104 
THE 
OE NIT OL.O.G LS 
OOLOGIST. 
4 MONTHLY 
NeACT UO RAL a GS AO aay. 
BikDS,; 
NESTS AND EGGS. 
MAGAZINE OF 
THEIR 
DESIGNED AS A MEANS FOR THE INTERCHANGE OF NOTES 
AND OBSERVATIONS ON BIRD AND INSECT LIFE, 
FREDERIC H. CARPENTER, Editor, 
REHOBOTH, MASS., 
FRANK B. WEBSTER, Publisher, 
409 WASHINGTON, ST., BOSTON, MASS. 
Editorial. 
We notice that several States in the Re- 
port of their Commissioners of Agricul- 
ture, have embodied notes more or less 
complete on the bird-life within their lim- 
its. We wish that all of the states might 
do likewise, as the information given 
through such documents meet with a ready 
appreciation by a very observing class of 
people, and the benefit would be mutual. 
The OrnirHoLocist and Ooxoaisr will be 
pleased to assist in any possible manner 
such an arrangement between the commis- 
sioners and representative ornithologists 
of the various states. 
Our personal friend, Dr. Arthur Le. 
Moyne, has just returned from the moun- 
tains of eastern Tennessee, where he has 
spent four months in observing the orni- 
thological features of that region. As the 
Doctor is an experienced ornithologist his 
account of bird life of that country will be 
very interesting. We shall commence the 
series in our next issue. The country 
which he visited has never been fully in 
vestigated. Mr. Wm. Brewster gives in 
The Auk, Vol. III, Nos. I—II the best 
account thus far, although his time was 
imited to twelve days. 
ORNITHOLOGIST 
[Vol. 11--No. 7 
Apropos of the scarcity of birds in cer- 
tain localities, we would suggest a feature 
which has not been mentioned, viz., the 
advance of settlements into the wilderness 
and the change of bird life. As an illus- 
trative instance we quote the American 
Robin, (Merula migratoria.) Several 
years ago before the clearing of the for- 
ests along the Dead river, in northern 
Maine, none of this species were seen, 
while in 1883 they were nesting common- 
ly along the banks of the river. Such 
is also the case about many of the lakes, 
and the recent occupation of this new ter- 
ritory must necessarily mean a drawing off 
from some other former nesting place. We 
would like to note such faunal changes 
from others if it has been observed. 
The Society for the Prevention of Cruel- 
ty to Animals have stationed an officer on 
Muskeget Island, to prevent the shooting 
of the Terns, or the taking of their eggs. 
It is an exceedingly humane and well timed 
movement, and for the good of the cause, 
we advise that no discrimination should 
be made to ‘‘association” scientists. Should 
the rumor we have heard prove true, we 
shall show to the public this partiality and 
its consequent violation of law. 
——— 
My Rose-breasted Grosbeak “ Jack,”’ 
As “ Jack’s” life history has been written in O. 
and O. there may be some reader that would like 
to know that he is still healthy and in beautiful 
plumage singing as hard as ever and commenced 
earlier this year than usual. He will be eight 
years old in July. He shows age only in the 
night when his head hangs down, and once in a 
great while he will drop from the perch, but he 
flies back quickly. The late Dr. William Wood 
used to say that he never knew one to live over 
two years in confinement. Jack’s ways are as 
interesting as those of any trained parrot.—J. MW. 
Wade. 
ree Soe tee 
BALD EaGuEs. T* emblem of our country 
still occurs in New Fisiad to a limited extent. 
Three have been shot within the past week. One 
at Hazen’s Mills, N. H., another at Kingfield, Me., 
and the third in Mass. No matter how grand he - 
may appear when alive, or how useless when 
dead, this noble bird is shot at every opportunity. 
A procedure to be lamented.—D. F. L. 
