THE COLLECTORS' MONTHLY. 



41 



Our Orioles. 



Both the Baltimore and the Orchard 

 orioles are common with us here, but the 

 first more so by far than the last named. 

 The Baltimore oriole reaches here some- 

 time in the first week of May, while the 

 orchard is generally a week later, both 

 birds soon becoming common after the 

 fore runners have put in appearance. The 

 habits are so well known that I will only 

 speak of their songs and notes which with 

 both birds are somewhat alike the Balti- 

 more having the finest song in tone, be- 

 ing loud, clear, and strong, sounding 

 like, "lurrup, lurrup, lurp-lurp, a-lurrup, 

 a-luriup, a-lurrup." Ihis bird has also 

 a loud, rather harsh and grating call, 

 sounding like "tekala tekala." The song 

 of the orchard oriole is plain, still not 

 harsh, and as I said before not as fine 

 toned as his brothers. He seems to say 

 "teek-clee, clur-clur, teek-clee, teek-clee.' ' 

 Also he has some harsh sounding much 

 like some of the Baltimores. Both of 

 these birds when singing are usually 

 perched at quite a height for if you will 

 notice they seem at that time to perfer 

 the higher limbs. Another thing to be 

 said about these two orioles, they are 

 early risers, waking quite a long time be- 

 fore "Old Sol" has showed his face over 

 the hills and sent his warm rays down 

 into the valleys where the dew seems as 

 many diamonds strewn far and wide. 

 Harry E. Miller. 



Westchester Co., N. Y. 



There are 6,000 species of birds known of 

 which Nortli America has 471 and Europe 

 5°3- 



Occasionally the return of the swallow or 

 the nightingale may be somewhat delayed, 

 but most sea fowls may be trusted, it is said, 

 as the almanac itself. Were they satellites 

 revolving around this earth their arrival could 

 hardly be more surely calculated by an as- 

 tronomer. 



Notes on the Birds of Long Island. 

 By W. W. Worn hingi 



(35.) 8g. Piifflnas major. 



Greater Shearwater. (709.) 



Above light ashy brown, becoming 

 darker on the wings and tail, and the 

 feathers on the back with lighter margins. 

 Beneath white. Bill yellowish green, 

 stout, and curved at the tip. Feet yel- 

 low, except the outer toe, which is brown- 

 ish. Iris brown. Length 20 inches. 



Not uncommon in Fall and Winter 

 along the outer coast. Arrives from the 

 north in October. Breeds in the far north. 

 Eggs white or yellowish, about 3x2 in. 



(j6.) 94. Puffinus stricklandi. 



Sooty Shearwater. (714.) 



Simular to last, but sooty throughout, 

 lighter beneath . 



This bird, thought by some authors to 

 be a distinct species, by others to be the 

 young of the last species, is recorded 

 along the Atlantic coast from the Caro- 

 linas northward. Breeds far north. Eggs 

 white, 2%xl% inches. 



(77.) 104. Procellaria pelagica. 



Stormy Petrel. (721.) 



Above greyish black, with a brown 

 tinge. The secondary coverts margined 

 at aud near the tip with greyish white. 

 A white band aceross the rump. Basal 

 part of tail white for a short distance. 

 Beneath sooty brown. Lower tail coverts 

 white at the base. Bill and feet black. 

 Length 5% inches. 



An Oceanic species. Occurs irregularly 

 off our coast. Breeds on islands in the 

 far north. Laying one white egg, thinly 

 marked with brown spots near the larger 

 end, in a cavity or burrow, lined with 

 leaves, etc. Eggs average lx :1 4 inches. 



