36 



Tin-: Ninioi.ocisT. 



we spent a coujile oi hours in blowing our 

 e.s?>^s, so that they could be packed in a 

 smaller space. We always prefer this 

 method and for that pur[)0se, wdien on a 

 two days trip, or longer, generally carry a 

 full set of oological instruments. Starting 

 0:1 at about 2 P. M. we crossed a field, tak- 

 ing a handsome set o; five fresh Meadow 

 Lurk's from a covered nest. Skirting 

 Humphrey's lake without incident, we 

 quickly reach Miller's marsh on the west 

 side of Gull lake, about four miles from the 

 lower end. On reaching the edge of the 

 marshy tract, where could be heard the 

 notes of the Long-billed Marsh Wren all 

 about us, and the clatter of the Rails and 

 Oallitiule>, Jim was nearly wild, and when 

 he had shed his unnecessary clothing and 

 wa-^ quickly among the Wren's nests, 

 which w.s a new experience to him, he 

 was clean daft with the pleasing novelt}^ of 

 the thing. The fact is, Jim had learned 

 something from us. He acknowledged 

 that he had often vi.sited spots similar to 

 this and had never thought of wading about 

 after nests. We told him that there were 

 thous inds of collectors who had failed as 

 well as he because they did not know how 

 to naake the most of collecting advantages. 

 If one thinks to secure th:; nests of the 

 Lo !g-billed Marsh W^ren without getting 

 wet and mudd}' he is mistaken. He may as 

 well stay at home and buy the eg<is of this 

 speci s and as well the egg>: of most all 

 marsh birds. The locations chosen by the 

 Long-bill are such as prevent the employ- 

 ment of a boat by the collector, as the 

 growth of the coarse marsh grass and 

 sedges is too dense to admit of the manage- 

 ment of a boat by tiie collector in these 

 chosen haunts. The ])leasures of collecting 

 in a situation of this kind are very great, 

 notwithstandiug the apparent discomfort at- 

 tendant upon encountering the mud and 

 water, and with the danger of going in 

 over your head in the mire. Each step 

 takes us in an unknown section, and often 

 we plunge into a hole by slipping from a 

 shaky tussock. But we have constant 



])leasing anticipations, and as we hear the 

 Wrens chattering on every side, the Rails 

 and Gallinules cackling among the rushes, 

 or see a Bittern rise on tardy wing, we feel 

 an exhilaration which could only come to 

 enthusiastic oologists. 



In the course of three hours we had fully 

 covered the ground, that is, the marsh, 

 and secu-ed a large number of eggs. I 

 have collected at this point almost every 

 .spring, but this was the grand success of 

 all. At one time Ben came in bearing two 

 nests of the Gallinule, one containing eight 

 and the other nine egg?:. We secured four 

 full sets of Least Bitterns, while any quan- 

 tity of Long-bill Marsh Wren's and Caro- 

 lina Rails were taken, and I found a .set of 

 eleven Mallard's eggs from a hollow stub, 

 ten feet up at the edge of the lake This is 

 an unsually late date for a Duck nest, and 

 undoubtedly the pair were belated, 



A set of Maryland Yellow -throats, two 

 sets of Blue gray Gnatcatchers, and some 

 Grosbeaks and others of the more common 

 species, completed our work for the day. 

 We camped in a dense piece of woods, 

 about fourteen miles from home, building a 

 huge log fire for comfort and to dry our 

 damp clothes. 



By nine o'clock we had l)lown all our 

 eggs, fully completed our field notes and 

 finished our supper. Having plenty of dry 

 wood on the fire we turned in so as to get 

 an early start on the morrow. 



Bright and early we were on our way to- 

 wards some ponds where the Grebes were 

 known to nest each year. We were some- 

 what stiff from the exposure and Ben's coat 

 was found to have a large hole burned in 

 the back. But we started on our way, 

 quickly loosening our stiff joints, while Ben 

 looped up his coat with a piece of string, 

 and all was lovely. 



Kalamazoo, Mich. 



Among odd situations for Owl's eggs I 

 have found Bani Owl's eggs, also those of 

 the California Screech Owl, on and between 

 bales of hay in the warehouses at Newark, 

 California. D. A. C. 



