THE SUNNY SOUTH OOLOGIST. 



3 



here we found a dead Guillemot among the 

 rocks, and fully idenlified it but the bird 

 was not in a fit state to skin, much to our dis- 

 appointment, as these birds are hard to ob- 

 tain, being expert divers and swimei-s. On 

 our way back to our sail-boat we shot several 

 Terns for skins. Wc then continued our 

 way out to sea. as we intended to visit sev- 

 eral islands before we returned among which 

 were Little Green, where the Petrels, Terns, 

 Guillemots, and Laughing Gulls breed, and 

 JMetinic, where there is a Heronrj^ But we 

 were to be disappointed as it will soon be 

 seen. That night we stopped at Dix Island, 

 far-famed for the granite it has produced, but 

 the quarries are now deserted except by the 

 red-and-buff shouldered Blackbirds who 

 breed here in large numbers. Our resting 

 place was the soft side of the pine boards 

 that formed the seats of the boat, and wrap- 

 ped in our blankets were soon asleep and 

 ■dreaming of the fun that was to come. The 

 next morning was cold and stormy but after 

 b-ieakfast we started on our way. In a short 

 time a drizzling rain commenced, so we de- 

 cided to return home and make the attempt 

 on a more favorable day- When near home 

 at cleared up, so we kept on up the bay and 

 stopped at Jobs Island. Here we spent the 

 day exploring, and collecting specimens. 

 We also ascended to the nest of a fish haw^k 

 which contained two young about half 

 grown; these were returned to the nest un- 

 Jiarmed much to the satisfaction of the old 

 l)irds who were flying around the nest in 

 great distress. 



The next morning was rainy, so we re- 

 turned home early in the day, well satisfied 

 with the result. V. E. Piston. 



Rockland, Me., Jan. 15, 1886. 



^»-^*»- 



TFor the Sutmy South Oologist.] 



CHUCKWILLS WIDOW. 



(Anthrostomus CaroUnensis.) 



The '^huckwills widow is one of our rare 

 summer residents; arriving about the first 

 week in May, perhaps sooner in extreme 

 cases in other localities, 



I can always mark its arrival by its plain- 

 tiff note, which can be heard just as the sun 

 sinks behind the horizon, and is kept up al- 

 ternately till a late hour. The sound of its 



note is exactly similar to its name only the 

 ' ' Chuck" being rather short- Its nesting place 

 is generally on oak ridges. Its nest is noth- 

 ing more than a slight depression in the 

 ground near an old decayed log or brush. 

 Both the male and female are hardly dis- 

 cernable from the Whippoorvvill both in 

 color and size only the former being a size 

 larger. 



I relate here a few incidents of one of my 

 collecting trips last summer, which I hope 

 will be interesting to my fellow collectors. 



On May 25th, I was out collecting and 

 came upon a nest of the above species. At 

 the time I thought I had found my desired 

 treasure; but to my great disappointment I 

 soon observed two little downy creatures of 

 a light brownish color that had Just rolled 

 out of the shell; I did not know at the time 

 exactly w^hat to do, but meditating a few 

 moments upon the subject a new i3lan entered 

 my mind; so I concluded to destroy the 

 young and to watch the parent birds. I 

 watched the plaee where they had their pre- 

 vious nest daily for about a fortnight. So 

 on the aforesaid date (June 7) about 12 

 o'clock M. , I started to the locality in which 

 I had found the previous nest. It was only 

 500 yards from my father's residence so I was 

 soon upon the spot. I searched in every nook 

 and corner until at last I thought it was all 

 in vain, so I retraced my foootsteps toward 

 home ; but just as I turned I espied the male 

 perched on a decayed log. I knew the fe- 

 male must be near; so I commenced to 

 search dilligently in every direction, and as I 

 neared a small swamp I came upon the 

 female; as soon as she flew, I rushed to the 

 spot, and to m}^ great delight, I descried my 

 long sought for treasures — "a set of two of 

 the most beautiful specimens of oology." 



It was one of the happiest events of my 



collecting life as far as I have experienced 



Their color is of a clear crystal white^ 



marked over the entire surface with blotches 



of dark purplish brown and light lavender, 



with occasional marking of umber. Taking 



it altogether, I think that the eggs of the 

 foregoing species are the most beautiful I 

 ever saw. They depart for their Southern 

 home about the last week in August; the 

 exact date I am unable to say. 



F. D. FoxHALL, Oxford, N. C. 



