THE OOLOGIST 91 
when suddenly, in a swale, ditch-en- 
gendered and filled with rushes and 
water, along the railway right of way, 
I saw, for just a moment, the forms 
of a (suppositious) pair of King Rails. 
Later research brough some five 
nests to light. These were rendered 
greatly conspicuous by the very means 
that were being used for the conceal- 
ment of the eggs; namely, the canopy. 
All nests but one were in at least a 
few inches of water. All were amid 
rushes and cat-tails; and were made of 
cat-tails and grasses. I am inclined 
to consider most of the nests as de- 
coys; there being no evidence in the 
(thoroughly workable) areas wherein 
the nests were found, of more than 
two pairs of birds. There were no 
eggs, as yet, on the second day of June. 
It has never been possible for me to 
follow up this find. My excuse must 
be my absorption in “the strenuous 
hunt for rarities.” That I have been 
successful in this quest, going three 
different years, as I have done, clear 
across three states to search for nests 
of the Yellow Rail in one small two- 
acre section of a great North Dakota 
coulee, must be set down not nearly 
so much to sheer “good luck’ as to 
that intimate knowledge which comes 
of unending study and an unbounded 
capacity for hard work. It is no small 
honor to have been enabled to discov- 
er five out of the not-more-than-ten 
nests of the rarest of North American 
Rails, (noveboracensis), that science 
has brought to light during the past 
ten years. But this, in Kipling lan- 
guage, is ‘‘another story.” 
P, B. PEABODY. 
*Note, Page 2: Professor Silloway 
is in error, here. My fully-canopied 
ege. 
pee ee eee 
In California. 
A number of our California subscrib- 
ers have forwarded us the following 
clipping from one of the Los Angeles 
papers, presumably desiring that we 
publish it, There is no more fascinat- 
ing department in all the study of or- 
nithology than the keeping of wild 
birds in as near natural surroundings 
as possible in confinement, and there- 
by becoming acquainted with many of 
their peculiarities, which can be learn- 
ed possibly in no other manner. 
WHERE PUBLIC MAY 
SEE RAREST BIRDS. 
Unique Institution,’ Built by L. M. 
Grider, to Open on Satur- 
day Night. 
“Birdland,” the unique institution 
which has been founded by L. M. Gri- 
der, is ready to be thrown open to the 
public. 
It is located in a beautiful mission 
building at Central avenue and Pico 
street and the inhabitants, as the 
name implies, are principally birds. 
They have been gathered from every 
quarter of the globe. 
“Birdland” was built by Mr. Grider 
to satisfy his great love for birds and 
at the same time to give the people of 
Los Angeles an opportunity to enjoy * 
them. The institution represents an 
investment of thousands of dollars. 
The building was designed by Charles 
E, Shattuck under Mr. Grider’s direc- 
tion. One section is devoted to cages 
and glass cases, offices, lavatories, a 
bird hospital, a supply room and a 
workroom. The other, and larger, sec- 
tion contains an immense cage for fiy- 
ing, covering an area of 10,000 square 
feet and 25 feet high. Inside are thous- 
ands of birds flying about among 
palms, giant ferns, trees and lakes. 
The appearance of the interior is 
tropical. One of the features of the 
cage is an elaborate fountain, filled 
with gold and silver fish. Monkeys, 
Angora kittens, guinea pigs, rabbits 
and fancy poultry share “Birdland” 
with the birds. ‘ 
To attempt to name the inhabitants 
of the place would be to give a cata- 
log of most of the rare and beautiful 
feathered creatures of the world. 
Nearly every country is represented 
and nearly every bird of plumage or 
of song is included in the collection. 
