THE OOLOGIST 



63 



one. The true Parrots generally are 

 green, with sL red border on the wings, 

 and yellow breast. 



The Tanager is a very common bird 

 in the tropics. The male bird has a 

 beautiful velvety purple and black 

 plumage, with a patch of fiery red 

 above the tail, and with a bill partly 

 white. In its habits the Tanager re- 

 sembles the common House Sparrow, 

 being just as lively, restless, bold, and 

 wary. Its notes are chirping and in- 

 harmonious, and it loves the neighbor- 

 hood of man, but does not build its 

 nests on houses. The Japim is a sort 

 of Magpie, with rich yellow and black 

 plumage. Its nest is shaped like a 

 purse, about two feet in length, and 

 is suspended from the slender 

 branches of trees. The Japim is a 

 noisy, stirring and babbling creature, 

 constantly passing to and fro and 

 chattering to its comrades. The build- 

 ing of hanging nests is quite common 

 among tropical birds, for in that way 

 they have better protection from pre- 

 datory animals and ants. 



The Motmot is a curious little olive- 

 green and brown bird very common 

 in American tropics. Its most con- 

 spicuous feature is a long curious tail, 

 which it moves from side to side 

 until it is nearly at right angles to its 

 body. In the home of the White 

 Egrets these birds will be seen flying 

 on all sides. As night sets, the trees 

 and bushes gleam like great white 

 flowers among the dark green foliage. 

 The Trogan is another conspicuous 

 bird of the tropics, with dark green 

 feathers above, carmine underneath, 

 and wings that are speckled with 

 white and black. Its flight is short, 

 quick, jerky flights. The Trogans are 

 constantly calling to each other, and 

 are thus easily discovered. The na- 

 tives call them "viduas," which means 

 "widows." 



Hummingbirds equal in number, if 



they do not exceed, all the other trop- 

 ical birds together. They have a chirp 

 not greatly unlike that of some in- 

 sects. The spar'.;ling pools are the 

 favorite resorts of these fairy-like 

 creatures. Clothed in their purple and 

 emerald and golden glory, they will 

 hang, suspended in the air, dart into 

 the pool, and then disappear like a 

 flash of light. Every day in the ccjler 

 hours of the morning and evening they 

 will be seen hovering around the many 

 flowering trees and vines. They dart 

 to and fro so swiftly that the eye can 

 scarcely follow their movements. — 

 The Classmate, W. A. Strong, San 

 Jose, Cal. 



EARLY. 



J. W. Morse, Tulsa, Oklahoma, re- 

 ports a set of Great Horned Owls, and 

 another of Barred Owls eggs and nest- 

 ing location being excavated by Pile- 

 ated Woodpeckers, in his letter of 

 March 5th. 



W. E. Snyder, Beaver Dam, Wis., in 

 his letter of March 3rd, reports the 

 arrival of the Song Sparrow, at that 

 point ahead of the Bluebird, which is 

 unusual, and we might add that at 

 our home the Bluebird has not yet put 

 in its appearance, and is already long 

 overdue. R. M. B. 



THE STARLING. 



Ernest H. Short writes us that in 

 his resume, relating to the Starling 

 printed last month, the statement 

 should have been that two pairs bred, 

 instead of two hundred, evidently an 

 error of whoever prepared his copy. 

 Also he says, relating to the set of 

 eggs in Mr. Darlington's collection, re- 

 ferred to in Mr. Jacobs' article, he, 

 Short, wrote, "I could not make any- 

 thing else but Sulphur Bellied Fly- 

 catcher, taking eggs and nests into 

 consideration." R. M. B. 



