52 



THE OOLOGIST. 



had, while I was away after the Crane's, 

 f J und a Loon's nest with two eggs in 

 it. The nest appeared deserted, and 

 the eggs cold. This nest was in a 

 different location from the others we 

 had found, being placed on the shore 

 of the lake, in a little channel cut by 

 musk rats. The nest was simply a place 

 flattened ?n the grass, and a few pieces 

 of reed brush cut by musk rats while 

 feeding, were laid round the two eggs 

 to keep them from rolling. They show- 

 ed the same general appearance as 

 others I had taken. I might here men- 

 tion that about two week's previous to 

 this I had brought to me a Loon to 

 mount, which upon dissection proved 

 to be a female. She was shot on this 

 same sheet of water, and from the de- 

 serted appearance of the nest the fact 

 that the embryo in the incubated egg 

 was decomposed somewhat, the other 

 being addled. I concluded that these 

 two eggs belonged to the shot bird. We 

 thoroughly searched the lake, but 

 found no more Loon's eggs and after 

 dinner carried our boat to the largest 

 lake of the three and proceeded to 

 search it. There was a pair of Loons 

 on this lake, and two young as we 

 afterwards found. On the south side 

 of the lake, in a place exactly like the 

 last one we had found, we located the 

 nest, but we were too late. There was 

 nothing but broken shells; the birds had 

 escaped. We followed the old birds 

 and got close enough to see the little 

 ones, whi3h were about two weeks old 

 to judge by their size. This lake seem- 

 ed very bare of life, for with the ex- 

 ception of a few Black Tern in their 

 everlasting hunt after flies, a Coot and 

 a few Blackirds, it appeared to be de- 

 void of specimens. We drew the boat 

 alongside the shore and returned to the 

 buggy. The only other find worth re- 

 cording was that of a Virginia Rail's 

 nest. Built in the thick reeds on the 

 side of the small lake, where I shot the 

 Loon the day previous, it was woven to 



the reed ^stalks, was just above water 

 level and in about nine inches of water. 

 The old birds made a great fuss as I 

 approached it, and I was surprised to 

 find it empty. Further search however 

 revealed a small lump of fine glossy 

 black down, with a pair of small spark- 

 ling eyes and a little pinkish white bill, 

 and I knew then what had caused all 

 the commotion. Mr. and Mrs. Rallus 

 resented my intrusion into their pri- 

 vate domain. I did not look for more 

 after taking a good look at my wee 

 captive. 1 placed him tenderly back in 

 his cradle and left him there. We 

 found old Billy quite ready for us. The 

 sun had set and we must make all haste 

 home, so we loaded our outfit, and 

 finished our ale and in 15 minutes were 

 leaving behind for this season, the habi- 

 tation of the Loon. Next year I hope 

 to give the readers of the Oologist 

 some more notes on this interesting 

 bird. I gave the young crane to Mr. 

 A as his share of the plunder, and 

 today he is a fine, almost full grown 

 fellow and bosses the ranch. At some 

 future date I hope to give my readers a 

 history of Sandie's doings in captivity. 

 Chkis p. Fokge, 



Carman, Manitoba. 



A Novice's Note-book. No. 2. 



June 3, 1881. Got several eggs of the 

 Barn Swallow, generally four in each 

 nest, but not more than that number. 

 Several nests contained young. The 

 eggs are whitish, thickly spotted with 

 reddish brown. 



Also eggs of tho Red-headed Wood- 

 pecker, nest in an old decayed apple 

 tree; four eggs in the nest, pure white, 

 somewhat smaller than Dove's eggs. 

 (1 had never hear.! of measusing eggs 

 in those days. P. M. S.) 



Also eggs of the Catbird, nest in 

 hedge, and contained two eggs, bright 

 green. (.Observe the primitive simplic- 



