84 ORNITHOLOGIST 
[ Vol. 11-No. 6 


Notes on Aptoso-Chromatism. 

BY WALTER HOXIE, FROGMORE, 8. C. 

I have had several interesting letters since the 
appearance of my article in the April O. and O., 
and as perhaps more of its readers may feel at 
least a curiosity to know something more of my 
method of studying Aptoso-chromatism I subjoin 
the notes taken to-day on those of yesterday’s 
specimens. 
Sanderling ¢, 1928, 4-23. Moult nearly com- 
plete. No signs of breeding plumage except a 
few feathers on the upper parts. Breast and neck 
pure white. Testes minute. 
Dunlin 4, 1929, 4-23. Moult less than one- 
third complete. Breeding plumage very evident, 
especially on the breast. On the throat and neck 
the old feathers show wider and darker middles 
than in winter plumage. The new and pin 
feathers black and white about equally divided 
among all feathers. The black ones with white 
tips. Testes beginning to swell. 
Dunlin ?, 1930, 4-23. Moult about same as 
1929. Breeding plumage 4-1929. On throat 
nearly 1929. The black on breast restricted to 
small areas on the middle of each perfect new 
feather. Pin feathers white. Ovee minute. None 
appear in the least swollen. 

The Yellow Rail. 

BY C. H. WILDER, BRISTOL, N. Y. 

This species seem-to elude observation pretty 
successfully. Two or three notes may be of in- 
terest. Notes from Central N. Y., on this species 
may be found as follows: Rathbun’s Birds of Cen- 
tral New York says: “Very rare. One taken Sep- 
tember 20th, 1872.—G@ilbert.”” The Odlogist, vol. 
IV, No. 5, p. 40, records a capture in central New 
York. A third was taken at the foot of Canan- 
daigua Lake, Oct. 6, 1883. This specimen is re- 
corded in the Young Odlogist, vol. II, No. 2, p. 47. 
The skin was in my collection for nearly a year, 
until destroyed by accident. 

Occurrence of the Brown Thrush in 
Winter in Rhode Island. 

Mr. W. J. Wheelock ot Johnston, R.I., secured 
in that town on Jan. 30, 1886, a specimen of the 
Brown Thrush (Jlarporhynchus rufus). We have 
in our possession askin of the same species, pur- 
chased of Southwick & Jencks, which was said to 
have been taken at Pawtucket, R. IL., in Febru- 
ary, 1882. 
OOLOGY. 
J. PARKER NORRIS, Editor. 
The Editor assumes no responsibility for those ar- 
ticles which have the names of the writer attached. 
Owl versus Hawk. 


BY J. M. W., NORWICH, CONN. 

At this season the field odlogist will associate 
certain points of resemblance and difference in 
the breeding habits of our four large local Rapa- 
cie. Briefly grouped, they are as follows: He 
will note that they all prefer an old tenement. 
The crow is their architect whose ground plan 
obtains, and the grey squirrel the pro tem., tenant 
whose fixtures revert to the estate. The Great 
Horned Owl breeds earlier than the Barred, is 
shyer and more formidable, and lays but two 
eggs. The Red-tailed Hawk breeds earlier than 
the Red-shouldered, is more retiring and fiercer, 
and commonly lays two eggs. Our nebulous 
owl usually lays three eggs, often but two, and 
sometimes four. Buteo lineatus usually lays 
three eggs, often but two and occasionally four. 
It is presumed that the Barred and Red-should- 
ered which lay two eggs are old birds, and those 
which have trios and now and then break into 
fours are young adults. At any rate it will con- 
stantly be found that when individuals of either 
sort lay two or three in one year, successive 
years will also bring pairs and trios. I took two 
five years in succession from one Red-shouldered 
Hawk, and from one old Barred Owl six years in 
succession got only pairs. Her clutch is always 
two, in fact. Yet the fact remains that trios are 
typical sets of mature birds of these two species. 
But again; in Sandy Hollow, Ledyard, three 
years running I took sets of four from a Red- 
shouldered and the fourth year got four fledged 
young. In ’82, ’83 and ’84 I took but trios and 
pairs from my large Red-shouldered contingency, 
but in 1885 four quartette clutches came early to 
the front. And this year the season opened with 
two sets of four Barred Owl’s eggs. This is the 
apparent system, and these the changes that sur- 
prise and enchant us in our spring field work. 
When the angry Red-tails find Mrs. Bubo in 
their old home I fancy they would not often dis- 
possess the tenant but for the noisy help of the 
crows, always “spoiling’’ for this kind of a free 
fight. April 3d, 1886, I took’ a clutch of one 
Barred Owl and three Red-shouldered Hawks, 
and three years ago I took a similar clutch. In 
the first place the aggressive hawks were aided 
