166 



AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY 



Here in a bunch of flags is a basket made of coarse rushes ; in it is but 

 one buff'y egg, sjootted with brown. Who does this nest belong to? Let me 

 see- — Oh, yes ! this belongs to the shy old Red-billed Gallinule. Let her be 

 and soon she will have the nest filled with eggs. 



I now hear a screaming, and looking up, I see many of those graceful 

 Black Terns, that have lately arrived from the southland. 



The setting sun now tells me to leave the birds to their charges for the 

 night. 



Photo by E. R. Jolinson. 



Eggs of Fla. Gallinule. 



TWO LITTLE BIRD FRIENDS. 

 By Edith E. Timmerman. 



I have not been. a bird student for very many years, but during this period 

 I have had a few very interesting experiences, two of which I will relate. 

 The first is about a guest, which we entertained — little Astragalinus tristis — ■ 

 whose fate was a very sad one. 



It was late one afternoon, about sundown, on a cold February day. The 

 thermometer registered about zero, which is very cold for that time of day in 

 our section. On glancing out of a window, I noticed a bird fly down to a 



