THE OOLOGTST. 



73 



like the common Bubo, on the inside like 

 the Nyctea ; portions of the buck and breast 

 alternately like one and then the other spe- 

 cies. This bird presented a picture of im- 

 posing grandeur, which I never witnessed 

 before in the realms of ornithology. And 

 it brings up questions of grave interest to 

 us, as to where this bird was brought to 

 life, whether in the Arctic breeding regions 

 of the Snowy Owl, or in the common re- 

 sort of Bubo virginianus, among us. Four 

 years ago, no less than twenty farmers and 

 hunters wha lived there, testified that the 

 Snowy Owl bred in the dense marshes of 

 northern New York bordering Lake Ontar- 

 io. I laughed at the idea then, but here 

 comes in just a possibility that it might be 

 so. The saloon keeper stated that for five 

 years they endeavored to shoot this bird, 

 but without avail, imtil one day they sur- 

 rounded and caught him. It was further 

 stated that when first known it was a young 

 bird, and that the nest where it was hatch- 

 was known — but we may believe just as 

 much as we choose of this. I once saw a 

 young Snowy Owl shot in the North Woods 

 of New York, which was not six months 

 old, but whether it was born there, or came 

 from the boreal regions, is still a mystery 

 to me. However I shall be pleased to con- 

 gratulate any gentleman collector who may 

 find them breeding on this side of the Great 

 Lakes. 



No. 2. — I am the fortunate possessor of 

 this instance. The bird is a cross between 

 the Prairie Hen (^Cupidonia cupido), and 

 the common hen. It made its way into 

 the Chicago market, and I speedily bid it 

 off. It has a head, bill and feet of the 

 Prairie Hen, with general color various 

 shades of yellow. I am not so much sur- 

 prised at this solitary instance of the cross- 

 ing of these two birds, as 1 am that there 

 are not more instances of it. It is no un- 

 common sight in Illinois to find flocks of 

 the common hen and Prairie Hen together 

 in the field, a quarter of a mile from the 

 barn-yard. Hence why not more instances 

 cf hybrids. W. H. Ballou. 



The Prairie Chicken in California. 

 — A fact of great interest to our sportsmen 

 has recently been noticed in connection with 

 the Prairie Chicken. The absence of this 

 choice bird of the great western prairies a- 

 mong the feathered game has often been felt, 

 and one or two efforts have been made by 

 individual enterprise to introduce and accli- 

 matize him. They have not been success- 

 ful, and the possibility of producing this de- 

 sirable result has remained in doubt. The 

 bird is solving the problem for us. Starting 

 from the plains of Nebraska, it has followed 

 the overland railroad westward, its appear- 

 ance being noted from time to time in locali- 

 ties along the line where it had never before 

 been seen. Gradually it followed westward 

 until it reached Battle Mountain and Win- 

 nemucca, on the line of the Central Pacific 

 in Nevada. From these points it extended 

 its wanderings northward into Surprise Val- 

 ley, in Northeastern California, and is now 

 spreading through the valleys extending 

 down from Mount Shasta. Its diffusion 

 over the whole State is now believed to be 

 only a question of time and reasonable for- 

 bearance on the part of gunners. — Sa7i 

 Francisco Sunday Chronicle. 



Jlct^^ertiserrLeTits. 



7 cents per brevier line ; .50 cents a square. 

 DESIRABLE EGGS IN SETS. 



We offer the following perfect sets of Eggs. 

 Nests can be furnished where so specified; 

 they will average in price one-half the value 

 of the set. The prices are per set. 



Turkey Buzzard, . 



sets 



of 2 eggs, $2.00 



Broad-winged Hawk, 





2 ' 



2.00 



Wood Pewee, (nest) 





8 ' 



.40 



Wilson's Thrush, (nes 



t)" 



4 ' 



.40 



Brown Thrush, 





3 ' 



.30 



Indigo Bunting, 





3 ' 



.40 



Cardinal Red Bird, 





4 ' 



.50 



Meadow Lark, 





4 ' 



.75 



Spotted Sandpiper, 





3 ' 



.40 



Arctic Tern, 





3 ' 



.20 



S. L. WiLLARD & Co., Utica, N, Y. 



