THE OOLOGIST. 



143 



Our Question Box. 

 Qierlea to be answered In these columns should 

 be written on a oostal or slip of paper— never mix 

 them In your letter wtien writing about other 

 matters. 



J. A. L., Clarksvillc, Tenn.— The 

 eggs of the Lark Bunting, as well as 

 those of the Black-throatecl Bunting or 

 Dickcissel very closely resenil)le the 

 eggs of the Bluebird. What the eggs 

 of any of these birds were doing in a 

 Brown Thrasher's nest, we are at ;i loss 

 to understand. 



I. S. C, Pathu-ah. Ky. — Think your 

 nest and eggs art^ simply English Spar- 

 rows. 



Does anyone, anywhere, know of a 

 bird that is "black and red," which is 

 called "Rink" from its note? 



F. V. P , Las Vegas, Nev. 1— The l)ird 

 about the size of a House Wren, with a 

 light j^ellow head, building a glolrular 

 nest of thorny sticks in the ends of the 

 branches, the eggs being light blue 

 with brown spots, is the Verdin or 

 Yellow-headed Tit. 



3. Dj any of our readers know of a 

 bird about the size of the Robin and 

 much like it in appearance, only having 

 a lighter breast a,nd a sniiill top- knot. 

 It Iniilds in holes and ledges along cliffs 

 and lays four eggs (usually). Pinkish- 

 white, about the size of a Blueljirdy 



W. E. G., Galveston, Tex. — Your 

 ball-shaped nest suspended to the rank 

 gras.S of a marsh, containing live white 

 eggs speckled with red-ljrown, and 

 belonging to a small !)ird with yellow- 

 edged wing:^, doul)t!css is that of the 

 Seaside Sparrow. 



J. W. A., Allegan, Mich,— 1. The 

 "Yellowbird," with black croivn, wings 

 and tail, is the American Goldtinch. 

 Its eggs are white witli a bluisli tinge, 

 unspotted. 



2. The "Yellowbird"' of a uniform 

 yellowish color throughout, -is the 

 Yellow Warbler. Its eggs are white or 

 greenish-white, siiotted, usually in a 

 wreath arouml the larger end, with 

 um!)er-brown, l)lackish and lilac-gray. 



V N. M., Mt. Uni.ni, O.— The young 

 males of the genus Agdaens have the 

 feathers of the baek edged with liay. 



A. O. G., Lawrence, Kans. — The 

 only safe mean.s of distinguishing 

 between the nests of the Bank and 

 Rough-winged Swallows, is )jy securing 

 the parent Ijird. 



J. V. C, Marathon, la.— The Wilson's 

 Phalarope is about nine inches long, 

 light-gray above, wings brown. A 

 dark stripe through the eye, becoming 

 purplish-chestnut on tne sides of the 

 neck. Upper tail-coverts and under 

 parts, wjiite. 



C. M. G., Sacramento, Cal. — Your 

 "Red-headed Linnet" is tlie House 

 Finch— A. O. U.. No. 519. 



A. S., Linn Co., la. — The habitat of 

 the Western Red-tail in the United 

 States is from the Rocky Mts. to the 

 Pacific Coast. 



L. R. B., Cleburne, Tex. — Youi- 

 "Mexican Canary" having a tiery-rcd 

 breast, black liead and greenish-ljUu' 

 wings, is doubtless the Painted Bunting 

 or IN'onpareil. 



A. L. T., Newark, N. Y.— All of the 

 descriptions you give are very incom- 

 plete. The set of nine eggs prolialih' 

 belong to one of the Rails, perhai'S the 

 Virginian. The Cherry-bird is A\itliOUt 

 donbt, the Cedar Waxwing; \\hile your 

 "Guinea Woodpecker" may lie the 

 Downj', although Ave wouldn't sa.y so 

 delinitely. 



C. A. T., Petaluma, Cal. — Your I)ird 

 witli breast and head of red, laying 

 frmn four to six light blue eggs spotted 

 at the hirger end with l)lack, is doulit- 

 less the H(nise Finch. 



G. H. G., Baltimore. — The descrip- 

 tion of yotir bird is like that of the 

 female Searlet Tanager. 



E. E. H., Cleveland, O.— The rggs .,f 

 the English Sparrow vai'y greatly ; and 

 that bird quite frequently nests in holes 

 in trees. Could your eggs not possiljlj' 

 ije of this birdv As to your second 

 nest, we can hardly .judge from the 

 description gi\-en. We know of no vg^ 

 so small as to l>e only one-fottrth of an 

 inch in length. 



