42 
THK OOLOGIST. 
of tho former eonstitutiii;^ part of its fowl. 
The nest Is eotiHtnictod of sticks aiul t\vi*r.s. 
|)!ao(Hi togetlior rather loosely, find eontains 
two c,i;gs, lonijly elliptical in form, and of 
a dirty whiti* color, sonu'tiini's bcariuir a 
yellowish tint. They measure, on the av- 
crajre. about l.;U> by .9r> ofan ineli. The 
niii?rati(»nH of these birds are often of lon^ 
duration, and flocks have Ihm'm seen, that 
<*ompletely darketied the earth by tbeir 
iiiiinberst. 
4(54. Prairie Hvu . 
Tliis. the sportsman's favorite, like all 
(he ^'ntuse, lays a larjre number of efrgs. 
nests havinir be iMi i<>un<I to contain at least 
sixteen e^jrs. The nest is composed of 
.i»rnss(^s, dry leaves, fine roots, etc., etc., 
inid is ]»laced in tlie open prairie upon the 
liround, often at the foot of a small hillock 
CM* knoll. These nests, from their similar- 
ity of color to the Jfiirronndin*^ vegetation, 
and beinp: almost completely hidden, are 
\ery diflicult to discover. The eggs are a- 
bont the size of those of the common dove, 
siauetimes rather p(»inted at the smaller 
»Mid, and of a uniform brown color. 
4 7H . II 7* oopifuj Craiif. 
The AVhooping Crane {Gras rmcWcdWWs) 
is a resident of tbe htwer AVestern States, 
where it breeds, placing its nest, ctjmpos- 
ed of coarse and tough sticks, branches, 
rwigs. coarse grass, weeds etc.. near the 
griMuid, and is nearly flat, like tliose of the 
heron. The eggs are long and very large, 
nieasnripg 3.80 by 2.50 inches. They are 
of a rough dirty light bufl" color, nearly a 
«Team, and covered all over with Spots and 
blotches of different shades of brown, mo.<t 
confluent about the larger end, in some 
specimens thickest on the smaller end. 
These eggs arc extremely tough and thick- 
shelled, and will bear a great annunit of 
Januning without breaking. Ol'ten tlie htr- 
;;cr end will be covered with hard protu- 
bi'rances reseml)liiig pieces the shell. 
471K SnndhllJ (h'tiuf. 
TIk' eggs of this Cniue are almost exact 
counterparts of those of the abov^^ the on- > 
ly dissimilarity being in tlu'ir si/<* ; those: 
of 47!M»eariiig llu' small(?st A/x. Oftini,' 
however, a distiiiguishiug mark is the si/e 
of the blotches and tlu'- lighter grtjund color 
of the latter. 
In size, the eggs of the Sandhill Crane 
are M.o;") by 2.20 inches; specimens diinot 
vary mueh as a general thing, from this 
size, although, ofctuirse, there are some 
exceptions. 
^02. Flamingo, 
The American or Scarlet Flamiug(» i.-* 
an inhabitant of the Sfuithern States, where 
it breeds in considerable numbers. Soum 
persons claim that these liirds are quitti 
s<'arce. but tliis is errone*ms. I have beard 
of several breeding places — or '^nesting 
holes." as the southern boys call them — be- 
ing f<mnd, !ind largo numbers of their eggs 
being proc-iu'ed. It is yet to be discovered 
that they l>reed in immense commiuiities in 
the swamps, lagoons and marshes border- 
ing the uiouths of the Mississippi Kiver. 
The nests are the most singuho* sjyeci- 
mens of avi-architecture ; they are built i»f 
nnid ami <'lay. of a eonical lorm, and H 
or 2 feel in height, the top of which is hol- 
lowed some, and covered with a small (pian- 
tily of grass. On this rude structure uro 
laid 2 or "^t eggs, sometimes 4, of a whito 
color, marked with faint spots of l)rownisli, 
Tlie bird hatches the eggs while in a stainl- 
iug positi4»n. Often the eggs bear no mark- 
ings whatever. 
(id I. ffrrriufj GaU. 
In the northern parts of eastern United 
States thexe birds are abundant, breeding 
on tiie rocky islets that are mimerous in the 
small lakes, of that regi<Mi. The nest U 
merely an uidenture in the ground, cover- 
ed with a lew fibrous roots and dry grasses. 
On this are laid three eggs, of a dark br<twu 
color, and spotted over the entire shell with 
darker spitls of the same cohu*. in some 
specimens coIle<-ted n»<tstly about the large 
end. Tiu-ee specimens mejisnred 2.0.'* hv 
2; 2.r>0 by l.!»0; and 2.8S by 1.H7. 
(TO BK C'ONTINlTKl>.) " OVI M." 
Ox )#ccount of the costly engravings to iip- 
pear in om* next we shall be ob'igefl to ask 
o cents each for extras or specimen I'Ojues, 
