300 BULLETIN UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA. 



pushing his way into the clump. It was made beside the main stem, 

 situated like a chipping sparrow's nest, which it greatly resembled. It 

 was made externally of coarse weed-stems and grasses, with a lining of 

 fine grasses and horsehair. The cavity was two inches in diameter, and 

 one and three-eighths inches deep. The nest contained five young which 

 were nearly fledged, showing the black crown and yellow superciliary line, 

 and wing-bands. All the young were infested with a parasitic grub, 

 which had eaten a hole in the skull and neck; it appeared that the brain 

 had been entirely destroyed by the wriggling occupants of the cavity, 

 though the younglings were apparently enjoying life and were eagerly 

 stretching forth their mouths at the approach of the parents. The male 

 seemed most active in bringing in supplies, and he was collected with 

 little difficulty. The female was shyer, and only by considerable waiting 

 and watching was the collector able to secure her. 



On July 6, 1903, a nest of the ruby-crowned kinglet, Regulus calendula, 

 was collected, with both parent birds. This nest was along a road 

 through the Helena club grounds. It was situated about fifteen feet from 

 the ground, near the extremity of a branch of a medium-sized fir tree. 

 The site was six feet from the main stem. The nest was partially saddled 

 on an oblique twig on the under side of the branch, and was also some- 

 what pendent from several smaller twigs about which the walls were 

 woven. The nest was four inches in diameter externally, and three 

 inches deep. The opening was two and one-fourth inches across, and 

 the cavity was one and seven-eighths inches deep. The nest walls were 

 made of dark green lichens common in the tamarack forest, deer hair, 

 gossamer, and shreds of bark. The lining was made of hair, soft downy 

 feathers, and lichen. Tnere were eight young in the nest, ready to leave 

 in two or three days at most. 



