236 



THE OOLOGIST. 



A Wliit3 Grow. 



I noticed iii Novemijer Oologist an 

 article headed, '"Albino Birds." Now 

 I wish to speak about such birds as 

 these. 



On the 27th of November, 1891. my 

 brother and I went hunting for ducks 

 at Peijuot Lake, which is situated about 

 eight miles from this city. Well we 

 arrived there and were walking along 

 the shore of the Lake, when we heard 

 an awful cawing, as though the whole 

 creation of crows were assembled to- 

 gether and seemingly trying to outdo 

 every sound. 



While tiying to approach the crows, 

 I started them all on the wing, about 

 two hundred strong. 



But what should I perceive among 

 the whole troop — a white bird wheeling 

 and keeping I'ight in their midst. . 



The thought flashed through my 

 mind, could the white bird be a Albino 

 Crow, impossible. 



I again slowly approach the place 

 where they had alighted in a large field 

 when most of the crows again took 

 flight, but several of them, perhaps 

 fifty, settled on an old rail fence, and 

 among them the white bird, which 

 alightetl on one of the top rails. 



We stood and watched the white bird 

 two or three minutes, the shape of its 

 body, pose,etc. making sure that it was, 

 without boubt, an Albino Crow. I am 

 al$o quite sure that I distinguished its 

 cry from among the others, it seemed 

 more harsh and gutteral. 



I again, for the third time, advanced; 

 mj'' eyes seemed growing bigger and 

 bigger, and a firmer grip of the gun did 

 I take, as I neared, step by step, to the 

 diamond among the setting of coals.' 



The black crows, one after another 

 flew away. Could it be possible that I 

 should get within range ? But, alas, he 

 Hew, but had the credit of being one of 

 the last to do so. I watched him fly 

 away towards the North with his fellow 

 but black brethren. 



That it Avas an Albino Crow, I would 

 be willing to stake almost anything up- 

 on it, his manner of flight, size, actions, 

 and the immaculate white that clothed 

 his C07-VUS body. 



There is a taxidermist who resides in 

 this city who has a mounted Albino 

 Blue-Jay, and also an Albino Bank 

 SSvallow; and another friend of mine 

 has in his possession a finely mounted 

 Albino Gray Squirrel. 



Albert N. Roberts, 

 Holyoke, Mass. 



The Pileated Woodpecker. 



During my career as a naturalist and 

 reader of scientific papers, I have 

 not noticed a single article on this 

 grand species. 



The Ivory-billed is some larger and 

 more scarce, but it cannot be more in- 

 teresting than the Pileated, which Doc- 

 tor Coues says is rai'e. It is quite com- 

 mon here, and is heard more than any 

 other species. 



They are very Avary birds and if once 

 they see you, it is useless to pursue 

 them with a view to getting a shot at 

 them. They are Aery fond of picking 

 iu rotten logs or stumps in search of 

 ants and other insects AA'hich inhabit 

 such places, and can often be taken 

 while thus engaged. 



I have often heard father and mother 

 tell how tame these birds used to be 

 when Eastern Indiana was new. When 

 father Avas a boy he used to kill them 

 with a stick, by striking around the 

 stump on Avhich they Avere at work. 

 Mother has caught raanj' a one in her 

 sun bonnet by slipping up to the stump 

 on the opposite side from the bird, and 

 when he AA'Ould put his head into some 

 hole or crevice in search of ants or 

 worms, would quickly put her bonnet 

 over h im . 



Here, during the fall months they 

 feed a great deal on Avild grapes and 

 berries of the Black Gum, and later ou. 



