276 



THE OOLOGIST. 



p. m. I arose that May morning at 2 a. 

 m. and called on a young friend, whom 

 I had interested in Oology, to go with 

 me, but the muscular arms of Mor- 

 pheus prevented, and I went away dis- 

 gusted with my friend's tranquil in- 

 difference and started alone, as happy 

 as a lark, and as confident as Julias 

 Caesar of success. 



After walking over two miles, and 

 taking a beautiful Lesser White-throat's 

 egg, from a nest built in weeds, con- 

 taining three, I proceeded to cross a 

 low meadow on the banks of the Great 

 Ouse. I had scarcely crossed the pal- 

 ing when a Red-leg Partridge flew from 

 a patch of rank grass right in front of 

 me. I almost trod on the nest, which 

 contained eleven eggs of a creamy buff 

 color, minutely speckled wity dark 

 brown. This was a new acquisition to 

 my cabinet, aud my conscience smote 

 me as I took four of the prettiest, two 

 for myself and two for my sleeping 

 friend. Before I had crossed the mead- 

 ow I frightened au old Mdlard from 

 her nest, which was built in a hollow at 

 the top of an old willow.. The nest, 

 which was full of feathers, contained 

 ten eggs, of which I took four, but only 

 saved two and that with difficulty, as 

 they were almost on the poi-t of hatch- 

 ing. 



Leaving the meadows I crossed to a 

 small copse or wood of spruce fir and 

 had scarcely entered when a Ring-dove 

 flew from a low tree to my right and 

 sailed deep into the wood. After a 

 little searching, I discovered her rude 

 platform of twigs, on which w ere de- 

 posited two beautiful, white, glossy 

 eggs, elliptical in shape. I left one, 

 hoping to find another to make a pair. 

 I collected in pairs then! 



While walking slowly along, pack- 

 ing my eggs, I heard a Hawk scream- 

 ing, and following the sound with my 

 eyes, saw a magnificent Kestrel fly in- 

 to the top of a tall fir. My excitement 

 was intense. I had never taken a 

 Hawk's egg in my life, and had a 



special longing to distinguish myself 

 amongst theRaptOres. Promptly climb- 

 ing this memorable spruce, which had 

 limbs from the ground up, I soon 

 caught sight of the nest. On reach- 

 ing it I would not pu f my hand in, 

 until I had first looked in the nest, 

 which a moment later I did. Oh, thou 

 aiclent lover of fine sets, imagine six 

 glorious eggs, the most beautiful I had 

 ever seen, marbled, mottled aud veined 

 with brick red and sienna, on a deep 

 buff ground. I almost fell from the 

 tree in my excitement. It was truly 

 a moment of indescribable bliss, and 

 one that will never fade from my 

 memory. I must here confess, I 

 bagged the -whole set, contrary to all 

 rules and precedents. Five eggs is 

 the usual number laid by the Kestrel, 

 one of them generally being much 

 smaller than the rest. I reached home 

 at 6 a. m. delighted at my new acqui- 

 sitions, and incurring the envy of my 

 sleepy friend, who however, received 

 his share. This happened iu 1891; and 

 though my collection has A r anished, 

 the memories still remain. 



I am still in the field, though on 

 this side the herring pond, devoting 

 my leisure moments to the same de- 

 lightful study. The birds of North 

 America are comparatively new to me, 

 »s well as the eggs, and in this fact 

 rests the assurance of many delight- 

 ful days to come. 



I see birds almost daily that are new 

 to me, and have found many beautiful 

 nests and eggs, which however has ne- 

 cessitated the killing of some birds for 

 their identification. 



The Cardinal Grosbeak (Carditialis 

 Virqinniaus) which is a constant resi- 

 dent here, excited my admiration on 

 first beholding it, with its beautiful 

 crest and gaudy plumage, and after- 

 ward by its strong melodious voice. 



The Yellow-billed Cuckoo, with its 

 strange note and peculiar eggs so un- 

 like Guculus canorus has greatly in- 

 terested me also. I. found a. nest of 



