The nidiologiS'i'. 



tit, 



see the straw, ' ' and raised his cane with one 

 hand to be ready in case the bird rushed at 

 him. A few more snake-like gyrations 

 brought us up to the nest — there it was, all 

 covered over with straw, and no Goose in 

 sight. I suggested the bird had covered 

 the eggs to keep them warm while she went 

 for a swim on the lake, and Mr. B. began 

 rummaging through the straw. "I've got 

 one! and here's another!" Then came a 

 long silence and lots more fumbling among 

 the straw and a few subdued but select cuss- 

 words. "Well, I be if the Goose 



wasn't laying the second egg whtn I saw 

 her this morning and supposed she was sit- 

 ting. Shall we take them or leave them 

 till the set is completed? ' ' ' 'Half a loaf is 

 better than no bread," I replied, "and a 

 bird in the hand is worth two in the bush." 



We sneaked back to the low spreading 

 yew tree and admitted to each other that we 

 had killed the Goose that laid the golden 

 egg, by robbing the nest so soon, but that 

 we did right to take them, for the risk was 

 great in obtaining them. Anyhow, we 

 reached home richer than we went, and I 

 dare say that eggs of the domesticated bird 

 are in fewer collections than those of the 

 wild bird. 



"To the victors belong the spoils." 



Anser Californicus. 



Birds Found Breeding in Manitoba. 



MR. RAINE writes that he returned 

 from North West Canada two weeks 

 ago, and says: 

 Mr. Arnold of Battle Creek, Mich., was 

 with me at Shoal Lake, where we took 

 several rare species of eggs, such as Semi- 

 palmated Sandpiper, Western and Red- 

 necked Grebes, and about a dozen species 

 of Ducks' eggs. 



After Mr. Arnold returned home I went 

 on to lyake Manitoba and took some good 

 photographs, some of which I am sending 

 you, viz.: Views of a colou}^ of White 

 Pelicans' and Double-crested Cormorants' 



nests, nest of Holboell's Grebe and seven 

 eggs, Gadwall's nest and ten eggs, nest of 

 Sharp-tailed Grouse and sixteen eggs, views 

 of American Bittern's nest, etc. 



We took eggs of the following birds, and 

 to prove the identity of the rarest species 

 the birds were shot off the nests. It has 

 been disputed by one or two Ornithologists 

 fwho have never been in North West Can- 

 ada) that some of these birds nest as far 

 south as Manitoba. I am therefore pleased 

 to be in a position to give further proof that 

 some of the species in dispute do nest, al- 

 though sparingly, in Manitoba: 



Western Grebe, Holboell's Grebe, Horned 

 Grebe, Eared Grebe, Herring Gull, Bona- 

 parte's Gull, Ring-billed Gull, Common and 

 Forster's Tern, Black Tern, White Pelican, 

 Double- crested Cormorant, Gadwall Duck, 

 Baldpate, Desser Scamp, Ring-neck, Ruddy 

 ,Duck, Redhead, Mallard, Golden-eye, Blue- 

 winged Teal, Green-winged Teal, Shovel- 

 ler, Pintail, Canvas-back, American Bit- 

 tern, W^ilson's Phalarope, Wilson's Snipe, 

 Field Plower, Semipalmated Sandpiper, 

 Spotted Sandpiper, Prairie Hen, Prairie 

 Sharp-tailed Grouse, American Goshawk, 

 Broad-winged Hawk, Short-eared Owl, 

 Western Nighthawk, Western Bobolink, 

 Chestnut-collared I^ongspur, Baird's Spar- 

 row, Sprague's Pipit, Leconte's Sparrow, 

 Nelson's Sparrow, Great Northern Shrike, 

 Mourning Warbler, Blue-headed Vireo, 

 Northern Hairy Woodpecker, Rails, 

 Grackles, Blackbirds and other common 



species. 



W. Raine. 

 Toronto, Canada. 



Of course! "The3^ were lucky in saving the 

 'Nids' from the fire at College Park. I believe 

 that I should run for the NiDiotOGiST the first 

 thing in case of a fire here." 



I. H. StraTTon. 



Mr. Jesse W. Miller of Houston, Texas, is at 

 present touring in Mexico, with a camera to record 

 points of interest. It is safe to say he has his 

 Ornithological eye along with him. 



Mr. Chas. E. Doe, the prominent Rhode Island 

 Ornithologist, has made some desirable finds for 

 his State the past season. He took a set of Kildeer 

 Plover, which are very rare in Rhode Island. 



