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ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 9-No. 12 



she had laid her complement of eggs or whether she lacked 

 forethought in providing a receptacle for them is for the 

 readers of the O. & O. to judge. Should like to hear from 

 others on this question.— -F. W. Anilros, 1'aunton, Mass. 



The Rarn Owl.— Is the Bam Owl often found as far 

 north as this ? I have one that I killed two years ago, it 

 was hunting for mice on a marsh when I found it and 

 though it was a bright, sunshiny day, it seemed to be per- 

 fectly at home.— Vernon Bailey, Elk River, Minn. 



Bird Lime.— The best Bird Lime I know of is made of 

 raw Linseed oil. Boil the oil down to proper consistency, 

 which is when it will adhere to the Anger with the most 

 slight and quick touch. Try it as it boils by taking a little 

 otit on a stick and let it cool in the air and touch as above 

 stated. Keep in a small stone jar with water on it to pre- 

 vent drying. Always make this Lime out of doors over a 

 slow fire, otherwise it is liable to burn up.— S. Radcr. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



The Destruction of Birds for Millin- 

 ery Purposes. 



To the Editor of Ornithologist and Oologist: Sir, 

 — I notice in the November number of your magazine, a 

 lengthy note from L. M. McCormick, of Washington, D. C, 

 in regard to the destruction of small birds for millinery pur- 

 poses which interested me very much. While I agree with 

 him on some points, I am not satisfied that he is attacking 

 the worst enemy of our feathered friends. 



I live in a small country village and in a community that 

 almost ignores the laws in regard to the destruction of birds 

 both small and large. I have always since I could sight a 

 gun, owned one and a dog, and have always been consid- 

 ered a fair shot and a good' hunter for this section. I am 

 perfectly familiar with the woods for ten miles in any di- 

 rection from this village. I have for the last ten years 

 camped out from one to three weeks each year, and these 

 trips have been at different seasons, from the first of April 

 to the first of December. So much for my chances of ob- 

 servation in that direction. I have never shot a bird or 

 animal unless I had a use for it. My business has been in 

 the centre of the village for the last eight years, and I have 

 had dealings with every person within three miles, and 

 therefore have had a good chance to observe how many 

 birds were used on hats in this section, which will not aver- 

 age more than one bird for five ladies, and one-half of them 

 at least, are tropical birds which never visit the New Eng- 

 land States. Many of these birds are fixed up and made to 

 serve two and even three years. It will be seen that the 

 destruction of birds for this purpose is very small in com- 

 parison with the greater pest of which I propose to write. 



We thus arrive at an average of not more than one bird 

 for each family, and may admit that half of these are not 

 our visitors. In regard to the remaining half, Blue Jays 

 are the kind used most, next the Tellow Hammer, next 

 small Hawks, and but very few Yellow Birds. The first 

 every one admits is a decided enemy to all kinds of small 

 birds, their eggs and young. The second lives principally 

 on ants, which insect is not considered to be a pest, and 

 the third is a well-known enemy of all small birds in every 

 way. I state these facts in regard to the kind worn, also 

 the amount from actual memoranda which I have kept for 

 the last six months, The real enemy of the small birds and 

 game,— of which I became convinced upwards of fifteen 

 years ago and have not seen cause to change my opinion 

 since, but on the contrary each year confirms my belief that 

 I am right— is the farmer's favorite cat. 



I have known one cat in an adjoining town to kill and 

 bring into the house more Ruffed Grouse in the month of 

 August than all the gunners in the town killed in the sea- 

 sou. This is from personal knowledge, and no doubt it 

 might be added to this that the same pet killed many hun- 

 dreds of smaller birds in the course of the year— birds, each 

 one of them would have done the farmer more good in one 

 year than the cat had ever done, On the average there is 

 one of these pets for each family in this county. 



During the week I camped out this fall, I shot and killed 

 not less than seven in the woods. Now what is needed is 

 that all lovers of small birds should unite in this matter 

 and get some law passed or tax put upon cats that will rid 

 the country of these marauders. It make no differ- 

 ence how well they are fed, I have not seen the cat yet that 

 would not make her daily or nightly hunt for small birds if 

 she had liberty to do so. 



The next enemy in comparison is the common red squir- 

 rel of our Maine woods, from which no small bird's nest is 

 safe, not even the Baltimore Oriole is out of their reach. I 

 have been an eye witness to the destruction of quite a num- 

 ber of different kinds of young birds in the nests, some of 

 them my pets. 



These squirrels are four times more numerous in the three 

 northern New England States than any other, and they de- 

 stroy untold numbers of little birds.— A. T. G., Damans- 

 cotta, Maine. 



Editor of O. & O.—Sir: We notice in the communica- 

 tion of L. M. McCormick, that he states that we advertised 

 for Grack!e, Jays and other bright birds, and asks for in- 

 formation. We made no general advertisement. In Janu- 

 ary we sent out about 300 circulars, to customers only, offer- 

 ing 25c for Blue Jays and Woodpeckers, and received about 

 as follows : 



30 Warblers, 

 100 Various dull skins, 

 6 Orioles. 



250 Red wings, 

 150 Blue Jays, 



75 Woodpeckers, 



20 Hawks, 



About one-half were too poor for any use except millin- 

 ery. During the past season there has been very little call 

 for bright native birds for that purpose. The largest lot 

 that we had offered to us by any one party were contained 

 in a box of about 100, the origin of which, judging from the 

 tags, we think Mr. McCormick might find by making a local 

 investigation, and thus discover that the opportunity to un- 

 load poor skins, without regard to the use to be made of 

 them, is not altogether confined to taxidermists and dealers. 

 As dealers we would do our best to fill any order legitimate- 

 ly, but we do not apprehend that we shall ever see the day 

 that our common insectivorous birds will suffer for manu- 

 facturing purposes. 



We are not frightened when we see young game birds ad- 

 vertised for sale by champion protectionists, into believing 

 that the slight encroachment on the game law is to be dis- 

 astrous, nor that all birds in time will be prematurely 

 hatched by the blow pipe.— Ellis & Webster. 



Will Appear in January Number.— "List of Birds 

 seen or captured in Locke, Mich., June— August, 'S4," by 

 Dr. H. A. Atkins ; "Some Californian liaptores," by A. L. 

 Parkhurst; "Notes on Birds of the Sea Islands, So. Car.,' 1 

 by Walter Hoxie ; "Florida Bird Life," by E. M. Has- 

 bro uck. 



Index to Volume IX. 



The Index to Volume IX is issued to subscribers along 

 with this number. We have endeavored to niake it much 

 more complete and useful for reference than that of former 

 volumes. 



