108 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 15-No. 7 



tho stone work which forms tlie side of the 

 Erie Canal or the abutments to its bridges, or 

 in crevices of stone work in the vicinity of 

 any water, and I tliinlv that if tliose wlio are 

 seeking for tliis bird will look carefully about 

 such places in their locality they will find it 

 not uncommon there. 



The nest is loosely composed of straw 

 (almost entirely), witli sometimes the addition 

 of some feathers. Tlie eggs are pure white, 

 and I find that tliey differ from those of the 

 Bank Swallow in at least two particulars. 

 First, they arc not so much pointed and may 

 be a trifle larger; and second, the number of 

 them is generally greater, the complete set 

 generally consisting of seven or eight eggs, 

 wliich are dei)Osited the last week in May. 



The Rough-wingeil .Swallow does not arrive 



from the South until tlie lust week in May, 



and departs unnoticed in the fall. 



Neil F. Poxtion. 

 Medina, N. Y. 



Was the Change in the Common 

 Names Popular? 



Tiirough tlie courtesy of Messrs. Estes ami 

 Lauriat, publisliers of Cones' "Key to Nortli 

 American Birds," to-day the most popular 

 work on American oriiitliology, we are enabled 

 to present to our readers good illustrations of 

 the four species tliat we iiave asked for a 

 vote on, a popularity of the cliange in tlieir 

 common names by the A.O.TT. 



SNOW BUNTING. Full Summer Plumage. 



TIIR VOTE OF S. K. I. TIIAVI'U.S TIIK KNTIIiK 

 f'OAST AND TIIK KCIIO IS AMEN. 



Editor of O. A- O.: 



I desire to say that when I ]i;m1 finished 

 reading the vote cast by S. H. 1. In the May 

 number in regard to tlie cli;uigiiig of the 



ering twilight I softly whispered "Amen," and 

 closing the magazine I had just been reading 

 went (piietly into tlie house. For several good 

 reasons I wish to cast my vote in favor of the 

 old names. F. G. P.—ArcJier, Fla. 



GRASS FINCH. BAY-WINGED BUNTING. 



CAN AMKKirAN OltNI I IlOI.OfilS PS UK DltniOX 

 LIKE SUE EI'? 



EilUnr of O. d- O. : 



You seem to be in earnest about getting a 

 full vote on tlie (luestion of clianging common 

 names of birds. I'ut me down two for (lie 

 A.O.TT. against Mr. A. E. K. and wife. Tiie 

 (dieck-list will be good enough for my boy as 

 he will not have to unleaiu the old nnmcs. In 

 tlie Auk for July, ISS."), page ;{ 1(1, Mr. Ernest 

 E. Tlioinpsou, writing upon the subject of 

 revision of scientilic and })opular names by "the 

 committee" says: "There is no doubt that 

 scientific names are entirely in the hands of 

 scientists, but it seems to be overlooked tliat 

 popular names are just as coni])letely in the 

 hands of the jieople." Mr. Thompson writing 

 this in ISOO would not put the latter part of 

 the statement (jiiifc so strong'. On reading liis 

 article I said "them's my sentiments" and am 

 now barely over on tlie A.O.U. side. There is 

 no use "bucking" against such a team as the 

 Big Five, for wliether the changes are made 

 "on their own responsibility" or not they will 

 stiind. J.r.P. — T<v)). 



FAVOr.S TUHEE OI.T) AND ONE NEW. 



Editor of O. .t ().: 



We are always willing to adopt anything 

 that is an improvement, b(^ it new or old We 

 think three of the new nanies are anything 

 but an improvement, but the fourth — Vesper 



names of some of the birds, something liken, S])arrow — to us is decidedly more aiipropriatc. 



smile stole over my face and there in the gaih- | Lake Huron has a thousand and one Bnys but 



