THE NIDIOLOGIST A(,«0, \'^^'^ 



119 



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RUNT HAWKS EGGS. 



Two Runts. 



THROUGH the kindness of Mr. C. Bar- 

 low I am able to show the photograph 

 of two sets of Hawks' eggs, which are 

 interesting in that each set contains a runt egg. 

 The following are the data for the two sets : 



44—2. Btiteo swaiiisoiii. Crow Creek, Weld 

 County, Colo., June i, 1887. This set consists 

 of the two white eggs on the left. The meas- 

 urements in inches are respectively 2.35x1.73 

 and 2.11X1.44. Incubation was just com- 

 menced. The nest was composed of large 

 sticks and was lined with bark, green cotton- 

 'wood balls, and green leaves. The habit of 

 placing the fruit of the cottonwood in their 

 nests is very persistent among the Hawks of 

 this locality. The nest was placed not above 

 thirty feet from the ground in a willow. 



52-2. Buteo boi'ealis calurus. Poway, San 

 Diego County, Cal., March 6, 1888. This set 

 contains the spotted egg and the one near it. 

 They measure in inches 2.34x1.80 and 2.i6x 

 1.5 1. The larger egg was slightly incubated, 

 the smaller one seemed quite fresh. The nest 

 was a large affair made of sticks and lined 

 with bark and other soft fibers. It was placed 

 in a fork of a sycamore about eighty feet up. 

 I was told that the nest had been occupied by 

 Red-tails during the previous year. 



R. C. McGregor. 



Stanford University, Cal. 



Dr. Emil Holub and wife have returned 

 to Vienna, Austria, where the emperor provides 

 them with a residence. Dr. Holub has con- 

 tributed an article for our next number on the 

 Nile or Egyptian Goose, with illustration of its 

 nesting in trees in Africa. 



To exchange with reliable collectors tr\' the " Nid." 

 It pays. We take specimens at one half catalogue rates. 



Hints for Egg Collectors. 



BY SCOLOPAX. 



THE egg season is again upon us. Boys, 

 let's have a talk about our affairs. I 

 have been in the happy capacity of an 

 egg collector for many, many years ; over a 

 quarter of a century, in fact ; therefore, you 

 can reasonably call me an egg crank. 



When I began there were no drills nor blow- 

 pipes, and like Linn^us, Wilson, and Audu- 

 bon, I blew (" blowed ") my eggs with two holes. 

 Times have changed since" then, and now, if a 

 collector is not a slick mechanic with his 

 Oological instruments, in the words of the 

 poet, " he is not in it" in exchanges ; for most 

 of the collectors insist on one small hole neatly 

 drilled in the side. And this is right. Collect 

 few eggs, but have them perfect. 



In order to have them perfect you must have 

 good instruments. To accomplish this, at least 

 three drills should be purchased at the begin- 

 ning of the season. One very small burr, with 

 faint serrations. This for the smallest eggs, 

 but compatible for eggs as large as a Jay's. 

 The next larger drill should have a burr of 

 one eighth of an inch, or a little larger, and 

 rather coarser make. Then, for a big drill, 

 get the largest size, one half inch. This drill 

 can be used for eggs from a Robin's up, and 

 is often necessary for incubated Hawk's and 

 Heron's eggs. As the seasons pass, you can 

 add new drills ; one a year is sufificient if you 

 do not lose any. and in time you will have a 

 fine collection of ten or more. 



I have ten or twelve, and think as much of 

 keeping them in good condition as a surgeon 

 does his instruments. They should be care- 

 fully cleaned, and if properly cared for will 

 last a lifetime. Drills should never be allowed 

 to rust, and when carried should not come in 

 contact with hard substances. A large piece 



