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AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



Address communications for this department to 



Meg Merrythought, 60x772. Waterbury, Ct. 



My Dear Young Folks: 



Perhaps some of you who sent answers to "Nuts to Crack in the 

 June Bird Chats" were disappointed when you found the answers 

 given last month were unlike yours. But your answers were correct 

 too, as most of the nuts contained more than one kernal. Two defini- 

 tions of a Merrythought were especially good, so I pass them on to 

 you. One writes "If you mean a bird, I think it is a Purple Finch, 

 because his song sounds like "Be cheery, Oh!" Another defines it as 

 "any thought relating to birds." Stafford Francis has been successful 

 in finding nests of large birds this year. He writes of finding the nest 

 of a Bittern, containing two eggs, two Partridges' nests with eleven 

 and twelve eggs, a Marsh Hawk's nest and the nest of a Great Horned 

 Owl, as well as the nest of a Nighthawk and others. To the questions 

 of our little Ohio friend, Lillian Weeks, I would reply that the first 

 bird she describes is doubtless a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, the second a 

 Great crested Flycatcher, the other bird I am unable to name without a 

 more minute description. If she can secure the Gnatcatcher's dainty 

 nest when they are through with it she will be fortunate, and if she puts 

 her hand into the hole in the apple tree, she will find the nest of the 

 Flycatcher is lined with the skin of a snake. During August, Birdland 

 is very quiet, but I am sure your sharp eyes will find something of 

 interest even in this month, among the feathered gentry, and that you 

 will write about it to your friend, 



Meg Merrythought. 



The answer to the Enigma in the July number is Partridge. 

 These were the birds which told their names in the story of last 

 month. 1, Scarlet Tanager; 2, Chickadee; 3, Chebec; 4, Pewee; 5, 



