8 
ORNITIIOLOr.IST 
[Vol. 6-No. 1. 
G. A. T., Williston. Msikk., writes that he 
has seen two flocks of Pine Grosbeaks dur¬ 
ing the last week in January, and that his 
friend Kimball saw a Meadow Lark several 
times in Ellington, Conn., during the last 
of January. A gentleman driving from 
Somers Conn., noticed the Lark on the 
road side. It flew on the fence before him, 
and continued to fly in advance of the team 
for three or four miles until it reatdied El¬ 
lington. 
W. H. C., Detroit, Mich., states that he 
has two female Cow Birds killed near that 
place, Jan. 24, the thermometer stiinding 
at 12° above zero. 
C. W. H., Statesville, N. C., writes that 
he has discovered a new way to skin birds: 
he first makes a small cut on the head, be¬ 
tween the skin and the flesh, then inserts a 
blow pipe, tie tightly to prevent escape of 
air, then blow until all the skin is separated 
from the flesh, close up the air hole and let 
the l)ird remain until cold, then proceed to 
remove tlfe skin. He experimented on a 
Pigeon with perfect success; he hopes 
others will trj' the experiment and re])ort. 
B. J. P., Willimantic, Conn., in referring 
to Mr. Jencks’ notes on the breeding of the 
Least Bitteni in 11. I., states that he has 
taken one and sometimes two of their nests 
in each season, until last year when he was 
compelled by sickness to sbiy at home. 
^londay, Feb. 7, being a warm day I 
took my gun and went after Snow Bunt¬ 
ings (Plectrophunes niv(tlitt). I soon found 
a flock and fired both barrels into it and 
got 11. While waiting for the flock to re¬ 
turn (as they will and hover over the wound¬ 
ed ones.) they retunied before I had my 
cartridges changed. While I was waiting I 
saw one of the wounded birds fluttering 
along the snow some 7o yards from me. a 
Shrike swooped down upon the wounded 
bird and seized it by the throat. I was 
astonished at the impudence of the Shrike 
and fired a charge of <lust shot at it, but it 
took no notice further than to let go and 
fly up and look around. It went back to 
the Snow Bunting and again took it by the 
throat. I fired No. 11 shot at it and spoil¬ 
ed his dinner. Upon examination it prov¬ 
ed to be( Collyrio ludovicianus)Ijog{yerhe&d 
Shrike. This is the first instance of find¬ 
ing that species hei-e in the dead of win¬ 
ter. 
P. S.—I noticed in the Febm iry number 
of the Oologist that Dr. Atkins states that he 
had shot a specimen of Song Sparrow {^fel- 
ospiza me'.odia') Jan. 1st. I think the Bird 
will prove to be Lincoln’s Finch (J/. lin- 
colnii) as the Birds are verj' much alike. 
—W. H. Collins, Detroit, Mich. 
Recent Publications. 
Beautiful and Curious Birds of the 
World, by Chas. P. Cory, F.L.S., F.Z.S., 
etc.—Parts I. and II. of this magnificient 
w’ork have been issued, and we feel it our 
duty to dwell somewhat upon it, as it fills 
an important though by no means espec¬ 
ially valuable position among serial ornith¬ 
ological publications. 
The first part contains two plates and 
corresponding text. One of these repre¬ 
sents the Dodo, a famous bird of .4ustralia, 
now extinct; natunil size. The coloring is 
excellent, although the chanuder of the 
subject is such as to retpiire little real ar¬ 
tistic nicety. .411 the picture claims is 
accuracy. The artist has made a back¬ 
ground to relieve a figure which would 
otherwise be monotonous. The other 
plate is that of a Bird of Paradise, one of 
the sombrerer species, creeper-like in aj)- 
jicanmce. The foliage is excellently calcu¬ 
lated to exhibit the native haunts of the 
species. 
Part two contains three plates, illustrat¬ 
ing respectively, the King Bird of Paradise, 
the .4ptenr-x, and Great .4uk, all good sub¬ 
jects. and selected in iwcordance with the ti¬ 
tle of the woi k. The figures are first printed 
in pale coloni, and afterward carefully color¬ 
ed by hand by compeU-nt artists. The work 
is to consist of ten jiarts. published at inter 
vals of three months, at ten dollars jier 
part. Tlie author may be luldressed at 
numlu-r H. Arlington Street, B )ston, .Mass. 
