196 



THE OOLOGIST. 



ly spotted over the entire surface but 

 settling heavier at the larger end with 

 cloudings of a greenish brown inter- 

 spread by indistinct lilac markings. 



While walking across a wooded patch 

 after lunch, my attention was attracted 

 by a pair of Slender-billed Nuthatches 

 Avalking up and down the limbs of an 

 oak tree, when presently to my delight 

 one of them entered a knot-hole about 

 fifteen feet from the ground in an ad- 

 joining tree. It did not fly out until I 

 reached the entrance, which was no 

 larger than a dollar. I managed to en- 

 large the opening and found seven fresh 

 eggs. 



The bird resembles the White-breast- 

 ed Nuthatch, being the western repre- 

 sentative, as do the eggs also. They are 

 white, speckled with red and purplish 

 markings, principally at the larger end. 

 The nest was about one foot from the 

 entrance, being horizontally in from 

 the end of a broken limb, and was com- 

 posed of loosely laid feathers and a 

 wooly substance. 



At length while walking slowly to- 

 ward the cabin I crossed a gnlch through 

 which ran a little mountain torrent 

 composed ot waterfalls and rapids that 

 sped down the rocky canon like mad, 

 splashing spray on the ferns that grew 

 beside its banks, making everything 

 fresh and green surrounding it. 



I sat down in the shady dell admir- 

 ing the gigantic red-woods that towered 

 above me 300 feet, when I was sudden- 

 ly startled by hearing a whirr of wings, 

 and just had time to catch a 

 glimpse of a dark colored bird as it dis- 

 appeared around a bend in the stream. 

 I walked up the creek a short distance 

 little suspecting what was in store for 

 me, till I came to a little grotto formed 

 of rocks, at the end of which a stream- 

 let entered by a fall, and flowing about 

 a l'od, entered the main stream. I never 

 can forget that exquisite sight, the spray 

 from the water-fall filled the place with 

 a rare crystaline freshness added to by 

 the setting sun shining on the diamond- 



like sprays, spreading a rich golden lus- 

 tre over the scene. 



But the sight to interest a collector 

 most, was the beautiful moss-covered 

 nest perched in a little nook near the 

 falls, bespangled with spray which kept 

 it fresh and green. 



This accounted for the frightened bird 

 I saw a moment ago flying down the 

 stream, and upon examining the nest I 

 found in the nice dry center of it — four 

 young Water Ouzels. 



Fred A. Schneider, 

 College Park, Cala. 



An Oological Trip in Central Illinois- 



Having planned to make a trip to the 

 woodlands on the opposite bank from 

 this city, my Oological friend and I de- 

 parted bright and early one beautiful 

 Wednesday morning in May for the 

 field of our labor. Among the articles 

 we took along were a set of instru- 

 ments, a note book, some data blanks, 

 a ball of strong cord, some tin boxes 

 fastened to belts and filled with cotton, 

 a pair of climbers, and last, but not 

 least, a basket full of lunch. As the 

 Lamarsh levee had broken, the low. 

 lands were flooded with from 6 to 15 

 feet of water, so we were obliged to 

 arrive at the bluffs before commencing 

 operations. The Antrosmus vociferus 

 (Whip-poor-will) were very plentiful, 

 being driven out of the lowlands by the 

 high water, and we could hardly walk 

 two or three rods without scaring one 

 up from the ground. We found no 

 eggs, however, as it was a little 

 early yet. While thumping dried 

 and rotten trees and stumps, and peer- 

 ing into the thick undergrowth I sud- 

 denly spied a nest of the Cardinal Gros- 

 beak. The female was on the nest and 

 was a close sitter. It was situated 

 among grape vines along a limb of a 

 fallen tree, and was composed of bark, 

 pine grasses, rootlets, etc., and con- 

 tained three eggs of a bluish-white tint, 



