54 



THE OOLOGIST. 



evidently been deposited for some time, as 

 they nearly all contained embryos, but 

 some were fresh. The usual number was 

 two, indeed out of at least thirty nests only 

 one contained three. Farther south, in the 

 Everglades and in the Indian Hunting 

 Grounds, I almost always found three. 



This is all that I ever obtained but Mr. 

 O. H. Nauman has taken four, three are, 

 however, the usual number deposited. The 

 birds were quite solicitous for the safety of 

 thejr eggs, chirping loudly and alighting 

 quite near us. The males were present and 

 evinced considerable interest, for they el- 

 evated the feathers on their heads, fluttered 

 their wings and joined in the general out- 

 cry. But they have a singular way of 

 exhibiting their excitement which I never 

 observed in other species, for they draw the 

 nictitating membrane of the eye backwards 

 and forwards very rapidly, At this time 

 they also uttered a croak which resembled 

 the alarm note of the Green Heron. I do 

 not think that the males share in the duties 

 of incubation but they certainly care for 

 the young when they appear. I found the 

 fully fledged nestlings flying at Lake 

 Harney by the first week in May, and Mr. 

 Nauman writes me that they bring out two 

 or even three broods in one season. I have 

 seen the Boat-tailed Gruckles as far north 

 as Pamlico Sound in North Carolina, on the 

 twentieth of November, and at Smithville 

 on the twenty-second, but I did not meet 

 with them after this along the coast until 

 we reached the St. John's River. This was 

 diiringthe cold season of 1876-77 when they 

 would be much more likely to seek warmer 

 quarters. I do not think, however, that 

 they remain above Florida during winter, 

 but they migrate northward in the spring 

 as far, at least, as Virginia. 

 From May nerd's Birds of Eastern _ZV. Am. 



Frank H. Lattin, of Albion, Orleans Co., 

 N. Y., is a dealer in natural history speci- 

 mens, instruments, supplies, and publica- 

 tions of all kinds. Every A. A. Chapter 

 should have a copy of his complete cata- 

 logue and price-lists before making pur- 

 chases His specimens are the very best, 

 and his prices will be found to be much 

 lower than those of any other reliable deal- 

 er. — Three Kingdoms. 



The Destruction of Our Native 

 Birds. 



Dr. F. W. Langdou, of Cincinnati, re- 

 cently delivered an address before the 

 Society of Natural History, of that city, in 

 which he discussed the subject of " The 

 Destruction of our Native Birds" from what 

 he admitted to be the unpopular side. A 

 portion of his address will be found of 

 much interest to general readers, neverthe- 

 less, and it is here given. 



' 'The main proposition, ' ' he said, ' 'sought 

 to be established by the report of your 

 committee, the Committee of the American 

 Ornithologists' Union, and papers of similar 

 tenor by various individuals, is : That our 

 song birds, insect-eating species, and smaller 

 birds generally are in danger of suffering 

 notable decrease in numbers, or even exter- 

 mination, by reason of the demands of 

 fashion for millinery and dress ornaments : 

 the bloodthirsty disposition of the 'bad 

 small boy;' the market gunner or 'pothunt- 

 er' and the the ornithological collector and 

 student. 



' 'In support of the claim that the demand 

 for millinery purposes is the chief cause of 

 an anticipated extermination of song birds, 

 we find numerous high-sounding figures in 

 the various papers referred to. Let us see 

 what figures these are and to what birds 

 they apply. Mr. William Dutcher states 

 (quoted also by your committee) 'that 

 40, 000 terns were killed on Cape Cod in one 

 season; that at Cobb's Island, off the Vir- 

 ginia coast, 40,000 birds, mainly gulls and 

 terns, were contracted for by an enterprising 

 woman from New York to ship to Paris ; 

 that 11,018 skins were taken on the South 

 Carolina coast in a three months' trip of 

 one dealear ; that 70,000 were supplied to 

 New York dealers from a village on Long- 

 Island. Note, if you please, that these 

 large figures apply to 'coast birds, mainly 

 or entirely, therefore composed of gulls, 

 terns, and the 'shore' birds. My friend Mr. 

 George B. Sennett is also quoted as stating 

 that he overheard the agent of a millinery 

 firm endeavorins; to make a contract in 



