THE YOUNG ORNITHOLOGIST 



NOTES ON SOME MILWAUKEE 

 BIRDS. 



Catbiki) ( Galp>ieoptc-'< carolinevsis. ) 



The Catbird is oue of one of our 

 commonest summer species. It is 

 generally found in bushes where .the 

 nest is usually built. When the nest 

 is approached, the birds remain per- 

 fectly quiet, but as soon as they find 

 their home and its contents have been 

 discovered, they are greatly disconcer- 

 ted, hopping about very near it and 

 uttering the cat-like cry which has 

 given them their name. The first ar- 

 rival for this year was recorded on 

 May 9th. 



Beown Thrashek {Harporhynchus 

 mfus) has many habits similar to 

 those of the CsEtbird, building in sim- 

 ilar situations and showing the same 

 distress when being robbed of its eggs. 

 When any one comes within hearing 

 distance of this bird while breeding, it 

 )»egins to utter its note. The bird will 

 follow the intruder for a long time 

 after he has left the uest, and some- 

 times becomes so infuriated as to at- 

 tack him. 



Purple CiuACKLE. {Qvisralvs purpu- 



rfivs.) 

 This bird breeds very abundantly even 

 in the city. It may sometimes be seen 

 in single pairs but generally breeds in 

 small parties of ten or more birds. The 

 nest is usually built in an evergreen 

 tree fifteen or twenty feet above the 

 ground. When one nest is robbed or 

 threatened, the owners collect all the 

 birds of their own kind in the neigbor- 

 hood and sometimes drive their enemy, 

 whether man or beast, from the neigh- 

 borhood. 



Crow (Corvus frugivorvfi). A pair 

 of this species generally take posses- 

 sion of some wooded place and live 

 by themselves. If a ijerson enters 

 their domain, they resent the intru- 

 sion with harsh croaks. They are an 

 early breeder, and as their nests are 

 generally in some tall tree, difficult to 

 climb, the collector is always glad to 

 obtain a set of their eggs. What the 

 young of this and the foregoing are 

 are fed on I don't know, though I once 

 forced a blackbird to drop ti small 

 crab which it was evidently bringing 

 for its young. 



ChAS. a. IVEEEEl!. 



The nests of birds should always 

 be kept when possible, or a careful 

 description written about each will 

 answer if you have not room for 

 them. 



A canvas-back duck flies at the 

 rate of 89 miles an hour. 



EXCHANGES AND WANTS. 



Brief exchange notices not exceed- 

 ing 40 words, will be inserted free in 

 this column, to all subscri))ers. 



* 



[ have a number of first-class eggs 

 to exchange with other collectoi^. 

 Send your lists and I will send mine 

 in return. Address 



John S. Appletok. 



Needliam, JMass. 



The following eggs for exchange 

 even, at catalogue rates. Send lists. 

 Nos. 13. 41, 33. 128. 14.^. IT)!. ISK 

 237, 277, 278. 282, 2S9. 804, 313, 

 378, 431 and 480. 

 A. H. Wilson. 



Box 1291. Vinland. N. ,L 



