234 THE NATURALIST OF THE ST. CROIX 



within one mile of my office. It is the only one that has been 

 taken in this town within the memory of the oldest inhabitants. 

 Are they common with you? We have been trying for the past 

 three weeks to shoot a white crow which has been in our meadows 

 but without success. 



I made quite an exchange of eggs with Herrick after his 

 return from his northern trip. I have lately made an exchange 

 with Bendire and hope to get his entire collection of about 3,000 

 eggs. I have made him a liberal offer and am now expecting an 

 answer. It takes over six weeks for a letter to go and return 

 from his camp and that time will be up next week. 



November 18, 1879. 

 The bird which I wrote you about at Bolton Reservoir which 

 I guessed was the Black Vulture is no such bird. I went in com- 

 pany with five of my hunters and succeeded in capturing him. It 

 is a salt water bird, probably abundant in your section but entirely 

 new to this locality. It was the Double-crested Cormorant. We 

 had an exciting time in getting him. It had been shot at so often 

 that it was very wild. We could not get within eighty rods of 

 him. When he started, would fly the length of the reservoir — 

 three miles. Four of us lay concealed while one in the boat kept 

 the bird going to and fro, very high up. He was at last winged 

 and I assure you he was equal to a Loon to dive. Last Monday a 

 beautiful adult Golden Eagle was brought me, the first adult bird 

 that ever I have known in this locality. I have seen only two 

 immature birds killed in this vicinity in thirty years. This bird 

 captured himself. A gentleman was driving in the highway 

 through a piece of woods within four miles of my office and 

 discovered this bird sitting in the road. On approaching him he 

 discovered that the bird could not fly; that his wing was broken 

 near its body. I have mounted the bird. There was no shot, no 

 blood about the bird. How came it so? I think the wing must 

 have hit a limb. It had just been done. 



