THE All. ANTIC SLOPE NATURALIST. 



79 



any designation whatever. To say that 

 the species is extremely variable as to 

 color of scales, number of glands on indti- 

 sium, obliquity of pinnae, and cutting of 

 blade, is far preferable to founding varie- 

 ties on unimportant characteristics. 



The form most frequently met with 

 here has the scales of stipe pale brown, 

 indusium glandular, pinnae oblique to 

 the rachis, and blade about tri-pinnate. 



Predicaments. 

 By Morris Gibbs, M. D. , Kalamazoo, Mich. 

 One of the queerest predicaments that 



I have seen an animal place itself in was 

 where an investigating feline ran its nose 

 into a can which had contained lobsters. 

 This cat was very fond of canned lobster 

 and would at any time make great efforts 

 to secure the prized food. Upon finding 

 a can which had been pitched into the 

 back yard this greed)' animal proceeded 

 to lick out the delicacies and in her eager- 

 ness failed to notice how closely her head 

 fitted the inside. There was a little rough 

 edge around the top where the tin had 

 been cut away and the cat's ears were 

 finally forced inside the can and then she 

 found that she could not withdraw her 

 head, for there she stuck. Then began 

 a series of motions and gyrations which 

 attracted the attention of the whole house- 

 hold and that convulsed the spectators 

 with laughter. Poor Tabby began to back 

 and wiggle her head from side to side and 

 later to meow in a pitiful manner. At 

 times she would turn rapidly about, tail 

 first, then pause and scratch aimlessly at 

 her tin mask. Finally we liberated her 

 from the trap and she disappeared under 

 the shed from which she did not issue un- 

 til the next day. Her love for lobsters 

 and fish was not lessened but she could 

 never be induced to eat from a dish that 

 interfered with her freedom of movement. 

 One day as we sat at breakfast our fa- 

 vorite cat rushed into the room in a fit, 

 or at least so we thought it. for when a 

 cat rushes about like mad and runs against 

 objects in its path it is customary to say- 

 that cat's got a fit. There were two 

 young ladies, strangers, in the house and 



on the receipt of the news that the cat had 

 a lit, they gave wild yells and mounted 

 their chairs in a panicky state. Ordinar- 

 ily a cat with a fit runs aimlessly about, 

 here and there and winds up by getting 

 into some corner and dropping into a 

 somnolent state after its convulsions. 

 Now this cat was a mature pet and long 

 past the cat-fit age and it surprised us that 

 she should have a fit. Moreover she kept 

 up her crazy movements — here, there and 

 everywhere without intermission. I no- 

 ticed that as our Minerva flew by me she 

 appeared enveloped in a hazy raiment 

 which rustled as she ran, but which could 

 not be distinguished from the rapidity of 

 her movements. At last after the cat had 

 been cavorting over the house for several 

 minutes we managed to corner her and 

 braving the danger of the frenzied ani- 

 mal's claws managed to strip the flowing 

 habiliments from her, and found the cause 

 of the trouble. Pussy had seated herself 

 on a sheet of sticky fly paper and become 

 adherent to the tangle-foot, then lost her 

 head and began performing. 



Henslow's Bunting in New Jersey. 



By A. R. Justice, Philadelphia, Pa. 



During the latter part of May and 

 first week of June, 1875, in company 

 with several ornithological friends, I 

 visited Seven Mile Beach, near Cape 

 May Court House, New Jersey. Our 

 purpose was to secure specimens of the 

 eggs of the Fish Hawk, and if possi- 

 ble, find the nest of Henslow's Bunt- 

 ing, which we had reason to believe 

 nested there, a number of specimens 

 having beeu taken previously by Mr. 

 Jjhn H. Mcllvain and Mr. Chris. 

 Wood. We found one nest which 

 probably belonged to this species, but 

 were unable to establish its identity 

 to oar satisfaction. There was no 

 doubt about the birds breeding there, 

 as we saw several in the meadow 

 where we found the nest. 



AVe were very successful in finding 

 the nests of the Fish Hawks. We 

 counted over 100 on a strip of land not 

 over two miles in length, and had our 



