124 



THE NIDIOLOGIST. 



not sunshine ; for the law, as already 

 hinted, interposes strong objections not 

 only to the killing of birds, but to the de- 

 struction of their nests and the taking of 

 their eggs, and imposes a fine, more or less 

 severe, upon all offenders. This fine, by 

 the way, is paid to the informer, and is a 

 sufficient incentive, to most people, to turn 

 informer; especially if the offender happens 

 to be a stranger. Hence the collector, to 

 be successful, must keep his own counsel, 

 and prepare to evade and escape detection. 



Briefly stated, the law, so far as it inter- 

 ests the ornithologist, is as follows : It is 

 unlawful, under penalty of ten dollars for 

 each offense, to kill a Quail, wild Duck, 

 wild Goose, or Plover, between the first 

 day of January and the first day of Septem- 

 ber. In the case of the Grouse or Part- 

 ridge, and Woodcock, the close season ex- 

 tends to the fifteenth day of September; 

 and, with the Pheasant, from the twentieth 

 of November until the fifteenth of October. 

 In this latitude the Pheasant migrates early 

 in October, and hence the law in this case 

 is practically a prohibitory one. 



All other birds, except those which I will 

 name, it is unlawful to kill at any season 

 The exceptions are as follows: The Blue 

 Heron, Bittern. Loon, English Sparrow, 

 Crow Blackbird, Crow, Jay, and all birds 

 of prev. The oologist is prohibited from 

 taking the eggs of any bird except of those 

 of the above list. There are twenty-two 

 species of birds of prey known to inhabit 

 Vermont, and hence a collection of Ver- 

 mont egg- can embrace but thirty-two vari- 

 eties, if the collector keeps strictly within 

 the limits of the statute. There are, how- 

 ever, many very fine collections, some of 

 which embrace nearly every variety; but 

 they were /w^^^/j/ collected before the pass- 

 age of this law. C O. Ormsbee. 



Monipelier, Vt. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



A YOUNG NATURAIvIST. 



Capt. Chas. E. Bendire has gone to 

 Puget Sound, where he will probably secure 

 some good finds in the oological line. 



I have just mounted the finest specimen 

 of an adult Loon {Urinator imber) that I 

 ever saw. The bird was shot in Warren 

 county, Pennsylvania, by R. B. Simpson, 

 and its weight was lo'^ pounds; length, 

 34 inches; and extent, 56 inches By the 

 way, R. B. Simpson is not out of his teens, 

 but he is a good shot and has had some ex- 

 perience. He has trapped the Coyote 

 successfully, and followed the Wild Cat 

 until he had to succumb to the well-directed 

 shots. A number of Eagles have fallen 

 victims to his keen eye and steady aim, 

 and one of them now adorns my collection, 

 as well as a number of other birds, such as 

 Hawks, Ducks, and especially one fine 

 Red-tail which he mounted himself. 



Well do I remember the day, while he 

 was making me a visit a few years ago, 

 when we went to the big gulch, and it is a 

 big gulch too. When we got there he 

 started up the stream, and I started down, 

 while the third party, my brother, went on 

 the opposite side and seated himself in the 

 shade of the beautiful beech and maple 

 trees that grow along the stream. I had 

 not gone far before I heard a loud report of 

 a gun, and O, how it did echo and rever- 

 berate in that deep gorge ! Then I heard 

 the young hunter shout, so I went back 

 and found he had shot a fine Bald Eagle. 



It was quite a load for him to carry out 

 of that gulch and three miles to my home, 

 but he got there just the same. The next 

 day I helped him mount the bird, which 

 gave him much pleasure. He has a very 

 fine collection of birds, mammals and eggs, 

 all of his own collecting. He also has the 

 patience of Job and the perseverance of a 

 hungry Wolf, and if a man undertakes to 

 follow him for a day's tramp, at night I 

 think he would say that he is a good pedes- 

 trian. 



A. E. KiBBE. 



Mayville, N. Y. 



