56 



THE NIDIOLOGIST. 



remained till the shutter had opened, and 

 I have a picture. 



On development, I find it very much 

 under exposed. Interesting to a scientist, 

 but unsatisfactory to a photographer. 

 Something like three hours having been 

 spent, the sun has considerably chuiged 

 its position, and this, together with the 

 want of time shown on the last picture, 

 and in fact on all three, make me decide to 

 try a time exposure. 



As can be supposed, if a snap shot is 

 difficult, to obtain a time exposure is much 

 more so. However, the bird is somewhat 

 used to having her picture taken now, 

 and perhaps she will sit a little longer. 



I have a simple, home-made time shutter, 

 which works with a cord. This I attach 

 in place of the snap shutter, and, as a 

 further encouragement to a longer sitting, 

 I take up the camera, peg it down again 

 somewhat further from the nest and arrange 

 the disguising twigs and leaves once more 

 with great care. 



Now the tedious wait is repeated, and at 

 the first click of the opening shutter away 

 goes Mrs. "Tringa. " 



I put a new plate in position and try 

 again. 



Another half hour and the same result. 

 Once more, another failure. 



It is now well along in the afternoon, 

 and it is so warm the bird stays away 

 longer each time. The tormenting mosqui- 

 toes are beyond description, but there is 

 one encouraging fact, the bird seems less 

 frightened at each attempt, and I make up 

 my mind to try just once more. 



This time as I pull the cord, I see the 

 bird raise her head at the opening click, 

 but she hesitates a second before flying, 

 and that second is enough. 



I have her likeness, and I send it here- 

 with for the admiration of the readers of 

 the NiDiOLOGivST, though I don't expect 

 anyone to admire it nearly so much as 

 does 



Egbert Bagg. 

 Utica, N. V. 



ANOTHER ALBINO BUTEO. 



The albino Western Red- tail mentioned 

 by Mr. Emerson in the November Nidiol- 

 OGIST calls to my mind an unrecorded 

 specimen of an albino of the Eastern repre- 

 sentative of this Hawk. 



During two years at various times the 

 bird had been reported to me as being seen 

 in a certain locality about four miles from 

 this place, and, in the early summer of 1891, 

 it was brought to me, having been shot by 

 some local gunners who had "laid" for it. 

 The bird was in worn plumage, very dirty 

 and greasj% and being unable to clean it I 

 refused to purchase it, and it was destroyed 

 Since then I have regretted that I did not 

 secure the bird and make a skin. 



As I remember this bird, it was almost 

 entirely without markings, being white, 

 except the tail, which was of the reddish 

 cast as in the adult Red-tail. It was rather 

 small for the species, and probably was a 

 male. 



For a year or more past another "White 

 Hawk" has been several times reported to 

 me, and always from a certain locality one 

 mile south of this village. Have not ob- 

 served the bird myself. 



There is in the collection of James Haight 

 of Homer, this State, an albino Bobolink. 

 The bird is entirely without markings and 

 of a dirty white color. 



Henry C. Higgins. 



Ciiici)inatiis, N. V. 



A RICHLY-COLORED NEST. 



The Spurred Towhee commonly builds 

 its nest on or near the ground, of coarse 

 dead leaves, sometimes half decayed, and 

 lined with the brown stems of dry grass. 

 I found a nest this year in June which, 

 though built as usual otherwise, was a very 

 beautiful object from its harmonious ar- 

 rangement of colors. The nest was com- 

 posed of shreds of decayed leaves of a rich 

 chocolate color, and the lining, instead of 

 being plain dull brown, was composed of 

 grass stems of the yellowest of yellow gold. 

 The contrast made a most beautiful nest. 



