60 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 1^-No. 4 



IN OHIO. 



On tlie 10th of December, 1889, an Evening- 

 Grosbeak (Hesperiphona vespertina), which 

 was feeding on maple seeds on the campus in 

 front of one of tlie buildings, was sliot by Mr. 

 George Osburn and presented to Prof. Tiglit, 

 who identified and placed it in the University's 

 collection. 



This, I believe, is the second record of its 

 occurrence in Oliio, the first being recorded by 

 Dr. Kirtland in ISOO. N. G. Buxton. 



Denison ITniversity, Granville, Ohio, April 4, IS'.to. 



IN MINNESOTA. 



Since receiving your letter the Evening 

 Grosbeaks seem to liave left here; I liave only 

 seen one Hock of seven females. The day 

 before I received tlie letter tliere was a large 

 flock of the handsomest and largest males that 

 I have ever seen, in the box-elder trees near 

 our place. They may come around as thick as 

 ever but I doubt it as the bulk always leaves 

 about this time every spring. Some remain as 

 late as April 15th and 20th. 



The VVaxwings are seen occasionally. 



I see by the last O. & O. the Evening Gros- 

 beak has commenced coming to the eastern 

 states. It probably won't be long befoi'e they 

 come down there as thick as they do up this 

 way. Ten or more years ago I seldom saw 

 them, probably because they didn't come into 

 the town as they do now. They feed almost 

 exclusively on the box-elder seeds, and box- 

 elder trees have been put out as shade trees 

 extensively during the last ten years. I have 

 stood within three feet of them while eating 

 the seeds, and they hardly seem to mind it. 

 A boy caught one, a $ , about two uu)nths ago, 

 and it is now kept in a cage in a barber-shoi> here 

 and seems to stand the confinement very well. 

 Redwing, Minn., March 2.5. C- li. Jo/nisoii. 



What a Pet Theory Suggests. 



I w(mder if Mr. C^antwell's pet theory is 



a singer. We are inclined to think it a Hum- 

 mer. What a sad mistake in Nature that the 

 Cowbird is as small as she is; were she the size 

 of the domestic hen, with steam attached for 

 cooking ])urposes, how nicely she could be 

 utilized in furnishing Kaster eggs f(u- the 

 markets. Xfosxixicl,-. 



[This reminds us of a sipiib that went the 

 lounds a while since. A Yankee invented a 

 trap-door attachment to be used in coniu'ction 

 with a hen's nest. The weight of an egg 

 would o\)iin it, passing tlirough, relieved of 

 the weight it would close. A hen after laying. 



looking, would see no egg and repeat the oper- 

 ation; in this way a fine series (full set) would 

 be obtained. The only reason that finally 

 made it unijopular was that all the hens on 

 which it was trietl, ruined their constitutions 

 in endeavoring to deposit eggs faster than the 

 trap let them out. — Editor.] 



Wants Size of Eagle Kept Within 

 Scientific Limits. 



Since sending your February number the 

 writer has acquired some information in the 

 Eagle line which is quite extraordinary and 

 shoidd be pondered well by every ornithologist. 



While in Saa Bjuito County last week, a 

 gentleman known as "Dynamite" told us at 

 the breakfast table about an eagle he savi^ the 

 day before wiiich was as big as a three- 

 year-old heifer. I asked him, just for science 

 sak(*, what he thougiit it measured from tip to 

 tip. " Well sir, I sized u]) that feller accurate 

 with my eye and he was just about fourteen feet, 

 three inches and a (juarter. I've seen a good 

 many eagles but this one beat 'em all. When he 

 was standing on a hillside half a mile from 

 me his legs looked a yard apart." 



"Dynamite" is a respected citizen now car- 

 rying on extensive business operations in "Tar 

 spring canon," where he observed this plie- 

 nominal bird, and certainly his testimony will 

 be of interest to our friend "Texas Ben," and 

 perhaps (who knows ?) prove a connecting link 

 in the chain of facts which establish the 

 supremacy in size of our proud eagle — unpa- 

 triotic "scientists" to the contrary notwitli- 

 standing. Tims it is seen how careful, 

 unprejudiced, though unlearned observers may 

 bring to light the triifh and cause exalted 

 ignorance to hide its head in very shame. Alas I 

 Alameda, Cal., Manh, \S'.M. II. U. TdjiJor. 



No Rarefied Air in This. 



You wind uj) your racket with Texas Ben. 

 Texas 15eii is a well-known character. Now 

 what are the facts? 'I'hey are that our scien- 

 tific bird men are off. They should extend 

 their boundary line on the eagle business. 

 While in Van Wert, Ohio, six eagles passed 

 through our hands, three Bald and three Gray. 

 They measured from tip to tij) as follows: 

 Gray No. 1. 7 ft. 8 in. ; No. '_', 7 ft. (> in. ; No. :{, 

 7 ft. 4 in.; Bald No. I, 7 ft. !» in.: No. 2, 7 ft. 

 .i in ; No. :!, 7 ft. (1 in. \Ve know these to be 

 facts, for we were there and did the ineaMiring. 

 ('hel)0'::p:an, Mich. <S. liadcr. 



