100 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. W-No. 7 



the female Gulls at the island, and after return- 

 ing to Isle Koyale shot and skinned a dozen 

 males from a flock of fifty or sixty hovering 

 about the fish houses, in fact all the Gulls shot 

 away from the island were males. The facili- 

 ties for reaching Isle Eoyale grow better each 

 year, and it is a question of but a short time 

 when this large nesting place will be broken 

 up and its denizens forced beyond the limits 

 of the United States. 



Loons are quite plentiful in the channels and 

 harbors of Isle Royale, and the fishermen often 

 catch them on their set lines when fishing for 

 trout. A long line is anchored about two 

 fathoms from the surface and short lines with 

 hooks attached at intevals. These hooks are 

 baited with herring about a foot long and these 

 the Loon see beneath the water and in diving- 

 get caught on the hook. One fisherman had 

 six on a line of seventy-five hooks the morn- 

 ing before we arrived and had tiie breasts 

 skinned and tacked on the shed to dry to be 

 used as lining for his boots. 



Frank S. Dnf/c/etf. 

 June 4, 'flO. 



A Series of Eggs of the Bobolink. 



In h\s Manual of North Amcriran Birds, page 

 36(5, Mr. Ridgway falls into the strange error 

 of stating that the Bobolink (DoUchonyx ory- 

 zivorun) lays from two to five eggs, whereas 

 any number less than four would be an incom- 

 plete set, and six and seven not unusual. 



Considering how very common the birds are 

 it is astonishing how hard it is to find tlieir 

 eggs, and to this fact must be ascribed their 

 comparative scarcity in collections. They 

 vary greatly in color and markings. 



Set I. June 10, 1888. Cayuga Gounty, N.Y. 

 Nest of fine, dry grass, on ground in meadow. 

 Five eggs, incubation commenced. I'.luish- 

 gray, spotted and veined with burnt uml)er 

 and sepia. Some of the spots are large, and 

 there are more of them at the larger ends than 

 on any other ]Kirt of the eggs. There are a 

 few spots of olive-gray also : .88 x .(15 ; .85 x .05 ; 

 .86X.G4; .80 x. 6:]; .SGx.fiO. 



Set II. June 7, 1888. Austin, 111. Nest of 

 dried grasses on ground, in a clump of weeds. 

 Six eggs, incubation begun. Bluish-gray, 

 spotted with burnt umber and clove brown, 

 th(! markings being heavier at the larger ends: 

 .87X.00; .84x.fil; .77x.58; .7(ix.58; .77x..59; 

 .7nx.57. 



Set III. June 18, 1887. Farmington, Me., 



Nest of fine grass, in a field of tall grass nt the 

 foot of a bunch of ferns. Six eggs, incubation 

 advanced. Bluish-gray, speckled and si^otted 

 with burnt umber. Some of the spots are 

 large, and most of them are at the larger ends: 

 .82X.C0; .79 X. GO; .77 X. 59; .74x.59; .75x.57; 

 .81 X .00. 



Set IV. June 11, 1888. Galewood, 111. 

 Nest of grass, in wagon rut caused l)y passage 

 over praiiie while in boggy condition in early 

 spring. Seven eggs, incubation n.dvanced. 

 Bluish-white, spotted find veined with bistre 

 and seal brown: .S2x.05; .8;)X.05; .81x0.']; 

 .84X.04; .80X.05; .81x.05; .84x.08. 



SotV. June i;], 1879. Hyde Park, Ontario. 

 Nest of straws an d~ grass on the u round, in a 

 meadow. Six eggs, incubation advanced. 

 Drab-gray, speckled with drab, and mniked 

 with large spots of sepia; nearly all of the 

 latter being at tlie larger ends: .78x.02; 

 .76 X .0:^ ; .79 x .03 ; .7(5 x .0;] : .77 x 04 ; .78 x .03. 



Set VI. June 15, 1885. Farmington, Me. 

 Nest made entirely of grass, and placed on 

 the ground. Five eggs, fresh. Bluish-gray, 

 spotted with olive gray, Vandyke brown, and 

 seal brown. The markings are jjrincipally 

 confined to the larger ends: .90 x .(54; .80 x .63; 

 .83 X .02; .88 x .04; .90 x .(54. 



Set VII. June 20, 1888. Cayuga County, 

 N.Y. Nest of dry grass, on ground in clover 

 meadow. Five eggs, incubation advanced. 

 Gray, with a brownish tinge, spotted witli 

 drab-gray, and large blotches of chestnut: 

 .89x.00; .S8X.00; .S7x.03; .90x.06; .92x.65. 



Set VIII. May 15, 1887. Erie County, N.Y. 

 Nest of grass, on ground in open field. Five 

 eggs, incubation commenced. Brownish-gray, 

 spotted with chestnut and russet: .Six. 63; 

 .86x,61; .79X.62; .79x.(54; .85x.6l. 



Set IX. May :]0, 1884. Washington County, 

 N.Y. Nest on ground, under a bunch of grass. 

 Five eggs, incubation commenced. Ecru-drab, 

 spotted with drab-gray and chestnut: .85 x .63; 

 .80X.62. .86x.()3; .81x.(52; .80x.59. 



Set X. June 10, 1888. Cayuga County, 

 N.Y. Nest a few dry blades of grass, on the 

 ground, in a meadow. Four eggs. Grayish, 

 with a tinge of blue, mottled with drab gray, 

 and spotted with chestnut and seiiia: .87 x .65; 

 .89 X .(57 ; 88 x .63 ; .84 x .(;5. 



Set XI. June 20, 1888. Cayuga County, 

 N.Y. Nest of dry grass, on ground in meadow. 

 Four eggs. Bluish-gray, heavily spotted with 

 chestnut: .90x.(55; 88x.(i5; . 88 x. (50; .8Sx.05. 



Set XII. June 2, 1888. Austin, 111. Nest 

 of dry grass, on ground. Five eggs, fresh. 

 Bluisli-gray, spotted with chestnut, much 



