THE OOLOGIST'S ADVERTISER. 



strange world without the aid of father or 

 mother. But they do it, and are no sooner 

 hatched than they go on foraging expeditions- 

 Their feathers are first plucked when they 

 are eight months old, but are not then worth 

 much. They are afterwards plucked twice 

 a year, each time growing more beautiful as 

 the bird grows older. 



E. C. Jackson. 



A STRANGE BIRD. 



Written for the Oologist's Advertiser. 



The Water Ousel, sometimes called the 

 Velvet Runner is the strangest of all strange 

 birds. It is quite fond of fishing. It is 

 about eleven inches in length, of an olive- 

 brown color, marked with black above and 

 a bluish ash color beneath. They are very 

 shy and wary and when in danger run with 

 great swiftness, and very seldom use their 

 wings as a means of escape. 



The natural summer home of the Ousel 

 is found way up the mountain sides, where 

 many streams find their way through deep 

 canons, and are very seldom found except 

 by ardent sportsmen or naturalists. 



The nests are generally built under some 

 overhanging bank or waterfall, where it is 

 necessary to go under water to reach it. 

 The bird has a peculiar bobbing motion as 

 if continually bowing and is very much like 

 the snipe or tip-up. They also have a 

 peculiar and strange habit of appearing to 

 commit suicide. They will slowly wade 

 down into the wat^r until they disappear 

 and if the water is clear you may see 

 them clinging to the bottom in search of 

 periwinkles on which they feed. 



Fred G — . 



and seldom fly. They walk with the body 

 erect, and cackle like Geese. They are for- 

 tified against cold by an abundance of fat, 

 and build their nests on lonely islands, in 

 company with the Albatross. The Crested 

 Penguin is of a black color, and inhabits 

 the Falkland Islands. 



THE GOAT SUCKER— is a name gen- 

 erally given to a genus of solitary birds, 

 preying on insects by night. They have 

 wide mouths and large ears and eyes like 

 those of the owl, and their name is said to 

 be derived from the erroneous notion that 

 they are accustomed to suck the milk of the 

 goat. The most remarkable species are the 

 Night Hawk, Whip-poor-will and Chuck- 

 will's- widow of America and the Night Jar 

 or Fern Owl of Europe. 



We want the 2000 readers of this little 

 paper to bear in mind that it is our desire 

 and aim to make this a first-class publica- 

 tion, and with your assistance we can do it. 

 Will you aid us in our undertaking? We 



are thankful for small favors, even I5cts 

 for a year's subscription will help us. Items 

 of interest wouldn't be amiss. —Ed. 



THE PENGUIN. 



The Penguin is a genus of birds very much 

 resembling the Auks. They inhabit the 

 south seas, from the equator to the anarctic 

 circle. They feed on fish, swim very swiftly. 



BIRDS. 



I love to see the little goldfinch pluck 



The groundsel's feathered seed, and twit and twit. 



And, soon in bower ot apple blosoms perched. 



Trim his gay suit, and pay us with a song. 



I would not hold him prisoner for the world. 



The chimney haunting swallow, too my eye 



And ear well pleases. 1 delight to see 



How suddenly he skims the glassy pool, 



How quaintly dips, and with a bullet's speed 



Whisks by. I love to be awake, and hear 



His morning song twittered to dawning day. 



But most oi all, it wins my admiration 



To view the structure of this little work, 



A bird's nest. Mark it well, within, without. 



No tool had he that wrought, no knife to cut. 



No nail to fix, no bodkin to insert. 



No glue to join ; his little beak was all, 



And yet how neatly finished ! What nice hand, 



With every implement and means of art, 



And twentv years apprt?nticeship to boot, 



Could make me such another ? 



