THE NIDIOLOGIST. 



thickly grown up with uuderbrush, and 

 on the other side a cornfield, made an ideal 

 winter resort for them. A rough estimate 

 placed the number observed in a half mile 

 drive at 150. Nor were they alone. Jun- 

 cos. Sparrows, Chickadees, the Tufted Tit- 

 mouse, White-breasted Nuthatch, Downy, 

 Hairy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, and 

 not a few of the beautiful Purple Finch, 

 helped to swell the column of birds observed 

 in this favored spot. Should any Califor- 

 nian reader of The Nidiologist wish skins 

 of any of the above birds I should be 

 pleased to make an exchange. 



Lewiston, III. Dr. W. S. Strode. 



A FEW OF MANY. 



Your paper is the best paper on ornithology that 

 has ever been in my hands. 



Gimrd, Kansas. W. S. Colvin. 



I get more interested in your paper every month. 

 I think it has a bright career before it. 



Toronto, Canada. G. F. Dippik. 



Your paper is so far superior to the majority of 

 the ornithological publications that we will cer 

 tainlv have to try a small "ad ' as a sample. 



Rateiirfi, N. C. H. H. & C. S. Brimlev. 



The NiniOLOGLST is spoken of most favorably 

 by all of my friends, and I feel glad to say it fills 

 no small scope in American literature on the sub- 

 ject of which it treats. G. F. Breninger. 



The sample copy of the Nidioi,ogist came to 

 hand tins morning. I am delighted with it, and 

 as an evidence of my good opinion of it, I send 

 herein my subscription. 



Vitden, III. P. M. SiLLOWAV. 



I received the five copies (Nos. 1-5) of the Nidi- 

 ologist, and like all others who have seen it. I 

 think it has come to stay. It is far ahead of any 

 magazine of the kind I have ever seen. 



/i alii more, Md. Wm. H. Fisher. 



To say I am more than pleased with the Nidi- 

 ologist is to put it but mildly. I watch for its 

 coming each month and always say a good word 

 for it, but I find all my correspondents are sub- 

 scribers. H. C. HiGGINS. 



Cincinnaius, N. Y. 



February number received to-day, and if you 

 keep increasing its worth in same ratio by July or 

 August we will all be ashamed for receiving it at 

 such a low price as $1 a year; our conscience will 

 trouble us. FrED M. Dille. 



Denver, Colorado. 



I inclose you %\ . for subscription to the NlDl- 

 oLOGi.ST for 1894. I congratulate you on the suc- 

 cess you are making of it. After reading the 

 January number you sent me I feel as though I 

 could not get along without it. 



Warsaxv, III. Chas. K. Worthen. 



It has been neglect on my part in not writing 

 before in regard to that interesting magazine, the 

 Nidiologist, and congratulating you upon the 

 success that you have attained. As long as the 

 NiDiOLO(iiST remains as good as it is, I will be a 

 firm supporter and a life-long subscriber. 



Peoria, III. W. E. LoucKS. 



NOTES, QUERIES AND COIVIIVIENT. 



An egg of the Great Auk has recently changed 

 hands in London. The purchaser had to put down 

 J1500 to own it. 



An interesting article on "Collecting in Ver- 

 mont" has been received by the Nidiologist from 

 Mr. C. O. Ormsbee of Montpelior. 



Dr. R. W. Shufeldt is the able editor of the 

 "Naturalist's Corner" in the Great Divide. The 

 notes and articles are very interesting. 



An interesting page illustration in this issue is 

 the half-tone showing a Falcon drawer in the egg 

 collection of Mr. Charles E. Doe of Providence, R.I. 



Oologists who have more eggs to blow than their 

 wind-supply would warrant, should not forget the 

 water blow-pipe. It is a "dandy" and no mistake, 

 any way you fix it. 



Queer, isn't it, that the Great Horned Owl seems 

 to nest earlier than the Western Horned Owl. 

 Perhaps the warm winters of California makes 

 these Owls debilitated. 



Do the California Towhees remain mated, or are 

 they lovers of comradeship? It is almost an in- 

 variable rule to see two of them associating to- 

 gether at all seasons of the year. 



H. C. Higgins of Cincinnatus, N. Y., writes: 

 "First Bluebirds March 5, first Robin March 6, 

 and first Song Sparrow March 8. Earliest since I 

 began keeping a record in iSSg. " 



Harold Ward of Alameda, Cal., is the' champion 

 finder of Hummingbirds' nesls. He has already 

 found tweniy-two nests this season, eight being 

 taken in one day along a creek near San Lorenzo. 



Mr. A. W. Johnson, who is securing a large 

 series of California-taken eggs of the Golden 

 Eagle, says he has a set taken in South Spain the 

 eggs of which are larger than any he has seen in 

 collections here. 



Copies of the October number of the Nidiolo- 

 gist are all gone, and parties wishing to have 

 their files complete are advertising for them. In 

 the office of the "Nid" it is the old case of "first 

 come, first served." 



Under date March 5th, A. E. Kibbe writes from 

 Mayville, N. Y : "Was out after Horned Owls 

 eggs on two different occasions, but without suc- 

 cess. The snow was quite deep and I would get 

 tired and have to give it up." 



A hatchet i.sn'l "in it" any more in getting at 

 Woodpeckers' eggs. Use a small saw, instead, and 

 if you find all the eggs have not been laid, care- 

 fully fit iu again the .«ection you sawed out, and 

 the birds will complete the set without suspicion- 

 ing you. 



A small Owl, probably the California Screech 

 Owl, met death singularly in the last of March 

 recently, in .Alameda, Cal. After lighting the fire 

 in the morning the family of Henry Schoenau 

 were nearly driven out of the house by smoke. 

 The stove was taken down and in the chimney was 

 found a little Owl, smoked to death. 



Even in the mild climate of California the study 

 of ornithology is not unattended with difficulties, 

 as George F. Breninger, late of Colorado but now 

 a resident of Santa Cruz, Cal., informs us: "I 

 have been confined to my bed two entire weeks, 

 suffering from an attack of inflammatory rheuma- 

 tism, contracted in the pursuit of my ever-present 

 love for birds." 



