112 



THE OOLOGIST. 



8\v;illuvv'.s in I'vcrvtliiiig lnit size, (judg- 

 ing from your (U-scription.) 



A. L. T., Newark, N. Y.— We know 

 of no hawk that is nearly all white 

 whose eggs are greenish-white unspot- 

 ted. 



(i. E. B., Marion, Ala.— Your "But- 

 eher-bird" is one of tlie Shrikes, proba- 

 l)ly tlie Loggerhead. Your "Swamp 

 mockingbird" we think from your de- 

 seription must lie the Towhee. 



P. C, Wilmington, Del. — The follow- 

 ing owls probably breed in your local- 

 ity, viz.: The Barn, Saw-whet or Aca- 

 <lian, Screech, Great-Horned, Short- 

 eared. Long-eared and Barred. 



A. H., New Dorp, N. Y.— The ans- 

 wer to W. I. C. in the May "query col- 

 umn" applys verbatim to j'our case. 



A. W. C, Tecumseh. Midi.— The 

 Red-tailed Hawk begins to set about 

 April 1st. Incubation lasts alxmt three 

 weeks. Your one egg constitutes a set 

 if you are satistied that the bird had tin- 

 ished laying. The eggs are laid at in- 

 tervals of a few days. Cannot saj' as 

 to the bird that migrates with the Ori- 

 ole. 



R. H. D., Stuart, la. a.sks tJu- follow- 

 (luestion: "What bird is it tliat builds 

 on the beams of l)ridges, lays a l)lue 

 egg, and is about the size and color of 

 a Robin V The nest is built f)f sticks 

 and grass." We don't know if it 

 isn't a Robin. Who does? 



J. ¥. H.. Mendota, Ills.— Cannot 

 place your nest and eggs without a de- 

 scription of the bird. 



A. T., Newark, N. Y.— Your egg is 

 an i.-gg of tile ()ven-l)ird or (loldeii- 

 t-rowned Thrush. 



C. H., Oregonia, Ohio. — The Vesper 

 Spai'row or Grass Finch nests on the 

 ground and has two white feathers in 

 the tail, most noticeable w hen Hying. 



H. A. H., Edinbuigh, Jiid. — We have 

 generally heard the name "Shitepoke" 

 applied to the American Bitten and 

 although a correspondent at Haverhill, 

 Ma.ss., informs us that in that locality, 

 it is applied to the (ireat Blue Heron, 

 jet the nest and eggs j'ou describe as 

 belonging to tlie "Siiitepoke," are, by 

 your description, very like those of the 

 Green Heron. 



J. H. L., Hamilton, Ont. — The num- 

 ber of eggs in a clutch of the Cowbird 

 is not, detinitel}* known, although 

 observations in regard to this matter 

 have been had, that approach accura- 

 (•3-. For instance, in one case a Cow- 

 bird kept in captivity, laid foui- eggs. 



D. F. R., Himrods, N. Y.-l. The 

 description of the nest and eggs belong- 

 ing to the sparrow with a white tail, is 

 like that of the V(,'spcr Sparrow or 

 Grass Finch. 



2. Youi- description is hardly suffi- 

 cient. The eggs of the Song Sparrow 

 vary consideraijiy in color and mark- 

 ings. 



L. S. M., Gregory. — 1. Your bird 

 called "Chippy" which lays l)lue eggs 

 spotted with black is the Chijiping 

 Spjirrow. 



2. Your description is insufficient. 



H. H. R., Middle Granville, N. Y.— 

 Although we have alwaj's heard the 

 name "Shitepoke" applied to the Am- 

 erican Bittern. P. G. *B. of Haverhill, 

 Mass., informs us that in his locality, 

 this name is applied to the Great Blue 

 Heron. He says that there is an island 

 near Haverhill where the Great Blue 

 Heron breeds, Avhich is call "Shitvpoke 

 Island." 



L. F. N.— Would like to know what 

 bird it is about the size of a Crow or a 

 little larger that frequents ponds, 

 streams and other bodies of Avater, the 

 general color of whose upper parts is 

 greenish-ln'own and whose tail is tippeil 

 with bright scarlet. Who will relieve 

 himv 



H. J. C, Elba, N. Y.-l. Your bird 

 about the size of a .s])arrow, of a slate 

 color on the head, back, wings, tail and 

 part Avay down the breast, the rest of 

 the under parts being whitish, and hav- 

 ing two Avhite feathers in each side of 

 the tail; is the Slate-colored Junco or 

 Black Snowbird. 



2. See another column of this issue. 



3. Your small bird of a uniform yel- 

 low or yellowish-brown color, building 

 a nest similar to that of the goldfinch 

 in a bush near a house, the eggs being 

 of a pearly white spotted with various 



