THE NIDOLOGIST 93 
transactions in the exchange of certain sets 
of birds’ eggs, be it 
“Resolved, that his fraudulent practices 
are hereby severely condemned by the Club, 
and that he has forfeited his right to mem- 
bership in the Cooper Ornithological Club 
of California forever hereafter, and be it fur- 
ther 
‘*Resolved, that he be, and is hereby ex 
pelled unconditionally from all his rights 
and privileges asa member of the Club, and 
that notice of his expulsion be published in 
the official organ.’’ 
Mr. Lyman Belding presented to the Club 
his bound MSS. of ‘‘Water Birds of the Pa- 
cific District,’’ which is a companion part to 
his published ‘‘ Land Birds,’’ represent- 
ing a most valuable compilation of observa- 
tions. A vote of thanks was tendered Mr. 
Belding for his generous gift. 
The matter of Major Bendire’s death was 
brought before the meeting and the follow- 
ing resolutions of respect adopted:— 
‘‘Whereas, Science has suffered an irre- 
parable loss in the death of the distinguished 
Ornithologist, Major Chas. E. Bendire, be it 
‘Resolved that the Cooper Ornithological 
Club expresses its deep regret at the pass- 
ing of America’s greatest authority in Ool- 
ogy,-—scholarly in attainments and untiring 
in the pursuit of exact knowledge, which it 
was ever his pleasure to disseminate for the 
benefit of all—and be it further 
“Resolved that this Club is profoundly 
sensible of the loss ofa generous friend and 
appreciative patron.’’ 
R. B. McLain was elected Vice—Presideut 
pro-tem of the Club to serve during the 
absence of Mr. Kaedizg. Ralph Arnold 
presented an interesting paper on ‘‘Nesting 
of the Black-throated Gray Warbler in Los 
‘Angeles County.” 
The Northern Division meets May 1, at 
the home of W. Otto Emerson at Haywards, 
when Dr. J. G. Cooper will be present and 
deliver a talk. A large attendance is 
desired. 
eee 
WE ARE informed that Mr. Anthony will describe a 
new bird, Carfodacus mcgregorz,in the next ‘*Auk.” 
CLAUDE FyFeE of San Francisco has departed for 
London, and will be absent about six months. 
A MOCKINGBIRD was observed in Alameda, Cal., 
by the ‘‘Nid’s” editor February 18; first ever seen 
here. 
LEVERETT M. Loomis of the California Academy of 
Sciences is visiting his home in North Carolina, 
GEORGE F, BRENINGER has returned to Phoenix, 
Arizona, 
LEAST BITTERN. 
I have heard of several writers who say 
they have never heard the Least Bittern 
utter a sound, but that it was a perfectly 
quiet bird. This last summer when in Hills- 
dale County, Michigan, I discovered but 
one place where this Bittern could be found. 
This was where a lake of about three miles 
in length joined a smaller lake, which con- 
tained about fifteen acres. ‘The two lakes 
were connected by a narrow stream spanned 
by a bridge and bordered on each side by 
cat-tails, reeds, and rushes. Hereas many 
as four Least Bitterns were seen at a time. 
Often they would light on the rushes and 
utter their peculiar notes. The sound re- 
sembles the word cluck, cluck, cluck uttered 
several times. Their note is not loud for 
they could not be heard more than a dozen 
rods away. 
They would alight behind a logand stick 
their heads out from behind it. It was 
difficult to discover them in this position 
unless they were at the same time ‘‘cluck- 
ing,’’ for their heads closely resemble the 
logsand brush about them. 
GERARD ABBOTT. 
Englewood, Ill. 
* 
* 
NESTING OF BACHMAN’S SPARROW. 
Amid long-growing weeds, by the side of 
the Wabash railroad and within twenty feet 
of the roar and clash of passing trains— 
this, according to my data, is where I first 
saw the home of Peucea bachmaniz. 
Previous to the season of 1896, little 
Peucea was unknown to me and the set of 
eggs I obtained is of double value to me, in 
that it adds another name to my list of 
birds nesting in this vicinity. 
So few are the accounts given regarding 
the nidification of the members of the Spar- 
row family, that my notes may prove of 
interest to some of the many readers of the 
NIp. 
On May 14, I was making a systematic 
search for nests of the Maryland Yellow- 
