58 



THE OOLOGIST 



A Correction. 



Througli an oversight of the printer, 

 the article beginning on page 34 of our 

 March issue entitled "The Nesting 

 History of a Pair of Golden Eagles," is 

 credited to C. H. Dixon, whereas it 

 should be credited to C. S. SHARPE. 

 We regret this very much. 



every reader of The Oologist will make 

 a record along this line in 1913. — Edi- 

 tor. 



Kill The Cats. 



Farmers' Bulletin No. 513 of the 

 United States Department of Agricul- 

 ture, among other things, contains 

 these words: 



"One of the worst fees of cur na- 

 tive birds is the house cat, and prob- 

 ably none of our native wild animals 

 destroy as many birds on the farm, 

 particularly fledgings, as cats. The 

 household pet is by no means blame- 

 less in this respect, for the bird-hunt- 

 ing instinct is strong even in the well- 

 fed tabby; but much of the loss of our 

 feathered life is attributable to the 

 half-starved stray, which in summer is 

 as much at home in the groves and 

 fields as the birds themselves. Forced 

 to forage for their own livelihood, 

 these animals, which are almost as 

 wild as the ancestral wildcat, inflict 

 an appalling loss on our feathered al- 

 lies and even on the smaller game 

 birds like the woodcock and bobwhite. 

 If cats are to find place in the farm- 

 er's household, every effort should be 

 made by careful feeding and watch 

 ing them to insure the safety of the 

 birds. The cat without a home should 

 be mercifully put out of the way." 



Fully seventy-five per cent, of the 

 birds hatched within the limits of the 

 incorporated towns and villages of the 

 United States are destroyed by cats. 

 Every real bird lover will seize upon 

 every opportunity to place one of these 

 enemies of our bird friends "hors de 

 combat." It is a duty that we owe 

 the birds to exterminate as nearly as 

 possible the cats, and the Editor hopes 



Buzzard Egging. 



About the first Sunday in May each 

 year, an irresistible voice I hear, that, 

 draws me out to the deep dark woods, 

 where there in the soothing solitudes, 

 I look for friends midst fairies and 

 gnomes, and visit them there in their 

 wild wood homes; 



Out in the midst of the thickest part, 

 in a huge old elm with a hollow he9,rt, 

 I hurry to look with a most intense, 

 expectancy for its residents; F'or the 

 same old hollow for years has blessed 

 a pair of Buzzards and sheltered their 

 nest; 



Now a beautiful Turkey Vulture's 

 egg, just seems to look in my face and 

 beg for a place in my Oological case, 

 and seldom is it that I am so base, 

 and diffident as to scorn the request, 

 when I stumble onto a Buzzard's nest; 



Now this is the way I figure to 

 please, my Oological wants and ease 

 the conscience that needs no pardon 

 beg of the goose that layed the golden 

 egg: We observe that it is the Vul- 

 ture's way (like the Raptores and the 

 birds of prey) to be satisfied with the 

 work and cheer, of rearing ONE fam- 

 ily every year; Now this longing of 

 Buzzards is so intense that when we 

 appear and collect our rents, the Vul- 

 ture persistently up and lays, a dupli- 

 cate set in thirty days; 



Two young soon break from the thin 

 shell walls, looking quite like two 

 cotton balls ; The. Buzzardine crop is 

 increased two more, and as fine as if 

 hatched a month before; Just a sim- 

 ple retarding of Nature's way — mere- 

 ly our making the Vulture pay, a sort 

 of a tribute that I might get, two more 

 fine eggs for my cabinet; 



This was the magnet that led the 

 way and drew me Lynn Groveward 



