58 



THE OOLOGIST. 



The shape is elongate, tapering 

 evenly and gradually toward the 

 smaller end, being long in proportion 

 to its width. Others that I have ex- 

 amined were not different in this re- 

 spect. The color is plain grayish- 

 white with a faint greenish tinge as 

 seen in some eggs of the Mallard 

 Duck. On looking through the shell, 

 toward the light, the color appears al- 

 most copperas. The surface is decid- 

 edly glossed, finely and evenly pitted 

 over the entire shell, except in one 

 small tract at the larger end where 

 the pittings are so crowded as to re- 

 semible a blotch. About the smaller 

 end are a few scattered shell-warts, 

 slightly paler than the general surface, 

 but bearing the same glossed appear- 

 ance. 



The color and outline being so plain 

 makes this one of the neatest and 

 most attractive eggs in my whole col- 

 lection. 



The exact measurements are 4.37 x 

 2.63. Nestling beside it is a magnifi- 

 cent egg of the Andes Condor carry- 

 ing these dimensions, 4.52 x 2.69. 



The color is creamy-white, with not 

 the slightest trace of greenish; wihile 

 quite generally over the surface are 

 scattered blotches of pale lavender or 

 iDran color, partaking of creaminess of 

 the ground plan. The surface is also 

 pitted but not so finely as in the for- 

 mer, and this pitting has more of a 

 scarred appearance, and the gloss, 

 though far less apparent, is present. 

 There are a few shell warts about 

 the larger end. 



This egg is splendidly shaped, but 

 is more rotund or even bulging. On 

 looking over these fine samples of 

 ■eggs, one can but wish that the be- 

 liests of nature had been accomplish- 

 ed in them. 



How small in comparison with these 

 giants do the eggs of our common 

 vultures appear! Although in beauty 



of coloration the latter are not at all 

 behind. ^My series of Catharts Aura and 

 Catharista Urubu are very complete 

 and extensive, and it may be said 

 that in point of beauty they are not 

 excelled *by the series of eggs of the 

 Golden Eagle in which the markings 

 are unusually choice. 



Measurements of 26 eggs of C. 

 Urubu give an average of 3.01 x 2.01, 

 while the series of C. Aura averages 

 2-.88 X 1.90, the eggs being less taper- 

 ing than the former; the coloration 

 being more evenly distributed over 

 the surface and averaging heavier; 

 many having a reddish "blush" mak- 

 ing them decidedly rich in appearance. 



Some sets are indistinguishable 

 from the former. In C. urubu many 

 eggs are almost plain white, one being 

 entirely so. Usually the markings pre- 

 dominate at the larger end; a few are 

 wreathed fine, dark pencil lines as 

 delicate as on an oriole's egg. Some 

 have delicate, dark-brown specks and 

 splashes on a very clear ground. One 

 has the shape and appearance of a 

 gull's egg. Another resembles a mur- 

 re's egg. Those which were fresh 

 when taken are exceedingly delicate 

 in color, contrasts and the tendency 

 to an elongated outline makes them 

 a strikingly desirable series. Eggs 

 of both the latter species are glossed 

 to some extent and the pitting is very 

 faint. 



J. W. PRESTON, 



Spokane, Wash. 



Dear Mr. Short: — 



Many have been the discussions on 

 the ability of Owls to see by day-light, 

 and as I was interested in this matter, 

 I thought the best way to solve the 

 problem for myself, at least, was to 

 test it personally. So one clear, sun- 

 ny day last September, I invaded an 

 old apple orchard, where the cavities 

 in the trees^ furnished many hiding 



