Sept. 1885.] 



AND OOLOGIST. 



143 



in all points of bony structure, from tbe teeth to 

 the extremity of the nails, presents the well 

 known saurian charactertistics, and of which one 

 cannot doubt that its integuments and soft parts, 

 its scaley armor, and its organs of circulation and 

 reproduction were likewise analogous. But it 

 was at the same time an animal provided with the 

 means of flying ; and, when stationary, its wings 

 were probably folded back like those of a bird ; 

 although, perhaps, by the claws attached to its 

 fingers, it might suspend itself from the branches 

 of trees. Its usual position when not in motion 

 would be on its hind feet, resting like a bird, and 

 with its neck set up and curved backwards, to 

 l)revent the weight of the enormous head from de- 

 stroying its equilibrium. The animal was un- 

 doubtedly of the most extraordinary kind, and 

 would appear, if living, the strangest of all 

 creatures." 



The measurement of these little Kails arc, 

 length 3i ins , wing li, leg If, extent 3, bill |, of 

 a dull bluish black at the base, and tipped with 

 greyish white. 



The Rail no doubt commences to incubate from 

 laying of first egg, as sets one and two had three 

 of the set fresh, others just began, some embryos 

 well advanced. Sets three and four, two-thirds 

 advanced, while the last set was far towards 

 hatching; embryos having down on. There is 

 not any variation in the groundcolor of eggs, ex- 

 cepting sets one, two and five, one egg in each 

 being greyish white, the last set is more blotched 

 than the others. Set one has three of the eggs 

 with a number of lines over the larger end, the 

 markings are of spots and specks centering 

 around the larger end, a few more or less all over 

 the shell, color reddish brown and lavender, the 

 latter appearing as if beneath the shell. Sets two 

 and three seem to have the lavender spots and 

 specks predominating and more scattered over 

 the whole shell. The ground color is of a creamy 

 butf, but not so strong as a set of the Eastern 

 Clapper Rail before me. All are of one general 

 shape, one egg of .set five has a slight swelling on 

 one side, with cracks branching out from it, as 

 though it might have been done when dropped 

 by the bird. It may have been done while the 

 shell was still soft in the ovary sack, egg part be- 

 ing too large for shell forming around it, causing 

 the swelling. Egg was far advanced. I give 

 here the measurements of the five sets, represent- 

 ing forty-one eggs. 



Set one.— 1.75x1.30; 1.69x1.20; 1.06x1.18; 1.74 



xl.32; 1.76x1.30; 1.77x1.32; 1.79x1.33; 1.73x1.34. 



Set two.— 1.65x1.35 ; 1.63x1.24; 1.64.xl.33; 1.63 



xl.25; 1.63x1.36; 1.64x1.34; 1.61x1.25; 1.67x1.25; 



1.61x1.36. 



Set three.— 1.77x1.34 ; 1.77x1.34; 1.77x1.28; 

 1.77x1.25; 1.81x1.36; 1.77x1.25; 1.77x1.23; 1.67 

 xl.26. 



Set four.— 1.68x1.17; 1.68x1.19; 1.73x1.17; 

 1.73.X1.21 ; 1.75x1.21; 1.71x1.17; 1.73x1.20; 

 1.75x1.18. 



Set five.— 1.70x1.33; 1.77.X1. 35; 1.77x1.27; 1.80x 

 1.37; 1.83x1.35; 1.80x1.30; 1.78x1.34 ; 173x1.3.5. 



Californian Song Sparrow.— I wish to say 

 to the collectors through the O. and O. that all 

 the eggs sent east by collectors from this coast, of 

 the Californian Song Sparrow, {Meliispim fitscinti) 

 sfwiuelis), are not what they are supposed to be. 

 They are the variety Jieennanni, which are found 

 only in the hills and canyons back from the salt 

 marshes and sea coast, M.fuscintn heerinmiiii be- 

 ing more common than sumuelis, which I have 

 only found on the salt marshes breeding, and not 

 by any means as common as its first cousin J/eo-- 

 manni. The samueUi or Californian Song Spar- 

 row is a much smaller bird than the Ileermann's 

 Song Sparrow. All the catalogues of dealers 

 have the latter Sparrow's eggs marked higher 

 than the marsh variety, saiiiiielis, which is not so 

 common.— ir. 0. Emerson. ILiy wards, Cal. 



Summer Birds of Raleigh, N. C. 



BIRDS OBSERVED AT RALEIGH, N. C, UnRING THE MONTHS 



OF JUNE, JULY AND AUGUST, 18S1-1SS.5, BY 



H. H. AND C. S. BRIMLEY. 



An asterisk is attached to the names of all birds that wc 

 are aware breed here. 



1. Robin, {Merula miijratoria). A few only stay the 

 Summer. 



2". Wood Thrush, {HyUcichla mvstdiiia). One of our 

 commoneat wood birds. 



.■!". Mocliingbird, (Mimus carolincnsis). Common ; raises 

 several broods in the year. 



4". Catbird, (Mimus carolinensis). Very common indeed, 

 nests ratlier late ; first nest found in 1835 was on May 

 10th, and nests were not plentiful until about two 

 weeks late. 



5'. Brown Thrasher, (Harporhi/iKhus rti/us). Fairly com- 

 mon (in the early part of the season at least) ; not 

 often seen in mid-summer. 



6'. Bluebird, (.S'ltiiia Sidd's). Tolerably common. 



7'. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, (Polioptita crerutea). Common ; 

 first nest ot '85 found on May 5th. This little bird is 

 generally known in this neighborhood as "Mossbird," 

 from the structure of its nest. 



S". Tufted Tit, (Lophophanes bicolor). Fairly coniniou. 



9'. Carolina Chickadee, (Parus carolincnsis). Very com- 

 mon. Nest found May 5, 18S5. 



10*. Carolina Wren, {Thri/othortts hidovicianlia). Common 

 everywhere. 



11". Brown-headed Nuthatch, (Sitta imsilla). Common; 

 only found one nest this year, and that contained 

 young nearly able to fly. 



12'. White-bellied Nuthatch, (Sitla mroHnensis). Rather 

 rare in Summer ; I have never found the nest, but 

 have shot young birds only just out ot the nest once 

 or twice. 



