THE YOUNG OOLOGIST. 



I^^T 



Spotted Robin Eggs. 



John A. Martin of Wallingford, Conn., 

 writes : 



" I found tliis season, June '3Jst, a set of 

 Robin's eggs (3), incubation advanced. 

 These are usual size, but ai-e uniformly 

 covered with small lirown spots. Are not 

 these rare ?" 



The only instance, besides the a1)ove. of 

 spotted Robin eggs coming to our notice 

 was that a few weeks since W. L. Morse 

 of Syracuse, N. Y. , sent us a box of eggs 

 for identification among which was an egg- 

 to which he gave the following data: "It 

 is one of a set of four which I collected 

 two or three years ago, about three miles 

 .south of Syracuse. The nest was placed 

 about six feet from the gi-ound in an apple 

 tree in an orchard, and resembled that of a 

 Robin." The egg exactly resembled an 

 ordinary Robin's egg, with the exception 

 that it was sprinkled with obscure dots and 

 spots, some of which wo-e fullj^ 1-16 of an 

 inch in diameter, of reddish l)rown, these 

 spots being more numerous at the large 

 end of the egg. In our mind there is not 

 the least doubt but what tins egg was that 

 of the Robin. 



Our Smal'est Winter Friend. 



Of all our birds 1 think the little Black- 

 capped Titmouse (Parusalricapillus) is our 

 best friend and most general favorite. Not 

 like the others, who desert us at the first 

 sign of hard times, they stay with us dur- 

 ing the most dreary weathei-, cheeiing us 

 with their funny ways and happy little 

 song. 



They are of a social disposition, and 

 often found in company with the Nu- 

 thatches, with whom they are always 

 peaceable. 



Their only fault is, they are very inquis- 

 itive. 



The other day when collecting it was 

 snowing very hard, and not seeing any- 

 thing for a long time, felt rather discour- 

 aged and stopped a few minutes to rest. I 

 had not done so two seconds licfoi'c T lieaixl 



a little twitter above my head, and on look- 

 ing up saw one of my little friends hang- 

 ing from nearly the topmost branch of a 

 very tall tree, working with all his little 

 might, probably at the insects which it 

 contained, every now and then uttering a 

 little sort of twitter, with sometimes the 

 note for which he gets his name. Chicka- 

 dee. 



While I was looking at him I heard a 

 rustling in the leaves, and about three 

 yards from me saw one of his companions 

 turning them over, running up into the 

 bushes and shaking snow all over himself, 

 to all appearances not conscious of my 

 presence; but in reality peeping at me 

 whenever he thought I was not noticing 

 him. 



I watched him a little while, much 

 amused, but feeling a little chilly, started 

 on. 



I had not gone far before I shot a Blue 

 Jay, and was standing admiring it when I 

 looked up and found 1 was again sur- 

 rounded by my little friends, who proba- 

 bly were at a little distance when I shot, 

 and being of such inquisitive natures could 

 not help but come and see what I was do- 

 ing. 



The Titmouse is also one of our most 

 useful birds, each bird being said to de- 

 stroy in the spring on an average of over 

 two hundred injurious insects daily. 



Arthur H. Lockett, 

 •Exeter, N. H. 



The tallest bird known to ethnologists 

 was found by Professor Herbert in the 

 lower eocene deposits near Paris, France. 

 It was over twelve feet in height, and 

 could have bitten a man's head off as easily 

 as a Woodpecker can nip a cherry. We 

 cannot be too thankful that this bird has 

 gone out of fashion and existence. Ladies 

 would have wanted to wear it on their hats, 

 and men who sat behind such bonnets or 

 ornaments in the theatres would be unable 

 to see whether a ballet or a prayer meeting 

 were in progress on the stage. 



