l8 BULLETIN No. 34. 



Delaware, tor a few days in midsummer, I had hoped to do 

 something in the ornithological line in the moments of leasure 

 which come to us all. For reason's unexplained the Blue 

 Hen's Chick has not been "in it" ornitholoo;ically. 1 am un- 

 able to recall a single prominent name identified with the avi- 

 fauna, indeed very little appears to have been written when 

 compared with the activity of surrounding States. The list 

 made by me was not a large one — 58 species. Birds were for 

 the most part silent and m.oulting. Then the temperature was 

 against me, the mercury often well above 100° F., and few ex- 

 cursions were made. The Turkey Vulture flying about the 

 village and down in the back yards in a semi-domestic state 

 was a most novel sight to me. 



1 made the acquaintance of a resident who had made a col- 

 lection of eggs some years previous. I shall never forget the 

 Conversation I had with him one evening while seated on the 

 bank of a large mill dam waiting for the festive " Bull head " 

 to bite. "Yes-sur, I've took de eggs of about all kinds of birds 

 dat nest aroun' yer — de Blackbird, Bluebird, Yellowbird, Red- 

 bird, hidigobird, Railbird, Ground Sparrow and Tree Sparrow. 

 See dat ole Crane flying up creek ? No sah, never took no 

 Crane eggs, dey build too high, but 1 done took Mudhen's, 

 and plenty of Killdee, Patridge and Tru'tle Dove — Buzzards too. 

 Dat Fisher's after yellerneds — we call him Kingfisherman some- 

 times. What kind of Hawks and Owls ? Why down yer we 

 b.ave 'em all — Fisher Hawk, Hen Hawk, Turkey Hawk, Priv- 

 teer, Bird Hawk, and Cat Owl, Booby Owl, and little Squinch 

 Owl." (Osprey, Redtailed, Red-shouldered, Cooper's and 

 Sparrow Hawks; Great-horned, Barn and Screech Owls,) 

 " Three kinds of Crows — Chicken Crow, Jackdaw Crow and 

 Rain Crow," (American and Fish Crows, and Yellow-billed 

 Cuckoo.) We got a little bit of a bird aroun' yer called Locust, 

 never seen it but once, can't describe it, but it sings jes' like a 

 Locust. No, not Locustbird, jes' Locust, (Probably the 

 Blue-winged Warbler.) Thar's another little bird that used to 

 build its nest all covered with moss on a limb, that's the Tom- 

 tit." (Blue-grey GnatCatcher.) " Not many Woodpeckers, 

 only the Big, Little and the Yellow-hammer " (Pihated, Hairy 



