Bulletin No. ij. ig 



An Usual Nest of Prothonotary Warbler. — On June 15, 1896, a 

 farmer's boy reported to me a strange bird that had built a nest in the 

 front gate-post on their farm. A few days later I chanced to visit the 

 nest, which proved to be that of the Prothonotary Warbler {Protonotaria 

 citrea) containing five half fledged young. The nest was fifty yards from 

 the river, and the bank of the river at that place is twenty-one feet above 

 the level of the water, there being no water nearer than the river. The 

 post in which the nest was built stood within a few feet of an often trav- 

 elled public road. The excavation was formerly that of a woodpecker. 



An Albino English Sparrow. — While passing along the Mo. P. R. R. 

 on Dec. 16, 1895, I was surprised to see an albino English Sparrow light 

 within a few feet of me where I could examine it carefully. It was a fe- 

 male in the adult plumage. The secondaries, primaries and bastard 

 wing were of a dull white color ; the rest of the wing was normal 

 The outer tail feathers were a dirty white, and the two middle 

 tail feathers a dusky brown and ash color tipped one third the way with 

 white. On January 10th, 1897, I noticed the same bird in almost the 

 same spot that I saw it on December 19, 1896. 



On Feb. 5th, '97, I noticed two female Bluebirds in town. Since that 

 date they have been increasing in numbers until at the present date they 

 are quite abundant in town and also the country. 



W. S. Colvin, Osazvatomie, Kans. 



Notes from Oregon*. Dwarf Hermit Thrush, Tardus aonatasch* 

 kae, was first seen April 2, 1896, and not more than five or six were seen 

 during the spring. It does not stop here to breed and seems very shy. 

 On January 8, 1897, I secured a specimen, in a dark fir woods, which 

 was in good plumage. I think that it is not uncommon for them to win- 

 ter here. 



Russet-backed Thrush. Tiirdus ustulatus. — In 1896 the Russet- 

 backed Thrush was first seen May 11. This is the most common thrush 

 in western Oregon. From the Cascades to the coast nearly every swamp 

 and thicket is the summer home of a pair. I think the nest and eggs are 

 too well known for me to try to describe them. I do not think Audubon 

 could describe the song. The bird always seems to try to do his best, 

 sometimes getting in a note like the Wood Thrush. But with all its 

 sweetness I am not sure that the song does not give him pain. It only 

 makes one wish that he could hear T. mustelinus. I have seen the 

 bird here as late as the first of October. 



