THE NIDIOLOGIST 



NEST OF THE LEAST Bl'lTERX. 



" To get out for a run and fly about the house 

 is a rare treat. He is always on the alert for 

 any surprise, investigating every corner, even 

 peeping behind the picture frames, or suddenly 

 flying on the cage of the unsuspecting Canary, 

 yet doing no harm to the frightened little occu- 

 pant. Should he catch a glimpse of himself in 

 the looking-glass, there is immediately a note of 

 defiance at that other bird and a great search- 

 ing for him when no longer seen. With feath- 

 ers erect about his neck, and beak wide open, 

 he makes quite a startling appearance if an 

 effort is made to catch him, yet when caught 

 lies quietly in the hand, seeming happy to be 

 petted. 



"The surname of ' Doodles ' has been given 

 to our Dick for no other reason than, somehow, 

 it seems appropriate. Evidently our 'Dick' 

 has a keen enjoyment of fun, a lovable disposi- 

 tion, is intelligent, and does a good deal of 

 quiet reasoning in that bird brain, or else why 

 so many ways of e.xpressing wants, of display- 

 ing likes and dislikes, or of e.xpressing pleasure 

 at any attention to his cute w-ays ? To the bird 

 lover there is an unsjjoken language by a 

 feathered pet. 



"Alameda, Cal, August 5, 1895." 



THOSE COLORED PLATES. 



Mr. R. G. P.M'E. of McLeansboro. III., writes us : 

 " I noticed your ofter in the .\ugust ' N'U)' concerning 

 the colored plates, which pleases nie greatly, and I 

 think every lover of science should try to secure 

 ihem. ."Xs for myself, I know not what success I will 

 have, but I will certainly do my best to send in at least 

 one new subscription." If our kind friends will 

 secure one new subscription apiece, the colored 

 plates will be a reality. Try it for us. We offer 

 premiums elsewhere in this number. 



A Least Bittern's Nest. 



THE Least Bittern is not uncommon on 

 the Hackensack marsh in New Jersey 

 during the summer months. 



It is sensitive to cold weather, and is seldom 

 seen before May i. These birds commence to 

 build here about June i, and the sets are com- 

 plete about the middle of Jime. 



I saw the nest, of which the accompanying 

 photograph was taken, on June 10. It had no 

 eggs in it then, but as it was a new nest I went 

 with my camera on June 19, 1895, and took 

 the picture. The nest was a saucer-shaped plat- 

 form composed of last year's rushes, and built 

 on rushes bent over for the purpose about eight- 

 een inches above the water. The whole struc- 

 ture was partially covered by a flimsily con- 

 structed canopy of green rushes used, perhaps, 

 to shield off some of the hot rays of the sun, 

 and also for concealment. 



J. H. Cl-Ark. 



Paterson, N. J. 



ST. PETER SAID NOT. 



Mk. Harold Ward, of .-\lameda, tells of the follow- 

 ing dream he had bearing on Oology. He was ap- 

 proaching the .gate of St. Peter, when that high func- 

 tionary called a haltiand barred his entrance : 



" We don't allow any bird's-egg collectors in here," 

 said St. Peter, sternly. 



" What ! " said Ward, in amazement, " didn't I see 

 Roswell Wheeler go in a little way ahead of me ? " 



" 'S/i .'" said St. Peter. " WhecUr can't fiiiJ hird's 

 tggsr ^ ^ ^ 



I HAVE taken several Ornithological papers, but 

 the " Xid" beats them all. 'W. B. Sa.nson. 



Stockton, Cal. 



