THE OOLOGIST'S EXCHANGE 



VOL. I. 



SHARON, WIS., OCTOBER, 1888. 



NO. 10. 



Ai'hil Prtztc Storv, No. •_>. 

 All Afternoon's Train]). 



"What is so rare as a day in June?" 



Nothing, perhaps, to the poet; but to 

 the collector, any day in the nesting sea- 

 son is rare if it is his own, and he will be 

 happy in drizzling rain and cold nor 1 

 wester. It was such a day when the 

 writer of this article, welcoming a half- 

 holiday, started on a collecting tour. 



Half-past three bv his "Waterbnry"! 

 when the train left him at the little sta- 

 tion called A : so far does one have 



to go from the heart of a great city to 

 find the nests abundant and various. 



It took but a moment to don my long 

 hoots, and I was off for a tramp through 

 the slough. No "slough of despond" 

 this time, but a slough of hope! 



I had takep less thin fifty steps, when 

 nut from a bunch of grass, darted a dark 

 bird in appearance not unlike a musk-rat 

 and splashed around in the water as if 

 her wing was broken. Ah, sly bird! I 

 know your tricks and will waste no sym- 

 pathy on you. Instead I will search 

 your atartingr-plaae. Wading up to the 

 tii ft, I draw aside tbe cove-ing of grass, 

 and there find a fine set of nine Red* 

 breasted Rail's eggs resting in a - circular 

 nest composed of dead cat-tail flags. 



Looking about from my position bv 

 the rail's nest, I could s~e. fastened to 

 the tall rushes, at least a dozen nests of 

 the Long-billed Marsh Wren and when 

 the rail's eggs were safely packed I be- 

 gan to investigate these wren's nests. 



Six or seven were pulled to pieces 

 without disclosing any treasures, but the 

 next one which was close to the water 

 find had a substantial look, contained 

 five chocolate colored eggs lying in a 

 bed of downy feathers. The nests were 

 all made of grass, round like a ball, and 

 about six inches in diameter with a small 

 opening upon one side, but it was evi- 

 dent that only one was intended for a 

 home-nest, as all the others were shams. 



what might be called April-fool nests. 



Later, I came upon another R*d- 

 breasted or King Rail's nest, but this 

 contained only five eggs.and T also was 

 several more sets of wren's eggs. 



Beyond the slough was a sma'l stretch 

 of prairie land where I notice 1 plover 

 flying, but could see none of them rise. 



Coming upon a second slough I hal 

 the good fortune to scare up another 

 King Rail and found a full set, nine, 

 nearly white eggs sparingly spotted 

 with brown and gray. I waded back with 

 the eggs, and as I sat under a tree pack- 

 ing them. I saw two Wilson's Phalaropes 

 light upon the ground about 500 ft. from 

 me. Leaving the eggs under the trea 

 I started for the Wilson Phalaropes. 



When within about twenty-five feet of 

 them they both flew up. Laying my hat 

 U|)on the spot from which thev reee I 

 commenced to hunt. The birds were 

 coustanHy circling about my head and 

 I knew their nest was near, but I could 

 not see it and was about to give up the 

 search when, entirely by accident, my 

 eyes became conscious that they were 

 resting upon the eggs. Just before me 

 on the ground. partly concealed bv over- 

 hanging grass, and looking like the 

 ground itself, lav four eggs about the 

 size and appearance of the Spotted Sand- 

 piper's but much broader and darker. 



When a tree-toad hops, you know he 

 is there. How did I ever know those 

 eggs were there unless they hopped'.'' 



Well, I had them safe ,and, collecting 

 my scattered possesions, — hat and rail's 

 eggs —started on the home stretch. 



An evening's work and my "specimens" 

 were in their proper place in mv cabinet 

 and I sought "tired nature's sweet restor- 

 er" while a half-forgotten text floated a- 

 round and around in my brain and sooth- 

 ed me with its assnrauce, "Well done 

 good and faithful collector." 



W. E. P. 



Send ten cents for a years subscrip- 

 tion. 



