10 



THE OOLOGIST. 



the half webbed feet, the white upon 

 back and wings tell us the story. 



This is the American Avocet, a 

 rather rare bird with us, but quite com- 

 mon in Montana, Wyoming and Utah. 



As we land his mate flies up and an- 

 other charge of fine shot lays her be- 

 side het mate, mute witnesses to man's 

 rapacity. The nest cannot be far from 

 the place where she rose. It is not hard 

 to locate, being a mere depression in 

 the sind lined with a few wisps of dried 

 grass and leaves, containing four olive- 

 buff eggs plentifully spotted with choco. 

 late brown uniform with all the waders, 

 and likd them, pointing inwards. 



In size about 1.80x1.35- They too, 

 go into the capacious maw of the col- 

 lecting case. A whistle of wings over- 

 head causes us to look up in time to see 

 a pair of Mallards alight on the water 

 and swim gracefully away. For of all our 

 water birds the Mallard is the most 

 graceful. la this country the Mallard 

 nests among the rocks some distance 

 from the shore of the lake or pond and 

 we must look for this one in yonder 

 cliff of rocks in the direction from 

 whence they came. An hour of search 

 fails to reveal the coveted nesting place 

 of Mrs. Anas and we give up the quest 

 and recline under the shade of a great 

 pine to rest. We are hidden from a 

 view of the lake by the body of the tree. 



In a short time the • duck alights not 

 sixty feet from our resting place and 

 with a preliminary look arouAcS" wad- 

 dles serenely upon her nest. 



In vain have we walked around that 

 very spot, but the nest is cunningly 

 secreted among the rocks and the tall 

 grass that grows between them. 



Cautiously we approach. Even then 

 so nearly does her soft brown back 

 blend with the surroundings that we all 

 most tread upon her before she gives 

 a startled quack and takes wing. 



There are 9 olive green eggs within 

 a mere depression aoiong the rocks 

 lined with grass and down from the 



mother's breast, All is fish that comes 

 to our net, and while they are not very 

 valuable let us look up the nests of the 

 Red-wings that are continually circling 

 above us making the air vocal with 

 their "koig quer ree" and flashing 

 their scarlet epaulets as they whirl above 

 us. In this country they build upon the 

 rushes above the water and in the thorn 

 and alder thickets that skirt the edge 

 of the lake. So with wading boots pul- 

 led up high we wade out some feet from 

 shore and are in a veritable city of 

 blackbirds. Nests and nests every- 

 where; some completed, some 

 nearly ready to hatch and a few con- 

 taining only one or more eggs. 



The nests are compactly made of 

 dried grass and small sticks lined with 

 moss and hair, fastened securely to the 

 tule. We select a few complete sets 

 of the eggs which are the most typically 

 marked, light blue or slate colored with 

 clouded markings of dark purple or 

 black. Well, here is another nest 

 round as a ball and of about the same 

 size, fastened to a single tule stalk, 

 where it sways with every passing 

 breeze, an air-swung cradle for the 

 babies within. What bird is this, say- 

 est thou? In sooth no bird at all. 



A pair of bright eyes and a funny 

 little whiskered nose are pushed oat 

 of the diminutive hole in the side of 

 the nest, they are peering and snifiing 

 with evident alarm. Upon our near 

 approach the little occupant tumbles 

 into the water and swims away as 

 rapidly as four tiny feet can carry her. 



This is the home of the kangaroo 

 mouse of the Northwest and we will 

 investigate her domicile. 



Gently enlarging the doorway we 

 find the cavity neatly and warmly lined 

 with hair and feathers and reposing 

 on this downy couch five little creatures 

 that seem all eyes and head, except a 

 mi'^e of pink body that is entirely 

 guiltless cf any covering. Innocent 

 little creatures and as they cannot be 



