114 



THE OOLOGIST. 



Datas. 



We wonld like to call the attention of 

 oologists to the importance of writing good 

 datas. We often receive sets of eggs with 

 iucouiplete datas. 



For example, I have before me a data 

 for a set of Least Flycatcher: the number 

 name, identity and set-mark are all right; 

 then ihe collector gives only his initials, 

 and for the locality gives the town without 

 giving the State. 



Now, if I didn't know the collector by 

 reputation, the name of the State, and the 

 locality in which th^s bird breeds, I might 

 si;ppose the eggs were collected in South 

 Africa by a Hottentot. For the nest, he 

 says it was placed in an apple tree. Sur- 

 prising information! liemember! t' e 

 nest was placed in apple tree, not a plum 

 or a pear tree. It may have been four 

 or forty feet from the ground. A little 

 thing of 20 or 30 feet does not make any 

 dilfereuce. He gives no description of the 

 nest. It may have been composed of 

 fence palings and lined with grape vines, 

 for all the inf ormaticm he gives us on the 

 subject. 



Now, with a few minutes time he could 

 have given a complete and satisfactory 

 data which would liave increased the value 

 of the set to my notion. We often receive 

 incomplete, datas for eggs of sea birds. 

 Usually the datas are all right till they 

 come to the description of the nest: this 

 space they leave blank. 



Now, we all know that most of these 

 birds do not build a nest, but lay their 

 eggs on the beach, in burrows or in clefts 

 in the rocks. The description of the 

 nesting place of these birds would of course 

 be brief. Why couldn't the collector give 

 us this information and not have us wonder- 

 ing whether the eggs were placed on the 

 beach, on a cliff 500 feet above the sea, or 

 a thousand and one other i^laces where they 

 may have been deposited. Always write 

 the name of the collector on the data. 



There are many eggs difficult to identify. 

 If we see the name of a reliable collector 

 on the data for such eggs, we at once say 



these eggs are all right, or this man would 

 not give his word for it. It doesn't take a 

 quire of paper to write a good data. The 

 medium size blanks are large enough. Be 

 clear, complete, and above all, give us facts, 

 and a smile of satisfaction will^o'eispread the 

 countenance of the oologist when he re- 

 ceives your datas. 



J. 



The Nest of the Marsh Hawk. 



Perhaps the Marsh Hawk is too common 

 a bird in most localities to merit attention 

 in the Oologist, but in this vicinity I find 

 it rather rare. I have as yet been able to 

 find but one nest of this species, which 

 happened as follows : 



I was one day (in the Spring of '88) 

 traversing a low marshy, forest in quest of 

 oological specimens, when a female Marsh 

 Hawk star led up a little way in front of 

 me, emitting a loud cry of alarm. Suspect- 

 ing that she started from her nest, I at 

 once started in search. I had proceeded 

 but a few steps when the male bird ap- 

 peared upon the scene of action. He had 

 apparently got directly over me before he 

 discovered the intruder and then in his 

 sui-prise dropped a mouse from his talons 

 which almost hit me as it fell, and then as 

 I proceeded both birds, the male in advance 

 plunged through the air directly at me, 

 coming within a few feet of ray head, and 

 each time coming nearer to me until I was 

 obliged to retreat and get a chib to keep 

 them back until I reached the ne>t. 



The nest, if nest it could be called, was 

 situated on a hassock about six inches 

 high and i^artly surrounded by water. The 

 hassock was slightly hollowed on the top 

 and a few dry spears of grass and weeds 

 laid across to keeji the eggs from the damp 

 ground. 



The eggs, five in number, were very 



fine specimens; very iiniform in size and 



shape, and a very smooth surface. In 



color they were white with a very faint blue 



tinge, and three of them were well marked 



with brown blotches. Incubation was well 



advanced. 



M. D. C, Antrhn, N. H. 



