THE NIDOLOGIST 27 
Published and DR.SHUFELDT 
Edited by Smithsonian 
Henry R. TayLor Institution, Associate. 
Founded at Alameda, California, September, 1893 
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“‘Giving the 
WALTER RAINE gives us 
Devii his Duc’’ 
some facts as to those ‘‘made 
up’’ sets of Grebe’s eggs. 
It seems that Macoun made up the sets and R 
gladly gives him the credit for it. 
Raine explains that the instruments he used to 
measure the set of labelled Little Brown Cranes’ 
from Crescent Lake were home-made, or that it 
may be on account of a typographical error that 
these eggs were described in his book as measur- 
ing ‘'3.60x2.30 and 3 64x3.32,’’ whereas they 
show under the calipers only 3.32x2.04 and 
3-26x2.00. It is quite evident that Raine needs a 
new pair of calipers badly. 
It is unfortunate for Mr. Raine that the Smith- 
sonian Institution, as we gather from his letter 
herein published, does not agree with him that 
these small eggs are those of the Little Brown 
Crane. We have to regret, also, that in the 
voluminous correspondence received lately from 
him he makes no reference to the so-called eggs 
of the Long-billed Curlew taken by himself and 
his collectors in England—where the birds do not 
breed—photographic copies of the data-labels of 
which, in his handwriting, we published in the 
August number. We are sorry to note, also, that 
no attempt is made to explain how Mr. Raine 
came to sell a set of eggs of the American Scoter 
to Mr. E. B. Schrage, accompanied by data-label 
in his handwriting, stating that they were taken 
on the southwest coast of Greenland on June 19, 
1889, whereas it is unknown to naturalists up to 
the present date that the American Scoter ever 
bred in Greenland, and in Mr. Andreas T. Hager- 
up’s work, ‘‘The Birds ot Greenland,’’ published 
in Boston in 1891, this species of Duck is not 
given as occurring there. 
While publishing recent Raine correspondence 
we give herewith also, a letter from Raine, written 
to the editor of THr NipOLoGIST some time ago, 
when this journal was published in New York, in 
which he made belligerent overtures, threatening 
a duel. We were in that city for some months 
afterward, but neither Raine nor his seconds 
favored us with a call. Perhaps the center of 
civilization was a poor ground for such an unlaw- 
ful recourse. However, we are still on the earth, 
and if Mr. Raine still cherishes any such rash plan, 
which we doubt, the editor will take pleasure in 
accepting; provided, of course, that he has the 
choice of weapons—in which case we shall 
choose eggs of Grus virgo at ten paces. 
Raine freely admits in his letter that he is ‘‘a 
devil,’ on occasions, and as it is a common maxim 
that we should ‘‘give the devil his due,’’? we can- 
didly affirm that in any matter of doubt, he should 
be given the benefit of it. 
* “3 % 
THIS Is confessedly a 
“rush”? number, and Raine 
correspondence crowds out 
much that we have on hand in interesting articles 
and illustrations. However, we got a colored 
plate in September issue which any magazine 
would have been proud to publish, and we have 
another treat in prospect for our readers in 
another colored plate, true to life, of the head of 
a California Vulture, which we believe has never 
been figured in color and will be of great use in 
taxidermy, besides giving an exceilent idea of the 
greatest bird of flight in the world, and which is 
supposed to be nearing extinction. The drawing 
from ‘which the painting was made was executed 
by Mr. Walter E. Bryant from studies of a freshly 
killed bird, 
Our Color 
Work Succeeds 
Willbea Tue 
illustrated souvenir, ‘‘Story of 
Beauty 
the Farallones,” promises to be a great 
success. We extend our offer 30 days 
to give all a last chance to participate in it. Read 
the opinions published from among the many who 
hive promptly remitted the /ow price. ‘‘Get in’ 
and include vour friends,— before we raise it, as 
we shall do in next number, to 50 cents per copy. 
We mean every word we said in our announce- 
ment. Take apart in the enterprise, and at once. 
We will appreciate it, and you will have good 
cause to be glad you did not let the opportunity 
slip. Remit 20 cents each for from one to three 
copies, ow. 
Are They WE READ the following in a 
Sportsmen? Sonoma (California) paper: 
The Mira Monte Club will have a club hunt at their pre- 
serves in Sonoma county to-day. Only small game will be 
sought after, including hawks, bluejays and yellow hammers. 
The club consists of about a dozen members, and besides 
these there will be numerous guests. All who engage in 
the sport will be divided into two sides, and points will be 
scored for the various animals or birds killed. 
The losing side will bear the expense of an elaborate 
banquet at the club-house to-morrow. Leather medals will 
be provided for the two persons scoring lowest. 
We believe that a large leather medal should be 
provided for this sportsmen (?) club, if one of 
their alleged sports is to slaughter small birds, 
unfit for food, as well as Hawks, the best friends 
of the agriculturalist. 
* 
* % 
Beats the A ‘‘WoRLD” special from 
Alameda Cranes Crockton, Minn., gravely 
describes an attack bv 
“Giant Cranes,’’ said to be 7 feet 8 inches high, 
and with wings measuring 8 feet 4 inches. 
