So 



THE NIDIOLOGIST. 



THE LAZULI BUNTING. 



{Passerina amoena.) 



The Lazuli Bunting is very common in 

 suitable localities about here. It is only a 

 summer resident, arriving early in April 

 and leaving as soon as the young can fl}- 

 well, usually about the last of July. 



The Lazuli Bunting haunts the regions 

 of low brush along the foothills and at the 

 mouths of canyons. The tastes of this bird 

 and the Wren-tit are similar in this regard, 

 though the latter is often seen at a higher 

 altitude in the mountains. The birds do 

 not care for trees, and are seldom seen in 

 wooded districts. The males are in the 

 habit of sitting on some dry weed-stalk 

 and uttering a short but oft-repeated mel- 

 ody. If disturbed they dash awaj' into the 

 brush, only to reappear a few yards off on 

 another perch. They are not very conspic- 

 uous, and ma}' remain unnoticed in regions 

 where they are abundant. 



The nests of the Lazuli are placed from 

 one to four feet up, in low bushes. The 

 average height of about twenty nests which 

 I examined this year, was eighteen inches. 

 They were all very much alike in construc- 

 tion, being cup-shaped,and solidly built exte- 

 riorly of dry leaves and coarse grasses, and 

 lined with rootlets and finer grasses — often 

 with horsehair. Spider's web was woven 

 through the edges of the nests and around 

 the supporting twigs. This spring (1893) 

 I CO lected seven sets of their eggs. Three 

 sets were of four ^ZZ" each; three sets were 

 of three; and one of two. All were full 

 sets, as they were well incubated. The 

 first set was collected on May 19th and the 

 last June loth. The female begins sitting 

 as soon as the first egg is laid, and only 

 one brood is raised in a season. 



The eggs of the Lazuli Bunting are very 

 much like those of the Indigo Bunting in 

 size, though more pointed. They are light 

 blue, with no spots. The blue of these 

 eggs does^notfade so readily as does that of 

 the Indigo's eggs. 



Joe Grinnell. 

 Pasadena^ Cal. 



BRIEF GENERAL NOTES. 



Walter Bryant has added a Bird of Paradise to 

 his collection in wedding a charming young lady 

 of Los Angeles. 



F. Stephens, of Witch Creek, Cal., has gone 

 north on a "government" collecting trip, to be 

 away a year. 



Attention is cailed to the ad%ertisement in this 

 issue ol F. H. Laitin & Co. They carry a very 

 complete .stock. 



"Hints to Egg Collectors" is the title of a timely 

 ariicle by a well known writer, to appear in the 

 February NiDioivOGisT. 



Dr. A. C. Murchison has the sympathy of friends 

 in the sad death of his wife at Col ton, Cal. He 

 has returned to Kenance, 111. 



Dr. W. S. Strode is going to commence on the 

 Owls soon, and has promised to write us an article 

 on collecting their eggs while the experience is 

 fresh . 



George F. Breninger, formerly prominently 

 identified with the ornithology of Colorado, has 

 become a resident of California. Mr. Breninger 

 writes that he has taken a specimen of ths Ameri- 

 can Herri nj^ Gull at Monterey. 



TOKEN OF THE MIDWINTER PAIE- 



A little gem, stciling silz'er spoon, in form ol 



shovel (typical of first shovelfull or earth broken), 



bear on top of handle representing the Golden 



State — engraved, "Midwinter Fair, 1894." 



ONLY $1.25, PREPAID. 



A. O. QOTX, Jeweler, 



Alameda, Cal. 



BIRD SKINS. BIRDS' EGGS 



EUROPEAIV AIVD EXOTIC SPECIES. 



Largest Stock of Marine, Land and Freshwater 



Shells, Insects and all other objects of 



natural history, by 



HERMANN ROLLE 



INSTITUTION FOR NATURAL HISTORY 



BERLIN N. W, (GERMANY) 



Emdener-Slrasse 4. 



I have still a few copies left of 



"BIRD-NESTING IN N.-W. CANADA." 



Price $2. After January ist, the price will.be I3. 

 Order at once, before the price goes up. 

 •six colored plates of birds' eggs for 50 cents in stamps. 



-Send 6 cents in stam. s for sample plates of birds' 



nests and t ggs. 



W. RAINE, 



Bleeclcer St., Toronto, Canada. 



