288 



THE OOLOGIST. 



with the power of learning by exper- 

 ience which dots not exactly agree 

 with the definition of instinct. The 

 Hutton's Vireo remains with us though- 

 out the winter and is usually seen in 

 company with the Oregon Chickadee. 

 Fked H. Andrus, 

 Elkton, Ore. 



Protect Our Birds- 

 Dear Editor: 



As I read the pages of the June Oolo- 

 gist I was very much impressed by the 

 article under the head "Protect Our 

 Birds." It seemed to me, as I read 

 that article, that it ought to be endors- 

 ed by every true oologist and lover of 

 nature. 



The writer in that article speaks of 

 some collectors taking from "'five to 

 twenty-five sets of the same species; 

 while they are identically the same in 

 marking, size and shape." 



Mr, Grady remarked also that if this 

 wholesale destruction of our birds con- 

 tinues what will become of them? And 

 Mr. Editor, what will become of them? 

 I think the one great trouble is, that 

 so many of our so-called ornithologists 

 are using (rifles) in a way that is shame- 

 ful to the public. The 7 shoot every 

 little bird that comes in their sight. 



Of course, it is necessary to shoot a 

 bird once in a while, in order to tell 

 what species it is; but when a collector 

 takes from ten to twenty eggs of the 

 same bird I do not think that he has to 

 shoot the old birds every time in order 

 to tell the kind. 



If some of our collectors would stop, 

 and reason with themselves, they 

 would soon learn that God never put 

 our birds on this beautiful earth to be 

 slaughtered in the way that they have 

 been; or, to have their nests robbed in 

 such a shameful manner. 



I am very glad that Mr. Grady wrote 

 this article, for if some of our so-called 

 collectors can comprehend anything, 



they will soon see that Mr. Grady's ar- 

 ticle is worthy of example. 



And in closing, let me add, "Pro- 

 tect our BIRDS." 



P. S. — I have been taking your very 

 useful paper for seven months and / 

 am very much pleased with it. 



Chas. C. Swisher, 

 Wyoming Co., Penn. 



An Albino Nighthawk. 



Some parties while hunting near 

 Lynchburg, Va., Aug. 29, 1887, killed an 

 albino Nighthawk. This bird was 

 pure white excepting the breast which 

 was very faintly marked with light 

 yellow. 



Two other albino Nighthawks havo 

 been seen near the same locality, but 

 this is the only one which has been 

 killed, as far as I know. Are there any 

 other records on hand of albino Night- 

 hawks? J. W. D.. Jr. 



Some Twice Occupied Nests. 



On April 15, '94, I found a set of Eng- 

 lish Sparrow's eggs in an old Wood- 

 pecker's hole. This hole was lined 

 with horse hair and straw. 



On May 10, 1894, I took a set of Blue- 

 bird's eggs from a hole in a maple tree. 

 On May 20, '94, I took another set of 

 four. This cavity had been used before 

 by a pair of Crested Flycatchers. 



On May 30, '94, I found a nest of four 

 young Red-wing Blackbirds in a nest 

 that had been built and used by a 

 Black-throated Bunting. 



On June 16, '94, I found a set of 

 Bluebird eggs in a hole previously oc- 

 cupied by a Red-shafted Flicker. 



On June 19 I found a set of Wren's 

 eggs iu a hole previously occupied by a 

 Woodpecker. 



On July 10 I found a set of Mourn- 

 ing Dove's eggs in a nest built and used 

 by a Robin. 



W. E. Williams, 

 Lawrence, Kansas. 



