56 



THE OOLOGIST. 



Taking of Birds' Nests. 



Ill a late number of the Oologist is aii 

 article based upon the scientific study- 

 ing of Birds' Nests and the collecting 

 of the same. From what is said in this 

 article it seems as if its writer has chos- 

 en the winter months in which to col- 

 lect nests. It is here I wish to differ in 

 the time, that nests should be taken, it 

 is true. The nests of different birds af- 

 ford a great deal of study; something 

 may be learned from each tiny little 

 nest as has been said by Alexander 

 Wilson: "Some nest by the roadside, 

 some in the thorn, others on the 

 mountain side, some by the sea, etc., 

 etc." It will generally be seen each 

 variety seeks a different place to con- 

 struct its nest after its own pattern. 

 And to look upon a fine collection of 

 nests taken in proper season, all neatly 

 labeled, is a sight worthy to behold. 



From the green ball of moss neatly 

 lined placed among growing moss by 

 the side of some waterfall snugly hid 

 Siwaj, shows the instinct of the Water 

 Ouzel. Far up 300 feet or more 

 aloft on the face of some cliff, 

 shows the wonderful powers to select a 

 nesting site of the Golden Eagle. 



How neatly saddled on some dead 

 limb is the nest of the Wood Pewee. 



Nests should be taken in the summer 

 when the eggs are removed. 



The nest is then neat and new, as an 

 example: The uest of the Orchard 

 Oriole when first made is a neat con- 

 struction of green grass woven into a 

 hanging position. After the uest has 

 been exposed to a shower of rain it at 

 once Ijeconies dull and faded, assuming 

 a sunburnt yellow color. Leave it now 

 until the young have been hatched and 

 ffown and the gales of autumn and 

 winter have tried their strength upon 

 it and the bugs and other insects have 

 taken refuge in it to get away from the 

 cold of winter, then go out and collect 

 the nest; put it in your cabinet, com- 



pare it with one you have taken in the 

 summer and see if not greatly prefered 

 than the one that hung in the tree five 

 months after the young were reared in 

 it. The Cliff Swallow may be another 

 that each collector would only want 

 "one nest" taken after the young had 

 flown. 



Geo. F. Breninger, 

 Fort Collins, Colorado. 



The Blackbird Problem. 



I saAv the statement and query made 

 by Mr. Posson of Medina, N. Y., in the 

 Oologist, also the answer given by 

 Mr. Hanaford of Grand Rapids, Mich. 



I have had excellent opportunities 

 and have spent considerable time in. 

 observing the habits of these birds dur- 

 ing the fall migrations, I find as a result 

 that they collect in immense flocks in 

 certain localities where there is plenty 

 of food and a good roosting place. 



There is a large crow roost about ten 

 miles north-east of here where about 

 6000 crows roost every fall. 



Every night during October thous- 

 ands of blackbirds rise from our fields 

 and fly north-east with the long strings 

 of crows to the roost. Probably the 

 reason why this explanation did not 

 occur to Mr. Posson, is the fact that 

 they are not often seen returning with 

 the crows in the morning, as I think 

 there need be no doubt, but that theie 

 is another .similar roost north-east of 

 Medina or that they fly to the roost of 

 which I speak, which seems improba- 

 ble from the great distance. Either the 

 flocks fly south from the roost to their 

 feeding grounds before the crows go 

 and thereby escape observation, or else 

 they fly a different route mornings from 

 that taken at night, and I do not see 

 them. I think the first is most likely 

 as they commence coming from the 

 south before noon on fair days, and 

 they migj'it easily fly over early in the 

 morning before it is very light without 

 being seen as they fly very high when 

 taking long flights. 



Ernest Short, 

 Monroe Co.. N. Y. 



