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ORNITHOLOGIST [Vol 7-No. 16 
() R NIT H O L () G I S T 
—AND— 
OOLOOIST. 
A MONTHLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED TO 
THE STUDY OP BIRDS, THEIR NESTS AND EGOS. 
,rOS. Jtl. WAT>E, EDITOR, 
stand and appreciate. It is not by anj-- 
means above criticism, but Mr. Ingorsoll 
has done so well that we have not the incli¬ 
nation to criticise, even if we had the room. 
Every collector should get a copy for it is 
well worth the low price asked for it. 
With the co-operation of able Ornithological 
Writers and Collectors. 
Subscription —per annum. Foreign guhscrip- 
tion t\.25—including pogtage. Specimen 
Copies Ten Cents. 
JOS. M. WAI>E, Norwich, Conn. 
E 7)1 TORI A Z. 
Our Present Number is dated ^lay 1 5th 
and is an extra. During the year another 
will be sent out. The volume will then 
close with the year and prevent confusion. 
For want of room much newsy and valuable 
matter is left over eacli month. An enlarge¬ 
ment or a semi-monthly issue is very desir¬ 
able. Our thanks are tendered to those 
who have sent us additional subscribers. 
Publications. 
“Forest and Stream," Bird Notes. An 
index and summary of all the ornithologi¬ 
cal matter contained in “ Forest and 
Stream,” Vols. I to XII. Compiled by H. 
B. Baily. Forest and Stream Publishing 
Co., N. Y., 1881. Price not given. The 
above is a very valuable work for students 
in ornithology who have access to a full 
file of Forest and Stream. The “summa 
rv” is valuable of itself, but the title “Bird 
Notes" is misleading. The name of the 
author is a sufficient guarantee that the 
work is well done. 
“Birds Nesting. A hand book of in- 
straction in gathering and preserving the 
Nests and Eggs of Birds for the purpose 
of study, by Ernest Ingorsoll, Salem. Geo. 
A. Bates, 1882.” Price conditional—from 
90 cents to SI.25. We have read this work 
with much interest and some profit. Mr. 
Ingorsoll has written the book in a jilain, 
straightforward manner that all can under¬ 
Blue Yellow-backed Warbler. 
ITS SUMMER HOME. 
The long, pendulous tree moss, so- 
called, in which the Blue Yellow-backed 
Warbler builds its nest and breeds, is a 
lichen of the genus Usnea ( U. barbata,var. 
hirta) and ( U. trichodea). The filamen¬ 
tous thallus of the latter is coarser and 
longer than the former, specimens often 
measuring more than two feet in length. 
Both species are often found in the same 
nest, f/. barbata. or the finer parts of U. 
trichodea, being used for the nest proper. 
Of the nine species recognized by 
Nylander three are European and six are 
possessed by us. U. barbata, var. Flori¬ 
da is very common in our woods, but is 
hardly pendulous enough for the purposes 
of the Warbler in question. It may be 
readily distinguished by its numerous 
peltate apothecia, with radiate margins 
and whitish faces. The longer species 
mentioned above {var. hirta), is found on 
juniper or sarins in exposed localities on 
our highest hills; old scraggy trees, partly 
dead, furnish the greatest supply. I have 
found none on young trees. Tlie filaments 
of this lichen are very fine and hair-like. 
The finest specimens of U. trichodea are 
found in our densest swamps on the 
white cedar ( Cupressus thyoides) and on 
other swamp trees. 
In appearance these lichens are related 
to our northern cedar swamps very much 
as the Spanish or black moss ( I'itlandsia 
usenuides) is to the southern ; though thej 
latter is not a lichen, belonging as it does:] 
to the juneapple family, it is neverthelessj 
an epiphyte. Lichens are all hardy air] 
plants and simply require a foothold, whenj 
they are able to thrive under the most] 
ammtsa 
