8 



THE MUSEUM. 



Three of the nesting;" sites that I 

 have found were in high oak woods, 

 two were in a lower locahty and not 

 far removed from water, and in a 

 mixed woods of hawthorn, dogwood, 

 basswood, elm and some ash and 

 beech, and one was in a beech and 

 maple forest. The eggs were always 

 in a slight hollow and rested on a bed 

 of dry leaves. In one instance the 

 eggs touched a small dead limb which 

 bound one side of the hollow, and 

 rested with their ends against this un- 

 usual boundar}'. In every case the 

 site was quite near to, or beneath a 

 thicket of bushes or small trees. With- 

 out exception, the neighborhood of the 

 location was well grown up with thick 

 underbrush. 



All of my eggs were discovered from 

 the old bird flushing as I passed near. 

 This is the usual experience of col- 

 lectors, and it is a remarkable find if 

 one runs across the eggs without the 

 aid of the setting bird. In fact, it is 

 surprising to secure the eggs by any 

 means, when the nesting site is sought. 

 My finds have always been accidental 

 and entirely unexpected, while re- 

 peated trials at nest finding have invar- 

 iably resulted in failure. My first set 

 of eggs was found thirty years ago, and 

 not another nest was discovered until 

 ten years later. Another set slightlv 

 incubated was taken May 25, 1884. 

 Other sets taken by friends of mine 

 were as follows: Fresh set May 28, 

 '76; May 22 and 28, 'yy and May 21, 

 '79. All in the southern part of the 

 lower peninsula. 



The old bird generally rises when 

 the stroller is very near, and with a 

 few Hops settles at a little distance, 

 where she looks at one with big star- 



ing eyes. If again flushed, she circles 

 about the collector. At one time a 

 friend found a set of eggs, we watched 

 the old bird with interest, as she gave 

 evidence of great concern, although 

 the eggs were fresh. After flushing she 

 flew about live or six yards, and alight- 

 ing, eyed us. We flushed her again, 

 when she uttered a peculiar pathetic, 

 note, not unlike the note of the old 

 hen Partridge when she tries to lure an 

 interloper from her brood, but not as 

 loud. When the young birds are found 

 the old bird flops about much like the 

 nesting \\'oodcock and the male bird 

 sometimes lends his presence, when 

 both circle about their young, or perch 

 on low limbs or logs near and stare at 

 the intruders. 



The eggs are among the most beau- 

 tiful of American bird's eggs and al- 

 wa3's commands admiration. Of cr\'- 

 stal white they are spotted and dotted 

 with at least two colors or shades, and 

 sometimes with three or four. Often 

 the markings are about evenly distribut- 

 ed over nearly the entire surface, and 

 when of this pattern, the colors are 

 generall}' shown in formless blotches. 

 These blotches have the appearance of 

 showing through an external coat, as 

 if obscured with a very thin covering 

 of varnish. The surface, shining and 

 bright, yet showing beneath, the ob- 

 scured modest coloration of lavender 

 or lilac tints. Again the eggs are 

 marked with smaller spots of two or 

 three shades of tho above colors, and 

 these dots and spots are plainer than 

 the obscured markings, and are quite 

 often placed in the form of a ring near- 

 er one end. Occasionally the coloring 

 of the markings is of a yellowish- 

 brown. The eggs are always nearly 



