40 



THE OREGON NATURALIST. 



JAPANESE DAIMIO SWORDS. 



EASTERN DEPARTMENT, 



Among the nations of Eastern Asia, the 

 Japanese were known as skillful workers of 

 iron, which their a-morers transformed into 

 famous weapons of steel. They produced 

 blades by which one could cut through iron, 

 without nicking the blade in the slightest 

 degree. Skillful sword cutlers gained for 

 themselves high social positions, and won im- 

 mortal glory and fame with their swords. In 

 no country has the sword been made an object 

 of such honor as in Japan. It was at once a 

 divine symbol, a knightly weapon, and certifi- 

 cate of noble birth. Previous to 1876 the 

 wearing of swords was the custom in Japan, 

 but that year (March, 28) the wearing of them 

 by any individual was abolished, unless in 

 court dress, a member of the military, naval 

 force, or a police officer. 



Lee Roy J. Taj-pan. 



To-day, Feb., lOth, I saw for the first time 

 a live Pigmy Owl. For three years I have 

 searched for this little Owl. It seemed to be 

 fearless and I had a gc>od opportunity to ob- 

 serve it, for the sun was shming bright, but 

 it was evidently on a hunt, for it dropped into 

 a thicket in pursuit of a small mammal and I 

 saw it no more. Is it not very rare in western 

 Oregon. 



Geo, D. Peck, 

 Sslem, Ore. 



[Mr. C. W. Swallow, reports several seen 

 near Oregon City, during February. Mr. W. 

 B. Mallies, reports them in the vicinity of 

 Cedar Mills, and one was shot near Portland, 

 with a dead junco in its talons. Ed.] 



Editor, Oregon Naturalist: 



Dear Sir: — In the August number of the 

 Oregon Naturalist, 1895, Mr. H. C. Lillie, 

 ofVisaha, Cal., questions the identity of the 

 Hummer that I observed bathing near Santa 

 Barbara. I want to say in justice to Mr. 

 Lillie and the readers of the "Naturalist," 

 that I believe him to be right. It was many 

 years ago that I made the observation and had 

 carried the idea that the "Anna" and "Ruby- 

 throat were identical. 



G. \V. Harvev, 

 Kanab, Utah, Feb. 9th, 1S96. 



conducted by the associate editor. 

 CHAT. 



Look out for the migrants. 



We are pleased to announce the addition 

 to our staff of writers of Mr. F. P. 

 Drowne, whose first installment of "Spile 

 Scraping." appears in this number. Mr. 

 Drowne is in every way capable of discuss- 

 ing "invertebrata" and we can safely 

 promise many interesting articles from 

 his pen. 



The writer has received notes appropri- 

 ate to "Odd and Peculiar Nests" from the 

 following gentlemen; Mr. Angus Gaines, 

 Mr. L. B. Gilmore, Mr. J. H. Bowles and 

 desires hereby to thank them for the 

 interest shown. As before stated stated, 

 this "Report" is made under the auspices 

 of the Oologists Association, and will 

 probably be out sometime in June. 



The articles following Evolution and 

 Disease viz: "Disease and its Effects," 

 "Vestigial Structures," "Dichotomy," 

 "Atavism," "Malformation," etc will 

 begin in the May number. 



SPILE SCRAPING AND SOME OF THE 



MARINE INVERTEBRATES 



OBTAINED BY IT. 



Spile scraping or jiost scraping yields to the 

 collector of marine invertebrates a great many 

 interesting and important forms. Those who 

 live near the salt water, in places where there 

 are wharves, can, with the aid of a scrape-net, 

 become acquainted with a good many of the 

 low.-r firms of animal life, wliich live either 

 attached to the spiles or m the masses* of hy- 

 droid and algae usually found on sunken posts. 



