THE GOkliECTORS' JWONTJM. 



Devoted to Ornithology, Oology and Natural History. 



Cuckoos in North western Iowa. 



(For Collectors Monthly,) 



The family Cuculidae is represented here 

 by two species; the Black billed and Yellow 

 billed, the latter being the most common. 



In seasons past I have searched in vain 

 for a nest of either species but this year I 

 have been successful beyond all expectation, 

 having found no less than n nests with eggs 

 or young. 



On the 22tl of June, 1890, I was egging 

 on a bluff thickly covered with ash, willow 

 and many other trees and bushes, and was 

 forcing my way through a tangle of under 

 brush when I was startled by a sudden flap- 

 ping in the thick brush, which I took to be 

 a Mourning Dove leaving her nest and a 

 moment later espying a rough looking nest 

 of twigs in a small willow tree I approached 

 and looked into it, and was surprised to see 

 4 greenish-blue eggs, beautifully mottled, 

 reposing therein. I was unable to identify 

 them until the cry of a Cuckoo in a thicket 

 on the other side of the river, instantly 

 decided me as to their parentity. 



The nest was a thick, slightly concave, 

 platform of loose twigs on which was placed : 

 a saucer-shaped layer of leaves, small twigs 

 on some grass which had evidently been 

 picked green and allowed to dry together. 



The 2nd and 3rd nests were found bv my 

 brother, while collecting insects. Each con- 

 tained 3 eggs of the yellow billed species 

 and each was placed in a willow tree on the 

 bank of the river. 



The fourth set was found on the 27th of 

 June and consisted of 4 eggs of yellow billed 

 Cuckoo. This nest, as were all the others, 



was like No. 1 in material and construction 

 and was placed in a plum tree about 7 feet 

 from ground. 



The 5th set was brought to me by a boy. 

 The eggs were those of the yellowbilled and 

 were 3 in number, they were greenish-blue, 

 unmottled. The nth set of yellowbilled was 



found on July 1st, the nest with 3 eggs 

 being placed in a willow tree. 



On the 2nd and 3rd of July I was fortunate 

 enough to secure 3 sets of the ISlackbilled. 

 r of 4 and 2 of 2 eggs each, the eggs were 

 smaller and much darker in color than those 

 of yellowbill. The nests did not differ 

 preceptibly from those of the other species 

 and were all placed in willow trees near the 

 river. 



On July 5th 1 found 2 nests of Blackballed 

 one containing 4 voting and the other 2 young 

 and 2 eggs nearly ready to hatch. 



On July 6th I found 2 nest of yellowbilled 

 Cuckoo one place:! in a currant bush on the 

 river bank and containing 5 fresh eggs, and 

 the other in a small plum tree and contain- 

 ing 3 incubated eggs. 



Carleton Ball. 



Little Rock, Iowa. 



Description of (ho Dies! and Eggs of t v 

 Birds of Barnstable Co., Mass. 



281). Boo-white. 



[Colinus virginianus.} 4$c. 



This well known -ame bird is found during 

 the greater part ><< the year in coveys; in the 

 Spring however, each pair choses a particular 

 spot, and remains there during the following 

 summer. After mating the well-known cry 

 of the male, ill -white bob-white) can be 

 heard at short intervals in fields and wood- 



