NATURAL HISTORY MISCELLANY. 49 
the eggs is yellowish-white, marked with reddish brown spots. Usually 
the last ones of the litter are without spots, and of a lighter color; a fe 
larger round spots appear to be laid on the surface of the shell and raised 
above it.” To this I would say that I have seen a great many eggs of the 
grouse, but only a few were marked as thus described. And while the 
description is true to a certain extent, it may be questioned whether it is 
agn to **typical specimens.” v the 29th of April, 1865, I found a 
tof the grouse, containing nine eggs of a pure white color, with the 
Erion of a few stains, which were m removed by the application of 
e 3d of May, 1866, I took three eggs from the nest of a Marsh. 
hawk here was no appearance of spots upon them. As I had seen the 
birds about the place for two weeks, selecting a'spot and building their 
nest, I feel sure that this was the first litter. But last spring I obtained 
six eggs from a nest, and all were marked with numerous light brown 
es. 
thus proving that the marsh-hawk does sometimes occupy an old nest. — 
C. M. JONES. 
Tar Ho WREN.— The mischievousness of the House Wren ( Trog- 
lodytes edon Verrill) is well known. The following incident came under 
i Observation a short time since, A pair of Martins had taken posses- 
ov 
sence of the martins, and coolly picked up their eggs one by one, P rm 
them out, and dropped them to the ground below. While engaged in 
impudent business, the martins returned, and while going in at one ve 
the entrances of the box, the daring marauders darted out at the other, 
and alighting on a tree near by chattered noisily, apparently in great 
glee. The martins, jy that their nest had been despoiled, abandoned 
the box, which was n duly taken possession of by the wrens, who 
reared two broods P, piss hopefuls during the summer, the first about 
the beginning of June, the second the latter part of July. — M. S. HILL, 
East Liverpool, O. 
DESTRUCTIVENESS THE LARVA OF THE GO: BEETLE. 
previous numbers of go ada URALIST, I ventured the inne = ena 
Goldsmith Beetle ( Cotatpa — was not likely ever to prove a serious 
pest to the agriculturist. As respects the insect in its beetle —- per- 
haps this may prove correct; mte ch P as that opinion may have related 
to the larva of this insect it mus retracted, as a positive observation 
lately made must settle this — slit 
When on a visit in September last to the farm of a celebrated straw- 
berry grower, in — County, N. J., my attention was directed to 
certain large patches badly thinned out by, as the phrase went, ‘the 
worm.” The plants were dead on the surface and easily pulled up, the 
roots being eaten off below. It was observable that the fields which pre- 
AMER. NATURALIST, VOL. III. 7 
