94 



THE OOLOGIST. 



low-shafted Flickers some years ago. 

 The yoimg Flickers were about a week 

 old and resided in a large venerable 

 willow tree. Oue afternoon there was 

 quite a storm, the wind blew lustily ov- 

 er-turning the old tree, and very un- 

 ceremoniously tossing the young Flick- 

 ers out upon the ground. As the' fall 

 had apparently done them little or no 

 injury a section of the tree containing 

 them was cut out and stood up agaiust 

 a fence, near where the old willow had 

 grown, in the hope that the parent 

 birds would return to the young, but 

 they did not and in a few days the 

 young Flickers died; Artificial feed- 

 ing was tried but it apparently did not 

 do any good. Without a doubt large 

 numbers of young birds and eggs are 

 destroyed by the wind blowing the nests 

 out or the trees down, and I think we 

 have all in our tramps through field 

 and forest found many young birds and 

 broken eggs upon the ground that have 

 been thus destroyed. If the eggs of a 

 season that are in this manner lost 

 could be preserved they would doubt- 

 less make a collection of which any 

 oologist might well be proud. ■ 



During the latter part of last spring 

 and in eai"ly summer the wind played 

 havoc among our trees and consequently 

 among our birds. I remember walking 

 out one day after such a st rm, and 

 finding the remains of no less than a 

 dozen different nests with eggs that 

 had been thus destroyed. 



Dr. W. E. Rotzell, 



Narberth, Pa. 



Maryland Birds That Interest the Sportsman. 



All the Ducks, Geese and Swans are 

 migratory. Among what is known as 

 the "Shore Birds" are many small ones 

 that are frequently bagged along with 

 the larger; but in the following list I 

 have only included those which are 

 principally sought after. 



The land 'Game Birds" are largely 



hunted not only by the legitimate- 

 sportsman hunting for the love of 

 sport, but also by the pot-hunter, who- 

 seems to use every means within his 

 power to exterminate the birds as fast 

 as possible. Two of these latter living 

 in this city, have been going out at 

 night after Bob-white and on the dogs 

 "pointing" the roosting covey, they 

 have secured them all at a siugle dis- 

 charge of the gun. 



Merganser americanus, American 

 Merganser. This species and the other 

 Mergansers are often shot by the duck- 

 ers and sold in market under the name 

 of "Fishermen." They have a rank, 

 fishy taste. 



Anas boschas, Mallard. One of our 

 first Ducks to arrive in the fall migra- 

 tion, and is generally shot in the 

 marshes. The male is a beautiful 

 bird and is sometimes called "Green- 

 head." 



Anas obscura, Black Duck, Dusky 

 Duck, Marsh Mallard, etc. This is 

 another of our mai"sh Ducks, "more com- 

 mon in the salt marshes. August 28, 

 1893, a young female was shot on Lake 

 Roland, Baltimore county. 



Anas strepera, Gadwall, Gray Duck. 

 Sometimes killed by the duckers. 



Anas penelope, Widgeon Several of 

 the European Widgeon have been re- 

 corded from Maryland. 



Anas americana. Baldpate, Widgeon.. 

 This Duck is oue of our early arrivals,, 

 and makes good shooting, but at times 

 they are very high flyers. They are a 

 good table Duck. 



Anas carolinensis , Green-winged Teal. 

 Not so common as the following 

 species, and more often killed over de- 

 coys in the open water. 



Anas discors. Blue-winged Teal. This- 

 is the first Duck to arrive in the fall, 

 and is found in the marshes and about 

 the heads of Gunpowder and Bush 

 River. During August and September 

 many are killed by the gunners, who« 

 are after Sora and Reed birds. 



