36 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 9-No. 3 



found six eggs. I took them ; in about a week I passed the 

 orchard again, and, seeing the bird fly out of the hole, I got 

 up to it, and found six more. Then, just for the curiosity 

 of knowing how many eggs she would lay, I continued to 

 visit the nest. At last, I suppose she thought I was a little 

 selfish, and so gave up the nest, leaving me with twenty- 

 While driving sheep to pasture on the 12th of June, 1S83, 

 I observed a nest on the side of the road. Upon going to 

 it, I found it was a Catbird's, (Galeoscoptes carolinensis,) 

 containing five eggs. I think this is the only one ever 

 found containing so many in this locality. 



On the 15th of June, I found a nest of Robins, (Tardus 

 migratorius,) containing five eggs, the only one I ever saw 

 except the one found by Mr. C. O. Tracy of Taftsville, Vt.— 

 F. M. Goodwin. 



Wildcat Captured at Brookfield Centre, Conk. 

 It gives me pleasure to send you information respecting the 

 Wildcat. I do not suppose he is in any wise remarkable, 

 but he is a very fine specimen, and his value to me is in- 

 creased by the fact that he is local. He was captured by a 

 farmer about two miles above this village. Having missed 

 his poultry for some time, he impregnated a dead turkey 

 with strychnine, which the animal devoured. He was evi- 

 dently very old, as his teeth were very poor, the long canine 

 teeth being worn down to mere stubs. Had he been better 

 off in this respect, I think he would have been much heav- 

 ier. In color he is a light gray with no stripes or bars ex- 

 cept a brown line down the middle of his back and two 

 rings round his tail. His fore legs, flanks, and under parts 

 are, however, thickly mottled with circular brown spots, 

 which are more faintly evidenced on his sides, resembling 

 somewhat the Southern form, viz , {Lynx rufus, var. macu- 

 latm. — Baird.) I have been told of one shot five or six 

 miles north from here that weighed 35 pounds ; also of one 

 shot in Roxbnry, Conn., that weighed 40 pounds, but I can- 

 not vouch for the truth of it. Bate of capture, Feb. 1, 

 1884 ; sex, male ; length from tip of nose to root of tail, 33>< 

 inches ; length tail to end of vertebrae, 6 inches ; elbow to 

 end of fore claws, 12 inches; girth of muzzle at middle, 

 S inches; girth back of shoulders, 22 inches; width be- 

 tween outer corners of eyes, 3*£ inches ; width between 

 inner corners of eyes, 1% inches ; weight, 27 hi pounds. 

 As he stands now in a crouching position his height at the 

 shoulders is 13^ inches. Standing erect, it would be, I 

 should think, 16 inches.— George C. Jones, Brookfield Centre, 

 Conn. 



Blue Jays have appeared in great numbers around farm 

 houses in this vicinity, probably because of a scarcity of 

 food in the woods. I succeeded in catching one, Jan. 29th, 

 weakened by long fasting, and have him in captivity now. 

 His principal food is meat, beechnuts and corn while con- 

 fined, and he is lively and apparently contented, sometimes 

 giving vent to one of his shrill screams, or exercising his 

 powers of imitation, which are admirably developed.— IF. 

 E. Jenkins, Northwood, K H. 



Elementary Study op Ornithology- in France. We 

 have received a copy of an elementary work on the "Utility 

 of Birds," by M. F. Lescuyer of St. Dizier, Haute Marne. 

 It is published by the Society of Literature, Science, etc., 

 of that place, and is intended as a School Text-book of Or- 

 nithology. The plan is by question and answer, and the 

 author has brought out within his limited space many facts 

 regarding Birds, a universal knowledge of which would lay 

 the foundation for future study in those whose interest was 

 awakened. Its use in public schools must have an excellent 

 effect in fostering a knowledge and love of one of the most 

 attractive branches of Natural History. 



The Tailor Bird. We have been shown a very curious 

 nest of this bird, which was brought from Canton River, 



China. It is composed of a large leaf of the plaintain 

 formed into a cup and held in that position by a number of 

 stiches— some cotton like fibre being used as thread. The 

 outside of the nest thus formed, the inside is made up of 

 fine grass and roots. 



Note from Canandaigua, N. Y. We had very deep 

 snow and intense cold weather throughout the month of 

 January, still the Common Crows were more abundant than 

 I have ever known them to be in previous Winters. Snow 

 Buntings very rare.— John M. Howey. 



Note from Gravenhuest,Ont. I have lived here seven 

 years but have not been able to obtain a Bittern until last 

 season, when they were plentiful. I have not until this 

 Winter obtained a specimen of the Pigmy Owl, but this 

 Winter have received three. What causes these to be plen- 

 ty some seasons, and none others ? — R. B. S. 



A Purple Finch was taken at Falmouth, Mass., Feb. Sth, 

 by F. J. C. Swift. 



♦ 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



Corresp>ondcnts making inquiry:* are requested to be brief 

 and to the point. 



We hope for the future to mail our monthly edition on 

 thefirstof every month. Communirations should be sentin 

 as early as possible. Nothing received after the 20th, can be 

 noticed in the number for the following month. 



Oitr Northern Raptores. (O. and 0., Jan., page 8.) 

 Our correspondent, F. H. C, desires us to state that three 

 years were spent in collecting the facts he stated there. To 

 economize space he arranged the dates to appear as one 

 year — the scientific facts remaining the same. 



Migration Notes. (W. W. Gilman, Stoughton, Wis.) 

 The abbreviations used are as follows : (21) 3.2 F, 4.T, 5.14 

 L, should be read— Observer No. 21 (whose name and local- 

 ity are given) saw a certain bird for the first time that sea- 

 son on the 2d of March, saw others on 7th of April, and 

 saw the last of the season on 14th of May. A little care in 

 reading them will make the Notes just as intelligible as if 

 four times as many words were used. 



Golden-winged Woodpecker, (High-hole.) J. An- 

 thony, Jr. Our correspondent's item is so contrary to the 

 well-known habits of this bird, that we are inclined to 

 think he must have mistaken some other bird for it. 



Herring Gull in Illinois. A. H. Mundt, Fairbury, 

 III., sends drawing of head of a bird which he describes as 

 follows: " The bird was shot flying over a corn field Jan. 

 21, 1884. Length of head from tip of beak to back of skull 

 just five inches ; from tip to tip of outspread wings, lying 

 on its back upon the floor, four feet ; and from tip of beak 

 to end of tail, two feet. Plumage, grey and white, spotted ; 

 legs and feet very small ; legs as thin as pipe stems, all uni- 

 form flesh color; feet webbed like a dnck, head very eagle 

 like, eyes dark, lower beak flattened." The bird described 

 seems to be a young Herring, or Silvery Gull, (Larus argen- 

 tatus.) They are very common on the east coasts. 



Boat-tailed Grackxe. (O. and O., Vol. VIII, page 76.) 

 Edgar A. Small, Hagerstown, Md., asks us to correct his 

 note as to the breeding of this bird in Kent County, Md. 

 His informant only saw the birds, and does not appear to 

 have satisfactorily identified their nests. 



Notes from Pelham, N. H. We thank Dr. Batchelder 

 for the notes of arrivals, which we put aside for comparison 

 some time when we can make them useful. 



A Curious Meal. E. G. Nicewaner, Baltimore, Md. 

 Amongst the uses of such birds as the Turkey Buzzard is 

 that of keeping down snakes, which form a very common 

 article of their diet. 



