40 



THE OOLOGIST. 



spider balls, cotton from cotton-wood 

 tree, horse hair, and last but not least, 

 thistle down. I have found in all the 

 nests I have examined that the inner 

 rim was almost always encircled by 

 Tviry brown grass, while the rest of the 

 nest was lined entirely with thistle- 

 down, sometimes even to the depth of 

 an inch. 



The position of the nest is decided 

 upon without much reference to con- 

 cealment. An upright crotch is the 

 most usual place for its situation. The 

 distance from the gfound is seldom less 

 than five feet, and although I have nev- 

 er found any more than ten feet high 

 some are recorded as being as high as 

 forty feet. 



Most of the nests I have taken were 

 in large thistles, from five to six feet 

 from the ground. Small maples, box 

 alders and scrub willows seem to be 

 next in preference. The size of the 

 nest is usually about the same, an aver- 

 age nest measuring three and a half 

 inches in diameter by three and one- 

 half inches in depth outside, and two 

 inches in diameter by one and one- 

 fourth inches in depth inside. 



The number of eggs varies from four 

 to six. Sets of six are oftener found 

 than those of five, while sets of four are 

 still more uncommon. 



The largest egg in my collection 

 measures .74x.51 inches; the smallest 

 .63X.49 inches. An average specimen 

 measures .66x.51 inches. 



R. W. Hegner, 

 Decorah, Iowa. 



breeding- of Wilson's Snipe in Orleans 

 County. 



Having noticed in the March Oolo- 

 oiST the article by Mr. Stone of Branch- 

 port in regard to the breeding of the 

 Wilson's Snipe in Western New York; 

 it may not be out of place for me to 

 state that our little county of Orleans 

 has two or three records of the breed- 



ing of this bird within its limits. This 

 Snipe would appear to be a regular 

 breeder, although perhaps a rai'e one, 

 in this section. Without question, the 

 greater number of the birds migrate 

 further north to breed; but that a few 

 pairs, at least, remain here and breed 

 with us each season, is no longer a 

 question of any uncertainty. 



There has come to my notice recently 

 the shooting of a female Wilson's Snipe 

 near Murray, in this county, in whose 

 ovary was found an egg which would 

 have had to be deposited somewhere 

 inside of forty-eight hours. 



A nest with eggs has also been found 

 near Murray, and one or more sets 

 have, to my knowledge, been taken, 

 from out the Barre marshes. 



The writer, has, during the past few 

 months, spent considerable time in 

 looking up rare bird-records for our 

 little county of Orleans, and, as a re- 

 sult, has obtained authentic accounts 

 of the occurrence within our limits of 

 many birds no' hitherto supposed to be 

 found, as well as run across breeding- 

 records of several species not regularly 

 attributed to our breeding-fauna. The 

 most of these records not having been 

 published, I shall hope a little later to 

 write them up for mention in The 

 OoLOGiST. Our county air-fauna com- 

 prises something like 230 species, rath- 

 er more than less. 



Neil F. Posson, 

 Medina, N. Y. 



[In the early '80's a local sportsman 

 shot a female Wilson's Snipe in Carlton 

 (Orleans Co ). Upon dressing, an egg, 

 ready for deposition, was found in ovi- 

 duct. This specimen was presented 

 the Editor of the Oologist.— Ed.] 



HOAG, (Benj.) of Staphentowii. N. Y., who 

 has been extensively running his subscription 

 notices in the various natural History publica- 

 tions for the past few months, writes:— "The 

 Oologist is the medium to use when you want 

 to reach the most "bird men." With best 

 wishes for its continued prosperity." 



