August, 1881.] 



AND OOLOGIST. 



45 



North-western Screech Owl. 

 In our May number appeared a short 

 article, by Capt. Charles Bendire, on iScojis 

 asio Kennicotti. It appears that with fui*- 

 ther experience with the birds in question, 

 the Captain is not at all certain that his 

 first conclusions were correct. In a letter 

 dated June 18, 1881, he states : "I am by 

 no means certain now that the specimens 

 I took here are the true Keimicotti. I 

 took another specimen three weeks ago, 

 while in the Willimette Valley, that I now 

 think is the true Kennicotti, and I notice 

 that the specimens taken at Walla Walla 

 are much lighter colored, and it would not 

 surprise me if the form found here did 

 not constitute another good and valid va- 

 riety, unless it should prove to be Max- 

 icellce which I have never seen." As the 

 series of skins have been sent on to Mr. 

 William Brewster, Cambridge, Mass., the 

 matter will soon be settled and Mr. B's 

 conclusion will no doubt appear in the 

 October number of the Nuttall JBxdletiii. 



A Needed Work. 

 In our position as Editor, we often re- 

 ceive letters asking for an "Egg Book" for 

 boys, one that would be a guide and as- 

 sist in identification. While Europe can 

 boast of dozens of such works, we have 

 not one. Minot's is the best wo have, but 

 it is not just what is wanted, although it 

 is good, and we recommend it until the 

 right work is prepared. We are pleased 

 to learn that S. E. Cassino, the Bos:on 

 publisher of scientific works, also sees the 

 necessity of such a work and proposes to 

 publish one for the season of 1882, to be 

 sold at from two to three dollars. Such a 

 work is much needed, and will no doubt 

 have a large sale. 



Rare Works. 

 Those of our readers who are in want 

 of rare works on Ornithology, should send 

 for the "Leisure Hour,'' published by Prof. 

 A. E. Foote, AVest Phila., which con- 

 tains lists of books, papers, etc., on Orni- 

 thology and Natural Science generally. 



not found in any other series of catalogues 

 published in this country. We cannot en- 

 dorse the Dr.'s opinion of authors and 

 books always, but he certainly has the 

 faculty of keeping well stocked with the 

 rarest works on Natural Science, and at 

 moderate prices. 



Whip-poor-will, 

 Dates of arrival of the Whip-poor-will 

 (Antrostomus vociferus), in Locke, Michi- 

 gan, for 26 years. This species is a com- 

 mon summer resident, and was first ob- 

 served by me in the spring of 1842. \yhen 

 this part of the state was an unbroken 

 wilderness, this bird was much more abun- 

 dant than at this date. Its nest and 

 young are not often seen. 

 Apr 27, 1856 May 1, 1865 May 9, 1874 

 Apr 30, 1857 Apr 22, 1866 May 8, 1875 

 Apr 14, 1858 May 1, 1867 May 4, 1876 

 May 2, 1859 May 3, 1868 Apr 23, 1877 

 Apr 28, 1860 Apr 25, 1869 Apr 14, 1878 

 Apr 23, 1861 May 1, 1870 Apr 30, 1879 

 Apr 24, 1862 Apr 30, 1871 Apr 27, 1880 

 Apr 23, 1863 Apr 24, 1872 Apr 22, 1881 

 May 5, 1864 May 5, 1873 



— Dr. H. a. Atkins. 



Notes from DeiiVer, Colorado. 

 Black-headed Grosbeak — {Zamelodia 

 ludoviciana). This bird arrived here 

 this year May 16th. They are seen but 

 very little in the openings during the few 

 days spent before beginning to nest. They 

 seem to prefer the dense, leafy thickets 

 and surrounding shrubbery, the females 

 especially so. The nests are generally 

 placed on a horozontal limb of a small tree, 

 or in forks of small saplings, and are nev- 

 er, to my knowledge, over ten feet from 

 the ground ; the nest is comj^osed of fine 

 twigs and stalks of weeds, lined Avith very 

 small, hair-like roots. The average meas- 

 urement is, inside diameter 3 inches, depth 

 1^, outside 5^ by 2^. One set of four, 

 taken June 4th, average measurement 

 .92 by .75, slightly incubated, groimd color 

 light green tinged with bkie, with small 

 specks of faded lilac and larger dashes of 

 umber. Another set of foiir, taken at the 

 sjimy time, average measui'ement .88by.74. 

 Wiien the nests were disturbed, the birds 



