THE OOLOGIST. 



241 



gi'adually melt away as the dew befuro 

 the morning snn. 



I would suggest that the Oologists 

 and Ornithologists of each state unite 

 and form an association for the edifica- 

 tion of professionals and amateurs. 



Local organizations should also be 

 encouraged. 



Each association should own a muse- 

 um and library. 



By this means we would become bet- 

 ter acquainted with the scientific re- 

 sources of our several states and 

 localities as well as with each other. 



The benefit to be derived from such 

 an organization cannot be appreciated. 

 Yet I sincerely hope that before the 

 sun of anotlier summer; Ave may be 

 united and working for the advance- 

 ment of Oology Ornithology, the most 

 pleasant of scientilic studies. 



R. — Michigan. 



I was rather surprised at the contents 

 of the article oy Mr. Brotherton, in llie 

 last issue of the Oologist, on a gener- 

 al association scientists. I was not 

 aware l)efore that they made themselves 

 so liable to the law. 



I dei)recate cruelty an<l wastp vei'y 

 mucli, but I think such persons as devo- 

 tees and students of science, should l)e 

 protected, and agree with him, in advo- 

 cating a general association of scientists 



I am a disciple of the doctrine of 

 protection from cruelty, &c. The fol- 

 lowing examples will help to illustrate 

 The Great Auk is thought to be extinct, 

 the Eider Duck has greatly diniinislied 

 in numljers. The liuffalo lias almost 

 gone, the Whale has, and the Seal is 

 suffering (fee., and all owing to tiie right 

 and left slaying (jf man; but as 1 said, I 

 unite with Mr. Hrolli»;rton in a call for 

 protection to, and aid in tbeir pursuits, 

 to followers of science by association. 



"In union there is .strength." 



VVm. IjINghlk.st, M. I). 



Philadelphia, i'a. 



Ill the valuable article by Mr. L. O. 

 Dart in October Oologist, the last 

 three lines should "f>ut what we might 

 gain etc," read instead of ' «oi &c." 



Nighthawks and Whip-poor-wills. 



I had thought until this year that 

 Niglithawks and Whip-poor-wills liad 

 also left us, not to I'eturn again, for 

 years had passe<l since I had seen them. 

 But this year the Whip-poor-will has 

 reappeared in eastern Oakland Co., 

 Mich., few to be sure. During a I'ecent 

 trip through southern Lapeer Co. I 

 found both Nighthawksand Whip-poor- 

 wills fairly abundant. 



WiLFUEU A. Bkotiieuton. 



Bird Nesting in November- 



Noveml)er 7, 1891. 



Wliile out huiiliug squirrel to-day, 1 

 had an occasion to pass through a low 

 swampy tract of ground, overgrown 

 with willow and thorn-apple trees. 



Near the center stood an extra large 

 thorn-apple tree, Avhich was conspicu- 

 ous and in passing by, I noticed a nest 

 of the Cuckoo, my curiosity lead me to 

 examine it, and I was somewhat sur- 

 prised to tind that it contained two eggs 

 of the Cuckoo (Yellow-billed without a 

 doubt.) 



The uest was well preserved, and 

 made of twigs, leaves and a little mud. 

 The eggs had not been incubated nei- 

 ther were they rotten. The contents 

 seemed to have evaporated about i, tha 

 remainder being of the consistency of 

 the yolk of an egg. 



Question. 



Wliat couid |)r()b;ibly have been the 

 reason lor the birils <lei>erling this neslV 



Crows and Jays arc abundant, but 

 dill not molest it. 



Has anyone a reconi of a ."jimilar oc- 

 currance f 



Dk. a. <;. i'lcii-L. 



