THE OOLOGIST. 



39 



four to thirty feet high and the nests at 

 distance of a few inches from the top to 

 iifteen feet. When several nests were 

 in a single bank all of them were in the 

 same horizontal line, or at least in the 

 same stratum of soil. Another nest 

 which I examined was in a hard, rocky 

 bank. The hole was dug into a small 

 soft spot, — the only one in the bank, — 

 entirely surrounded by stones. From 

 such comparisons I have concluded that 

 the Kingfisher has no preference what- 

 ever in the distance its nest is from the 

 top of the bank, but seeks the softest 

 part. I am still further confirmed in 

 this belief by finding nests at various 

 heights in banks of uniform hardness. 

 The Kingfisher is very much attached 

 to her home, and will not leave her 

 nest, when the egg hunter is digging 

 for her treasures, until the cruel spade 

 or trowel is almost upon her. Oeryle 

 alcyon is deserving of much study as 

 some of its habits vary greatly from 

 those of other kindred birds. 



Otto Grady, 

 l^udlow. Ky. 



Great Northern Shrike Nesting in Assiniboia. 



In reviewing "Bird Nesting in North- 

 west Canada" in the Auk Dr. Shufeldt 

 ridicules the idea of ray finding the nest 

 of the above bird in Assiniboia. 



I am therefore pleased to read in Mr. 

 Arnold's article on his trip to Assini- 

 boia, in the March Oologist, page 20 

 "that he found a nest and seven eggs of 

 the Great Northern Shrike," thus con- 

 firming my statement that a few pairs 

 of this Shrike nest in Assiniboia. There 

 was absolutely nothing known of the 

 ornithology of Assiniboia previous to 

 my visiting this vast province in 

 1891. It is gratifying to me to 

 find other oologists who have re- 

 cently made collecting trips to Assini- 

 boia, confirming my statements that a 

 few pairs of such birds as Great North- 

 ern Shrike, American Rough-legged 



Hawk, Hawk Owl and American Gos- 

 hawk, remain and nest in Assiniboia and 

 Alberta, although of course this is about 

 the limit of their southern range in 

 summer as the majority go still further 

 north to bi'eed. W. Raine, 



Toronto. 



A Few Odd Eggs. 



As neai'ly all oologists have at some 

 time obtained curious specimens, some 

 of them may find it interesting to com- 

 pare notes with the following. Then 

 let us ask some of our more advanced 

 friends to explain the cause of these ab- 

 normal eggs. The Oologist is a scien- 

 tific paper; from its columns let us get 

 scientific explanations for extraordin- 

 ary occurrences in nature. 



On May 24, 1893, I was wading 

 through a small swampy pond of about 

 an acre in extent looking for Sora Rails 

 when I chanced on a Redwing's nest, 

 and, on looking in, I saw four beautiful 

 but unfinished eggs. I say unfinished 

 because the bird had not thought it 

 worth while to put on those artistic 

 spots and blotches which we generally 

 see. Here, then, was my first exper- 

 ience with albino Redwing eggs. This 

 set was of a delicate blue color, and, 

 but for a single spot on one egg, was 

 without spots. 



In June, 1894, I was on a botanizing 

 trip on Regie Lake and while pushing 

 my canoe through a swampy tract 

 where the weeds and rushes grew high 

 and strong, I came on a Redwing's nest 

 which contained one fresh egg. As I 

 was unable to remain in the vicinity 

 long enough to get the other eggs, I 

 had to be satisfied with the single. 

 This egg was of a pale blue color and 

 also unspotted like the set above. 



In my collecting trips I have run 

 across albino Bluebird's eggs, and runt 

 eggs of many species. Among the odd- 

 est runt eggs I have are those of King- 

 bird, Robin, White-rumped Shrike, 

 Chipping Sparrow, Bank Swallow, Yel- 



