THE OOLOGIST 



185 



waterfowl is a cross between a Mal- 

 lard and some variety of Goose. The 

 bird weighs ten pounds, is colored 

 precisely like a mallard drake, includ- 

 ing curled feathers on tail, white ring 

 around neck, green head and typically 

 colored bill and feet. In shape the 

 outline and general pose is identical 

 with Hutchin's Goose. This bird was 

 shot on the Mississippi River near 

 Minneapolis, during November. 



The specimen is on exhibition in 

 Chicago but taxidermy is a lost art 

 if this game bird represents the work 

 of a professional. 



Gerard Alan Abbott. 



occurred about 2:30 a. m. He ventuf- 

 ed the opinion that the birds were at- 

 tracted by the electric lights of the 

 vessel. 



More Important But Untrue! 



The following example of news- 

 paper ornithology is the limit. 



It is from the Philadelphia, (Pa.) 

 Record. 



Wild Swans Attack Ship. 



Hundreds of wild swans, which had 

 apparently lost their way in the fog, 

 dashed against the steamer Ericsson, 

 early in the morning, while the vessel 

 was in the mouth of the Chesapeake 

 bay. The huge birds shattered many 

 panes of glass and caused so much 

 disturbance that many passengers 

 sprang from their berths and rushed 

 on deck, thinking some mishap had 

 befallen the boat. 



Several of the birds were captured 

 and were brought to this city on the 

 steamer, which docked at pier 3, South 

 Wharves. P. S. Groves, president of 

 the company, declared them the finest 

 specimens he had ever seen. The pris- 

 oners, which were pure white in color, 

 were among a number which flew in 

 the forward gangway, which was open, 

 and failed to find their way out the 

 other side of the boat. Some of the 

 birds became confused among the 

 cargo and were easily captured. 



Captain McNamee, commander of 

 the Ericksson said that the odd attack 



The Marsh Hawk. 



While looking for Swamp Sparrow 

 nests May 28th, 1916, a pair of Marsh 

 Hawks suddenly put in their appear- 

 ance. By their actions I knew they 

 had a nest somewhere in the vicinity 

 but finding a flushed birds nest in a 

 swamp with no idea of its where- 

 abouts would be no easy task so I de- 

 cided to wait until the preceding day. 



The next day found my cousin and 

 myself in the swamp on the alert for 

 Mrs. Marsh Hawk. After navigating 

 most of the swamp in vain I succeeded 

 in flushing her from a growth of wild 

 rose bushes. 



The nest was built on a muskrat 

 house and composed of rushes lined 

 with marsh grasses. A fine set of six 

 and a good photo rewarded our efforts 

 to the regrets of Mrs. Marsh Hawk. 

 The eggs were pale bluish white 

 splashed with light brown, measuring 

 1.80x1.40. 



I also collected four eggs of the 

 Swamp Sparrow in this swamp. 

 Neither of the above species are num- 

 erous in this section. 



There are about eighty-five species 

 of birds in this locality, none of them 

 being rare everywhere, though some 

 are here. 

 E. Clarion, O. Lyle D. Miller. 



The Stork Again. 



Our friend Robie W. Tufts of Wolf- 

 ville. Nova Scotia, one of the most ac- 

 curate and reliable oologists that we 

 know of, is celebrating the visit of 

 this old bird to his home, where a 

 wee daughter was left late in January. 



[This note slipped by the printer, 

 but is too good not to be published 

 even now. We congratulate Bro. 

 Tufts.— Bro.] 



