— 23— 



dead trees containing cavities made by woodpeckers in preceding- 

 seasons, was a favorite resort for this species. East of the 

 ridge mentioned as flanking the Helena Clnh grounds and 

 the road leading southward, was a depression which contained 

 many tall boles with holes inhabited by the tree swallow. The 

 islands at the head of McGovern's Bay formed attractive resorts 

 for the tree swallow, and there we found the only nest ex- 

 amined containing eggs. The site of the nest was a cavity 

 in a large cedar tree, about twenty feet from the ground, but 

 not more than half that distance from the top of a rocky ledge 

 beside the tree. The cavity was a natural crack in the decayed 

 trunk, about a foot deep, in which a nest of soft chicken feath- 

 ers had been made. On the day of observation, June 24, there 

 was but one egg in the nest. The egg of this swallow is pure 

 vrhite, closely resembling that of the dowTiy woodpecker, or 

 the chimney swift. 



LOUISIANA TANAGER, Piranga ludoviciana (Wils.) 



The lyouisiana tanager is one of the bird beauties of the 

 Northwest. The male, with his clear lemon-yellow attire, varied 

 with crimson-hued head, is a striking feature of the evergreen 

 woods. The female is not so attractively dressed, having a robe 

 of olive instead of brighter colors. In voice, also, this species 

 is worthy of unusual consideration. The male has a warble 

 quite like that of the robin, though careful discrimination may 

 note that it is uttered more hurriedly and sharply. Its usual 

 call consists of two syllables, which may be represented 

 by the word ^'truckee", accented on the last s^dlable. 



It was my fortune to find one nest of this tauager, and that 

 one contaiued voung birds about three days old, on June 21. 

 I had been in the vicinity of the nest repeatedly on previous 

 davs. but not until this occasion was my attention directed to 

 it. The fad of having young at this time led the parent 

 birds to disclose their secret by their anxiety, which had not 

 been so great when I had been near the place while the nest 

 contained eggs. The actions of other nesting birds in that 

 particular chimp of woods, however, had aided to cause me to 

 overlook this tanaffer home on former occasions, for the 

 bushes had claimed my attention to the neglect of the trees 

 overhead. 



The nest of the Louisiana tanager was in the woods across 

 the road from the Station grounds. It was in a fir tree, twelve 



