'152 



THE MUSEUM. 



More Eggs Outside of Nests. 



The recet remarks regarding Mr. J. 

 L. Davison's Ovenbird egg were very 

 interesting and reminded me of a some- 

 what similar instance which occurred 

 several years ago. 



In latter April 1893 while collecting 

 in a "diamond willow" thicket near 

 the Missouri river I flushed a female 

 Towhee off her nest which was built 

 on the east side of a gnarled root of a 

 large diamond willow. The nest con- 

 tained two eggs of the Towhee and 

 two Cowbirds' eggs. 



While kneeling down to inspect the 

 nest closer I saw a Towhee's egg with 

 a small "clear hole" in the side, lying 

 about six inches away from the nest 

 and upon further investigation I found 

 another Towhee's egg on the side of 

 tree and over i 5 inches away from the 

 nest. 



The eggs in the nest showed consid- 

 erable incubation, but the eggs out- 

 side were fresh and it is my opinion 

 that the Ccnubird (or birds) took the 

 tivo eggs out of the nest when they 

 were about to deposit their parasitic 



eggs- 



I smashed the two Cowbird eggs 

 and after placing the two fresh eggs in 

 the nest retired to watch the Towhee. 

 After a few minutes the Towhee set- 

 tled down upon the nest and as she 

 was setting upon ner nest one week af- 

 terwards I believe she hatched out her 

 little Towhees O. K. 



Like Mr. Davison I have made it a 

 practice to destroy all eggs (or youngj 

 of Cowbirds (when I do not take the 

 set) and I think if more of this was 

 done the numbers of the rascally para- 

 site would be reduced to a considerable 

 extent. 



Now brother oologists, let us all fol- 



low this practice and see if we can not 

 rid our little friends of their most 

 troublesome enemy. Let our motto 

 be, Death and Destruction to the Lazy 

 Cowbird. 



ISADOR S. TrOSTLER, 



Omaha, Neb. 



Pterocera chirogra— Hooked Scorpion. 



Pterocera lambis — Spider. 



Pterocera scorpio — Purple Mouth Scorpion, rare 

 and handsome. 



Pterocera millepeda. 



