The Golden State Scientist. 



5 



CHUCKWILLS WIDOW. 



A ntJirostoiiiHs Carol 'mens is. 



The Chuckwills widow is one of 

 our rare summer residents; arriving 

 about the first week in May, per- 

 haps sooner in extreme cases in 

 other localities. 



I can always mark its arrival by 

 its plaintiff note, which can be heard 

 just as the sun sinks behind the 

 horizon, and is kept up alternately 

 till a late hour. The sound of its 

 note is exactly similar to its name 

 sonly the ''Chuck" being rather short. 

 Its nesting place is generally on 

 oak ridges. Its nest is nothing 

 more than a slight depression in the 

 ground near an old decayed log or 

 bush. Both the male and female 

 are hardly discernable from the 

 Whippoorwill 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 sum- 

 mer, which I hope will be interest- 

 ing to my fellow collectors. 



On May 25th I was out collect- 

 ing and come upon a nest ot 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 what to do, but meditating 

 a few moments upon the subject a 

 new plan entered my mind : I con- 

 cluded to destroy the young and 

 watch the parent birds. I watched 

 the place where they had their pre- 

 vious nest daily for about a fort- 

 night. 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 foot- 

 steps towards 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 again 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 

 my great delight I descried my 

 long sought for treasure — 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, m.arked 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 theirsouthern home 

 about the last week in August; the 

 exact date I am unable to say. 



D. L. FoxHALL, Oxford. N. C. 



There is a species of ant in Tex- 

 as which makes honey equal to 

 any that is produced by bees. The 

 little insects store the honey, as they 

 gather it, in a pouch about the size 

 of a small pea that is attached to 

 their bodies. When this pouch is 

 full, they march into the cells of 

 their subterranean habitations, and 

 there unload. — Mihvaiikce Natural- 

 ist. 



We shall depend on you all to 

 make this monthly interesting and 

 will gladlypublishany contributions 

 relating to natural history, coins, 

 stamps, etc., that you may send us. 



