60 



THE OOLOGIST. 



I never heard one sing before. They rre 

 very rare around these parts. I will try 

 and describe it. It was about the size of a 

 robin, it had black wings and tail, its body 

 was of an ashen gray color, more whitish 

 on the breast. Its head was thick and 

 short, its bill or beak was short, the upper 

 part rounding over the under, similar to a 

 hawk's. It made several different kinds of 

 "noises." If you can, please answer 

 through the Oologist. " 



Your bird was a Shrike. — Ed. 



Z. L. W., Stoughton, Wis., under date 

 of March 19th, writes: "The birds have 

 come with a rash, saw a Broacl-winged 

 Hawk yesterday and and one blue bird on 

 the 8th. But this morning a warm rain 

 set in from the south, which has brought 

 the birds, although the snow in the roads 

 is higher than the fences. Have seen sev- 

 eral flocks of Geese, Meadow Larks. Bob- 

 ins, Blue birds, Song Sparrows, and Phoebe 

 birds. It has rained so steadily that I have 

 not been able to make much observations 

 except from the door or window. The 

 Prairie chickens commenced coning this 



C. S. L. , Warriorsmark, Pa., wants to 

 know how to get Baltimore Oriole nests. 

 He says : "They build in this place and 

 always on the end of the weakest branch 

 they can And, generally on a Norway 

 spruce. The nest is very hard to get with- 

 out breaking the branch." 



C. C. , Odin, 111., found his first crow's 

 nest on March 8th. It contained five fresh 

 eggs. 



Our fr'end Kibbe, of Mayville, N. Y., 

 writes : "In the January number of the 

 Oologist I saw A. L. Quaintance made a 

 big find in Red-Headed Woodpecker's eggs, 

 and asked who could beat it. On May 28, 

 1887, as I was passing across the fields to 

 my favorite hunting ground, I saw a Red- 

 head on an old dead tree, and I approached 

 it and saw a hole. So up I went and cut 

 into the nest and to my surprise I found 

 five fresh eggs. Then on June 11th, as I 

 was passing the same tree, and when very 

 near to it, I saw the Red-head fly out of 

 another hole. So up I went again and cut 

 into the new made nest and found four 

 more fresh eggs. Then June 27th, I hap- 

 pened that way once more, and to my great 

 surprise the old Red-head had made another 

 hole and of course I went up once more. 

 This time I found five fresh eggs. " 



S. E. B., Erie, Pa., sends us a skin of 

 the Great Northern Shrike for identifica- 

 tion, and writes : "In the Oologist I saw 

 some remarks on Robins wintering north, 

 and the nesting of the English Sparrow. 

 Robins are frequently seen here in the 

 middle of winter, staying generally near 

 the mountain-ash trees and feeding on its 

 berries. There is an old elm in this city 

 that contains at this time about twenty-five 

 English Sparrow's nests, and there is no 

 telling how many will be there in the sum- 

 mer. " 



M. E. G, Fayette Co., Pa., talks of go- 

 ing into the "business," but we hardly 

 think our eggs will "hatch" and fear we 

 shall lose his patronage : "I received circu- 

 lars from you some time ago, of specimens 

 and supplies. I do not just understand 

 them. Do you mean so much apiece for 

 eggs or for a setting ? I wish to get a Lin- 

 net and Mocking bird, and if I have good 

 luck and the eggs hatch, my brother will 

 go in the business and will patronize you. 

 Please let me know soon the exact price and 

 oblige." 



Prof. Wheeler, of Scranton, Pa., writes : 

 "Your two packages came duly to hand 

 and contents all found in good condition. 

 To say that I am well pleased with the re- 

 turn is drawing it exceedingly mild." 



H. S. B., Rochester, N. Y., wrifes : 

 "While out in the country Saturday, Feb. 

 18th, I saw among a flock of common Eng- 

 lish Sparrows a bird about one-third larger 

 than a Sparrow. The bird was jet black 

 all over. Can you tell me what it was? 



[Could it have been a Cow bird that had 

 been reared by the Sparrows ? — Ed. 



In reply to F. N. M., of Leighton, Ala., 

 and many others, we would say *hat we 

 mail the Oologist during 1888 to any per- 

 son sending us an order amounting to $ 2.00 

 or over. We will also send it during 1888 

 (including Premium) for $1.00 worth of 

 desirable first-class Birds' Eggs. 



The long talked of new book Introduced by 

 Rose E. Cleveland Is being published by the J. L. 

 Hebert Pub. Co., St. Louis, Mo. The reputation 

 of Miss Rose Cleveland as a writer is such as to 

 guarantee a large sale for anything coming from 

 her pen. The Publishers offer a rare opportu- 

 nity to agents. See advertisement in another 

 column. 



