July, 1885.] 



AND OOLOGIST. 



99 



built their nests in tins county in 1849. Previous 

 to tliiit time lliey were occasionally seen as mi- 

 grants" (Haymond). They are now very com- 

 mon in certain localities. They sometimes occu- 

 liy iin out-building for years as a nesting place anil 

 then leave for a new site, perhaps never to return. 

 But few colonies are found along the river valleys ; 

 they appear to seek the ui)land. 

 _ Chondestes gmmmieo, (Say), Bp. — Lark Fincli. 

 — This species was not recognized in this part of 

 the State by any early invesliuators. It was first 

 recognized in this county about 1877, and has ap- 

 peared regularly every year since in increasing 

 numbers. It is now not uncommon as a Summer 

 resident. 



Pumx'i- domi'sticuK, (Linn.), Leach. — European 

 House Sparrow. — A common and unwelcome 

 alien, known everywhere as "English Sparrow." 

 They first appeared in Franklin county in 1878. 

 Since that time they have increased in numbers 

 until they are now the most common representa- 

 tive of their family. 



Spim anwrkaiKi, (Gm ). 13|i. — Black-throated 

 Bunting. — Not recognized from this comity until 

 a few years since. Dr. Ilaymond had not seen it 

 in 18(i9. Now its rattling note may be heard from 

 almost every field of our upland farms. 



Mololhrus liter, (Bodd.), Gray. — Cowbird. — This 

 species was, forty years ago, of nire occurrence in 

 this region. It has steadily increased in numbers 

 until it is now a common Summer resident 



Corvus mra.v caniiwrm, (Bart.), Ridg. — Kaven. 

 — None have been seen since 18G8. They were 

 formerly quite common in this county. 



C'l-im.pcpMliis princip<dis, (Linn.), Gray. — Ivory- 

 billed Woodpecker. — "These birds were found in 

 the swami)y woodland in the eastern ]iart of this 

 county about si.xty years ago" (Ilaymond). 



IljjUjtomus ]}ileiitus, (Linn.), Baird. — Pileated 

 Woodpecker. — A common resident at the time of 

 the settlement of this county. This bird was 

 known to the old settlers as "Woodcock" and 

 " Black Woodcock." None have been seen here 

 since ISW, but they are still found in the newly 

 settled portions of the Slate. 



Cuniirns niroliiwiisis, (Linn.), Kuhl. — Carolina 

 Parakeet. — These birds were not uncommon at 

 the early settlement of this county. Most of the 

 old inhabitants know them by this name, and can 

 give interesting accounts of their habits. The last 

 Parakeets were seen here in 1828. 



Stri.f mbulom, Forst. — Barred Gwl. — This Owl 

 was formerly quite numerous in the Whitewater 

 Valley. Of late years, they have been but rarely 

 seen. In 1877 I obtained two specimens which 

 are the last I have known in the county. 



Viithiirista atrata, (Wils.), Less. — Black Vulture. 

 — First idenlifii'd in 1877; since which time it has 

 been seen every Winter. It is ai)i)arently becom- 

 ing more common. 



Ertiii)istcs miyralui-iii , (Linn.), Sw. — Passenger 

 or Wild Pigeon. — Within the last twenty years 

 Wild Pigeons have been very common, but since 

 1S75 few have been seen. Our old citizens tell of 

 immense Hocks, and wonderful "pigeon roosts" 

 in this county. In January and February, 1854, 

 there was a jiigeon roost about two miles north of 

 Brookville. I can scarcely credit accounts told 

 me of their nuudiersat this time, yet (he narrators 

 are perfectly reliable and I am coinpelleil to be- 

 lieve tbcui. These birds are rapidly disappearing 

 and in a few years will, I doubt not, be a thing of 

 the past. 



Melenyrin yiiUu^xivu nmeriaiim, (Batr.), Coues.^ 

 Wild Turkey. — Turkeys were as common here 

 formerly, perhaps, as in any part of the Ohii> 

 Valley. They have gradually disappeared and I 

 suppose there are none now to be found in the 

 county. The last one was seen in this vicinity 

 about si.\ years ago. They are still occasionally 

 killed in the adjoining county, Ki|)ley. 



Urti/.!- Tiiyiniiiwi, (Linn.), Bp. — Bob-White; 

 American Quail. — Formerly very numerous. 

 They were found in considerable quantities up to 

 the Winter of 1878-9. The severe weather of 

 that year destroyed many covies ; since that time 

 they have not increased much, if any, in numbers. 

 — 7J'.'«( /in Ni>. I of Drouknlk Sue. of Nut. Hist. 



Peculiar Eggs. 



UY C. II. WILDER, W.\YL.\ND, K. Y. 



I notice in the June number a note on a peculiar 

 set of eggs of Scojis trkUopsu. A few notes on 

 the subject may be of interest. For a fuller dis- 

 cussion, those who have files of the Oolugisl, the 

 O. and O,, and the Young Oologist, may refer to 

 the f(jllowing places, whence I have drawn this : 



OoL., Vol.4, p. 11, Travesty E.Mraordinary. 

 " " " 17, A Nondescript Egg. 



" " 2.-), Tliat Nondescript Egg. 



Okn. it OoL., Vol. 0, p. 28, White Eggs of the 

 Eastern Bluebird. 



Also to the lollowing notes on Spotted Eggs of 

 the Common Robin : 



Dun. ifc OoL.. Vol. G, p. 79. 



" 9, p. 7(i and 109. 



Y(i. Ooi,., Vol. 1, p. i:^l, 144 and 147. 



Dr. T. M. Brewer wrote : " * * * any egg, 

 (ilmays cxceptiay a Woodpecker's, is liable to be 

 marked (stained) by minute effusions of colored 

 lymph of the parent in its exclusion." And again 

 ho wrote : "To what extent this liability of eggs, 



