146 



THE NIDIOLOGIST 



The Nidiologist. 



Ay ILLUSTRATED MONTHLY MAGAZINE 



DEVOTED TO THE STCDY OF 



ORNITHOLOGY, 



With Speciiil Ueti'rence to the 



N'iDIFICATION OF NORTH AMKRICAN BiRDS. 



rest — as It is for some other birds to hang by their 

 claws — or feet, with their boiiies suspended below. 



W. C. PlRUIN. 



Forest Grove, Ore. 



H. K. TATLOE, Editor and Publisher, 



Associated with Dr. R. W. SHUFELDT. 



WE EXPOSE FRAUDS. 



6nbecription (in ailv.ince), to any part of the world, . . $1.5(t 

 " Six Months, . .' SO cents 



Single C!opies. 15 cents 



Keniit bills, money order, draft, or check. 

 The Magazine ts not sent after subscriptions have expired. 



FOREIGN AGENT, H. T. BOOTH, 38A UPCERNE ROAD, CHELSEA, LONDON. 



Original contributions, nith or without illustrations, are desired. 

 ADVEliTISIXG BATES FURNISHED. 



OFFICE OF PUBLICATION, 

 150 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK CITY. 



Entered at the Xew York Post Office as mail matter of the second clas 



We gently remonstrated with Mr. Purdiii, of Forest 

 Grove, Ore., in the .'\pril number, because he affirmed 

 in Sports Afield that Flickers had a way of sticking 

 their heads into knotholes and calmly going to sleep 

 with their little bodies dangling in air. Believing in 

 a fair deal all round, we take pleasure in printing 

 Mr. P.'s reply, and to preserve its scientific value in 

 its entirety, we have avoided making any "changes or 

 omissions." Here it is : 



Dear Sir 



Sample Copy — Apr. No. Nidiologist rec'd. 



In Regard to your comments. 



On my Statements In Sports A field — As to the Habits 

 of the Golden Wing Wood Pecker — Yellow Hammer, 

 flicker, Pie-Biss, Joune, Yacker, or high Holder. 



I would say I — that if the habit Should be regarded 

 as a Suicidal Mania I would like to suggest that It was 

 Probably Occasioned by Disgust. 



At the Profound Ignorance Displayed and Heralded 

 by the Ingenious Editor of the Nidkji.ocist. 



And his class of equally Iu:^enioics Bird Students, 

 you Probably acquire your Knowledge of yellow 

 Hammer by the Study of a Specimen Prepared at a 

 Restaurant. As they are sometimes regarded as Game 

 and sold as such In the markets of New York and 

 Philadelphia. 



I would — suggest — also that In Company with the 

 above mentioned Class you go to the country and 

 Study the natural habits of the unrestricted wild live 

 yellow Hammers during the months of May and June. 

 They are very noisy during those months — And may 

 easily be found. 



These birds are not migratory In the Willamette 

 Valley — Hence their habits can be studied at any 

 time. 



Wild yellow hammers are Plentiful throughout this 

 section, and several can be seen within a few even- 

 ings at roost as I described. 



undou/jtedly you may find some yellow hammers at 

 roost In different Positions As I have known the Mon- 

 golian Pheasant and Sand Hill Crane to roost on trees 

 — during the last twenty-five years I have frequently 

 saw the yellow hammer while at roost supporting his 

 weight by his head, and on e.xaminalion and Inspec- 

 tion you will find It just as Possible for a yellow 

 hammer to support his weight in that way while at 



" What is a fraud, pa ? " 

 " A thief and a knave, my son." 

 " What do they do to him, pa? " 

 " The NiDioi.oc.isr jumps on him and paralyzes 

 him, my son." 



Wk publish in this number an announcement for 

 Charles K. Worthen, the oldest veteran dealer, per- 

 haps, in America in North American bird skins, of 

 which he has made a specialty for twenty-two years. 



TiiKKE is no business in which deception is so easily 

 possible as that of the dealer in birds' eggs. It takes 

 an expert to identify with certainty from the eggs 

 alone, and in many cases of allied species and va- 

 rieties this is simply impossible. It is true that a 

 bungling " fraud " may be caught in the act by refer- 

 ring the specimen to an authority, but the "more 

 artful knave " tnay run a long course before being ex- 

 posed as that most despicable of creatures, a dishon- 

 est collector or dealer. 



E.xposure is certain, however, sooner or later, and 

 it is good-bye to further dealings with any reputable 

 collector. 



Don't patronize a dealer of doubtful character. We 

 try to keep out all but honest, reliable men from our 

 advertising columns. 



The " Nil)," has gone on record as a persistent foe 

 of frauds, and it intends to keep up the fight. Also 

 (although our office is in the " Methodist Building ") 

 we are prepared for all comers and afraid of none. 



O, Dk. Smith, of Maiden, he 

 Could lie and lie prodigiously! 

 Could lie in Texan, Illinois, 

 Mexican, Piute, Iroquois — 

 Far greater than all kin or kith. 

 Though he was simply Mr. Smith. 



He'd taken skins of the Bobo Bird, 

 Would swear to it or give his word ; 

 And other species new to science — 

 In Smith you could always place reliance. 

 To make certain sure, without any bones 

 He could always prove it l>y Mr. yoiies! 



We said that Smith was quite a liar. 

 But Jones he went him one notch higher. 

 For he could " invent " by day and night: 

 The British Museum was his by right. 

 And Audubon left him his private collection. 

 Some kings were working under his direction 



Z' envoy. 



O Dr. Smith (or Jones), hoo roo ! 



The " Nil) " has surely done for you. 



0\i;ksi;.\si rivK readers, not in sympathy with science, 

 may be appalled at the directions given in this number 

 of the Nii)ioi,()(;isr for removing an advanced embryo 

 from an egg. But a knowledge of the scientific and 

 humane method which Mr. Bowles proposes for this 

 operation would have saved the only set of eggs yet 

 taken of the Evening Grosbeak. 



