THE OOLOGIST. 



123 



edge was gained by previous year's 

 experience with the same pairs of birds, 

 for birds of prey, especially hawks, 

 nearly always return to the same 

 neighborhood, and generally to the 

 same tree, and in my experience I do 

 not know where a pair of hawks has 

 been driven from a piece of woods by 

 persecution from egg collectors, and 

 the only way to get rid of a pair of lo- 

 cated hawks is to kill them or chop 

 down the forest. 



It is diflScult to satisfactorily account 

 for the variations in the eggs of a set, 

 both as to markings and size and shape. 

 Some hawks of my acquaintance lay 

 very handsomely marked eggs, while 

 others of the same species habitually de- 

 posit indifferently marked shells; and 

 still others lay very plainly marked 

 examples in sets of otherwise well 

 marked eggs. In the nests of certain 

 pairs of Red-tailed and Red-shouldered 

 hawks we are sure to find sets of eggs 

 marked almost identically season after 

 season. It is not unusual to find in the 

 nest of the Red-tailed hawk, one well 

 marked egg and the other almost, or 

 wholly without spots. The same pe- 

 culiarities may be noted in the eggs of 

 the smaller birds. For instance, some 

 Phoebes habitually lay spotted eggs, 

 and this variation from a standard will 

 be found to obtain in all sets of eggs 

 laid by this particular bird, as I have 

 noted season after season. 



The Humming-bird in Illinois. 



It was so destined that many years 

 should elapse from the time I began 

 looking for the diminutive home of little 

 "Trochilus colubris," until the day I 

 should be rewarded for my untiring ef- 

 forts, by finding one of these interesting 

 little gems of bird architecture. 



This little winged fairy of dazzling 

 brilliance, is well known as the smallest 

 of all our eastern birds, yet a better 

 idea of its tiny form may perhaps be 



realized, when we speak of its weight — 

 a slight 20 grains— body, feathers and 

 all. 



If I were asked what bird has proved 

 the most interesting study for me, I 

 should answer without hesitancy — the 

 Ruby-throated Hummingbird. 



If Nature in some lenient mood should 

 grant to me the creation of a bird-form 

 in accordance with my idea of perfect- 

 ness, I would stop at sight of the male 

 ^'■colubris." I would not change a single 

 feather of this little creature, so perfect 

 in form, so lithe in action, so resplend- 

 ant in plumage, but if I might add, to 

 his many charms, a sweet bird song, 

 would he not indeed be perfect? 



The male Hummer is the more beau- 

 tiful of the two, because of the rich, 

 ruby throat, which is lacking in the fe- 

 male. 



This beauty spot must be seen in 

 strong sunlight, to fully appreciate its 

 brilliant lustre, for few bird colors (in 

 our northern zone at least) will equal or 

 even approach the deep rich shades of 

 ruby and green and the delicate sheen, 

 of the live Ruby-throat. A dead bird 

 in the hand, loses much of that fresh- 

 ness and sparkling reflection, so notic- 

 able in its active movements. 



An early Sabbath morning of the pres- 

 ent season found me rambling in the 

 woods south of the village. Stopping 

 for a moment's rest under a small, bushy 

 tree at the edge of the timber, I was 

 soon unconsciously surrendering to a 

 feeling of lethargy, when I was aroused. 



Three Ruby throats (two males and a 

 female) with a buzzing introduction, 

 presented themselves and alighted on a 

 dead twig, within four feet of my face. 

 The rising sun shone on them as they 

 preened and smoothed their feathers, in 

 the making of their morning toilet. A 

 more beautiful sight I have never wit- 

 nessed. I feasted my eyes on them, 

 scarcely daring to breathe, until an ag- 

 gravating mosquito caused me to make 

 an untimely movement. In a flash the 



