NATURAL HISTORY MISCELLANY. 663 
scription of T. Alicie and Swainsonii. There is also very nearly as wide 
varieties in specimens of T. Pallasii which I have collected. 
Without more evidence than is exhibited in the variations in size and 
intensity of color, in birds so variable in these particulars as I know the 
hrush to be, it seems to me that extreme caution should be used in de- 
ciding upon species. —C. J. MAYNARD. 
HABITS or Snives.— In a recent number of the Naturatist, you ask if 
any of your readers have seen the snipe (Scolopax Wiilsonii) alight in trees. 
I have noticed this in connection with another peculiarity, that of drum- 
ming,” as generally called late in the spring when shooting these beau- 
tiful little waders. Sometimes, at the report of a gun, a score or more 
would rise in a wisp, and after drumming awhile alight again. It has been 
at these times that I have seen them sitting on trees and old stumps, but 
more frequently on the common worm-fence; they perch, however, but a 
few moments before they are drumming again. On the northern shore 
of Lake Superior they have been seen, in fact are seen almost every 
upon reaching land, alight on the trees in flocks, and rest for a consider- 
able length of time; and although it has no connection with the subject, I 
would like to have it explained to me how it is that quite often in spring 
shooting, you find upon drawing your birds that in a day or two at most 
they would have laid an egg, and they are at least 1,500 miles from their 
breeding places, and have their nests to make after getting there, which 
would take altogether two or three days. I do not think it can be ex- 
plained by saying they may breed south of the British American breeding- 
places; for in some seasons, like last spring, you will find three out of 
five in that condition. 
Have any of your readers ever seen the Woodcock, Scolopax minor, 
perch on a tree or shrub? I saw one once that was unhurt, and another 
that was badly wounded. The first got entangled in the leaves and stems 
of a small bush, and perched on a small limb, and sat there four or five 
minutes. As I was not more than ten feet from him, I had a good oppor- 
tunity to study him. The other was wounded late one evening and lost, 
and the next morning found perched in a bush, where he had remained all 
night, as proven by the signs underneath the twig on which he sat. He 
was unable to fly, which may account for it; but the other bird was an 
old bird, and had not been injured in — way.— Wm. W. CASTLE, Cleve- 
land, Ohio. 
TUE SEVENTEEN-YEAR Locust.—As it is stated in the NATURALIST 
that the eggs of the Seventeen-year Locust hatch out, and the larve leave 
the twigs to go into the ground i in a few weeks from the time of deposit, 
I may mention that, since ‘the twenty-eighth of July, I have kept in my 
study a number of twigs stung by the locust, for observation. No larve 
have yet appeared. Breaking one of the twigs a few minutes ago at the 
w of deposit, I found in it a number of the eggs, one-thirteenth of 
an inch long, and quite translucent under a pocket lens. The twigs have 
