THE OOLOGIST a7(a) 51 
asmuch as the eggs greatly exceed the 
average length, while the width falls 
far below it. Their shape is much 
like Cormorants’ eggs. They were col- 
lected by the writer on March 27, 
1898 and are well marked specimens. 
Size, 2.47 x 1.74 and 2.74 x 1.75 inches; 
the last being clearly an abnormal spe- 
cimen. 
One can barely appreciate the great 
departure from normal characteristics 
by merely seeing the size of these 
eggs in writing, They must be viewed 
among the normal sets to appreciate 
the difference. 
In my series are five specimens 
measuring over two inches in short 
axis,—one reaching 2.05 inches, which 
is nearly as broad as the length of the 
small eggs. 
During the past twenty-five years I 
have measured and kept careful rec- 
ord of 223 normal eggs (97 sets) of 
this Buteo. This ought to be a good 
criterion for average measurement, 
which is 2.34 x 1.86 inches. Allowing 
a range of .40 inch for the length of 
normal specimens would make _ the 
minimum exhibit 2.14 and the maxi- 
mum 2.54 inches; and a range of .30 
inch for the width, would give a nor- 
mal average measurement of from 1.71 
to 2.01 inches. Beyond these maxi- 
mum and minimum figures should be 
considered abnormally large or small 
as the case may be. 
Of the 223 eggs measured, only thir- 
teen were less than 2.18 inches and 
eleven over 2.50 inches in length. 
Eleven were less than 1.75 and eight 
over 1.95 inches in short diameter. 
Two of the 97 sets contained four 
eggs each, and thirty-two sets con- 
tained three eggs each. All others, 
with two or three exceptions, contain- 
ed two eggs each, or at the ratio of 
about two sets of two eggs to one of 
three or four eggs, the latter number 
rarely deposited. 
J. WARREN JACOBS. 
News Notes. 
An adult male Baird’s Sandpiper 
(Actodromas bairdii) was taken Sep- 
tember 27, 1909 by E, W. Campbell at 
Pittston, Pennsylvania. 
The well known scientist, Professor 
W. Otto Emerson is now engaged in 
setting up the bird collection in the 
new Oakland Public Museum. 
A Brunnich’s Murre (Uria lomvia 
arra) was shot December 4th by Mr. 
Art Davis Parsonage at Pittston, 
Pennsylvania. It is now in the col- 
lection of Mr. Fred Humphreys, and 
is a fine adult male bird. 
We have a number of splendid arti- 
cles for future issues of THE OOLO- 
GIST, among others an illustrated one 
on Europe birds from our friend, P. 
G. Howes, who is now traveling in 
Europe. 
C. B. Vandercook of Odin, Illinois, 
certainly has the record for an early 
nest of the Mourning Dove, March 27, 
1910, two eggs, about one week ad- 
vanced in incubation, This is by con- 
siderable the earliest record we know 
of for so far North. 
The Editor enjoyed an over-night 
visit of the well-known Oologist G. 
A. Abbott of Chicago, a few days 
since. It is unnecessary to say that 
the ‘‘wee small hours’ had arrived be- 
fore we retired, spending most of the 
time investigating our accumulation of 
plunder. 
Editor Oologist:—On June 22, 1909, 
while driving along a telephone line 
near Rathdrum, Id., my father noticed 
a Jack Snipe lying just beneath the 
wires and on picking it up, I noticed 
a deep cut across the breast which 
prcbably was caused by flying against 
the wires. I skinned it and it is now 
in my collection—Perey L. Judd. 
Our old friend, Ray Dinsmore former- 
ly a well-known Oologist but who has 
done little in that line for a number of 
years, has recently disposed of his 
business and now purposes taking a 
