I think I will enter the lists in competition for “earliness.” I opened the ball on January 30th, 1886, by taking a set of three of the Great Horned Owl, incubation advanced. Who can beat it?

The following are the earliest takes of each species named during 1885. March 27th, Pileated Woodpecker, Cardinal Grosbeak; April 2nd, Turkey-Buzzard, Black Vulture, Tufted Titmouse; April 7th, Carolina Chickadee, Kildeer; April 10th, Swallow-tailed Kite; April 11th, Texan Screech Owl, Carolina Dove; April 15th, Red-bellied Woodpecker; April 17th, Yellow-throated Vireo; April 20th, Common Crow, Wild Turkey; April 27th, Mockingbird; April 28th, Carolina Wren; May 4th, Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Dwarf Cowbird; May 8th, Lark Finch, Scissor-tailed Flycatcher, Texas Orchard Oriole, Yellow-winged Sparrow; May 9th, Black-throated Bunting, Painted Bunting, Summer Red-bird; May 11th, Texan Quail, Blue Grosbeak; May 18th, Meadow Lark; May 22nd, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher; June 3d, Bronzed Grackle; June 8th, Boat-tailed Grackle; June 19th, Kingbird, the second set that I have taken in Texas during six years’ collecting.

J. A. Singley,

Giddings, Texas.