6t 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 10-No. 4 



White-throated Sparrow. — An Albino of this species 

 was lately shot in the woods near here. It was pure white, 

 tail and wings having some little hrown on them, otherwise 

 unmarked.—//. H. .(■ C. S. Brimley, Raleiijh, X. C. 



Great-horned Owl's Eugs.— Another visit to the Great- 

 horned Owl's nest, March 1, 1835, favored us with two eggs. 

 The nest was found in the first tree that we rapped and we 

 hid a splendid shot at the female, and afterwards saw the 

 male and female together. The nest was about seventy-five 

 f.'et up and lined with snow and feathers. The eggs were 

 of a dirty white color, and slightly incubated.— -S. W. Corn- 

 stock, Greenfield, Stass. 



The Hose-brkasted Grosbeak is a voracious feeder on 

 the potato bug, the advent of which {in 1SG7,) seems to have 

 largely increased its numbers in this vicinity. Previous to 

 ISTI, I considered the Grosbeak a rare bird, but in that year it 

 was tolerably common, especially about village gardens, 

 where I first noticed it feeding freely upon the larva? of the 

 pest meutioned. Since then I find this beautiful songster 

 more aui more frequently mentioned in my notes, and July 

 sth, 18s;^, a record of twenty-two seen in a walk of four miles. 

 It arrives here almost invariably within the first ten days of 

 May, my earliest record being April 30th, and my experi- 

 ence has been that the male3 precede the females a few 

 d.iys. I have taken a set of eggs with incubation well ad- 

 vanced on June 3d. Early In August last year the young 

 were very numerous, and gorging themselves on the Mar- 

 rowfat pea. As late as September 4th, they were still with 

 u^ and very fond of sunfijwer seeds. It is worthy of note 

 that with the increase of tlie Grosbeak there has been a 

 nnirked decrease of the potato bug, though I would not, of 

 course, attribute it wholly to this cause.— A'. M. Haiicork, 

 Wiiukon, lotca. 



House Wrens Reared by Robins.- On June 11th, 18S4, 

 I found a Robin's nest in an Apple tree. On gaining the nest 

 I saw five little heads sticking up, the possessors of two of 

 which were Robins, but the other three, which were not 

 half as large as the Robins, I did not recognize. There was 

 also a Robin's egg in the nest. 



I visited it again two days afterwards, when the remaining 

 egg was hatched, making six young ones— (piite a nest full. 

 By the 18th the three Robins had grown so much that one 

 of the House Wrens (for such they proved to be,) had died. 

 On the 20.h, I found one of the Wrens had left the nest, and 

 the other was perched on the edge preparatory to leaving. 

 This one I caught and examined closely, making sure that 

 it was a House Wren. Is it common for House Wrens to 

 deposit their eggs in other birds' ne3ts?—Gt'o. //. Center, 

 Staunton, III. 



liiiDsoNiAN Titmouse in Massachusetts.- Mr. Ralph 

 A. Quimby of Boston had the good fortune to secure a 

 specimen of the Hudsonian Titmouse, {Parus kmlsonicutf,) 

 while collecting in Quincy, Mass., March 14th. It was with 

 TlicOommou Black-capped. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



What is the Best Absobbent?— ^. Gardner Paine, 

 .Veto York, says " Plaster of Paris answers very well for 

 birds of white plumage, but seems to bleach all dark color- 

 ing, especially black." If our correspondent would try corn 

 meal, he might avoid the trouble named, though it is not so 

 good an absorbent as Plaster of Paris. Perhaps some of our 

 readers may offer suggestions. 



Will some of the readers of the O. and O., please tell us 

 something of the habits of bats?— IT. L. U., OtiaJiM, Me, 



Received. — Wisconsin and Michigan Fish and Game 

 Laws from G. W. F. Smith. 



We are compelled to postpone until next montli, articles 

 in type from C. O. Tracy, Geo. Enty and L. M. H. 



Boston. — Review for February and 

 March. 



Huffed Grouse and Quail have disappeared from 

 tUc market ; Pinnated and a few Sharp-tails still 

 remain. Canvas-back and Blue-bill Dueks have 

 succeeded Mallards and an occasional Eider anil 

 Swan breaks the monotony. Wild Pigeons in 

 small lots that appear to have been shipped a lonn 

 distance are noticed. The severe weather has 

 been more effectual than the remarkable tranie law, 

 in keeping the local gunners at bay. Whih' 

 making our usual rounds last week we secured a 

 Quail, which as it stands before us is best, de- 

 scribed as appearing as if it was just taken from a 

 bath of Plaster of Paris, the brown tint and other 

 markings indistinctly showing thix)ugii. Wlietlu'f 

 this bird would have eventually become white or 

 brightened up in the future would be a good sub- 

 ject for a discussion without facts. We now and 

 then get a specimen of the Black-backe<l Gull, 

 and understand they are frecpiently seen on f)iir 

 coast, though by no means a common trophy of 

 the shore gunners. Hawk Owls have not entirely 

 left. We have obtained several of the Kichtird- 

 son's, soft, downy little fellows. Of a ninnber of 

 Great Horned Owls, our best specimen is a lit 

 subject for (piarantine. We refer to its being 

 scented by a skunk, which it had evidently at- 

 tacked. Time is a nkm remedy. We have one 

 that has been mounted over two years and is still 

 too strong to be admitted to our domicile. We 

 have had many suggestions offered but have tried 

 none. A good receipt would be of interest to all. 



The last of February we received some fine 

 Ptarmigans, and e.xpect the last lot of the season 

 this month. Our attention being attracted by the 

 call for eyes for the Acadian Owl, we were led to 

 inquire, and tind that a number have been found 

 dead, or exhausted — from here, northwards. 



AVe heard that two Snowy Owls were shot in 

 this State during the Winter. A party in Quebec 

 writes us but one was shot there in the last three 

 Winters. 



Oology has taken a stride of late but the older 

 Ijoys had their rarities. A few years since a friend 

 handed us a Goose egg, which in these times 

 would have its advantages. With part of its con- 

 tents our family of four were supplied with 

 poached egg for breakfast, and with the remainder 

 a custard pie was made which would compare 

 in size with those on the city lunch counters. 



Tlie size of the egg was, llJa i" large circum- 

 ference and 9 in .small, weight, lli| oz. We 

 still have the shell. We think no one can heal it. 

 In our next we will challenge in another direc- 

 tion.— 7*'. n. W. 



