114 AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS, 



Lewis A. Davis: — As you have not yet got your camera and are ex- 

 pecting to use it extensively for the photographing of birds and nests, 

 I would strongly advise against getting one that uses films exclusively. 

 I have no personal objection whatever to the Kodak, in fact I own three 

 of them of various sizes, but I would not think of using them for ob- 

 taining bird photos. I will briefly sum up the advantages and disad- 

 vantages of both films and plates. Films are much lighter than plates, 

 are easily handled, and do not break. On the other hand they are only 

 about one-half as fast as plates; they cost about half as much again; 

 they are more subject to imperfections, which while they may not be of 

 frequent occurrence, are sure to come on a very valuable negative if at 

 all. Plates are comparitively cheap, and what is of the utmost impor- 

 tance they are extremely rapid. Of course others may have different 

 views, but I have had considerable experience in bird photography and 

 have tried both plates and films on the same subject at the same time 

 with infinitely better results with the former. 



Geo. W. Fisk: — I enclose photo of a grebe that was found on the 

 beach here. When I approached, it came sliding towards me and did 

 not seem in the least afraid. The bird was thia and hungry and when 

 I held out a clam to it would swim to me and take it. Can you tell me 

 what it is? — The bird in the illustration is a young Horned Grebe. 

 The adults in winter look very much like this. It is only in the spring 

 and summer that they have the tufts and chestnut markings. 



F. E. Wait: — The birds referred to in your first question are probably 

 Pine Warblers which are shown in this months color chart. These 

 birds migrate in flocks through Mass-, in the Fall. The second bird is 

 the Fox Sparrow. It is known by its large size and bright rufous 

 markings. They migrate in the Fall with juncos or in flocks by them- 

 selves. The cowbirds egg, has a light grey ground and is thickly 

 specked over the entire surface with reddish brown and black. The 

 nest you mention in question 4 is that of the wood pewee. The least 

 flycatcher builds its nest in the crotch of a tree, while the pewee builds 

 on a horizontal limb and covers the outside of the nest with lichens. 

 The A. O. U. number of the slate colored junco is 567. 



H. Gebser: — You are in error in regard to the eggs of the Wood 

 Thrush. The color is correct as described in the Nov. A. O. The egg 

 that you call a Wood Thiush is a Brown Thrasher. The egg of the Yel- 

 low-billed Cuckoo is larger and paler than the Wood Thrush, which is 



