THE RING-BILLED DUQL 



(AytMya cnOms.) 



THIS dock has many popular 

 synonyms, among others ring- 

 necked, ring-billed shuffler, 

 ring- necked scaup duck, or 

 blue-bill fall duck (Minnesota), black 

 jack (Illinois), moon-bill (South Caro 

 lina). It is found throughout the whole 

 of North America, south to Guatemala 

 and the West Indies; breeding from 

 Iowa, southern Wisconsin, Minnesota 



and Maine northward. It is accidental 

 in Europe. 



The chief variation in the plumage 

 of this species consists in the distinct 

 ness of the chestnut collar in the male, 

 which is usually well denned, particu 

 larly in front. There is very little in its 

 habits to distinguish it from the other 

 "black-heads." Like them, it usually 

 associates in small flocks. Its flesh is 

 excellent, being fat, tender and juicy. 



A STRANGE BIRD HOUSE. 



ADDIE L. BOOKER. 



WRENS are famous for choosing 

 queer places for nesting-sites. 

 They will nest in almost any 



situation about the house or 

 yard that can be entered through any 

 semblance of a hole. I place all kinds 

 of odd receptacles about the yard for 

 them every spring, which they seldom 

 fail to occupy. These friendly and 

 interesting little creatures appreciate 

 such thoughtfulness, and repay it by 

 fairly bubbling over with grateful 

 song. 



Bat the pair that afforded me the 

 most amusement pre-empted a home 

 stead that was not intended for them. 



Our acquaintance began when pre 

 paring to remove the cook stove to 

 the summer kitchen in May. In win 

 ter this kitchen is used as a sort of 

 lumber room, and when clearing it of 

 various odd and ends it was found that 

 a pair of wrens had taken possession 

 of an overshoe and laid the foundation 

 of a home. The pair of overshoes had 

 been tied together and nung on a nail 

 in the wall, about five feet from the 

 oqr. 



Needless to say they were left un 

 disturbed, though not without many 

 doubts of the feasibility of the enter 

 prise, on account of the proximity of 



the stove. The shoes were the ordi 

 nary kind, fleece-lined rubber, and 

 were only a few feet from where the 

 stove would be set. These conditions 

 warranted the expectation of disastrous 

 results from extreme heat at least so 

 it seemed to me, but my little neigh 

 bors thought otherwise, and nest- 

 building progressed rapidly. Being 

 remarkably industrious midgets, the 

 nest of sticks was soon finished and 

 lined with soft feathers from the poul 

 try yard. 



Wrens are noted for their industry; 

 unless in a very restricted situation 

 the outside dimensions of the nest are 

 enormous when compared with the in 

 terior, or cavity. And the twigs that 

 compose the structure are out of all 

 proportion to the size of the architects. 

 I have seen twigs a foot long and half 

 the size of a lead pencil, used in the 

 construction of their nests. That birds 

 so diminutive could carry such bur 

 dens in their tiny bills is indeed won 

 derful. It is said that a single pair 

 have been known to fill a barrel, but 

 no nest quite so mammoth as this has 

 ever come under my observation. 



To return to the home in the shoes. 

 After the completion of the nest five 

 wee eggs were deposited therein, and 



