76 



THE OOLOGIST 



tempt to catch such a timid bird 

 might only result in driving it to a 

 less sheltered place, I left it for the 

 night. In the morning I found it in 

 the wood-shed nearly frozen. Picking 

 it up I placed it in a covered basket 

 with some bread crumbs, fine bits of 

 suet, and some water, and left it in 

 the kitchen. By noon it had recover- 

 ed completely and was eager to get 

 out. That afternoon I took it into the 

 laboratory at school and brought it 

 before my classes in Biology. The 

 next day was bright and a little warm- 

 er. When I opened the basket at the 

 door my Mourning Dove took to flight, 

 as eager to get away as it had been to 

 come. Horace F. Turner. 



North Woodbury, Conn. 

 Feby.,20, 1914. 



Gypsy Birds. 



On February 26th I enjoyed the first 

 Bohemian Waxwing vaudeville of my 

 bird study. The entertainment came 

 unannounced and though a quiet af- 

 fair was none the less enjoyable. 



Had not my two-year-old baby 

 daughter called my attention to "pitty 

 birdies" she was pointing to through 

 the window I might never have seen 

 my rare visitors. 



Bohemian Waxwings are a common 

 sight from northern Illinois to higher 

 latitudes but I assure you the fortieth 

 parallel which pierces central Illinois 

 sees few flights of Bohemians. The 

 Cedars, while very irregular, are apt 

 to be seen any day. A young observer 

 Noble Field of Bement, in the county 

 just west of us, reported a flock of 

 Cedar Waxwings the same week but 

 I am suspicious that he also observed 

 a flock of Bohemians. 



The big blizzard occurred February 

 23d to 24th and no doubt the even 

 dozen of northern beauties alighting 

 in my maple tree were forced south 

 because of it. They sat silently for 



some time. Finally one began with. 

 his squeaking whistle and then all 

 joined in the chorus. While intently 

 observing them and realizing that it 

 might prove my only experience, they 

 arose in the air as one bird and sharp- 

 ly wheeling, soon disappeared in the 

 south. 



Isaac E. Hess. 

 Philo, Ills. 



Early Birds. 



On January 10, 1914, while I was 

 walking along the shore of the Brandy- 

 wine, which is the name of a stream 

 running through the northern part of 

 the city, I heard the rattling charr-r-r„ 

 carr-r-r, of the Belted Kingfisher. Up- 

 on investigation, I found two Belted 

 Kingfishers feeding and flying along 

 the shores of the stream. The Belted 

 Kingfisher does not usually get here 

 until March. 



E. M. Kenworthy. 

 Wilmington, Del. 



A Runt Song Sparrow's Egg. 



On May 16, 1913, at Holmesburg r 

 Philadelphia County, Pa., I found a 

 Song Sparrow's nest upon the ground 

 in a bunch of thick nettles by a clump 

 of Young Willows, along a creek. It 

 held one runt egg which I collected 

 as I noticed that a brood of these birds; 

 had been raised in the nest by the ex- 

 creta-smeared rim, and nesting scales 

 in the bottom. The nest was typical. 



The runt egg is now in my collec- 

 tion. It was yolk-less. It is short, or 

 rounded oval in shape, grayish white 

 in color, profusely streaked and spot- 

 ted all over, with reddish-brown and 

 sub-shell markings of pale lavender, 

 thickest on the larger end. It meas- 

 ures only .52 x .44 inches. 



Richard F". Miller. 

 Philadelphia, Pa. 



