THE COLLECTORS' MONTHLY. 



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as possible, but I will make the entrance 

 a little larger to some so he can easily 

 peek in and see that there are no eggs in 

 them. He will get tired looking (just 

 like some collectors) after he has exam- 

 ined a few nests, and give up. Even if 

 he does look at the nest that contains 

 my eggs, he will not see the entrance, for 

 I will make it smaller and have it slant- 

 ing, so the outside will be lower than the 

 inside. I will put a little tuft of cattail 

 down, just inside, over the eggs, which 

 will be ah extra protection. I can roll 

 this to one side when I go in to set on 

 my eggs." "No sooner said than done.'' 

 They proceed to build their several nests 

 all alike on the outside, but the nest con- 

 taining eggs, together with the entrance, 

 carefully lined with the cattail down. 

 They lay their eggs, hatch and rear their 

 youg, aud the blackbird is fooled. 



The nesting time with us is from the 

 latter part of May, throughout June. 

 I have uever found more than six eggs in 

 a nest, although some state that from 

 six to ten is the usual compliment. The 

 eggs are generally of a chocolate ground 

 color, with darker spots, but they may 

 be several shades lighter. I have one pe- 

 culiar set in my series, consisting of six 

 eggs. The ground color is buff and at 

 the larger end is a, black spot as large as 

 a pea. 



The birds do not leave the nest any 

 great distance, but keep up their clatter- 

 ing all the while you are about their 

 premises. They are never quiet, always 

 hopping among the rushes, sometimes 

 each foot grasping a sepernte stalk. Al- 

 though so small, yet one could spend 

 hours in their company, watching their 

 actions and habits. Yours Truly, 



G. A. M. 



Mr. PrInce, 

 Dear Sir:— Noticed W. R.'s cpiestiou 



about number of known Bummers. I 

 have a list of the described specie* "i 

 Hummers in which there are 127. 

 Yours truly, 



M. I.. Wicks, Jb. 



In reply to "\V.J{." would say that 

 authors generally claim between four 

 and five hundred species of humming- 

 birds. 



The celebrated Elliot collection, now 

 owned by the American Museum of Nat- 

 ural History, New Y'ork City, having 

 been presented to that institution 

 through the kindness of Mr. Elliot, is 

 second in the world as regards complete- 

 ness. 



This superb collection, numbering 

 about 2000 specimens, comprising over 

 400 species and more than 50 types, 

 form the basis of Mr. Elliot's mono- 

 graph of this interesting family. 



The largest priced list that I know of, 

 is that, of a London — formerly Paris 

 —dealer. He names and prices 319 

 species. They range in valuation from 

 two to two hundred shillings each, To- 

 paza pyra Gould being the highest rated 

 species. Eleven others are rated at LOO 

 shillings each, and the balance range in 

 price from two to eighty shillings each. 

 Panyehlora, poortmanuieuckloris Perl, 

 deserves mention on account of its long 

 uame. Y'ou can purchase this specie, 

 name and all, for $1 .25. 



C. W. Crandaj i 



In respouse to W. R.'s query in the 

 September issue of your interesting mag- 

 azine, I will give answer as 1 can respect- 

 ing the distribution of the Humming- 

 birds in the United States. 



As nearly all who have given any at- 

 tention to distribution of the different 

 species have couceded that ouly one 



