60 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. IO--N0. 4 



right. The number reads thus, for example, 

 1042-3 on each egg of set, and on turning to our 

 index rceord for eggs, we find tliat we must write 

 down "No. 1042. Chipping Sparrow, numlier of 

 eggs in set, :3. Date, Maj' 19, 1885. Collector, 

 .lolm Smith. Localit}-. Mo\mt Vernon. Remarks: 

 Connnon; nest seven feet above the ground in a 

 small Evergreen ; bird seen." Next we get to 

 sliinning our birds, of which we cannot speak 

 fully here, as a description is too lengthy, and 

 most of you are familiar with the process. Some 

 people arc born taxidermists ; others never will 

 make skinners. Some are satisfied with most any 

 kind of skin; others arc hard to please. I have 

 only skinned about ten birds in my life which 

 fully satisfied me. The art of skinning a bird 

 properly is only acquired by long practice. Don't 

 be discouraged, and finally you will succeed. 

 Always bear in mind that one good skin is worth 

 a dozen poor ones. Attempt to do better work 

 each season and you will succeed. Always label 

 each bird with its number, date of capture, name 

 of collect«r, locality, dimensions of bird in inches 

 and hiuidredths, remarks, Ac. This label should 

 be coined into the index reconl for birds, and can 

 always lie referred to by number. 



Prcmrrntieai. — U.se arsenic two (tarts and alum 

 one part. Mix well together after alum is thor- 

 oughly pulverized by druggist. 



Exchnmjes and Sales. — I st()i)petl t'.\chang- 

 ing .specimens years ago. It does not pay. It is 

 a I0.SS of time and a waste of postage and exjtress 

 charges, and you never feel satisfied with your 

 bargain. Why r Because you did not collect 

 the specimen yourself. In exchanging you ruin 

 many valuable specimens, particularly eggs, and 

 hard feelings are aroused. My advice to young 

 collectors is, do not exchange, buy or sell. Col- 

 lect your own specimens for the first few years, 

 llien after you are master of the habits of half the 

 tiirds of your own ncighliorhood, you may with 

 propriety exchange with some reputable dealer. 

 Do not collect eggs to sell. It is a villainous 

 habit and hardens a man's heart. A good relia- 

 ble dealer in eggs and skins I uphold, but a mcr 

 cenary, ignorant, itinerant jobber with boys, I 

 detest, and so does every honest ornithologist. 



Ciibiiiet.— Gel a good tight case made, from 4 

 to 6 feet high and from 30 to 55 inches wide. 

 For smaller skins and eggs, have drawers two 

 , inches deep; for larger specimens, fiom 4 to fi 

 inches or more deep. A good cabinet with twen- 

 ty drawers ought to be built for $16 to .|2o. 



Oiiiitia/(. — Don't break your neck to shoot Al- 

 ))inos. I have never shot one in my life. They 

 are u.seless. People who arc always talking of 



Albinos are lovers of abnormalties. I always 

 pass by them. We want nature and not freaks. 

 Never shoot a bird for a lady's hat. You will 

 feel guilty every time you see the maltreated 

 specimen on the street. .Iohnnik. 



The Cardinal Grosbeak in Central 

 Park. 



BY ,v. GAUDNKlt PAINE, NKW V<U!K CITY. 



The occurrence of the Cardinal Grosbeak, 

 (Cardinnliii virr/inuniiis,) in Central Park is not so 

 much to be wondered at as one might first sup- 

 (lose, who had not studied the habits of thcspicics. 

 The bird is slowly, but I think surely, exiending 

 its range northward. A colony was naturally 

 founded in Central Park about ten years ago, and 

 has been increasing ever since ; a few paire remain 

 through the Winter. In the Spring the number 

 increases considerably, estimated by a genlleman 

 connected with the Park, at about one thousand 

 birds. The distribution is more or less local, but 

 not necessarily confined to the secluded jmrls, 

 which seems to contradict the numerous state- 

 ments of its being a shy inhabitant of the thickest 

 shrubbery. 



During the breeding season, which conunenccs 

 in June, the males are inclined to be very quarrel- 

 some, but otherwise they are peaceable enough, 

 and seem to be fond of each other's society. Foi' 

 a time a few visited the Arsenal, situated on the 

 border of the park, in order to procure the corn 

 which was thrown out for the Peacocks. These 

 visitations, however, suddenly ceased; the cause 

 was very likely d\ie to the English Sparrow, 

 whose enmity to all of our birds is so well known. 



The Grosbeaks are not so tame as ndght be ex- 

 pected of birds inhabiting Central Park ; the male 

 especially seems to realize the conspicuonsness ol 

 his di'css, and probably tor that reason is more re- 

 tiring. The male Cardinal is a fanu)us vocalist, 

 and strangely enough the female possesses the 

 same talent, her lord and master being very little 

 her superior. For this aceom|)lisliment alone, 

 setting aside the beauty and other attractions of 

 the bird, we ought to protect Pud cnccuuagc in 

 every way, the few birds which atlimpt to settle 

 in this part of the country. 



The Maryland Yellow-throat. 



( (iei'tldypix tfklidx. ) 



BY CIIAS. S. ANDR08, TAfMON, .MASS. 



This beautiful little bird, also known as the 

 Black-masked Ground Warbler, is generally 

 ranked as common in this part of the State. It 



