Great Desiructitn of Birds. 2og 



there have been found a ^reat many crows and wild ducks near 

 the Washington monument. They fly at dawn when the mists 

 are thick, and are killed by contact with the monument, which is 

 hidden in the clouds. He also reports that great numbers of wild 

 geese have been noticed flying over the city. This, he asserts, is 

 an infallable indication of an early and severe winter. 



On the morning of October 14th we found a mountain plover 

 (^^gialitis montanus, Cassin) at our door which had evidently 

 destroyed itself by dashing against the electric 1 ght mast at our 

 corner, 21st and J streets. On the two succeeding mornings we 

 found several plover, two ducks, belonging to different species, 

 and a wild canary at the base of the mast. 



NOTES ON THE POWER OE SCENT IN THE 

 SEXTON BEETLE. 



In the summer of 1886, while on one of my collecting trips in 

 Southwestern Iowa, I happened to kill a small specimen of the 

 lizard tribe, and as I had not seen anything of the kind I started 

 to take it home for further examination, but the day was warm and 

 it decayed rapidly, so I threw it down beside the road and left it. 

 The next day I had occasion to visit the same locality again, and 

 glanced around to see what had become of the lizard. It was still 

 there, but partly buried in the earth. Upon a closer examination. 

 I found three Sexton Beetles at work upon it, digging under and 

 around it. As I had heard a great deal about the power of scent 

 in these insects, I resolved to try an experiment. I removed one 

 of them about four feet from the lizard, with the wind blowing 

 from the insect towards the dead lizard. All was quiet tor a 

 moment, and then the beetle arose with a buzz, and alighted upon 

 the exact spot from which it had been taken. Thinking that the 

 wind might have blown it there, by accident, I again removed him 

 about four feet away, at right angles to the direction of the wind, 

 and it again returned to the same spot One more trial, and it 

 seemed to get out of patience at being tampered \\\\h and flew 

 away. L. R. Light on. 



Leavenworth, Kansas. 



C. G. Pringle, the enthusiastic botanical explorer, is operating 

 in Chihuahua, Mexico, with good prospects for a large collection 

 of new and rare plants. A postal from Cusi, dated September 

 6th, reports him in good spirits. The frequent rains have produc- 

 ed an unusual growth of vegetation, and Dr. Edward Palmer, also 

 botanizing in Mexico, reports the same favorable condition. 



