THE OOLOGIST. 



119 



good done, and the pleasure of having 

 such a beautiful bird in our country. 



They have been killed in immense 

 numbers and stripped of their feathers, 

 the meat being sent to the Portland 

 market. 



The farmers in this county are taking 

 active steps for the protection of the 

 bird in the way of putting up trespass 

 notices, but this is not done with an 

 idea to keep the species, but to kill them 

 at their pleasure (which is at every op- 

 portunity afforded) for the benefit of 

 their own table, and I might add they 

 are very delicious for such purposes. 



The bird has many cunning devices 

 to deceive the hunter. At the approach 

 of foot-steps they will squat down close 

 to the ground and a person can pass 

 within a few feet of it and not discover 

 it, nor will the bird fly until seen by 

 you, when it is up and away like a 

 flash. 



In an open plowed field the bird will 

 lie so close that it can not be seen at a 

 distance of two rods. 



They are also very swift of foot, it 

 requiring a good dog to catch one that 

 has been winged. 



Their breeding habits is somewhat 

 peculiar also. The female deposits her 

 first complement of eggs about April 

 15th, or May 1st, laying from seven to 

 fifteen eggs. As soon as the young- 

 leave the nest the male takes charge 

 and the hen again lays about the same 

 number of eggs. By the time these are 

 ready to leave the nest, the first brood 

 is able to take care of themselves, and 

 the male again takes charge of the sec- 

 ond brood. A third complement is then 

 laid and when they are hatched the 

 male and female both take charge. 



Three broods are generally raised in 

 a season by one pair and by a little fig- 

 uring one can form some idea of the in- 

 crease of the species. 



You can also see the same from the 

 fact that from the six pair let loose in 

 Oregon, the entire western coast has 



been densely populated by them in rive 

 years, and thousands have been killed. 



They nest upon the ground in open 

 fields. Oat stubble field is a favorable 

 resort for their nest. The nest is made 

 of leaves and dry grass, placed in a 

 clump of grass or perhaps under some 

 small brush. 



In captivity the birds do well, and 

 even nest and breed while so confined. 



I have an adult male iu confinement 

 and he will eat most anything given 

 him, but prefers wheat and oats, and 

 seeds of all kinds generally. In the 

 wild state during winter they feed upon 

 fir seeds and buds, but during summer 

 they feed upon seeds and green leaves. 



They seem to be fearless coming unto 

 barn-yards and feeding with the domes- 

 tic fowls. Only a short time ago one 

 came within fifty feet of my house right 

 in the village. 



The males during the spring, crow 

 similar to a domestic cock and taking 

 advantage of this the hunter locates 

 them and slowly and gently slips up on 

 them and is generally sure of his game. 



Much more might be said in regard 

 to this one of our most beautiful birds, 

 but for fear of tiring the readers I will 

 close. 



Db. A. G. Prill. 



The Carolina "Wren. 



When I came South, this species was 

 comparatively new to me. I had 

 studied it in New Jersey, but did no* 

 find it numerous there, and it did not 

 reach Western New York. Around 

 Washington it is abundant, and every 

 where it has its peculiar haunts. If 

 one makes a clearing in the woods, 

 setting a portable saw-mill on a little 

 run of water, these wrens are pretty 

 sure to be found afterwards in the slab- 

 piles and among the rubbish. It may 

 also be found in open ravines. For 

 instance; it is very numerous along the 

 steep and craggy banks of the Potomac 



