THE OOLOGIST. 



249 



Several other sets were taken, among 

 them two sets of 5, and a number of 

 nests with incomplete sets or badly in- 

 cubated eggs were left. 



The average of the 23 egg measured 

 is 1.97x1.45. They run from 2.08 to 1.90 

 loug and from 1.41 to 1.51 broad. The 

 color is hard to describe and I could 

 not rind one who would venture to call 

 it any name. One variety has the ap- 

 pearance of having faded to the colsr 

 of the rushes on which they are laid 

 but even fresh eggs have this color, 

 while others, even when well incubated, 

 have a greenish tinge. The nes>ts were 

 always over water and composed of dry 

 rushes and the round reed spoken of 

 before. They have much the appear- 

 ance of a large and very thick doves 

 nest and will average 10x15x4. 



A few rushes are broken to the tip of 

 the water and on t lese the nest is laid. 



Least Bittern. 

 ■ Last year the Least Bittern was to be 

 found in every clump of rushes and I 

 was told it's nests were as aramon as 

 those of the Redwing, and from the 

 birds I saw I do not doubt it, although 

 I was not able to visit the place during 

 the breeding season. 



This year the birds were not at all 

 common at any time, and 1 did not get 

 the number of sets I desired by any 

 means. 



Full sets can rarely be obtained by 

 the 10th of June and the nesting season 

 is at its height about the 25th. 



The nest is a platform of last years 

 reeds, not unlike a doves nest except 

 that it is larger and deeper. 



It is placed in a clump of rushes on 

 the tops that have been bent by the 

 storms or by the birds, and always over 

 water and usually from 10 to 18 inches 

 above it, the deeper the water the bet- 

 ter, which may account for their abund- 

 ance last year when the marsh was 

 deeply covered all the spring. 



The number of eggs in a set is from 

 3 to 5 with 4 as the average. 



£ In color they are a greenish or bluish 

 white but the color is very nearly white 

 and I judge specimens after a long ex- 

 posure to the light will be found to be 

 faded to that color. 



A set of 5 measure, 1.24x.98. 1.19x.95, 

 1.20x.96. 1 22x.93, 1.20x94. Incubation 

 fresh. A set of 4, 1.19x.94, 1.27x.92, 

 1.25X.91, 1.22x.95. Incubation begun. 



The eggs except the tinge of color in 

 them could not be told from large doves 

 eggs. 



The sets were all takeu on the 14th of 

 June. 



One thing I saw surprised me and 

 that was the fact that of all the birds I 

 saw about the nests only one was a fe- 

 male, who left a nest containing three 

 fresh eggs. From this I concluded *e 

 male must do the incubating, at least 

 during the day. 



At this time, June 14th, incubation 

 had begun in a few sets, but was not 

 advanced over 3 or 4 days in any. 



The Least Bittern unlike the Ameri- 

 can Bittern can be found all over the 

 mai'sh, one nest I found being out about 

 a mile and near a place where hund- 

 reds of Black-crowned Night Herons 

 were nesting. 



It is one of the most interesting birds 

 found in the marshes, and seems to be 

 common all over the state. 



I have never heard one make any 

 sound and men who have lived in the 

 swamps all their lives say it makes no 

 call whatever. 



Dr. A. C. Murchison, 



Kewanee, Ills. 



Cruising and Science- 

 by "tommy hawk." 



Only those who have a personal 

 knowledge of the pleasures of cruising 

 can fully comprehend its true enchant- 

 ment. Cruising is a delight because it 

 brings one into that glorious society 



