ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 10-No. 1 



THE 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



— AND — 



OOLOGIST. 



A MOXTHLY MAGAZI.XE OF 



NATURAL HISTORY, 



ESPECIALLY CEVOTED TU TUE STUUY OF 



BIRDS, 



THEIR XESTS AXD EGGH. 



CESKINED AS A MEANS FOR THE INTERCHANGE OF NOTES 

 AND OBSERVATIONS ON BIRD LIFE. 



FRANK B. WEBSTER, Publisher, 

 PAWTUCKET, K. I. 



Editor's Notes. 



To onr readers — oue and all — we wish a 

 HapiJy New Year — a year of increased nse- 

 fnlness, increased knowledge and with these 

 increased hapijiness. 



For the jiroper conduct of the Migration 

 Observations in the Mississii:)pi Valley, an 

 increase in the number of observers is 

 necessary. "We desire to call attention to 

 Prof. Cooke's list of localities where such 

 are required. It is a matter of much diffi- 

 culty to get at those who could, if they 

 would, render the assistance needed, and 

 the cooperation of all who take an interest 

 in the investigation of Bird Life is desired 

 for this end. If any of our subscribers 

 know of suitable parties in the districts 

 named, they will assist the work by send- 

 ing the names to Prof. Cooke, in order that 

 personal endeavor may be made to enlist 

 their services. 



We insert a letter from an old subscriber 

 on one of the most im^iortant subjects that 

 can engage the attention of Bird Collectors. 

 It is of course much to be desired that a 

 non-poisonous ''Dermal Preservative" could 

 be found, but the most important point is 

 that it should be truly a Preservative. On 

 this subject, the testimony of some of our 

 veteran Collectors would assist greatly to 

 definite conclusion. 



"We have frequently been applied to for 

 information as to what course has to be 

 adopted to obtain a permit to collect eggs 

 and skins of birds. To answer these 

 questions is very difficult — each State in 

 the Union has its own laws which are con- 

 stantly changing — and it is almost impos- 

 sible to get correct information except on 

 the spot. It will give us jjleasure to re- 

 ceive from friends in each of the States a 

 brief epitome of the local regulations on 

 the jioint, which we will jirint in an early 

 number. We can sympathize with those 

 who find themselves threatened with in- 

 definite penalties when in pursuit of orni- 

 thological knowledge, while being of opin- 

 ion that indiscriminate and needless bird- 

 killing and egg-collecting are to be depre- 

 cated. We cannot find room for the 

 vohiminous bird laws of each State, and 

 only desire concise answers to the cjuestion 

 as given. 



Some Michigan Notes, with an Addi- 

 tion to its Fauna. 



HV N. .\. KDDY, B.VY CITY, MICH. 



The Glossy Ibis, (Pkynclis fakincllui! rai: ordii), 

 is such a rare bird, so irregular in its distribution 

 and so erratic in its wanderings, that any record 

 of its ajipearance must be of interest and value. 

 Seen in Texas, taken in several of the Atlantic 

 coast States and at Prince Edward's Island, with a 

 solitary appearance in southern Illinois — a single 

 individual is now seen making its way over the 

 Saginaw Ba_v — a young bird wearied with long 

 flight it settles tlown in one of the numerous 

 marshes along the shore for food and rest, only to 

 be soon brought to bay and to make for its species 

 its first record in our State. I am indebted for 

 the knowledge of this interesting capture to Mr. 

 F. J. .lennison of this city, who had but recently 

 kindly consented to furnish me with such notes as 

 might come under his observation, and I quote 

 from his letter for particulars : "The Ibis was 

 killed Oct. 6th, ('84), just west of the town here, in 

 a piece of marsh almost solid enough to walk on 

 — a grazing place for cattle. He was very tame, 

 probably on account of being a young bird. Dan 

 McDonald shot it ; he had no gun when it lit and 

 got close enough to it to reach it with his pike- 

 pole before it took a short flight ; then came for 



