I 



72 



THE COLLECTORS' MONTHLY. 



A rare winter visitor. I have never 

 met with this species on L. I., but in the 

 spring of 1890, I had the pleasure of ex- 

 tending their known range by nearly a 

 thousnnd miles, having secured a male 

 at the mouth of the AltamahaRiverGa., 

 on April 25th, and another male [from a 

 flock of seven, four of which were males] 

 on May 5. All were tame until shot at 

 once, but could not approach them again. 

 The flesh of the two killed was eaten, 

 and found delicious, with no fishy taste. 

 The stomachs contained some shell fish 

 and vegetable matter. The King Eiders 

 breed in Greenland and other Arctic 

 countries, making a nest of down, on 

 the ground near water, and laying eight 

 or ten eggs of a grayish or pale greenish 

 color, and about 2x3% inches. 



The Lest Bitieni. 



(For the Collector's Monthly.) 



This retiring bird of the marsh the 

 smallest of the whole group of Herons 

 has many attractive features. 



The sexes of this species are dissimilar 

 which is not the rule among the family. 

 Themale's head— which is slightly crested, 

 — back, and tail are of a rich glossy 

 black. The hind neck, and most of the 

 wing coverts, deep chestnut red. The 

 remainingcoverts, being yellowish brown. 

 All the under parts, including sides of 

 neck, are a very light brownish yellow, 

 which becoms white .on the throat line.' 

 There is a brownish black patch on either 

 side of the breast. Bill yellow, save the 

 culmen, which is black. Eyes and toes, 

 straw color. Legs green with yellow 

 behind. 



In the female, the black of the male, is 

 replaced by dark purplish chestnut. 

 They are seldom seen except at early 

 morn, and at dusk, as they are very 

 seclusive. 



The first one knows of their presence, 



is seeing one of them flying, with dang 

 ling legs, along over the tops of th 

 rushes making for a place of better secur 

 ty, when all at once it drops. Tt's gon< 

 that's all. " Now you see it andnowyoi 

 don't." 



Or, occasionally, one may be seen, b, 

 the close observer, crouching down on 

 bog, something after the style of a Jack 

 snipe, but they hug the ground prettj 

 close, and their colors blending so wel 

 with surrounding objects, ma,kes 

 almost impossible to see them. 



Their nests are very slight affairs, 

 mere platform of dead, and also growing 

 rushes, only large enough to keep th 

 eggs from rolling off into the water 

 They vary as to height, have found them 

 so low as to be nearly touching the water 

 These nests were somewhat larger. Whil 

 this past season, although very dry, a 

 the nests, that I came across, were buil 

 about eighteen inches or more, abov 

 the water, "attached to old reeds, an 

 wild rice stalks. 



The eggs, four or five in number, are 

 beautiful bright blue tint, eliptical 

 shape. Davie gives the average size a 

 about 1 : 20 x 93, which corresponds t 

 specimens in my collection. Cones give 

 the dimensons at 1 : 92 x 1 : 22, which 

 think must be an error in the print. 



The retiring habits of the bird, make 

 one feel that he would like to secret him 

 self in the marsh, and thus unobserved 

 watch their actions. 



Youry truly, 



G. A. Ml 





A Rare Capture for Rhode 

 Island. 



(For the Collectors Monthly.) 



While doing my chores on the morniuj 

 of May 31st a Vireo was singing con 

 tinously in a large Porter apple treenea 

 the barn. 



