62 THE NIDOLOGIST 
both birds may quickly rise in the air and pass 
rapidly beyond the limit of human vision; and 
then, with almost incredible velocity, swoop 
down in close proximity to the invading party. 
The portion of Mount Tom usually chosen 
as the nesting site is on the western exposure 
of the mountain, about one third the distance 
from the abrupt southern extremity of the 
mountain to where the Connecticut River cuts 
its way through the range at the foot of Mount 
Nonotuck. Here the side of the mountain is 
rocky and precipitous, extending almost per- 
pendicularly downward for about three hundred 
and fifty feet, and then making a more sloping 
descent to the plain below. Only those whose 
heads are clear and limbs steady may venture 
to stand with safety on the edge of this cliff and 
gaze upon the rocks and trees at the foot of the 
mountain. 
>> 
Curious Notes on the Water Ouzel 
in Montana. 
N sending to the NrpoLocisv the follow- 
ing interesting observations, Mr. A. H. 
Wheatley writes: That beautiful Ouzel’s 
nest, figured in your September number, has 
moved me to send an extract from my note- 
book: 
MIDDLE STILLWATER Lake, Mont., | 
January ro, 1895. | 
Yesterday spent some time watching a Water 
Ouzel who frequents the rapid, shallow water 
at the outlet of the lake just opposite our camp. 
He was sitting on a point of ice projecting from 
the shore; feathers all fluffy, and every minute 
or so, with a flirt of his wings, down he would 
go, head first, to the bottom, where be would 
run along a short way on the rocks and then 
bob up lke a piece of cork. If he had found 
something tender, he would swallow it on the 
swim and then dive again with another wing 
flirt, but once every little while he would get 
hold of a water snail, or something with a shell, 
in which case the instant his head came to the 
surface, he would flap his wings, rise from the 
water and reach the ice in a few flaps, where he 
would drop his prey, peck the shell to pieces, 
eat the contents, maybe take a drink and then 
dart in again. Sometimes instead of diving in 
head first, he would jump in breast first and 
swim around awhile before diving. Some time 
ago I saw him on a small, semisubmerged rock 
in the riffles, going over the same performances, 
but in this case he invariably came up facing 
and close to the rock as though he had turned 
round in the water and climbed up the sub- 
merged portion to the surface. Some days he 
seems restless and flies along the river shore, 
drops into the water with a splash at short 
intervals, swims around and dives for a while, 
possibly wades a little close inshore or near 
shelving rocks, and then rises from the water 
or rock for another short flight. Often, on fine, 
clear days, and sometimes even cloudy days, 
he will sit on a rock or ice floe and pour forth 
his rich, gurgling notes, though I notice some 
of them seem a trifle harsh or guttural. The 
majority of the notes are clear and melodious, 
howeyer, and the harshness may not be there in 
the spring. ‘The bird is very tame and un- 
suspicious. 
While fishing for trout this fall from a large, 
rounded bowlder, surrounded by water, below 
the rapids—I had been watching an otter and 
was standing very still, fish pole in hand—an 
Ouzel came to the bowlders and proceeded to 
dive, swim, wade, and sing ; so when the otter 
disappeared I watched the Ouzel. 
He came close to me, not five feet away, and 
after eyeing me inquisitively a little while, flew 
on to my fish pole, and getting bolder, seeing I 
stood perfectly still, preened his feathers alittle, 
then hopped along the pole toward my hand, 
stopping sidewise every hop or two to eye me, 
until finally he was withm a foot of my hand. 
He stayed there a little while, then flew off, 
did some more diving, singing, etc., and finally 
coming round to me again, concluded to in- 
vestigate once more. He flew on my fish pole 
again and repeated his previous performance, 
coming even closer this time, and then flew off 
and hunted some more dinner, while I pro- 
ceeded to try and get a fish for mine, otherwise 
he might have come again. 
A. H. WHEATLEY. 
> +> 
The Spirit of the Magazine. 
Mr. EuGENE S. ROLFE, in a recent letter, so tersely 
defines the sort of magazine we have tried to publish, 
with our readers’ generous help, that we here print it 
in full : 
“T like the NipoLocisT thoroughly. Aside from 
its wealth of illustrations, its good, honest paper, and 
its typographical appearance, I like its kindly, genial 
tone—its gentlemanly tone—and feel thankful that the 
matter furnished covers that distinctly great field mid- 
way between that which appeals to the merest tyro 
bent on a ‘collection,’ and that which is prodigiously 
heavy or insufferably dull.” 
So They All Say. 
To-pay I received the premiums, and must say they 
are excellent, especially the photos. Accept my 
thanks for the same. H. W. Beers: 
Bridgeport, Conn. 
Tue NIpo.oaist is indeed a fine paper, and every 
word it contains is of interest to the Odlogist. 
New Vineland, Me. W. A. LEE. 
