44 



THE OOLOGIST 



The last sets found were those of Ces- 

 sin's Auklet. One egg is deposited in 

 a crevice under some rocks and the 

 old bird is generally on the eggs. 



They all seem to keep concealed dur- 

 ing the day, but appear in large num- 

 bers about dusk. 



A tyjjical egg is white with a very 

 slight greenish tinge, and measures, 

 1.95x1.31. 



All the bird inhabitants have their 

 peculiar notes and at dusk the Auks 

 can be distinguished by their, chee-rie 

 kee — chee-rie-kee . 



The Guillemot's plaintive note some- 

 what resembles the sound made by a 

 young pigeon. 



Beside the "eggers" it is said the 

 California Murre has a forminable ene- 

 my in the gull, on account of the large 

 quantities of eggs that he steals, when 

 the the Murres leave their nest: and I 

 do not doubt that he eats eggs, on ac- 

 count of a little lesson that he taught 

 us. 



When "C" had laid down a hatful of 

 eggs for a miuute a Gull swooped down 

 and picked out the only Anklets egg 

 and ate about ten Cormorants eggs be- 

 fore discovered. 



Fked A. Schneider, 

 College Park, Cala. 



Our Winter Visitors. 



Who does not hail with delight, the 

 coming of those feathered friends which 

 cheer us with their bright presence and 

 merry chatter, Avhen nature has donned 

 her somber robes of grays and browns? 

 What stout hearted little fellows those 

 must be who can face the bleak winds 

 and bitter cold and snow of the North! 



Think of such a tiny bit of life as a 

 Kinglet braving the severest vreathers, 

 all ruffled up in a ball, flitting among 

 the branches of trees and picking frozen 

 insects from the cracks ard crevices of 

 the bark, when the thermometer regis- 

 ters thirty degrees below zero; the 



while chirpping merrily and now and 

 then singing their sweet little song. 'Tia 

 a wise provision of Nature, that these 

 little midgets can keep warm, even in. 

 the coldest of weather, when the larger 

 species are compelled to migrate to 

 warmer lands. 



As long ago as I can remember, I 

 took pity op the poor little bare-foot 

 birds, and longed to bring them in and 

 warm them by the tire. My childish 

 mind could not solve the mystery of how 

 the little Snow birds could stay out in. 

 the snow all day without freezing, 

 while I was so much larger and could 

 stay. out but a few minutes. Mother 

 used to tell me to knit stockings for 

 them, but I was to young too do that, 

 though I would try and bother her to 

 start them for me. 



Another dusky little bit of bird life, 

 that makes itself welcome here, during 

 the winter season, ever reminding us 

 of its presence with its "git, git, git git, 

 git, git," as it teeters among the bush 

 and fences, under logs and over the 

 house, is the Winter Wren, it asks no 

 odds, but will climb up the door or 

 creep in at the Avindow and tell one 

 "git git" with as much independence as 

 if it owned the Avhole world. 



It aAvakens at the earliest dawn and 

 Ave are often called to listen, by its 

 faint, but clear musical song, long be- 

 fore the sun has risen, as it rustics 

 among the fodder leaves in the shed. 

 They are not afraid of even the cats, 

 and will go Avithin two feet of puss 

 while lying in wait, but is dancing iu 

 yon brush pile before kit has time to 

 move. 



The "little upside down birds," (Nut- 

 hatches), are a source of constant tor- 

 ment to the cats. They have learned 

 to come in the yard for crumbs, and 

 are so tame aud teasing as to keep just 

 out of reach of those sharp claws that 

 would like so Avell to toss and play Avith 

 them awhile. 

 The "little doAvny" has taken up his 



