HO 



THE YOUNG OOLOGIST. 



in writing for The Young Oologist wil] 

 confer a favor on us by always using 

 Ridgway's names and numbers.) Speak- 

 ing or writing about the Hydrochelidon lari- 

 formis surinamensis will find it much easier 

 to say Black Tern ; both names apply to 

 the same bird, but we prefer, and use the 

 latter one. 



Davie's Egg Check List. 



Last December we received a letter from 

 our friend, Mr. Oliver Davie of Columbus, 

 O., in which he hinted that in a short time 

 he would place before the oologists of 

 America a work which would be as neces- 

 sary and essential for them to have as 

 "bread and butter," and in fact "they 

 couldn't get along without it." Knowing- 

 Mr. D. to be a man of his word and not 

 wishing to doubt his statements, we waited 

 patiently to see "the elephant." About 

 J'anuary 1st we received advance or sample 

 pages of his new work. To say that we 

 were pleased would be putting it mildly. 

 We were then and are now ready to en- 

 dorse any of PViend D.'s statements bear- 

 ing on the value and necessity of his work. 

 The work stands alone in its chosen field, 

 and thousands will be sold during the com- 

 ing season. The book itself is a marvel of 

 cheapness and beauty, and had Fi-iend D. 

 been one of the "Big Bird Doctors" the 

 idea of sending out the work for less than 

 $2.00 would have been absurd; but we are 

 happy to say that, for our good. Friend D. 

 does not belong, as yet, to that fraternity, 

 and that he is an oologist from the crown 

 of his head to the soles of his feet, and 

 knowing that many of the 3'^ounger col- 

 lectors can more readily spare 60c. than 

 $3.00, he has concluded to content himself 

 with very small profit, and has placed the 

 price so low that every American collector 

 will obtain a copy. We trust that the ex- 

 tensive sale of his work will more than re- 

 ward him for his generosity. And we will 

 say to the collectors obtaining a copy from 

 us, we will not only refund their money if 

 not more than satisfied, but will send 

 •temps suflicient to pay the return postage. 



Let every purchaser write and Tell us what 

 they think of the work. 



WHAT OTHERS SAT. 



Dr. Jones, author of the "Illustrations 

 of the Nests and Eggs of the Birds of 

 Ohio," says: "It certainly will take a 

 prominent place in the ornithological liter- 

 ature of the United States. Fifteen years 

 ago what would I not have given for a 

 work like this '?" etc., etc. 



" Have looked it over, and find it inwd- 

 ■uaMe to the egg collector. The descrip- 

 tions are accurate and the work meets along 

 felt want. The topography of the work is 

 perfect and the price brings it within reach 

 of all. A. N. Fuller, 



Lawrence. Kas. 



Dear Sir. — Received the "Egg Check 

 List." It is worth ten times the price. 

 Philip Laurent, 

 Philadelphia, Pa. 



The Black Snowbird. 



This bird is common here, building its 

 nest in all suitable places. 



The nest is placed on the ground, gener- 

 ally beneath the edge of a rock or tuft of 

 grass, and is composed of fine straw lined 

 with horse hair. 



I once found a nest of this bird built be- 

 neath an old tin pan, and another on some 

 hay in the loft of a barn. 



This bird generally lays four eggs, but I 

 have found two nests containing five. One 

 of them is now in my collection; the other 

 w^as too far advanced to blow. 



Out of over twenty nests of the Snow- 

 bird found by me last season one contained 

 two eggs well advanced, the rest three and 

 four. 



Will some of the readers of The Young 

 Oologist tell me how many eggs the Red- 

 eyed Vireo generally laj^s ? 



I have found several nests of this bird 

 containing two and three eggs each, but 

 never any more. "3Iinot" says they lay 

 four iJmd five. H. H. McAdam, 



Oak Bay, N. B. 



The Red-eyed Vireo generally lays four 

 egg's in this locality. — [Ed. 



