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THE OOLOGIST 



ful one for several reasons — revealed 

 the nest, placed on the ground under 

 the densest part. From a convenient 

 peephole in the top of the pile, I care- 

 fully observed the proceedings of the 

 happy family during the rest of the 

 season. 



I have no designs on the member- 

 ship of our ex-President's Annanias 

 Club nor to be at the head of the Na- 

 ture Fakir Procession, so it is "bet- 

 ter" I stop. As Mr. Roosevelt prob- 

 ably has not noticed the above Orni- 

 thological items in the form of a per- 

 sonal experience, I would immediately 

 be consigned to the aforementioned 

 Clubs were this to come to his notice. 



It is "better to be right, than Presi- 

 dent." Perhaps (who knows?) that 

 was the real reason of a third term 

 refusal. 



But this is carrying Ornithology in- 

 to Politics, which I must not do for 

 the sake of Ornithology. 



L. B. HOWSLEY. 



Curians. 



I was much interested in examin- 

 ing a Chipping Sparrow (Spizella so- 

 cialis) female, evidently a mature 

 bird, but as it was September 24th 

 when brought to me, I could not de- 

 termine whether it had bred this sea- 

 son or not. This was at Solon, Cort- 

 land County, New York, and a neigh- 

 bor's cat caiight the bird as it was 

 trying to walk. On each claw, ex- 

 cepting the left hind one, which was 

 in a normal state, there were large 

 puffed up growths, rather soft to the 

 touch, but so deforming the claws that 

 the bird was unable apparently to 

 perch, or only with difficulty, and as 

 noted above was quite unable to hop 

 about' the ground as this species so 

 likes to do. 



The skin though quite mutilated in 

 the conflict with the "Mouser," I now 



have, and the largest abnormal 

 growth measures about one-fourth 

 inch in length by three-sixteenths in 

 diameter, and like the other four, com- 

 pletely encircles the claw. But three 

 of the nails at the end of the claws 

 are visible. 



What is this disease called, and how 

 long we wonder, could the bird have 

 cared for itself. I have frequently 

 seen birds less a claw, and in one in- 

 stance, a Red-tailed Hawk that had 

 one foot destroyed by shot, remained 

 an entire summer in the same local- 

 ity, where it received the injury. I 

 have frequently observed other 

 wounded birds, but never before a 

 specimen afflicted as was this one; 

 not even in domestic fowls, where 

 malformations, which this possibly 

 may have been, are not uncommon. 

 When I refer this specimen to the 

 Linnaen Society at its next meeting, 

 Dr. Dwight, cr others may explain 

 the cause of the growth or of the dis- 

 ease if it were that. 



A double oriole's nest taken years 

 ago when a youth, also interests me; 

 one section of it containing the eggs, 

 being larger and deeper than the 

 apartment joined to it, perhaps for 

 the accommodation of the male bird; 

 certainly built at about the same 

 time, judging from the condition of 

 the materials; both sections being 

 well woven, chiefly of wrapping twine 

 and other string, and the egg recepta- 

 cle lined with finer materials, as is 

 usual with this species. 



With well wishes for the Oologist 

 and to its editor and readers, 



F W. HYDE. 



An Albino Bob White. 



At the opening of the game season 

 in Maryland, two white "Bob-whites" 

 were noticed in a covey of that spe- 

 cies near St. Michels. After much 



