96 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 8-No. 12 



New Bird Labels. — We have received 

 from the publisher, L. S. Foster, New 

 York, samples of a set of labels he has 

 Just issued vv^hich are quite different from 

 anything of the kind which we have seen 

 elsewhere, for by a very simple and inge- 

 nious method the exact position in classi- 

 fication which the specimen labeled holds 

 can be told at a glance; not only the 

 name of species, genus, family order and 

 sub-class, to which it is referable, but also 

 the rank of each of these divisions, their 

 relations to others of the same grou]). 

 There is likewise spaces left for the 

 " Smithsonian number," and the Collector's 

 " serial number," as well for for the " locali- 

 ty, date and collector." We should think 

 that the labels will be wannly welcomed 

 by those forming collections for purposes 

 of elementary instruction, but we fear 

 they are rather cumbersome to come into 

 general use for collections where economy 

 of space has to be considered. For spec- 

 imen illustration see cover pages. 



Death of an Aged Oyn,. — An aged owl, 

 the pet of a house on Middle street, Ports- 

 mouth, passed away recently, and was 

 buried at night with distinguished honors, 

 slow music, and the recitation of appropri- 

 ate lines from the "Burial of Sir John 

 Moore." Above the grave of the pet bird 

 which, by the way, was dubbed William, is 

 the following inscription : "Sacred to the 

 memory of William Owl, born Feb. 22, 

 1800 ; died Aug. 22, 1883." The owl came 

 from Newbem, N. C, and, it is said, was 

 actually 83 years old, having been handed 

 down from family to family in Newbern, 

 and his history being accurately presem-ed. 

 Norfolk Zicmdmark. 



A Hearing of Bird's Ears. We acknowl- 

 edge with pleasure the receipt of a work 

 with the above title from Dr. Elliott Coues 

 of the Smithsonian Institute, which ap- 

 peared in Science, running through num- 

 bers 34-38 and 39. The doctor is an in- 

 dustrious worker in the science to which 

 he is devoted. 



Albino Quail. I was fortunate enough 

 to secure a fine specimen of this bird, 

 which was shot twenty miles north of the 

 city, Oct. 19th. The bird is pure white, 

 with the exception of four light brown 

 feathers (two on the head and one on each 

 wing,) and is in good plumage. I have 

 him mounted and feel quite elated over my 

 success in adding such a rarity to my cab- 

 inet. A gentleman of this place shot an 

 Albino Robin in the city, this Spring, that 

 is pure cream color. I was unable to secui'e 

 this specimen. — Fletcher 31. Noe, Indian- 

 apolis, Ind. 



" Irregulars " in birds e^^^ for 1883 : 

 Dendrceca cestiva, four set, one egg unspot- 

 ted ; set of four Yellow-shafted Flicker, all 

 spotted with dull red ; set of three Yellow- 

 headed Blackbirds, one marbled, with no 

 spots. Sept. 30 and Oct. 5, shot speci 

 mens of migrating birds. White-throated 

 Sparrow, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Ameri- 

 can Redstart, Black Snowbird, Fox-colored 

 Sparrow and Purple Finch, the latter a 

 male in imperfect plumage ; the only one 

 I have ever seen in this region. — jP. B- 

 Peahody, Farihanlt, 3[inn. 



Yellow-breasted Chat. June 29, 1883, 

 noticed a pair of Yellow-breasted Chats 

 feeding young about half-fledged, first I 

 ever saw breeding in this locality ; next day 

 found another Chat's nest with four young. 



A Chimney Swift imjDaled on the jDoint 

 of a lightning rod, caused, no doubt, " by 

 his headlong j^lunge down to his nest." 



Bluebirds. A pair of Bluebirds have 

 raised three broods, their nest being placed 

 behind the closed half of a pair of blinds 

 affixed to the window of an occupied room 

 in my house, the sitting bird being in full 

 view ; their confidence was not misplaced. 

 F. H. Carpenter, Rehoboth, 31ass. 



Back Volumes. Those who intend keep- 

 ing a full file of the O. and O. should lose 

 no time in ordering the back volumes. 

 Volume VI, $2.50; vols. VII and VIII, 

 $1.25 each. The three volumes bound in 

 one $5, free by^mail. 



