- to playing amusing pranks on the 
THE OREGON 
NATURALIST. oF 
Tame storks can never be trusted 
with young chickens or ducklings. 
the watchfulness of the hen or 
they will spear the little ones, 
pieces and eat them, 
directions. 
In spite of 
duck 
tear them to 
mother 
They are also addicted 
cats and 
dogs. Their attempts to capture the sparrows 
which flutter about them are highly ludicrous. 
The sparrows, of course, are quicker than the 
pursuing stork whose 
to catch them never lead him to give up the 
attempt. 
continual failures 
Marital fidelity is, next to the love for his 
old home, the strongest trait in the storks char- 
acter, When the sexes are separated by death 
the survivor rarely re-enters the wedded estate. 
This is especially true of the female, perhaps 
from lack of inclination perhaps from iack. of 
oj portunity. Who knows but what a profound 
sorrow may be the cause of the strict mainten- 
ance of an honest widowhood? 
ANGUS GAINES. 
Vincennes, Indiana. 
WRITTEN FOR THE OREGON NATURALIST: 
WINTER BIRD LIFE IN SOUTHERN 
MASSACHUSETTS. 
BY C. C, PURDUM. 
Launching into a broad field, like the one the 
above topic suggests, one naturally experiences 
a sensation of insufficiency to fulfill the task 
before him. 
has stolen over me again and again during the 
preparation of this article and if ‘‘ye editor” 
Such a sensation I must confess 
deem it worthy to go farther than the waste- 
basket, I sincerely hope that the three thousand 
indulgent readers of the ‘*OREGON NATURAL- 
Ist”’ will find something in its words to interest 
and instruct them. Truly southern Massa- 
chusetts 
peculiarities, gives a most excellent field for 
the operations of a concientious, working or- 
nithologist: let us then consult our note book 
for, first our interesting water birds, and the 
from its variety of geographical 
first one to be met with is 
(2) Colymbus holboellit (847). 
AMERICAN RED-NECKED GREBE. 
This is a large variety of the European species 
and by the novice, might be zasily confounded 
with it, The bill however is much longer of 
a deep black above and quite yellow, into 
which the black abruptly shades below. “‘Fivl- 
boellii”is a common visitor in this locality dur- 
ing the winter, and is one of the most difficult 
to capture, owing to their shyness. However 
when once within gunshot they are not nearly 
as active in avoiding destruction as their rel- 
atives ‘‘auritus.” As the birds visit us in win- 
ter, one would be inclined to suppose the name 
“‘red-necked” incorrect, for the deep brownish 
red on the neck of the spring plumage is entire- 
ly absent except in the dorsal line; and its 
place is taken by an ashy white; the mottling 
of the under parts being much less marked 
than in summer. 
Colymbus (both holboellit and auritus) find 
good feeding grounds in the numerous coves 
harbors and bends, in which this locality 
abounds. Their chief food here is certain varie- 
ties of fungi which are found plentifully upon 
the rock-weed and sea-weed. The average 
measurements of several specimens give the 
following results. Length, 19.24; extent, 
33.00; wing, 7.75; tarsus, 2.50; middle toe 
and claw, about 2.75; bill about 2.00, As 
before stated ‘‘Holboellii” is a common visitor 
here but not nearly as abunbant as, 
(3) Cotymbus auritus (848). 
HORNED GREBE. 
This interesting ‘‘bunch of feathers” is not 
as large as the previous species, but vary much 
in size. The amazing power which this bird 
shows in avoiding destruction, by its lightning 
like dives has procured it the apropriate names 
of ‘‘devil diver,” ‘‘dip chick,” ‘‘water witch,’ 
‘‘shut-the-door” etc. For instance suppose we 
are rowing over the quiet waters of one of our 
numerous harbors on some bitter cold morning; 
either to or from a short collecting trip with 
our decoys; when suddenly around the point, 
just ahead comes ‘‘AN OBJECT” and as it drags its 
