THE OOLOGIST. 



37 



Its habits are similar to tliose of the 

 eastern bird, it nesting in holes of dead 

 trees, and bird, boxes, &e. The nest is 

 composed of drj' grass, leaves and some 

 times a few feathers. 



I he eggs are from 4 to 6 in number of 

 a pale blue color, and somewhat darker 

 than Stalia arlica, also somewhat 

 smaller averaging about .80x.61. 



Dr. a. G. Pkill, 



Oregon Chickadee. 



No. 735b. Parus atricapUlus occiden- 

 talis. (Baird.) 



Hab. Pacific coast from California northward. 



This is a common specie in Linn Co., 

 Oregon. It is not found as abundant in the 

 le^s as in the hills and mountains, i^ro- 

 bably on account of the better facility 

 for nesting afforded in the many dead 

 trees in the mountain or wooded dis- 

 tricts. 



It feeds upon insects and their larvae, 

 and at the close of the nesting season, 

 gather in tiocks (if the term may ai)ply) 

 and traverses the woods, going from 

 bush to bush, in search of their food. 

 The fruit orchards are also Aisited, and 

 in this small bird the farmer has one of 

 his best friends. 



The nesting season l)egins in April, 

 and fresh eggs may be f)l>tained as late 

 as June. I found one nest on June 28 

 whicli contained live young and one 



egg- 

 It nests in deserted woodpecker holes 

 rotten stumps, and the complement of 

 eggs is usually six although seven to 

 nine have been found, Its nest is com- 

 posed of moss and dry grass thickly 

 lined with feathers and down. The 

 eggs are of a white color, thickly speck- 

 led, mostly at the larger ends, with 

 shades of browu. 



Dk. a. G. Pkill. 



"Western Yellow-throat. 



No. 681a. GeolMypis trichas Occident 

 talis. Brewst. 



Hab. Western U. S., west of the Mississippi. 

 (Davie.) 



This species is rommon in the low 

 swampy districts which are over-grown 

 with wild rose bushes and tall marsh 

 grass, in the vicinity of Sweet Home, 

 Oregon. Although on entering such a 

 locality you are greeted by several of 

 the birds, it is no easy matter to find 

 their nest. The bushes generally are 

 veiy thick and grass porhaps a foot 

 high. The nest being safely tucked 

 aAvay in some tussock of grass in the 

 midst of these briars. The general 

 habits of the bird resemble those of Q. 

 ti'ichas. 



The nest is made of fine di'y grass, 

 some times partly roofed over like the 

 Meadow Lark. 



The eggs are four or five in numbea 

 of a creamy white, spotted at the larg- 

 er end with shades of brown and black. 



It's nesting season is in May. I have 

 secured fresh eggs as late as June 6. 

 Their average size is .66x.48. 



Dk. a. G. Pkill, 



My Trays. 



As traj's are an important factor of 

 the cabinet, I will try to describe mine. 



Although the majority of collectors 

 will use nothing but paste-board trays, 

 I hope a few will give the tray, I am 

 about to describe, a trial. 



Having had no satisfaction out of 

 paste-board trays, I have at last a tray 

 that suits me in every respect. Taking 

 a block of poplar, 3x3xJ inches, I had a 

 circular hole cut in it by means of a 

 lathe, 2f inches deep. This made a 

 square tray with a circular cavity with- 

 in a sixteenth of the sides of the block 

 and with an eighth of an inch bottom. 



