126 



THE NIDIOLOGIST 



The article in April "Nid" regarding the 

 burrowing of Grouse in the snow is a well-known 

 "tact to the hunters and farmers in this State. 

 The Ruffled Grouse does so during severe cold 

 weather to keep warm. After breaking through 

 the crust the bird works away from the en- 

 trance and huddles close to the ground. 



Detroit, Mich. W. A. Davidson. 



* * 



Early Nesting in California. 



Mr. James Hyde, of Santa Clara, reports 

 that while traveling near Newark on March 26 

 he was surprised to see a Duck (presumably a 

 Shoveler), swimming near the tules with 

 twelve small young. A very pretty sight. 



On March 22 Mr. A. M. Ingersoll, of San Die- 

 go, took a set of California Poor-will, 1-2, in 

 which incubation was two thirds advanced. 



A Yellow-billed Magpie's nest held six 

 small young at Sargents, March 31. 



C. Barlow. 



* * 



Notes from Florida. 



The Legislature of this State passed a law 

 yesterday to prohibit the taking of any birds' 

 eggs in this State. And it will be enforced 

 strictly. What are the Florida collectors going 

 to do? 



Thinking you might take some interest in a 

 few of my " finds " this season, I will give you 

 a brief account from my notebook. 



March 30, first set taken here of Black Vul- 

 ture. On April 6 I took three sets of this 

 bird 2-2, i-i. All incubated, but i-i most so. 

 This egg is exceedingly long and looks as 

 though it were welded together in the middle. 

 Maybe this accounts for a set of one (?). 

 First set of Turkey Vulture taken loth inst. 

 First F,Iorida Blue Jay, April i. 



On the loth inst. also took 1-2 Ground 

 Dove. Another set taken a day after. Florida 

 Screech Owl, 1-3 taken 7th inst. 



Yesterday a friend and myself entered a 

 small cypress swamp about two miles and a 

 half from town, and as soon as we entered we 

 saw a Ward's Heron perched beside her nest. 

 Upon climbing it J found it contained three 

 young birds. But this clim.b was not for noth- 

 ing, for as I descended I took a set of 1-3 

 Anhinga in same tree as the Ward's Heron's 



nest. We took 5-3 Reddish Egret and 1-3 

 Ward's Heron, incubation heavy, and 1-3, 1-4 

 Anhinga. This is very late for Ward's Heron. 

 The first nest of Egret I climbed to contained 

 four pipped eggs, so I had to leave them. 



R. W\ Williams, Jr. 

 Tallahassee, April 14, 1895. 

 * * 



My First Take for 1895. 



March 18 I concluded that, in spite of un- 

 favorable weather and late spring, the ^^'ood- 

 cocks ought to have full sets. And so I tried 

 them that day with the success noted below. 



After several fruitless efforts to find even a 

 bird, let alone a nest, I tried a place from 

 which a set was secured last year, but, although 

 I found both birds, I could not locate the nest. 

 Next, looked up another last year's place, a 

 damp bottom in original woods, a little above the 

 source of the stream that drains the valley fur- 

 ther down. 



My dog is not the best trained animal in 

 creation, and I had to treat him with great con- 

 sideration to get him to hunt at all that day, 

 but by very patiently overlooking his little 

 wanderings from the strict path of virtue, I 

 managed to get him to cover fairly well the 

 area of ground I expected to hold the nest I 

 was after. I had just about given up the 

 search when I saw him come to a stand, and I 

 hurried forward with many cautions given in a 

 threatening tone of voice, as I knew full well 

 w^hat the next proceeding would be if I did not 

 reach him in time. Just before I got near 

 enough to grab his tail and prevent damage, 

 the bird he was setting moved and he jumi)ed 

 forward, flushing the Woodcock and chasing 

 her into the bushes, and, as one might expect, 

 placing his well-grown forefeet full on the nest 

 as he went. Result : one whole egg, slightly in- 

 cubated, and the pulverized remains of two 

 more. 



No ! I did not thrash him, because he would 

 not allow himself to be caught, but there was 

 no doubt as to the spirit being willing. How- 

 ever, he made some amends a few days later 

 by finding, and allowing me to collect in good 

 order, a set of four eggs of Woodcock, my 

 first full set for the season of 1895. 



H. H. Brimlev. 



Raleigh, N . C. 



Exporting Prairie Hens. 



A COOP of a dozen prairie chickens, all looking in the 

 very best of condition, passed through the city during 

 the present week en route for Honolulu, where it is 

 proposed to propagate them for the stocking of the 

 Islands. From what we learn of the nature of the 

 Islands we should think that this excellent bird would 

 do well there. — Field Sports, San Francisco. 



