THE NIDOLOGIST ; 2 11 
Exchanger’s Aphorisms. 
Eggs with nest are best. wate 
Identity isthe thing,even if you write it ‘‘shure”. 
To pack eggs economically—use plenty of 
cotton. 
A prompt correspondent is a man to swear by. 
A slow correspondent is a man to swear at. 
A “reinforced”? box can stand hard kuocks, but 
a flimsy affair will never get there. 
No eggs are too common to be well prepared 
and accompanied by full data. 
au “incomplete” set is better than none, but 
honesty requires that it be so called. 
Blessed (nit) is he who leaves off the A. O. U. 
number. 
Science is the religion of patience 
your work shows it. 
See that 
SS 
Raine Bets. 
We promised to printa reply from Walter 
Raine, aud he sends the following for publication: 
RAINE BETS 2 TO I. 
Special bet—I will bet both Mr 
Shufeldt $200 to $100 as follows: 
I. That the set from Cresent Lake came from 
that locality and not from Europe. 
2. Thatthedatais in Mr. Rippon’s own writing, 
3. That I will produce a set of unmistakable 
eggs of Little Brown Crane collected as recent as 
the past season. 
4, That this set shall be accompanied by 
original data with a letter from the collector. 
5. That I will produce two letters from the 
collector besides myself swearing to the fact they 
have received eggs of Little Brown Crane, from 
N. W. Canada. 
6, That I will produce letters from at least five 
Canadian Ornithologists, stating they are confident 
the Little Brown Crane nests in N. W. Canada. 
If I prove the above Mr. ,is to pay me 
$100 within a month, butif I fail to prove the 
above facts I will pay Mr. , $200. 
Signed, W. RAINE. 
Taylor and 
Accepted by Mr. 
——_+o+—_ 
Unusual Nesting Sites. 
I found last spring, near Sombra, Ontario, the 
nest of a Chipping Sparrow built on the ground, 
and a nest of the Vesper Sparrow built in a bush 
near the house. The occurrence seems unusual 
in both species 
Marine City, Mich. JOHN A. LINK. 
Eugene Carlton Thurber died at his home at 
Aihambra, Cal., September 7, aged 31 years. 
He was an Associate Member of the A. O. U., 
and at onetime a member of the Linnzean Society 
of New York. He took a great interest in Orni- 
thology. The common Junco of California was 
named in his honor, Thurber’s Junco. 
+o+ 
The Murres’ eggs sent as premiums arrived 
safe, and they are beauties. 
M. T. CLECKLEY, M. D. 
General Notes. 
Five sets of the Duck Hawk were taken this 
year in California. 
Dr. J. A. Allen, editor of ‘The Auk,’’ has re- 
turned from a European tour. 
R. B. McLain, formerly of Elm Grove, West 
Virginia, has removed to Stanford University, 
Cal. 
We have started Vol. IV with a ‘‘boom.”’ Can- 
not you, whose magazine it is, give it a little 
shove too? 
The ‘‘Iowa Ornithologist,” quarterly, has sus- 
tained the reputation of bird students in its State 
by issuing some very excellent numbers. 
J. H. and C. W. Bowles, have removed from 
Ponkapog, Mass., to Tacoma, Washington, and 
are much pleased with their new field for bird 
study. 
J. W. Mailliard, of San Francisco reports the 
finding of a number of nests of Brewer’s Black- 
bird in Marin county the past season which were 
built on the ground. 
A. L. Caldwell, of Santa Barbara, Cal., writes 
that he took an egg during the past season, of the 
California Vulture. This would be the only egg, 
we believe, taken this year. 
Oliver Davie’s promised new edition of ‘‘Nest 
and Eggs of North American Birds,’’ is not yet 
out so far as we can learn, although it was billed 
for publication in January last. 
Major Charles E. Bendire’s second volume of 
“Life Histories’ is now out after a long delay in 
the Government Printing Office. The third 
volume will commence with the Evening Gros- 
beak, 
‘Biological Survey’’ is the new and appropriate 
name given by Congress to the Division of Orni- 
thology and Mammalogy of the Department of 
Agriculture, of which Dr. C. Harte Merriam is 
Chief and Dr. T. S. Palmer, Assistant. 
Enclosed please find $1.00 for subscription to 
the ‘“‘Nid”’ for Vol. IV. Am highly pleased with 
the investment. 
Lawrence, Kans. G. N. UPHAM. 
Please find $1.00 bill for your excellent paper 
for another year. It has touched a tender spot in 
the hearts of its nature-loving friends. May its 
future be as grand a success as its past has been. 
Portland, Maine. J. MERTON SWAIN. 
Your ‘‘Standard American Egg Catalogue’”’ and 
also the California Murres’ eggs received some 
time ago. Please accept kindest thanks for both. 
The Catalogue is certainly a much needed booklet 
and the eggs are beauties. 
Aitkin, Minn. ALBERT LANO. 
Oe 
True to His First Love. 
Bowles’ photo of nest of Chimney Swift is great! 
Will enjoy reading the ‘‘Nrp’”’ much as ever. 
Galesburg, Ill. W. A. JOHNSON. 
