I have made no notes upon the winter 

 visitants, which were expected in great 

 numbers. 



I would suggest that, the readers of 

 this new paper promptly announce 

 through its columns, their observations 

 and encounters with "rarseaves" among 

 the winter birds, thus giving a freshness 

 to the contents of the paper, so essential, 

 yet so frequently lacking in some of the 

 publications. 



H. P. Andrews, Piasa, Ills. 



THE SHORT-BILLED MARSH 



WREN. 



(Cistothorus stellar is.) 

 I first became acquainted with this ex- 

 tremly interesting little bird during last 

 season, 1889. I found it to be quite com- 

 mon around the borders of ponds and in 

 small sloughs where the grass is heavy 

 and there is not much water. The first 

 eggs of this species taken around here 

 of which I have any record, were found 

 late in the season of '87, in a load of hay. 

 They were unbroken though the hay 

 had been moved, raked and pitched on 

 and off the wagon before the nest, (con- 

 taining the eggs, two in number) was 

 found. I did not see the bird or find any 

 eggs during 1888, but on June 9 of last 

 year, a nest was found. It had been run 

 over by cattle and contained two whole 

 eggs and several broken ones. July 14, a 

 nest was taken containing six eggs, two 

 of which were broken bj r the nest falling 

 from my hands. August 4, a friend gave 

 me a nest with seven eggs which he 

 found among some hay. Six of the eggs 

 contained full grown embryos; the 

 other was apparently fresh. I only 

 saved the last one. August 9, 1 took the 

 only full set I succeeded in saving. It 

 was one of six fresh eggs and now is one 

 of the finest sets in my collection. The 

 eggs of this species are pure white and 

 measure .64x.50 of an inch. The nest is 

 composed of grass, formed in the shape 

 of a cocoanut, with the entrance at the 

 side. It is lined with feathers, fine grass 



and sedges. It is placed in the top of a 

 bunch of dry grass and covered on the 

 outside with green grass. This makes it 

 very hard to find even when the bird is 

 around. It is one of the most interesting 

 birds with which I am acquainted, and I 

 have been eagerly looking forward to this 

 year during which, I expect to become 

 better acquainted with it. 



John V. Crone, Marathone, la. 



Chas. K- WoPthen, 



-NATURALIST AND TAXIDERMIST,* 



And. Dealer in 



Bird and Mammal Skins, 



WARSAW, ILLINOIS. 



Large stock of Native, and the hand- 

 somest of Tropical Bird Skins on hand. 

 Rare species a specialty. Enclose stamp 

 with inquiries. 



Taught, by mail. Practical instructions given by 



means of personal correspondence For one dollar die 



student, will be taught how to mak< up a good Skin. 



For further particulars, terms, A-c. .address with stamp, 



Geo. H. Clark, 



5:-} Harvard St. , Rroohiine Mass. 



References: Linnala Natural: istoi iehes InstUvti. 



Berlin Germany; Thad. Surbe.r. White Sulphur 



Springs, W. Va.. and many others. 



EXCHANGE COLUMN. 



Notices inserted under this heading at. the rate »/ 

 five cents per line, or six lines for twenty firecevts. 



TO EXCH A NGE.— For every complete 

 first-class set of birds' eggs, with data, 

 sent me, I will give a receipt for making 

 Rubber Stamps. Fred W. Stack, 



Poughkeepslo, X. Y. 



TO EXCHANGE— A skull of an 

 Indian woman, in a perfect state of pres- 

 ervation, and at least 200 years old, iront 

 ! the vicinity of the lost Indian City, to 

 ; exchange for birds eggs singly or in sets. 

 Address, Chas. Fenn, Brookline, Mass. 



«MBALMING.I# 



We have been charging $1 for the in- 

 structions of "Gibbs's Embalming Pro- 

 cess" for mounting birds, etc. We have 

 made arrangements with the publishers 

 of the Wolverine Naturalist so that we 

 can furnish that interesting natural his- 

 | tory monthly magazine at fifty cents a 

 year; and also furnish the instructions in 

 embalming free. Address, 



C. H. A E. A.Gibbs & Co., 



Kalamazoo, Mich. 



