192 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 10-No. 12 



lar sailing; first dashing ihrougli space to the edge 

 of tlie glade, -which was probably twenty feet 

 across ; then rising to the tops of the bushes, he 

 would half flutter, half fall towards his prospect- 

 ive mate. On a sudden he would flutter directly 

 upward as we often see the English Sparrow or 

 House Wren do, and reaching a height of twenty 

 feet or more, dash about the clearing in varying 

 circles, ever tending in his flight toward the object 

 of his e;ctravagant attention. She in the mean- 

 while sat silent and evidently interested in the per- 

 formance. Suddenly the male dropped beside 

 lier, and alternately dashing and wheeling about, 

 but continually on the move and always revolv- 

 ing about her, gave evidence of his adoration by a 

 series of hops, dignified struts, droopings of the 

 head and tail, elevation of the wings and crest, 

 which would have done credit to both the Turkey 

 and the Ruffed Grouse. While on the ground the 

 song was kept up with the usual vigor, but the 

 interruption by the coarser, common notes was 

 more frequent and the bird stopped in its struts 

 in order to utter the notes which apparently 

 caused him more effort than did tlie more beauti- 

 ful song. The appearance of a third party on the 

 scene, probably also a lover, caused the first per- 

 former to dash into the brush much to my dis- 

 appointment. 



That the love-song is not common is evident to 

 all, and the very fact of its having remained so 

 long unknown is proof of its rarity. After my 

 first experience I watched continually for the 

 beautiful song, but did not hear- it until the follow- 

 ing year, although the woods were filled with the 

 common notes. The following Spring, while sit- 

 ting at the roots of a gigantic elm, a female of 

 this species fluttered near, carrying material in 

 her beak, evidently intended for nest construction. 

 While watching her, the male suddenly made his 

 appearance, and the scene of the previous year 

 and with, I think, superior musical performance, 

 was enacted in my presence. However, in this 

 instance the male rarely descended to the ground, 

 evidently being fully mated and. not considering 

 it necessary to strut about after securing his part- 

 ner to the extent of nest construction being in 

 progress. Since that time I have never heard the 

 song, although a thousand chatters have reached 

 my ears. 



^ 



Mr. A. W. Butler, Corresponding Secretary of 

 the Brookville Society of Natural History, In- 

 diana, sends us a circular calling a meeting at In- 

 dianapolis on December 29th, at which a state- 

 ment of the present condition of each branch of 

 Science that is being studied within the borders 

 of the State, is to be given, for the purpose of in- 

 teresting the people in the proposed Slate 

 Academy of Science. Mr. Butler is to present a 

 paper on Ornithology. 



Boston Notes. 



Up to the present time the story of the past has 

 been repeating itself— business dull and game 

 scarce. 



During Augustan unusual mumberof Great Blue 

 Herons were brought in, also the fir.st Owls of the 

 season, a pair of Barred in the down, we should 

 judge citizens of this State. These were followed 

 by a few Great Horned. In September consider- 

 able excitement was reported in a neighboring 

 town, over a Leather-backed Turtle that had 

 fiillen into the hands of one of the craft. He de- 

 scribes it as measuring about seven feet in length of 

 shell ; the flippers four feet. It weighed 800 

 pounds. xVs it stands stuff'ed the extreme 

 length would be about twelve feet. His state- 

 ment of the number of barrels of meat that he 

 took from it almost seemed an exaggeration. It 

 was captured oft the coast. Towards the last of 

 October it was whispered that an old friend had 

 appeared, and another of the same family a few 

 days later confirmed it, and by the 12th of No- 

 vember we recorded seven Snowy Owls as ar- 

 riving at Boston; all, as near as I can ascertain, 

 being killed in this State. 



We received our first Hawk Owl, November 

 9th, from Maine. In August wc made our first 

 actpmintance with the American Porcupine. 

 They are reported quite plentiful a few hours 

 travel north of us, and it seems strange that we do 

 not sec Ihem more often. 



Moose, for an animal that is considered nearly 

 exterminated, seems to have favored some of our 

 Boston sportsmen. One gentleman reported see- 

 ing twenty-three, and from the specimen, whose 

 head he secured, we think he took decided advan- 

 tage of the situation. Several others returned 

 with fine trophies m the way of horns. 



The weather has been very mild, and we look 

 forward to a good cold snap to help us to other 

 items of interest for our next. — 7*'. Jj. W. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



II. E. S., Cuba, N. Y.— The fl.st bird you tlescribc is the 

 Cedar Bird. The next, you will have to be more deflnite. 

 In measuring egg.«, 1.04X.S9 would mean : Long diameter 

 1 4-100 of an inch, and the other the short diameter — widest 

 distance from side to side. 



W. B. Hull, Milwaukee, Wis. — Your bird is no doubt an 

 Evening Grosbeak, {Ht^xpcripltona vesperthin,) No. Ifi5 in 

 Smithsonian Catalogue. We are not aware of any more 

 common name. It is migratory, and common in western 

 United .States. 



Received: Ellwood 0. Erdis ; C. H. Andres. These 

 will appear in January. 



Index and Title Page to Volume X are issued to sub- 

 scribers with this number. 



