THE OOLOGIST. 



47 



ulties, being constantly exerted to catch the 

 least indication of danger, lend to them an 

 increased sense of perception. Thus one 

 is often surprised when approaching a bird, 

 to see it suddenly take flight in an alarmed 

 manner, while still quite a distance away, 

 though it did not seem possible a movement 

 so silently executed could have been per- 

 ceived. 



The sense of sight is very highly devel- 

 oped in birds, the object of which is readily 

 perceived, for most of the larger species are 

 obliged to seek their prey from great dis- 

 tances, and the smaller ones, especially the 

 Flycatchers, discern the most insignificant 

 insects on the wing with an almost incred- 

 ible rapidity ; but in the case of the former 

 and also frequently of the latter, we may 

 detract somewhat from the unusual keen- 

 ness of sight, from the circumstance of the 

 advantageous view that may be obtained of 

 even the smallest moving objects, from a 

 considerable elevation above the earth. 

 Birds have the power of adapting the focus 

 of their eyes to the distance of the object, 

 and the arrangement of the eyes of noctur- 

 nal birds is such that they can distinguish 

 their prey better in the dark than in the 

 lio;ht. 



Extracts from the Field Book of 

 1877. 



We would request correspondents who 

 send us eggs for examination or identifica- 

 tion, not to send written matter in the box- 

 es unless letter postage is prepaid upon 

 them, for the payment of additional post- 

 age devolves upon the recipient. We also 

 would never advise the use of paper or card- 

 board boxes in which to send eggs, as they 

 usually get broken and the eggs destroyed. 

 Many valuable specimens are thus broken, 

 and blame attached to some person for the 

 accident. Either a cigar box or strong tin 

 box, are the best handy receptacles for eggs 

 that are to be sent by mail. 



Pamphlets containing a description of 

 the Rose-breasted Grosbeak by Audubon, 

 with an illustration of the bird, can be ob- 

 tained at this office on receipt of ten cents. 



t HOUGH my field book is more of a 

 success this year than it was last, it 

 '^ is not quite as complete as it might 

 have been. I have arranged it into depart- 

 ments, under each separate head of which 

 1 place the appropriate notes. Thus, one 

 division is "Flight," another "Food," 

 "Eggs and Nests," "Arrival," "Depart- 

 ure," &c., with room for miscellaneous i- 

 tems. One department, that in which I 

 have recorded the most, is designated "In- 

 cidents of Habits," being a collection of 

 such observations as have come more par- 

 ticularly under my notice. I have made a 

 few extracts from the field book, which in 

 one way or another may be of interest to 

 the collector. 



1 was prospecting through a pleasant 

 glade in the lower part of one of the beau- 

 tiful glens for which central New York is 

 so noted, and silently admiring the rich song 

 of a Wood Thrush, while, with an idea of 

 the suitableness of the place for the nests of 

 the Thrushes, I examined the bushes and 

 clumps of fern leaves here and there. I 

 had marked the spot at the end of a large 

 log, that from the circumstance of a bird 

 flying out, gave me the impression there 

 might be something to be gained by a search 

 of the place. I had just stooped to part the 

 twigs, when, right from under me flew out 

 a female Eufl^ed Grouse, with a loud whir-r. 

 It immediately threw itself into a position 

 of utter helplessness, that to me indicated 

 that she had young, which I could not, of 

 course, see, as they had concealed them- 

 selves. The lamentations and seeming in- 

 ability to either run or fly on the part of 

 the Grouse, were admirable imitations of 

 real suffering. She would limp with body 

 close to the ground, feathers ruffled, and 

 wings and tail widely distorted and out- 

 spread, throwing up her head and ut- 

 tering the most distressing cries. Had one 

 not seen the bird who never before heard 

 its wail, the impression that a dog had 



