OOLOGIST S EXCHANGE, 



too much of this little studied subject. 



It is fair to say that nothing can sur- 

 pass the harmony of the song, heard as 

 it occasionally is, in early spring, when 

 the chilling winds are still rushing 

 through the leafless branches of the som- 

 ber cheerless woods, or mournfully 

 soughing in the tops of our city ever- 

 greens. Once when on a deer hunt, we 

 found these birds common about our 

 camp in Lake county, October 12th to 

 16th, and after two severely cold nights 

 many were cheerily singing, not minding 

 a seVere storm of sleet and rain. While 

 crouched beside a log, drenched with 

 water from the pine boughs and anxious- 

 ly waiting for the appearance of game 

 on the runway, the sweet, cheering song 

 of the sprightly Bubycrown was indeed 

 welcome to me in the deep, silent pinery. 

 It may be out of place under the head- 

 ing of this article to embrace a poem, or 

 rhyme rather, but the sentimental con- 

 nections which ever remains between 

 ornithologists and our feathered friends, 

 may, with a few of the many readers of 

 the O. E., shield me from censure too 

 severe. This simple bit of rythm, the 

 result oi my childish ambition to emulate 

 the fearlessness of the Bubycrown in 

 braving the unpleasant weather of early 

 spring, was written nearly twenty years 

 ago, and we present it merely as a tri- 

 bute to our little friend from a nature 

 loving boy. 



Sweet bird that comes with the vernal sun 



To cheer us with your song; 

 My sympathetic heart you've won, 

 And for your presence oft I long. 

 When winter's gard is o'er us thrown 



And all is cold and dreary, 

 How fully would your song, well known 



Then to us sound so cheery. 

 But seldom is your presence lent 



To us at this dull time. 

 In warmer climes your days are spent, 



And there with silvery chime 

 Your song is heard sweet, dainty bird 



By any passerby. 

 If one will pause within some nook 



Chosen from modesty. 

 When you come north in early spring 



Ere storms have ceased to blow, 

 Your presence ever sure to bring 



Returns of sleet and snow. 

 'Tis then I think of you so bold, 



So fearless and so' free. 

 A treasured one within my heart 

 I'll be a friend to thee. 



As I write, the little fellows are sing- 

 ing all about me, giving promise of the 

 coining happy days of blooming May. 

 Kalamazoo, Mich,, April 20th, '88. i 



A Battle of Birds. 



A truly Homeric battle of birds is re- 

 ported to the Frankfurter Zeitung by 

 an eye-witness in a letter from Sophia. 

 Early on Thursday morning (he says) 

 we saw an unusually large number of 

 eagles, probably about two hundred, tak- 

 ing their flight toward the mountains of 

 the Jantra. A crowd of persons watched 

 the spectacle, and the crowd greatly in- 

 creased a few hours later, when a num- 

 ber of storks, not fewer than three hun- 

 dred, flew straight toward the regiment 

 of eagles, evidently bent on war. In an 

 instant eagles and storks were mingled 

 in deadly affray. It was a fearful com- 

 bat. Every now and then a wounded or 

 dead bird, stork or eagle, fell to the 

 ground. The battle lasted for nearly an 

 hour, when the two armies, apparently 

 weary of fight, flew off in opposite direc- 

 tions. Upon a rough reckoning it was 

 estimated that at least a third of the com- 

 batants fell in the severe struggle. The 

 prefect has sent some men up tinted the 

 mountains to count the dead .eagles and 

 storks. The people are quite eager to 

 know which of the two armies was vic- 

 torious. Probably, as in many wars of 

 unfeathered bipeds, the advantage lay 

 on neither side. — Chicago Times. 



Dealer's Directory. 



A two or three line advertisement inserted in 

 this column at 10 cents single insertion, or $ 1.00 

 per year, in advance. 



Dickinson & Durkee, Sharon, Wis. Deal- 

 ers in Birds Eggs, Curios, etc. 



Lattin, F- H- Albion, N- Y. Dealer in Nat- 

 ural History specimens of all kinds. 



"Webster, F. B- Boston, Mass. Dealer in 

 Naturalists supplies of every description. 



Advertisers, — Send in your ads. for 

 next issue. Note our terms. Our guar- 

 anteed circulation for next issue is one 

 thousand copies, which will be mailed to 

 bonaflde collectors. Ads. should reach 

 us by Oct. 1st and not later than the 5th 

 to insure insertion. 



Send 12 cents in stamps for one year's 

 subscription and our 20-page catalogue 

 of Bird's Eggs, Shells, Minerals, etc. 



In answering ads. mention Oologist'S Ex. 



