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THE MUSEUM. 



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Swallow-tailed Kite. 



BY KET ATKINSON. 



This beautiful species, noted for its 

 graceful and elegant flight is fast be- 

 coming rare. Twenty years ago they 

 were more abundant than all the Kites 

 and Hawks combined in this locality 

 but in the last ten years have disap- 

 peared with remarkable rapidity. 



There have been more eggs of this 

 bird collected in this locality perhaps 

 than in any other but few more may 

 be expected. This season I had many 

 people collecting for me besides I trav- 

 elled over 200 miles in search of Kite 

 eggs and only secured one. It was a 

 set of three which is very unusual. 

 It was collected June i6th this being 

 20 days later than the latest ever col- 

 lected in this country and strange to 

 say incubation was only slight. The 

 set went to Mr. A. W. Johnson of 

 England. 



The nest of this species is always 

 built in the top of tall trees in the bot- 

 tom lands. It is composed of Spanish 

 moss and sticks lined with green moss. 

 I have collected many sets and three 

 eggs is the largest number I have tak- 

 en from one nest. 



In color they are dull white to white 

 speckled and blotched with redish to 

 daak mahogany brown. There is but 

 one other bird in this locality that lays 

 an egg that is very much like the 

 Swallow-tailed Kite egg and that is 

 the Florida Red-shouldered Hawk. 

 Their eggs are marked very much like 

 Kite eggs but nearly always larger al- 

 though I saw one Hawk egg that the 

 oldest oologist that ever saw the moon 

 could not tell from the Swallow-tailed 

 Kite Egg. It was the right size and 

 color, I mean it could not be deter- 

 mined till it wys blown. Right here I 

 will give the young oologist and per- 

 haps some of the older ones a pointer. 

 When blown, by examining the inside 

 of a Florida Red-shouldered Hawk 

 egg the egg the color will always be 

 seen to be bluish green while the Swal- 

 low-tail Kite egg is creamy white and 



besides show the markings through the 

 shell. 



The food of this Kite consists of 

 small snakes, grasshoppers, lizards, 

 crickets, young birds taken from other 

 nests, birds eggs and young wasps. 

 They will dart by a wasp nest and 

 snatch it, eating the young wasps from 

 it while on the wing. In fact they eat 

 nearly all their food while on the 

 wing, and have been truly called "The 

 Queen of the Air". 



I hope to hear bird notes from other 

 collectors in the field. 



WANTED:— The following back numbers 

 of the Museum: October, 1896; November, 

 1896 and February, 1895. For any of above 

 numbers we will give any two other numbers 

 or pay 10 cents each cash. W. F. WEBB, 

 Mgr., Albion, N. Y. 



SCHOOL COLLECTIONS!-We recently 

 sold a line of our Ji.'j 00 School Collections to 

 the Newark Valley, N. Y., High School. An 

 '.;nsolicited letter from the principal says: 

 "I desire to say that we are well pleased with 

 the cabinet we purchased from you. It was 

 accepted and highly praised by the Univer- 

 sity of New York by its representative sent 

 to inspect our school. Whenever you desire 

 to refer to me please do so." J. S. KINGS- 

 LEY, Ph. B . Principal High School, Newark 

 Valley, N. Y. 



MUSEUMS:— A complete file of Volumes 

 one, two and three, 36 numbers in all, will be 

 sent prepaid to any part of the U. S.. Canada 

 or Mexico for $'3. Order now while we have 

 complete files to oiler. We will also exchange 

 for good books on Ornithology. W. F. WEBB 

 Mgr., Albion, N. Y. 



BAROAINS. 



100 flrst-class specimens to any address, $1.00. 



Beautiful Shells, Corals, and Curiosities from all 

 parts of the world. 



100 nice Shells, 25c. 13 Beautiful mixed Olive Shells, 

 ,=iOc. 100 large specimens. S5.00, worth three times the 

 price or money refunded. 33 mixed Coins, $1.00. 30 

 flrst-class Tropical Botanical Specimens, $1.00. 13 

 perfect Arrow Points. 50c. 20 choice specimens, 27c. 

 100 perfect Porcupine Quills, 2'e. 



50,000 Specimens in Stock. 



Everything perfect. Satisfaction guaranteed or 

 money refunded. Send stamp for drawings and bar- 

 gain list. All orders promptly flUed. 



JOHN B. WHEELER, 



East Templeton, Mass. 



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