26 



THE OOLOGIST. 



and fall, and enliven us with their ac- 

 tive movements, while the beautiful 

 notes of the latter are heard each sea- 

 son. The Gnatcatcher in spring and 

 that curious little acrobat, the Chicka- 

 dee, in winter are to be found. The 

 White-breasted Nuthatch is a resident 

 and may be seen at all seasons, and 

 once nested on the premises, while the 

 smaller and less noticable Red-bellied 

 fellow from the north ocasionally strag- 

 gles to our premises in fall, winter or 

 spring. We also have that delicate mite, 

 the Brown Creeper, which appears each 

 year irregularly from November to 

 May. 



The Robin is seen from February to 

 December, and regularly for over eight 

 months of the year. It nests in the yard 

 almost every season, and is the favorite 

 with all. One Wood Thrush has lent its 

 presence, while the rufous tail of the 

 Hermit was formerly seen in the row of 

 raspberries in the garden, where it has 

 been known to make its home for a 

 week at a time in the spring. The Olive- 

 backed Thrush also visits us occaspion- 

 ally. Our querulous friend, the Cat- 

 bird, was well known as a yearly visitor 

 before the shrubbery and garden were 

 cleared away. A flaunting Brown 

 Thrasher has been known to flirt his tail 

 in the back yard, but this was years ago 

 and before we had taken city airs. 1 

 have even seen a Wilson's Thrush in 

 our yard, and have marvelled that it 

 should thus vary its habit of almost con- 

 stant seclusion. Our little friend, the 

 well known Bluebird flies over or war- 

 bles agreeably, but no longer nests in 

 the box provided for him. 



It is only in later years, and since I 

 have had the pleasure of reading the 

 charming work by Gilbert White of 

 Selborne, that I have thought to place 

 these lists and observations in print. 

 The notes on the birds, together with 

 the lists of insects, mammals, indigen- 

 ous plants, etc., would fill a small book 

 in themselves. Let me say as an illus- 



tration, that I have identified sixty-four 

 species of moths and butterflies in the 

 yard, while but one each of the chelonia 

 and ophidia, have been taken, the snake 

 and turtle, of course, being accidental 

 stragglers. 



Of the above list of birds I have found 

 nineteen species nesting in theyard;most 

 of which are only occasional nesters, a 

 few of which were found nesting but in 

 a single instance, while four may be 

 called fairly regular as nesters. 



Morris Gibbs, M. D., 

 Kalamazoo, Mich. 



Some Summer Birds of Androscoggin 

 Lake 



In the month of June, 1898, it was 

 my good fortune to spend a week on 

 the shores of Androscoggin Lake and 

 Dead River in the towns of Leeds and 

 Wayne, Maine, in company with my 

 naturalist friend, Mr. J. E. Teague, ^of 

 Livermore, and to observe the nesting 

 habits of many of our common birds. 

 It is an ideal spot for the lover of nat- 

 ure, this large lake dotted over with its 

 many islands, its waters splashing the 

 shores and the birds flitting about; and 

 to float across its waters and feel the 

 summer's breeze blowing about you 

 filled with the fragrance of wild flow- 

 ers and then to paddle gently down the 

 limous waters of the Dead River. This 

 river is the paradise of birds. To the 

 lover of nature this scene fills one with 

 awe that our Creator could make things 

 so beautiful. 



We had a small camp back about 

 twenty rods from the lake and when 

 we arrived were met by the owner, Mr. 

 D. P. Love, who had everything in 

 readiness for our arrival. We at once 

 made ourselves comfortable and after 

 a lunch obtained a boat and rowed out 

 to several of the islands. The follow- 

 ing is a list of the suecies found breed- 

 ing during our week's stay at the lake. 



Loon, one nest with two eggs found 



