THE OOLOGIST 



19V) 



both in size and color. Two extreme 

 sets are as follows: No. 6-4 '92 measur- 

 es .70x.52, .07.V.51, .G/x.52, .68x.52. The 

 ground color is white. The markings 

 are gathered in a distinct wreath near 

 the larger end and consist of pale lav- 

 ender shell marks anil rather large 

 spots of chestnut. There are also a 

 few tine dots of chestnut scattered over 

 the eggs. This was au unusual set both 

 in color and size being the largest I 

 have a record of. 



No. 7-4, '92, represents the other ex- 

 treme. It measures G2x.49, .58x.49, 

 .58x.50, -60x.49. The -hell marks of 

 lavender are gathered in a wreath 

 about the large end but these are near- 

 ly covered by the profuse spots of vina- 

 ceous einuauion, which are distributed 

 thickly over the entire surface in every 

 case. They are very beautiful and rep- 

 resent the smallest and most heavily 

 marked type I have seeu. Different 

 sets vary between these extremes. 



Unlike the most of the smaller birds, 

 and especially the Yellow Warbler, the 

 Redstart often rears the young Cow- 

 bird and its own as well. Their young 

 require a large amount of insect food 

 which keeps the old birds very busy for 

 three or four weeks.. The young are 

 all about the color of the adult female, 

 showing very little difference as to sex 

 until the second year. After the young 

 become able to take care of themselves, 

 the whole family enjoy the pleasures of 

 a four weeks'- holiday before they start 

 south for the winter. At this time they 

 do not sing much, in fact we hear noth- 

 ing which could be called a true song 

 until the next spring. 



In disposition they are rather inclin- 

 ed to be quarrelsome both males and 

 females, the males, especially during 

 the mating season, are always fighting 

 each other. Their rights take place al- 

 most entirely in the air and they make 

 plenty of feathers fly, accompanied by 

 much noise. The females are more 

 fearless than the males during the 



breeding season as auyoue will notice 

 when they trifle with her home. She 

 will often fly in your face accompany- 

 ing this with a constant suappiug of 

 the beak. I think they sometimes suc- 

 ceed in driving the Cow birds off if they 

 happen to be at hand when Mrs. Cow- 

 bird comes sneaking up; at least they 

 do for a time. 



They disappear very silently aud we 

 hardly notice they are going before the 

 last one is gone. They are probably as 

 free from natural enemies as auy of our 

 birds, and more so than some. 



This Jast season I found a nest on 

 which a female was sitting, and on go- 

 ing to it a few days later I found her 

 dead in'a crotch close by with plumage 

 badly ruffled. The nest was not notic- 

 ably molested. I do not know how to 

 account for this unless some bird 

 caught her on the nest, r and if so why 

 did it leave her without making an at- 

 tempt tq feed upon herV And also, 

 wh}' was the nest unmolested"? Wish 

 iug success to the Oologist, I am or- 

 nithologically, 



Ernest H. Short, 

 Chili, N. Y. 



Birds as Pets. 



By Maci-ostoma Megapodius. 



Someone wrote on this subject in 

 your journal not long ago, and the 

 article interested me very much. 

 There are many persons interested in 

 collecting, who glory in the name of 

 naturalist, or think that they are en- 

 titled to that name, and yet who are 

 mere grabbers of specimens, and who 

 collect because it is the fad of the times. 

 A true lover of birds and their habits 

 is always an observer, and such a one, 

 is far more interesting in conversation 

 than a man or boy who has simply de- 

 voted his time and energy, and perhaps 

 money, to the censurable custom of 

 alone gathering specimens. 



