AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 37i 



EXTRACTS FROM OUR MAIL BAG, 



It seems as if it had been raining for the last two weeks. The rain 

 may bring joy to the heart of the farmer, but it brings grief to the 

 ornithologist, for it is destroying hundreds upon hundreds of Red-wing- 

 ed Blackbird's eggs. It may destroy a few Bobolink's and Meadow 

 Lark's eggs. I know of a Yellow Warbler's nest with young in it, 

 which the rain made the mother desert. The Blackbird's build in the 

 tall grass close to the river and the rain has made the river flood up 

 over the grass. Stafford Francis, 



Exeter, N. H. 



I wouldlike'to tell you more about the two bird boxes I put up, and that 

 you mentioned in the August number of the A. O. The Tree Swal- 

 lows in the first box I put up got a splendid nest all made and then 

 abandoned the box. I wondered if they left because their front door- 

 step got knocked off, or whether they foresaw that some boys were 

 going to smash it to splinters on the Fourth of July. The Tree Swal- 

 lows that thought of building in the other box, left, and some House 

 Wrens have taken it and reared two or three broods successfully. 

 The box was spared on the Fourth as the noise of smashing the first 

 box roused somebody who stopped the mischief. I shall put up more 

 and better boxes next year, and see that they are not touched on the 

 Fourth of July. Samuel D. Robbins, 



' . Belmont, Mass. 



I looked up the chimney one day and saw the nest of a Purple Mar- 

 tin. It may have been a Chimney Swallow's nest, but it was a family 

 of Purple Martins that were living there, for the next day there was a 

 fire started, and two birds were found dead in the fireplace afterwards. 

 The chimney is perfectly straight, and I think that the birds were suf- 

 focated by the smoke. The nest is still there as I saw it only yester- 

 day. Sally W. Orvis 



Manchester, Vt. 



ENIGMA NO, L 



I am composed of 8 letters. 



My 1-2-3-4 is the shape of my head. 



My 5-3-4 is a boy's name. 



My 7-6-5 is one of your bones. 



My 8-1-2-3 is a gentle bird. 



My whole is a fairly common wood bird. 



Lewis S. Gannett, 

 Bennington Center, Vt. 



