THE YOUNG OOLOGIST. 



103 



G. R. N., Phila., Pa., writes, that on the 

 morning of October 20th, he saw a flock of 

 at least six hundred crows within twenty 

 yards of a house. 



We are indebted to Chas. Achorn, of 

 Rockland, Maine, for the following items: 



Prof. Bickmore of Central Park, N. Y. 

 City, made arrangements for a collecting 

 tour through the Mussel Ridges and Fox 

 Islands, Me. He particularly desired young 

 birds, in the down, and engaged a friend of 

 mine to accompany him, who was to skin 

 the birds secured. They were to have 

 started August 6th, but owing to the death 

 of Prof. B's associate, the trip was given 

 up after all the arrangements had been 

 made. Last year Prof. B. engaged the 

 same man to accompany him on the same 

 trip, but was forced to abandon his plans 

 at the last moment. Prof. B. is a native of 

 Tenants Harbor, Maine. 



Albert Phelps, of Damariscotta, Me. , has 

 been collecting for the Peabody Institute 

 this summer. He was ofi: here in the 

 harbor for about a week with his Yacht. 

 Phelps is about 19 years of age. 



" Dove vs. Robin ;" White Robin Eggs. 



Noticing H. E. Deats's article in your 

 last issue headed " Dove vs. Robin," 1 add 

 my experience. During five years' collect- 

 ing I have found two nests in every res- 

 pect like a Robin's, and apparently built 

 by that bird, which when found contained 

 two Turtle Dove's eggs each. The old 

 doves were tending the nests, and seemed 

 to have full and undisputed possession. 



At another time I found a found a 

 Robin's nest containing three white eggs, 

 which, supposing them to be Dove's, I was 

 about to take, but noticing that the shape 

 and the shell varied from Dove's eggs gen- 

 erally, did not do so. On that day the par- 

 ent was not seen around the nest. On re- 

 turning the next day the nest contained 

 four white eggs, on which a Robin was sit- 

 ting. I have known of one other nest 

 being found in this vicinity which con- 

 tained what were evidently White Robin's 



J. L. HOLLINGSHEAD, 



Woodstock, 111. 



Jottings from West Stratford, Conn. 



Scarlet Tanager : — I have found several 

 nests of this species during the season, all 

 of which were in apple trees. I have never 

 seen a nest of this bird in any other tree. 

 Found a set of six Great Crested Fly- 

 catcher eggs. Is not this a large set? 



Turtle Dove :— Found several nests of 

 this bird this year. The nest is placed in 

 a small cedar about four feet from the 

 ground; made of sticks, grass and leaves; 

 eggs, two in number, pure white. 

 Yours respectfully, 



W. H. Lucas. 



Late Nesting. 



I noticed several items on late nesting, 

 and can give a little of my experience in a 

 few brief words. 



On August 7th, 1882, took a set of four 

 Song Sparrows, fresh; took set of four Gold- 

 finchs on the 30th of August, 1883, fresh. 

 I also found nest containing one full- 

 fledged Goldfinch on the 2nd of October, 

 1882. Catbird's latest is the 25th of July, 

 and Grass Finch the 29th of July, fresh. 



Yours, C. H. A., ^ 



Taunton, Mass. 



The Flying Squirrel as a Nest-Robber. 



In regard to the query of F. P. about 

 Flying Squirrels eating eggs I would say 

 that this spring I found a Red-headed 

 Woodpecker's nest in a tree about sixty 

 feet from the ground. A few days after- 

 ward, when I returned to get the eggs, the 

 bird was sitting on a tree near by making 

 a pitiful noise. I looked up at the hole in 

 the limb containing the nest and saw the 

 head of some animal. I shot it, and it 

 proved to be a Flying Squirrel, but the eggs 

 were gone. Out of the nine Woodpecker's 

 nests I found thts season I saved three; 

 the rest were destroyed, I suppose, by 

 Flying Squirrels. I poisoned seven by 

 putting strychnine in a dove's egg and put- 

 ting the egg in a hollow tree where I had 

 found a Woodpecker's nest. Flying Squir- 

 rels are very numerous in this locality. 

 E. A. W., Lake City, Minn. 



