ; was very 

 much interested in it, but can hardly think 

 that the Hummingbird ( T- cohihris) covers 

 the nest with a large leaf during a rain 

 storm, as one of your correspondents 

 mentioned. I have observed Humming- 

 birds' nests from the time the young were 

 hatched, until they left the nest, and never 

 saw anything to indicate that they were 

 covered up. I have six nests and eggs, 

 three of w Inch 1 found in an apple orchard 

 within W trees of each other, in 1883. 



