FOREST AND STREAM. 



325 



Eelminthophaga pinus. Blue-winged yellow warbler. 

 Irregular. Not to be found some seasons. Arrives in 



Helminthophaga chrysoptera. Blue golden-winged warbler. 

 A rare summer visitor. One taken in May, 1872. 



Dendroeca tigrina. Cape May warbler. Not an un- 

 common spring and autumn migrant. 



Icteria virens. Yellow-breasted chat . Very rare summer 

 visitor One taken in the spring of 1874. 



Loxia leucoptera. White winged crossbill.. A winter 

 visitor. Irregular as to numbers; found in swamps. 



Loxia curvirostra var. americana. Common crossbill. 

 Like the preceding, irregular winter visitor; has been taken 

 as late as April. ..... 



Chrysomitris pinus. Pine linnet. A rare winter visitor; 

 irregular; has been taken in early part of May. 



pitctrophanes lapponicus. Lapland longspur. A winter 

 visitor, generally found in company with the snow bunt- 

 ing. Not rare. 



Pipilo erythrophthalmus. Towhee bunting. Not a com- 

 mon summer resident, breeds. Arrives the first week in 

 May, departs in October. 



Gontopus borealis. Olive-sided flycatcher. Very rare; 

 but one known to have been taken :n this locality. 



Strix flammea var. americana. Barn owl. Very rare; 

 one taken in this locality which is believed to be in Cor- 

 nell College at Ithaca. 



Vlus vulgaris var. Wilsonianus. Long-eared owl. Not 

 an uncommon resident, breeds. 



Syrnium nebulosum. Barred owl. Common resident. 

 Breeds. 



Nyctale acadica . Acadian owl. Rare, but one instance 

 recorded of its capture for this localit}'. 



Astur atricapillus. Goshawk. Not a very rare summer 

 resident; used to breed years ago on what is called Italy 

 Hills, Yates county. Perhaps a few remain all winter. 



Btiteo pennsylvanicus. Broad-winged buzzard. Rare, 

 but one specimen recorded for this locality, taken {Sep- 

 tember 10th, 1875. 



Arclubuteo Lagcpus var. sancti-Johannis. Rough-legged 

 buzzard. Rare, one taken November 8th, 1876, in this 

 vicinity. 



Aegcalitis Wilsonius. Wilson plover. Rare; one taken 

 in the spring of 1868. 



Lobipes hyperooreus. Northern phalarope. Rare; one 

 taken in May, 1874, at foot of Crooked Lake, Penn Yau, 

 Yates county. 



Micropalama himantopus. Stilt sandpiper. Rare; one 

 captured October, 1875. 



Tringa canutus. Red-breasted sandpiper. Rare; two 

 specimens captured October 15th, 1874. 



Totanus solitarius. Solitary tattler. Common in the 

 spriDg flight. 



Ardea egretta . Great white heron. Very rare ; one taken 

 in this locality in the spring, date not recorded. 



Porzana noveboracensis. Yellow rail. Rare; one speci- 

 men captured September 20th, 1872. 



Porzana jamaicensis. Black rail. Rare; two instances 

 recorded of us capture in this locality. One at Penn Yan 

 in 1870, the other on the marsh between Havanna and 

 Waikins in 1872; both taken in the spring. 



Sumateria mollissima. Eider duck. Accidental; one was 

 captured at Branchport, seven miles from Penn Yan, by 

 8. N. Macomb in February, 1873. 



(Edemia americana. American black scoter. Rare or 

 accidental; one was captured in autumn on Seneca Lake. 



(Edemia perspicillata. Surf duck. Not uncommon in 

 autumn. Y r ouug birds drop into the lakes on the fall flights 

 south, but do not stay long. 



Lams Philadelphia. Bonaparte's gull. ;Not common; 

 generally seen in spring and autumn. 



titerna hirundo. Common tern. Not rare; has been 

 taken on Seneca Lake at Dresden in June. 



Sterna paradiscva, Roseate tern. Rare; but one re- 

 corded ; captured in this locality. 



Hydrochelidon fissipes. Black tern. Rare; but two 

 specimens are recorded. Both were taken in the spring, 

 one on Seneca, the other on Crooked Lake. 

 > ■♦*♦> 



Albinoes.— Our correspondent, "Teal," writing from 

 Salem, Mass., says: "I saw last week in the collection of 

 Dr. Palmer, at Ipswich, several examples of albinism . One 

 was a male wild pigeon, a fine, partial albino; another was 

 a perfect albino Indigo bird, and a third was a full albino 

 of the striped squirrel, lamias striatus. These are very 

 interesting. 



Dr. Palmer has also a fine Wood Ibis, taken in New 

 Hamr shire some time ago. It seems to us that Wood 

 Ibises are becoming rather common in New York and New 

 England. The chances are that all these specimens came 

 from that one flock of seven noticed in this journal last 

 summer. 



SINGING MICE. 



,*_,„ _ Indianapolis, December 6th, 187.6. 



iSDiTOR Forest and Stream:— 



UNewspaper accounts of singing mice I have always received cum qrano 



mis, and classed with stories of enormous sea serpents, frog showers, 



On Monday evening, of the present week, as I sat reading by the fire, I 

 fleard what I at first thought was a boy passing along the street imitating 

 toe warble of a canary bird. Presently, however, I discovered that the 

 noise was not in the street but in the room where I was sitting, and 

 urtner, that it was made by a mouse. The little fellow was evidently 

 pou a foraging expedition aud was, if one might judge from his song, 

 a8 light hearted as the canary, whom he so perfectly imitated. T listened 

 id wonder and then proceeded, ti arouse my family, who had retired, 

 telling them that I wanted them to hear what they had never heard, and 

 what, they might never have an opportunity of hearing again. The little 

 fellow seemed very tame, and for upwards of an hour played around my 

 eet, and at hide and seek under my chair, and then probably thinking 

 tnatit was time foi serenaders to be in bed vanished. 



i listened very attentively during the whole time to see if the singing 

 ttight be attributable to any disease of an asthmatic nature, but the 

 tones were as clear as those of a bird, and from the fact that the song 

 was in termittent, I came to the conclusion that mousey sang because he 

 wanted to and not because he could not help it. 



Alex C. Jameson. 

 [On the same day on which we received the above note we 

 noticed, on opening the last number of La Nature, an article 

 entitled u Bu Chant des Souris," which is of interest in this 

 connection. The writer, Dr. A. Bordier, tells in a very 

 pleasant style the story of two singing mice which he was 

 gabled to observe for several months. From this account 



it would appear that the first mouse learned to sing from a 

 canary, but the second was taught by the first. This last 

 fact is of great interest. It has for some time been a well 

 established fact that mice can, and often do sing, but the 

 matter requires further study to make all the points clear 

 and we hope that our correspondent will be enabled to 

 continue his observations.— Ed ] 



-»*•" ' 



TO CONCHOLOGISTS. 

 « — , — 



We have received from Mr. Arthur Gray, of Danversport, 

 Mass., the following circular, to which we wish to call the 

 attention of conchologists at large: — 



The undersigned being desirous of studying the varia- 

 tions in the following species of shells, viz: Purpura lapillus, 

 Littorina litorea, L. tenebrosa, L. rudis, L. palliata, Tritia 

 trivittata, Ilyanassa obsoleta and Buccinum undatum, respect- 

 fully invites, aid in procuring specimens of these species. 

 Would like fitly specimens or more of the common species, 

 if convenient from each locality, together with notes in re- 

 gard to the situations where the specimens were obtained; 

 whether from quiet inlets or from exposed ledges. In col- 

 lecting specimens select a fair representative of each 

 species, both large and small specimens. Due acknowl- 

 edgment will be made for all aid rendered. 



Danversport, Mass. Arthur F. Gray. 



-♦«♦■ ■ 



For Forest and Stream. 

 THE MINK AS A FORAGER. 



THERE had been a heavy storm in the latter part of 

 November, '73, which was looked upon as the enter- 

 ing wedge to a severe spell of weather in these parts. The 

 wind was blowing heavily from the west northwest, and 

 ducks were flying low and with much apparent restive- 

 ness, which to a thoroughbred is strong proof of their de- 

 termination to skip out for warmer latitudes. 



It was a blustery, squally day, and there was a good 

 flight. Our decoys were anchored in a*bendof the Illinois, 

 not far below Marseilles, near what is known as "Wal- 

 bridges Run," where we were sheltered from the weather, 

 and where the Mallards were well disposed to draw for 

 shelter from the increasing b asts, and at the same time to 

 take a closer inspection of their irresponsive companions as 

 they rode at anchor. 



It was a glorious day for ducks, and just such a day as 

 one would find our '"Shoddy" sports, who always "know 

 the whole business," safely perched behind the hot stove, 

 reciting an essay on the ''ins and outs" of Waterfowl 

 Shooting, etc. 



We had been raking in the mallard pretty lively, and our 

 bay was more than once sprinkled with a pair of canvas 

 backs and red-heads, as they swept steadily over our de- 

 coys, in their search for a quiet, sheltered spo\ wherein to 

 take their parting meal off from the eel grass, which 

 grows so very abundantly thereabouts. 



As usual during a brisk flight, or when circumstances 

 compel one to stay undercover, we were unable to pick up 

 many cripples, and dead birds which occasionally felt 

 i and ward, though a long experience enabled us to mark 

 pretty faithfully every dead or crippled bird that fell be- 

 yond bounds. But among the occasional cripples which 

 come to the sod was a large "hen mallard," which, in her 

 descent, came down with a double summersault, landing in 

 a grove of young willows and high weeds just behind us, 

 Hiding away at once in the matted grass and drift, wheie 

 we were compelled to leave her to her fate, which is 

 usually summed up in a handfull of bones, well mixed up 

 with choice feathers, all that remains in the morning 

 usually to mark the exit of one of our noble birds. 



We were well satisfied with the work of the day, and 

 had counted it about the last "duck day" of the season, end- 

 ing as it did with a heavy freeze-up, and about an inch or 

 two of enow. Towards winding up the wind lulled; the 

 thermometer marked about 8° above, and the morning 

 broke with about two inches of clear ice on the Illinois, 

 covered with a slight fall of snow. We thought it an ad- 

 mirable time to find our cripples and dead birds that had 

 dropped beyond our circuit of search the day before, and 

 we went for the old ground, full of promise. 



The first spot which claimed attention, was where our 

 "hen mallard" had "struck hard pan " here was a sight! 

 feathers and blood marked the scene of a terrific struggle 

 for what remained of a duck's life. Here, for at least ten 

 feet in circuit, the snow, grass and twigs, were whipped 

 into a confused mass, here and there besprinkled with 

 blood, and quite as often decorated with feathers; then 

 there was a trail, leading directly to the river bank, and 

 out upon the ice; the trail thence proceeded up the bank of 

 the river on the ice for about half a mile, when it disap- 

 peared directly in line of a hole in the bank, where we 

 discovered the bird half buried, head foremost, into a hole 

 about one-half the size of the body, frozen stiff. When 

 discovered we worked, not without difficulty, at the extri- 

 cation of the bird. It required ali our force to draw it out, 

 when, as it broke from its fastenings, two large minks 

 suddenly appeared, and darted back into their retreat, the 

 last we saw of the varmints after a half hour of close 

 watching. The ground along the shore was rough, cov- 

 ered with heavy grass, brush, drift wood, and many 

 willows. Here the natural obstacles precluded the possi- 

 bility of such a trip by land, and the little piece of engi- 

 neering practiced by this one mink, in capturing and con- 

 veying home its prize was truly marvellous. That there 

 was but one mink, the trail bore direct evidence through- 

 out its entire length from the scene of the struggle. As 

 we followed the line, we could easily trace the wide trail 

 of the mallard, as it was dragged bodily along over the 

 fresh snow, and the deep penetration of its claws into the 

 new ice, spoke volumes of the force exerted by that small 

 animal in the completion of so severe an undertaking, and 

 tin excessive amount of mink power expended in the com- 

 pletion of a successsul foraging expedition. Here and there 

 throughout the line of trail were frequent halting places, 

 where our mink had stopped for a rest. Every time there ap- 

 peared nu erous tracks around the body of its victim, as 

 though pleased to iaspecl its trophy before the next heat, 

 and then as the distance shortened, the strokes of its tail at 

 regular intervals of march, marked upon the snow upon 

 either side of the trail the determined intention of the 

 animal to go through with its meat before it was too cold 

 to squeeze into a small space, where the sharp frost would 

 soon fix it permanently. When drawn out, we found that 

 a couple of "square meals" had been made from the head, 

 neck and breast, and enough left for several days to come. 



We expressed some regret at the loss of such a fine mallard, 

 but found ourselves repaid after full consideration of the 

 facts laid before us. M. A, H, Jr. 



StreatorllL, Nov. 28th, 1876. 



Curious Spider.— A correspondent of the American 

 Naturalist says. "Just before the late war I was at Col. 

 Oakley Bynum's spring, in Lawrence county, Alabama, 

 near the town of Courtland, where I saw a school of 

 minnows playing in the sunshine near the edge of the 

 water. All at once a spider as large as the end of my 

 finger dropped down among them from a tree hanging 

 over the spring. The spider seized one of the minnows 

 near the head. The fish thus seized was about three 

 inches long. As soon as it was seized by its captor it 

 swam around swiftly in the water, and frequently dived to 

 the bottom; yet the spider held on to it. Finally it came 

 to the top, turned upon its back and died. It seemed to 

 have been bitten or wounded on the back of the neck, 

 near where the head joins. When the fish was dead the 

 spider moved off with it to the shore. The limb of the 

 tree from which the spider must have fallen was- between 

 ten and fifteen feet above the water. Its success shows 

 that it had the judgment of a practical engineer." 

 ^♦^ 



Curious Habit Among Ostriches. — A gentleman writ- 

 ing from Graham's Town, Africa, relates his observation 

 of a curious circumstance: — 



"We entered through a locked gate into a large enclosure 

 or paddock, in which were fifty-eight one and two-year old 

 birds. They all looked exceedingly well, and though they 

 did not dance, seemed full of life. They do sometimes 

 favor the spectators with a dance, and it is one of the 

 funniest of all the freaks or habits of animals that evi- 

 dence a sense of the jokeful we ever beheld. 



We once saw some twenty nearly full-grown birds waltz- 

 ing together. They began with a sort of sidling, slow 

 revolution on their toes, moving their wings gently up and 

 down, and presently they seemed to get into the spirit of 

 the thing without the aid of any fiddler that we saw, and 

 spun round at a rate that would have astonished any one 

 but a dancing dervish. In dancing they swept round and 

 rijund without ever coming into contact with each other." 

 ■*♦♦- 



A Squirrel Attacked by Diptheria — A family in this 

 city are the happy possessors of a beautiful flying squirrel, 

 very tame and tractable. Some of the children were at- 

 tacked with diptheria recently, and in accordance with his 

 custom, the squirrel sometimes ciawled into the bed with 

 them, oftentimes nestling up against their laces and throats. 

 After awhile the squirrel was seized with all the symptoms 

 of the disease, and growing worse, apparently went through 

 all the stages of the complaint in just the same manner as 

 the children. While ill it was found necessary to feed him 

 on soft food, in all respects precisely similar to a human 

 being suffering from diptheria. — Bridgeport {Conn.) Stand- 

 ard, Nov. %Uh. 



-♦♦♦- 



Arrivals at the Philadelphia Zoological Gardens Dec. 23ri> — 

 One screech owl (Scops asis), presented by John Krider, Philadelphia; 

 one dnsky dnck (Anas obscura), presented by W. H, Zern, Atlantic 

 City; one rough legged bnzzard (Arclubuteo lagopus), presented by W 

 R. Miller, Lewisburg, Pa.; ten quail (Ortyx virginia/ia), one equirre 1 

 (Sciurns ludovicianu$_(?) ); one Lynx (Lynx canadensis), and two carci 

 nal grosbeaks ( Cardinales vlrginianus), purchased; one zebu (B?s indi- 

 cus), born in the garden. Arthur E. Brown, General Supt. 



r oodlmtd f <$mm md %mdm. 



DISEASE IN ROOM PLANTS. 



One of the surest indications of disease in plants is, 

 when their leaves loose their normal dark green color, and 

 show a whiteish or yellowish shade. Stagnant moisture, 

 unsuitable soil, insufficient nutriment, too much or too 

 little light, all induce this change of color. Plants ac- 

 customed, under the influence of full sunshine, produca 

 leaves of the deepest green, while the same plants if grown 

 in a shady position generally have the leaves of a lighter 

 color, becoming almost whitish in comparative darkness. 

 On the other hand, plants which naturally grow in shady 

 places, such as Ferns and Selaginellas, if removed into 

 bright sunshine will have the lively green of their leaves 

 changed to a yellowish hue. Whether, therefore, too much 

 or little light be the cause of the discoloration of the 

 foliage, it can be easily remedied by shifting the position 

 of the plant. 



Perhaps more plants become unhealthy from error in 

 watering them, than from any other cause. Many think 

 their plants must have just so much water every day, never 

 stopping to think that from the temperature of the room, 

 cloudy weather, the plant being naturally resting, or some 

 other cause, the plant requires much less water at the time 

 than another. Of course, during winter, with but few ex- 

 ceptions, less water is required than when the sun gains 

 more power as the day's lengthen. Plants which are kept, 

 too dry during their season of growth, soon loose both 

 their leaves and young shoots; this loss reacts on the roots 

 and they also perish. Many evergreen plants grown in 

 rooms, however, often shed their leaves in quantities. 

 This is usually the consequence of the plants being placed 

 in a position at a distance from the light, or it may follow 

 from the effect of a dry atmosphere, acting on plat ts 

 probably just brought from a moist greenhouse. The 

 scale that attacks Ivy and other evergreen plants is gener- 

 ally the effect of unhealthy root action, and is rarely seen 

 on a plant in good health. In fact, the whole matter may 

 be summed up in careful attention to watering the plants, 

 sprinkling them overhead occasionally, or sponging the 

 leaves with lukewarm water, and keeping as regular a 

 temperature as possible in the room. 



.«»». — — — _ 



Antidote for Poisonous Mushrooms.— -Prof. Schiff, 

 ©f Morence 8 states that he has discovered that poisonous 



