VOL. IX. 



The Oologist. 



ALBION, N. Y., APRIL, 1892. 



NO. 4 



The Oriole's Nest. 



A pair of Oi'ioles built their nest, 

 Oq the spreading limb of the old elm 

 tree, 

 ; So near my bed-room window that I, 

 The process of building could plainly 

 see. 



Skillful architects were they, 

 Working both as of one mind, 



In the strength of uuity, 

 Fit examples for mankind. 



First they hung long strings of twine 

 From a slender crotched limb 



For the framework of the house; 

 In artful manner weaving in 



Fiberous rootlets, grass and strings, 



And what all I cannot tell; 

 Went to make their pretty home 



In a style to them known well. 



Soon 'twas done, that pending nest 

 In the bi'eeze so gently swinging, 



And the builders perched near by 

 Their songs of joy and pride were 

 singing, 



'One by one five eggs were laid. 



Handsome speckled gems were they, 



Lined and blotched as though a child 

 With pen and ink had been at play. 



Ere long these eggs were turned to birds, 

 Their parents' pride and care were 

 they, 

 Till in the joy of new found strength 

 They spread their wings and flew 

 away, 



Now they're all gone to a warmer clime 



Where in winter months they go, 

 And the uest now swings on the leafless 

 limb, 

 All filled with ice and snow. 



M. D. Coopee. 



Lanius Borealis on Deck. 



That is to say, Lanius borealis is one 

 <of those chai'acters that may be depend- 

 ed upon. He has a set time for appear- 

 ing every winter, and when that set 

 time comes around, he is generally "on 

 'deck.''' Most of our winter visitants 



(notice, I distinguish between winter 

 visitants and permanent residents) are 

 erratic and irregular, but the Northern 

 Shrike is as sure as the calendar, and 

 that worthy piece of literature cannot 

 cover the time between January 25th 

 and February 5th, without bringing us 

 the Shrike. 



This is his particular time, but he is 

 frequently seen at other times during 

 the winter also. For example, in 1887, 

 a pair of these birds remained in the 

 outskirts of the village all through Jan- 

 uary and well along into February, 

 when I lost track of them. Their be- 

 loved locality seemed to be along the 

 main street leading into the country 

 toward the west, and the English Spar- 

 rows which took up their abode about 

 the farm houses just out of town, 

 had occasion to keep even more vigilant 

 watch of them, than I myself. I have 

 also noted these Shrikes on November 

 11th and Decemuer 16th, showing that 

 they are here in the early part of the 

 winter as well. But as to their spend- 

 ing the entire winter here, that depends 

 I think, on the kind of winter it is. In 

 severe weather, they must go consider- 

 ably further south than this. One thing 

 is certain, however, theiroccurrence 

 previous to January 25th, is not nearly 

 so common as their occurrence after that 

 date, for they may be depended upon 

 about the time that January lapses into 

 February. 



This year, the first Shrike was seen 

 Jan. 31st. They seem to be coincident 

 with those bright, suushiny winter days 

 we always get about that time. 



The notes of the Northern Shrike are 

 I think, worthy of more consideration 

 than they generally receive. They ap- 

 proach more nearly to a song, in my 

 opinion, than the notes of the White- 

 rum ped species which spends the sum- 



