206 BULLETIN 14G^ UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



One nest was in a depression in the meadow grass, but not otlierwise lined or 

 showing any construction. All the other nests were on knolls or ridges, either 

 on gravel soil or on gray formation ; they were in depressions varying from 

 a shallow saucer -shaped hollow to one that was 2 inches deep by 3 inches in; 

 diameter ; and in each case the birds appear to have taken possession of a 

 previous hollow, although possibly deepening and otherwise forming it to their 

 purpose. All nests were unlined, although one had a few sprays of sage and 

 phlox around the edge and another had a few shreds of dried and bleached 

 wood scattered about. 



John G. Tyler (1913), writing of the nests in Fresno district, 

 California, says : 



A typical nest throughout the cultivated sections is composed of a handful 

 of white pebbles about the size of peas and very uniform in size, mixed with an 

 equal number of dry shells of melon seeds of the previous year. Frequently a 

 few dry, broken-up pieces of melon stems are used also, the whole being spread 

 out over a space the size of a saucer, with the eggs resting in the center * * *, 

 On the summer-fallow fields only a few dry grass blades line the place where 

 the eggs rest, while around the ponds of the west side, the eggs generally lie 

 half covered in the powdered alkali dust without a scrap of nest lining. 



W. J. Brown (1916) speaks of finding many attempts at excavat- 

 ing nests in the ground not far from the real nest. He suggests they 

 may be decoy nests. Mrs. Henry W. Nelson (1900) reports a case 

 where the eggs were laid in the bare gravel driveway and were moved 

 by the gardener to the edge of the turf out of the way of carriages. 

 The bird continued to incubate. W. Lee Chambers (1901) relates the 

 case of a killdeer's nest between the ties on a used railroad track; 

 F. W. Aldrich, of one between double tracks of a well-used railroad, 

 and notes of a similar case to the latter have been sent by F. A. E. 

 Starr. 



GsLjle Pickwell (1925) found near Lincoln, Nebr,, the nest of a 

 killdeer in a rubbish heap of broken glass, old bottles, and other 

 material with which the dark mottled eggs harmonized so closely in 

 color that they were invisible until closely approached. In fact kill- 

 deers' eggs are so protectively colored for the usual surroundings 

 that the instinct of nest concealment by furtive abandonment is 

 exhibited by the killdeer as in the case of most shore birds. 



The most unusual case of the nesting of the killdeer is that observed 

 by Mr. Pickwell (1925) in the same locality on the gently sloping 

 tarred and graveled roof of a race-track grandstand, some 50 feet 

 above the ground. The eggs were laid in a slight cup-shaped depres- 

 sion among the crushed stones. Close observation showed that the 

 relative position of the eggs in the nest was changed daily between 

 10.30 a. m. and 3 p. m., and it was not unusual to find them with their 

 points away from the center of the nest. The young were found on 

 the ground near the building while still but feeble walkers. In what 

 manner the old ones transferred them from the roof was not observed. 



