AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 179 



do not appear to realize the danger of too great an intimacy with man- 

 kind, at least the greater part. 



These Sandpipers are much sought for by gunners during those sea- 

 sons of the year when they are allowed to slaughter shore birds. Dur- 

 ing migration the birds have a peculiar liking for some particular hill- 

 side. Although there may be many other localities close by that to all 

 appearances are equally suited to their needs, they will never be found 

 on these. One pasture within the city limits is a favorite stopping- 

 place for them and every night during the migration period a number 

 of them will drop in here towards morning and spend the day in feeding 

 preparatory to taking up their journey the following night. Every one 

 that puts in an appearance has to take his chances with the dozen or so, 

 more or less marksmen that frequent this pasture from the time that 

 the first bird arrives till the last one departs. 



Their note is a two syllabled drawn out whistle and may be frequent- 

 ly recognized during the fall migrations, at night, along with the chirps 

 of the many smaller birds that are passing over at the same time. The 

 names Upland or Grass Plover, or Prairie Snipe are probably more 

 familiar to the majority than that of Bartramian Sandpiper. The birds 

 however are the same. 



OOLOGY, 



To me the study of the eggs of birds is next to the study of the birds 

 themselves. Darwin's theory shows that related species are descend- 

 ants from a common ancestor. Therefore the eggs of these descend- 

 ants would naturally show a common likeness unless they were pow- 

 erfully influenced by environment or by other circumstances. Thus 

 the eggs of the Robin and the Thrushes are similar; also the eggs of the 

 Kingbird and the Wood Pewee, the Thrasher and the Wrens, the Bobo- 

 link and the Cowbird, etc., while the eggs of the Catbird and Thrasher, 

 the Bank and Barn Swallows, and the Meadowlark and Oriole are much 

 different from each other. These differences are caused mainly, I think, 

 by the necessity of protection. An egg which from its situation has no 

 need of protection is usually white, as the fowl and the Owls. The 

 Bluebird, unlike the other Thrushes, builds in the holes of trees. Its 

 eggs need no protection and are gradually becoming white instead of 

 light blue. I found many nests containing white eggs last year and 

 have heard of others in distant localities. The Phoebe's eggs have 

 been through the change once already and are now turning back to 

 their original color. Before the discovery of America the Phoebe built 

 in holes of cliffs and rocks and the eggs were white. Now they build 

 in sheds, under bridges, etc., and their eggs are gradually speckled 



with brown. C. W. Parker. 



