Part 1

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VOL. 1 APRIL, 1888. NO. 4.

the Hawkeye Ornithologist AND OOLOGIST.

EDITED AND PUBLISHED BY WEBSTER AND MEAD CRESCO, : IOWA.

Contents For April

An Eclipse Among the Alps H. F. Hegner. Oologists vs. "Rage Collectors" W. Hull. Bird Destruction Jos. M. Wade. The Wood Thrush Jas. B. Purdy. Canadian Flycatchers, Wm. L. Kells. Bird Nesting in The North of England Walter Raine. Notes on Some of the Passeres of Fulton Co., Kentucky L. O. Pindar. Death of Prof. Charles Linden Correspondence. The Largest of Its Species New York Sun. Oological Correspondence Jas. C. Jay. Suggestions for Properly Forming Collections of Birds' Eggs Smithsonian Bulletin. Notes. Migration Notes. How to Collect and Prepare Conchological Specimens J. A. Singley. The Scientist H. F. Hegner. Care of Minerals W. S. Beekman.

R. E. RACHFORD & SON, Collecting Naturalists --AND WHOLESALE DEALERS IN-- BIRD SKINS AND EGGS, BEAUMONT, TEXAS.

The Hawkeye Ornithologist and Oologist.

"Better to search the fields for health unbought, Than see the doctor for a nauseous draught, The wise for health on exercise depend. God never made his work for man to mend."

VOL. 1. CRESCO, IA., APRIL, '88. NO. 4.

AN ECLIPSE AMONG THE ALPS.

BY H. F. HEGNER, DECORAH, IOWA.

Far along the frozen glaciers Where the milky waters leap, Through the fresh and quiet valleys, Down the gorges wild and deep.

Creeps the night: The stars are shining In the twilight and the gloom: Drifting through the Alpine heavens, Gently shines the rising moon.

Now she's climbing upward; shadows Dropping from the summit's crest, Wrap the valleys in the darkness, Slumber on the mountain's breast.

But the earth has trailed her shadow Far out into empty space; And the moon walks through the shadow With earth's image on her face.

Oh, how often has that journey By a human soul been made; Passing through this world of trouble, Into sunshine--out of shade!

Long I watch her evening journey Far above the mountain's reach: Her sad face is almost human, With an eloquence of speech.

For my soul is ever climbing, Through an Alpine world of thought; Giant Blancs to be surmounted Icy battles to be fought.

--_Dubuque Herald._

OOLOGISTS VS. "RAGE" COLLECTORS.

BY W. HULL.

By a "Rage" Collector is meant one who is suddenly seized with the idea that he is deeply interested in oology, and must get together a collection of eggs as soon as possible. Some are inspired by reading oological papers, others become interested by associating with those who are at the height of excitement.

A great many persons are seized with a greater or less desire to collect stamps, coins, etc. These can be identified at any time, but eggs cannot.

A true oologist collects with a scientific purpose, actuated by a true love of nature, and an egg is of no value to him unless its identity is certain. Some collectors have a large collection, but know little or nothing about the parent birds. This would not be the case if they really cared for the eggs, but they simply keep them to gaze upon in blank admiration and boast that they have so many more eggs than some one else who may or may not collect with real interest.

I have on my tongue's end the names of at least two dozen collectors of this class, those that collect merely for the number of eggs. These collectors can truly be called "Great American Egg Hogs." Unrefined as this expression is, nevertheless it is to the point.

This class of collectors number many hundred throughout the United States and Canada. The excuse is "that egg collecting is a healthful and innocent pastime." Healthful it is, if one collects the eggs himself (which is not the case with the majority) but as to the innocence, that is due to the fact that it is not taken under a full view, and as long as it is healthful and no serious results are immediately visible, it is taken for granted to be innocent. This is a matter which the American Ornithologist's Union is acting upon, and appeals to the true oologists, for their assistance in discouraging these "naturalists"(?) in their wild career.--_Milwaukee Naturalist._

BIRD DESTRUCTION.

BY JOS. M. WADE.

Twenty to thirty years ago, it was not an unusual sight to see even the scarlet tanager, a bright red bird with black wings and tail, flitting from tree to tree in the heart of our cities like a fiery meteor in the sun-light, and to find their nests, built very lightly of straws and similar material on the horizontal limbs of our shade trees. But they were killed or driven off long before the advent of bird millinery as a fashion. They were, indeed, a "shining mark," and every body wanted a specimen, or thought they did, until at the present time the scarlet tanager is really a very rare bird throughout the New England States.

The Baltimore oriole, so named because the colors of the bird, black and yellow, resembled those of Lord Baltimore, has almost met the same fate, as it has done duty in ornamenting thousands of ladies' bonnets within the past five years. Four years ago this bird was quite plenty on the elms of Boston and suburbs. The hanging nests, made of hemp, old twine, etc., were quite common. But the past season showed a great change. These birds have been shot so ruthlessly, both while here and at the South, and during the migration, that hardly a pair could be found during the breeding season of 1886.

_Scientific American._

ORNITHOLOGY.

For The Hawkeye O. and O. THE WOOD THRUSH.

COMPOSED BY JAMES B. PURDY.

The wood thrush is singing from the depth of the glen, His clear, bell-like music, so pleasing to me In the fair month of May, when all nature looks gay; They vie with each other from briar and tree.

In a deep shaded nook, where the woodbine twine, And the dark gloomy forest conceals them from view; By a clear, winding brooklet, o'er tangled with vines. His dear mate is guarding her treasures of blue.

Though dark be the weather and gloomy the morn, And all other birds in the forest are still, And the sad face of Nature, all dreary, forlorn, His clear, mellow notes through the dripping woods thrill.

In the evening, when nature is seeking repose, And his dear little mate has repaired to her nest, And the last golden sunbeams are kissing the rose, It is then that his song is the sweetest and best.

Oh, then man why repine, be downcast on your way. As through the long years you are journeying on; For the sadder the morning and gloomier the day, The happier and sweeter is the wood thrushe's song.

For The Hawkeye O. and O. CANADIAN FLYCATCHERS.

BY WM. L. KELLS, LISTOWEL, ONTARIO.

TRAILL'S FLYCATCHER. (_Empidonax pusillus Trailli._)

In size and general appearance, this species closely resembles the wood pewee; but its habitat and mode of nesting are much different. It does not frequent the back-woods nor the high timbered places; and not until a thick second-growth of low underwood succeeds the original forest in low swampy places does it make its appearance in the central districts of Ontario. Then it is so shy and wary, darting off into the deepest concealment whenever its haunts are invaded by the presence of human kind, that were it not for its noisy notes, it would scarcely be known to exist.

It arrives in this vicinity toward the end of May, when its haunts are being clothed with the emerald foliage of summer, and when it can the more easily conceal itself from observation, which it appears to dread. Then, however, the rapidly repeated "wick-we-o" of the male, as he perches on some elevated, but shady branch, intimate its presence, and that his mate has probably chosen the neighboring thicket for her summer home, while should this be penetrated, her sharp "twick," repeated in a repellant tone, gives the intruder to understand that she is there, and that his presence is not welcome.

It is very active in its movements, and darts through the shrubbery with the rapidity of a flash. It appears to subsist chiefly on insects, many of which it captures on the wing after the manner of its family. It is only in recent years that this species has become a summer resident of this vicinity; and in the particular places where it chooses to reside, it seems yearly to be more common. In the manner and position of its nest, it differs from all the other Canadian flycatchers. This is placed in deep concealment among the thick foliage of the particular shrub, bush or underwood in which it is built, and if the first efforts at brood raising are successful, it does not appear to nest again that season, but if otherwise, it will try again. Its first nest may be found the early part of June, but its efforts at reproduction appear to cease after the month of July, and it becomes silent as August advances.

On the 19th of July, 1885, my boys reported to me they had found the nest of a new kind of bird in a piece of low woods on the farm opposite Wildwood. They stated that the bird was nearly as large as a hermit thrush, but more like a flycatcher; that the nest--placed in a low blue beech--was like an indigo bird's, but that the three eggs which it contained, were like those of a vireo. Eager to ascertain what this new discovery might be, I returned with the boys to the nesting place, and though the owner was absent, I saw at a glance that it was a discovery new to me. The nest was placed in the fork of a small blue beech, three feet off the ground, well concealed among the leaves and surrounding raspberry vines. It was composed externally of wool and coarse grasses; and lined with fine dry grass and some horsehair. The three eggs were of a whitish-yellow hue, with a few redish dots toward the large end. Now, anxious to see the owner of this nest, I took a ramble through the wood, where I heard and saw the male bird, and when I returned the female flushed off the nest and darted into the neighboring thicket, and for some time I supposed this species to be the olive sided flycatcher, but learning my mistake, I became certain that it was the _Trailli_, and have since been confirmed in this identification. The next summer, about the 20th day of June, within a few yards of the above mentioned place, I found in the forks of a small swamp elm, about four feet off the ground, another nest of the same species; much the same in composition, and containing three fresh eggs, similar in hue and markings. And on the same day, a few rods further in the wood, another nest of this species, containing three young a few days old. This nest, however, was in the forks of a red-maple sapling about nine feet off the ground, and some of the coarse grass stalks of which it was composed hung down nearly a foot from the bottom of the nest. Last season I failed to discover any nests of this species, though I found the birds in several other places.

THE LEAST FLYCATCHER. (_Empidonax minimus._)

This species, in general appearance and place of habitat, much resembles the wood pewee, but it is smaller in size, and its mode of nesting is quite different.

Its scolding notes are the repetition of a simple "chip"; but these are seldom heard except when its nest or young are approached. Its song, if such it may be called, resembles the word "chebeck" repeated in a clear tone, may often be heard, especially for some weeks after its arrival.

Its advent here usually occurs in the latter part of May; and it leaves Canada for more southern latitudes in the early part of September.

Its usual habitat is the high, rolling, hard-wood timbered lands; and for the hilly margins of gravel-bottomed creeks, it seems to have a decided partiality.

In the dry season it feeds occasionally on small fish, which it easily captures, as they wriggle in the shallow water, though in general it feeds on small insects and their progeny in various stages of development.

This little creature is quite pugilistic, and in the pairing season two males often indulge in a free and fierce fight, which probably influences the female in her decision of accepting the victor as her future partner.

The nest of this species is placed in the upright fork of a small tree, or where some small branches project from a larger stem. It is a neat, compact structure, much like that of the redstarts, composed chiefly of the fibrous matter that forms between the bark and wood of decayed trees, lined with fine hair. The set of eggs, numbering from two to five, are of a clear white hue. It does not appear to nest more than once during the season.

[FINIS.]

For The Hawkeye O. and O. BIRD NESTING IN THE NORTH OF ENGLAND.

BY WALTER RAINE, TORONTO, CANADA.

Crossing the stream above Thornton Force, we ascend a hill; and on reaching the top a splendid panorama opens before us. Towards the west, the river Lune wends its way for nearly twenty miles, and after passing through the town of Lancaster, empties itself into Morcambe Bay. The sun is shining on the sea, which is twenty miles away, although it does not appear half that distance. The atmosphere is very clear in this region, and taking out our field glass we plainly see several ships and steamers sailing in the Irish Sea. Towards the north are the mountain peaks of Cumberland and Westmoreland, standing out boldly; to the east stands Ingleborough mountain, towards the foot of which we make our way. We soon cross another stream which runs over Beezley Falls and down through another fairy gorge called Crina Bottom, which is similar to the one we have just traversed, with numerous cascades, and where more water ouzels, wagtails and redpolls breed; but we have not time to stay here, wishing to get on to the moors to find some plover's eggs.

Crossing some fields we find a nest of the skylark with four eggs. The mate is soaring high in the air and pouring out his joyous strains; it reminds us of the old German hymn: "Hark! Hark! the Lark at Heaven's gate sings." He is truly a wonderful songster. Immediately on leaving the ground, he begins to pour out his song, and soaring upward and upward, until he is a mere speck in the sky, when he begins to descend and does not cease singing until he reaches the earth again.

The titlark is one of the commonest birds of this district and we come across several nests, by the birds starting from in front of our feet. Their nests are always on the ground, made of dried grass, lined with hair: and contain from four to six eggs of a dusky brown, mottled over with darker brown, some having black hair lines around the egg.

A wheatear flying from out of some stones attracts our notice; and here is a nest made of grass and rabbit's fur, containing six pale blue eggs, not unlike the American blue-birds. This wheatear is called stonechat in America, though it must not be confounded with the English stonechat which is a different species.

We now reach the moors and are soon up to the knees in heather. Bird life here is very numerous. Lapwing plovers fly over our heads, crying "pewit, pewit" in a plaintive note; long-billed curlews are screaming loudly; golden plovers are whistling; red grouse are crowing; ring ouzel are calling; and above all can be heard the welcome cry of the cuckoo. High in the air, several snipes are drumming. This noise is caused by the bird's wings as it rapidly descends in the air. Nothing is more delightful than a ramble over a Yorkshire moor, where the purple heather grows in place of grass, relieved here and there with stretches of bracken, gray rocks and boulders. A lapwing rises some distance in front, and marking down the spot, we soon stand gazing upon its nest and four eggs with their points inward, meeting in the center, after the fashion of all plover's eggs. The nest is simply a slight hollow in the ground, lined with bits of grass. The eggs have a dark olive ground, abundantly blotched with brown and black; average size 2.00x1.50. These eggs are much sought after as delicacies for the table; and are offered for sale in the markets at three pence and four pence each. We look around and soon find several more nests and eggs; and in less than twenty minutes we have taken some two dozen eggs, and as we don't wish to carry them along with us, we hide them beneath a rock from carrion crows until we return.

Jumping over a little brook, a snipe darts away from a tuft of grass. In the center are snugly laid four richly marked eggs of a greenish-olive hue, blotched and spotted with two or three shades of brown. A large series show the eggs to differ much in ground color and markings. This bird is numerous in Yorkshire; I have found it breeding in all parts of the county.

Only two species of duck nest in the moors, near the lagoons, the common mallard and the teal.

The mallard usually lays from seven to twelve pale olive-green tinted eggs in a nest of grass, lined with down; size about 2.25x1.60.

The teal builds a nest of vegetable substances, lined with down and feathers. Six to twelve eggs are laid of a buffy white; size, 1.75x1.25.

The short-eared owl is found nesting here; its nest is always on the ground, a simple structure of sticks, grass and heather, upon which it lays four or five white elliptical eggs, averaging in size 1.55x1.25.

Three other species of owls nest in this district: the barn owl, the tawny owl and the long-eared owl.

The latter generally selects some old crow or magpie's nest; and lays from four to six eggs, not so round as those of the short-eared species.

Tramping over the moors for a mile or so, a bird rises from the hillside before us and dashes away at a great rate. Marking down the spot, we find a stone surrounded by bird's feathers and insects' wings, and pick up a titlark which is still warm. This is the shambles of a merlin hawk who was just going to dine off the titlark when we disturbed him. We set about to look around for its nest, when my brother cried out "Here it is with four splendid eggs." In a few seconds I was there, gazing on the treasures with delight and admiration. The nest was a mixed mass of twigs, heather and brakens, raised a few inches high; and the four eggs resting in a slight hollow in the center. Their ground color was a dark, crimson brown, speckled all over with dark brown and black. Some varieties resemble eggs of the kestril hawk, but a series of fifty eggs before me do not show such varieties in color as the eggs of the kestril do. As a rule, they are smaller than the kestril's eggs and not so round, nor so boldly marked. We blow the eggs and pack them away with care, and proceed farther on.

[TO BE CONTINUED.]

For The Hawkeye O. and O. NOTES ON SOME OF THE PASSERES OF FULTON CO., KY.

THIRD PAPER, BY L. O., PINDAR, PRES. Y. O. A., HICKMAN, KY.

Following the family _Corvidæ_, comes the family _Icteridæ_. The commoner species of this family in this part of Kentucky are the red-winged blackbird, the meadow lark, the Baltimore oriole and the purple grackle. The orchard oriole and the rusty blackbird are also found; but over two years of study and careful searching in our woods and fields has failed to detect the bobolink and cowbird.

I purpose to devote this paper to the meadow lark and the Baltimore oriole.

First come; first served. The meadow or field lark is a common resident here and seems to collect in colonies. I know of two fields where I can always find them, while in other, seemingly just as favored meadows, I have failed to see them.

Early in the spring, I think, of '87, I shot at one of these birds and came very near making a clear miss as only one shot struck him and that cut off his leg. I picked him up and was going to kill him when the thought came across my mind to make a pet of him. Accordingly, on reaching home, I put him in a cage and fed him corn meal, which he ate greedily. He also relished a few wheat grains which I let him have. He grew very tame shortly, and on several occasions woke me up in the morning by his clear, rich whistling; but one day I left a lot of meal by the cage and he killed himself eating it. I would have supposed he would have known when he had enough, but he didn't.

Mr. J. B. Richards, Sec'y. Y. O. A., writes me that he has known a wild bobolink to kill itself by eating too much, and he lost a pet bobolink in the same way.

The meadow lark is accused by some writers of murdering and devouring, not only its own, but other birds' nestlings, and of being an egg-sucker; but I have nothing to offer on that point myself.

The nest of the meadow lark is made of grass, etc., built on the ground, often arched over, and sometimes at the foot of a bush or weed.

The eggs are four to six in number; crystal white, more or less marked with reddish-brown dots; average size, 1.10x.80.

And now, having called the bird a "lark" all through the article, let me say that it is not a lark at all, but a starling. The old name is, however, too firmly established to permit of a change.

The Baltimore oriole is a summer resident and quite common. The males arrive about the middle of April, and the females about ten days later. In 1887, the males arrived on the 13th, the females on the 23d. On the 30th, I found a nest nearly finished; and May 7th it contained five fresh eggs. Unfortunately the boy who tried to secure them broke the whole set.

The oriole is one of our most brilliantly plumaged birds, and on that account is much persecuted. I have heard that they stand captivity well, but as yet I have had no opportunity to try.

But it is in the nest that the chief interest in the study of this species centers. It is a closely woven pouch of various substances, grass, wool, thread, string, hair, lace, ribbons, rags, paper, leaves--all these and many more have been found in their nests. I have one by me now which is composed entirely of horsehair, with the exception of a white string around the rim to bind the hairs together; and I was shown one in Fulton, Kentucky, made entirely of long blades of grass.

I made a careful examination of the nest mentioned in the first part of the sketch. The foundation was made entirely of white wrapping twine, lined with dried grass; and as if to render it less conspicuous, it was covered with green locust leaves--it was in a locust tree--and suspended as it was, among a bunch of leaves, it was next to impossible to see it. I discovered it by watching the bird. One string in the nest was over five feet long. It was wrapped again and again around a limb, then to the nest, woven down one side under the bottom and up the other side to the rim where it was securely fastened.

The eggs are white, with blackish spots and scrawls irregularly distributed over the surface, especially toward the larger end. The average size is 1.00x.65, according to Coues; .92x.65 according to Davie. I consider the latter more correct so far as it applies to eggs taken here.