NATURAL HISTORY. 



303 



separate quarters, one on one side and 

 one on the other. I have had 5 varieties 

 of squirrels, gray, black, red, flying, and 

 Western fox, all in a wire run 14x6x10, 

 but they never got along and were nearly 

 always fighting. 



There was in the same issue of Recrea- 

 tion a question by Kit Clover, about 

 pigeon or dove. Both names are right if 

 properly used. There are pigeons and 

 there are doves. To illustrate, if you 

 wished to send to a fancier for homers, 

 turbits, jacobins, fantails, tumblers, or 

 pouters, you would not call them doves. 

 Neither would you send to a fancier for 

 turtle pigeons, ringneck pigeons, blue 

 pigeons, mourning or barded pigeons. 

 There are dove cotes and dove houses. 

 Places where pigeons are bred are gen- 

 erally called pigeon lofts. 



L. Darlington, Stoneham, Mass. 



Two curious domestic affairs are tak- 

 ing place this year in our Florida home. 

 Early last spring my daughter had her 

 rare plants taken out of their winter hot- 

 house and put on the veranda. One of 

 these plants was a handsome calladium. 

 A little wren took possession of it, made 

 a nest in it, and in time laid 4 eggs, which 

 have now become 4 young birds just 

 fledged. The jar containing the calladium 

 sits close to the front door, where people 

 are continually going in and out and 

 where they frequently collect, seated in 

 armchairs; but the little wrens care noth- 

 ing about them. 



Another interesting occurrence is that in 

 an exposed place on the bare sand, right 

 in the path where my cows are brought 

 up to be milked daily, a whip-poor-will 

 is seated day after day on 2 eggs. At 

 present she has not hatched out, but I 

 suppose will soon do so. 



D. G. Cary-Elwes, Conway, Fla. 



In regard to Dr. D. D. Palmer's in- 

 structions, "How Not to Make an 

 Aquarium," considering it from his side 

 he is correct. He must bear in mind, 

 however, that I was not describing a piece 

 of art work, bought of some dealer, but 

 simply giving directions for a home-built 

 aquarium. I should choose an all glass 

 tank, thereby saving the risk of leakage. 

 I do not agree with D. D. P. in reference 

 to the swelling of the wood. If he is 

 careful in selecting his wood, he will sel- 

 dom, if ever, have any trouble. I have a 

 2-sided tank which was made 4 years ago, 

 and I have had no trouble with it. Neither 

 will white lead interfere with his stock if 

 he tests the tank for 2 or 3 weeks ahead of 

 time. He must remember when he buys 



a tank it has already been tested by the 

 manufacturer. Dr. Palmer certainly did 

 not get the full value of his money. 

 Louis E. Schreiber, 



Milwaukee, Wis. 



In your July issue you printed my 

 article on the muskrat in which I take 

 the grounds that this animal is not car- 

 nivorous, but by a typographical error 

 you make me contradict my own state- 

 ment. It should read that I catch musk- 

 rats out of the ponds to keep them from 

 digging up the banks of the ponds, and 

 not to keep them from eating up the 

 fish, as it is printed. 



Recreation becomes more interesting 

 with each edition. I think, as do all its 

 readers whom I have heard express them- 

 selves, that the Marlin people will wish 

 they had not spoken before they are 

 through with their suit against Recrea- 

 tion. C. W. Morgareidge, Wolf, Wyo. 



VARYING THE PHRASE. 



A current newspaper list of "over- 

 worked phrases which ought to be re- 

 tired," suggests an illustrative story of a 

 young reporter, "verbatim note taker and 

 able to work at the case," who neverthe- 

 less hated frayed and worn expressions. 

 "You have used the word 'grouse' 3 times 

 in this paragraph," said the editor-pro- 

 prietor with a cold, critical emphasis. "I 

 have," admitted the reporter-compositor; 

 "what else can I call a grouse?" "What 

 else?" cried the editor, angrily. "Where 

 has your imagination gone? Call him a 

 'feathered denizen of the moor,' of course." 

 The reporter digested the lesson. The 

 next day he clipped a long report about 

 yellow fever in Cuba, in which the dis- 

 ease was sometimes referred to by its 

 colloquial name, "yellow jack." He in- 

 serted it under the heading, "Chrome- 

 colored John," left his resignation on the 

 table, and thenceforth wrote serials. 



If you would like a $10 Wizard camera 

 send me 5 yearly subscriptions and I will 

 have the camera shipped you direct from 

 factory. This is one of the most remark- 

 able premium offers I have ever made. 

 Naturally it will only be open a short 

 time. If you wish to avail yourself of it, 

 please get up your club at once. I have 

 never before given one of these cameras 

 for less than 9 subscriptions. 



Have you seen those beautiful gun 

 racks, made by E. W. Stiles, of polished 

 buffalo horns? They are useful, unique 

 and attractive additions to a sportsman's 

 den. For 5 subscriptions I will send you 

 one of these racks. 



