44 



THE OOLOGIST 



The last sets found were those of Cas- 

 siu's Anklet. One t'gg is deposited in 

 a crevice under some rocks and the 

 old bird is generally on the eggs. 



They all seem to keep concealed dur- 

 ing the day, but appear in large num- 

 bers about dusk. 



A t3'pical egg is wiiite with a very 

 sliglit greenish tinge, and measures, 

 1.90x1.31. 



All the Ijird inhabitants have their 

 peculiar notes and at dusk the Auks 

 can be distinguished by their, chee-rie 

 kee — chee-rie-kee. 



The Guillemot's plaintive note some- 

 what resembles the sound made by a 

 j'oung pigeon. 



Beside the "eggers" it is said tlie 

 California Murre has a forminable ene 

 my in the gull, on account of the large 

 quantities of eggs that he steals, when 

 the the Murres leave their nest: and I 

 do not doubt that he eats eggs, on ac- 

 count of a little lesson that he taught 

 us. 



When "C" had laid down a hatful of 

 eggs for a minute a Gull swooped down 

 and picked out the only Anklets egg 

 and ate about ten Cormorants eggs be- 

 fore discovered. 



FUED A. SCHNEIDEU, 



College Park, Cahi. 



Our Winter Visitors. 



Who does not hail with delight, the 

 coming of those feathered friends which 

 cheer us with their bright presence and 

 raerr^' chattel*, when nature has donned 

 her somber robes of grays and browns? 

 What stout hearted little fellows those 

 must be who can face the bleak winds 

 and bitter cold and snow of the North! 



Tliink of such a tiny bit of life as a 

 Kingh't braving the severest weathers, 

 all rutHed up in a ball. Hitting among 

 the branches of trees and picking frozen 

 insects from tiie cracks ai'd crevices of 

 the Itark, wlien tlie thermometer regis- 

 ters tlurty degrees below zero; the 



while chirpping merrily and now and 

 then singing their sweet little song. 'Tisi 

 a Avise provision of Nature, that these 

 little midgets can keep Avarm, even in 

 the coldest of weather, when the larger 

 species are compelled to migrate ta 

 warmer lands. 



As long ago as I can remembei', I 

 took pity on the poor little bare-foot 

 birds, and longed to bring them in and 

 Avarm them bj' the tire. My childish 

 mind could not solve the mystery of how 

 the little Snow Inrds could stay out in 

 the snow all day without freezing,, 

 while I Avas so much larger and could 

 stay out but a fcAv luimites. Mother 

 used to tell me to knit stockings for 

 them, but I was to young too do that, 

 though I Avould try and Iiother her to 

 start them for me. 



Another dusky little bit of bird life, 

 that makes itself Avelcome here, during 

 the Avinter season, ever reminding us 

 of its presence Avith its "git, git, git git, 

 git, git,'' as it teeters among the bush 

 and fences, under logs and over the 

 house, is the Winter Wren, it asks no 

 odds, but Avill climlj up the door or 

 creep in at the Avindow and tell one 

 "git git" with as much independence as 

 if it owned the Avhole Avorld. 



It aAvakens at the earliest dawn and 

 we are often called to listen, by its 

 faint, but clear musical song, long be- 

 fore the sun has risen, as it ru.stles 

 among the fodder leaves in the shed. 

 They are not afraid of even the cats, 

 and Avill go Avithin two feet of puss 

 while lying in wait, but is dancing in 

 yon brush pile before kit has time to 

 move. 



The "little upside down birds," (Nut- 

 hatches), are a S(nirce of constant tor- 

 ment to the cats. They have learned 

 to come in the yard for crumbs, and 

 are so tame and teasing as to keep just 

 out of reach of those sharp chvAvs that 

 Avould like so Avell to toss and play Avith 

 them awhile. 



The "little downy" has taken up hia 



