324 



THE OOLOGIST 



species of duck what a howl would be 

 raised from the Audubonites and bird 

 protectors and particularly from gun- 

 ners. Yet these one hundred forty 

 eggs would probably have been laid by 

 fourteen pairs of birds only and at 

 the worst only that number of birds 

 would be destroyed. But they are not 

 destroyed for in a couple of weeks 

 longer they would all have had second 

 clutches. 



As a factive field oologist eighteen 

 years standing I can speak authori- 

 tively on the subject of bird destruc- 

 tion vs destruction of birds by egg col- 

 lectors, from experience in this vicin- 

 ity. 



Most of the closest naturalists who 

 condemn oological collecting have 

 large collections of birds, many in 

 large series, and these men, least of 

 all should keep their mouths closed in 

 regard to egg collecting. 



An egg collector can rob every nest 

 (if he can find them) in his vicinity 

 and the birds will show no decrease in 

 number, but let a skin collector during 

 the nesting season get in his murder- 

 ous work in the same locality and the 

 local oologist will note a useful de- 

 crease in birds. I speak from experi- 

 ence, although the birds in this in- 

 stance were killed by illegal gunners. 

 Richard F. Miller. 



was well hidden. The female yellow- 

 throat was flushed off. The eggs of 

 both species were typical specimens in 

 every respect. 



Richard F. Miller. 



A Field Sparrow's Egg in a Maryland 

 Yellowthroat's Nest. 



On June 7th, 1914 at Stone Harbor, 

 N. J., I found a Maryland Yellow- 

 tnroat's nest containing three eggs of 

 the owner and one Field Sparrow's 

 egg. Incubation was highly advanced 

 in all and I was unable to save this 

 unique "set." 



The nest was placed upon the 

 ground in a bunch of low yarrow weeds 

 at the base of a low red cedar sprout 

 in the edge of a bayberry thicket at 

 the bottom of a low sand dune and 



PAY UP. 



It takes money to run a magazine, 

 large or small. Money comes from 

 subscriptions and advertisements. 

 With this issue, many subscriptions 

 run out. Under the U. S. Postal laws, 

 we cannot send "The Oologist" to any 

 one more than a year in arrears on 

 subscription. 



We trust all whose subscription ex- 

 pires with this issue will renew at 

 once while the matter is fresh in mind. 

 Also let each one make a special ef- 

 fort to enlarge our subscription list 

 by adding at least another name be- 

 sides their own to our list. 



The only way to keep up interest is 

 to enlarge our circle of bird students 

 and observers.. Send in your own sub- 

 scription and another for a friend. DO 

 IT NOW.— Editor. 



Some Notes on the Sierra or Thurber's 

 Junco. 



(Junco hyemalis thurberi). 

 Most everyone is familiar with some 

 of the species of Juncos, more or less, 

 in their winter quarters, and during 

 migrations, but very few know them in 

 their breeding haunts among the deep 

 canons and along the back slopes of 

 the Sierras; at least, such is the rule 

 that obtains here in Los Angeles Coun- 

 ty. Further north along the higher 

 Sierras they are probably more com- 

 mon; but here in the lower coast 

 ranges they are anything but plenti- 

 ful, and of so shy and retiring a dis- 

 position, that you may wander through 

 their breeding ranges for days and 

 never see a single one, or even hear 

 the silvery broken warble of the black- 

 headed male. 



