Loomis on Birds of South Carolina. 213 



*48. Pyranga aestiva. Summer Redbird; "Redbird." — 

 Summer; abundant. Although a woodland bird, the Summer Tanager 

 is by no means strictly confined to the timber, but, on the contrary, is 

 found in the groves and shade-trees of the town, and around the planters' 

 houses in the open country, and is everywhere an incessant songster. Dur- 

 ing spring the woods are filled, at all hours of the day, with the fervid 

 melody of this tireless vocalist. [*] 



49. Hirundo erythrogastra. Barn Swallow. — Migratory; very 

 common. Specimens taken May 16 and July 31. Said to breed, but not 

 commonly, in the county. 



50. Tachycineta bicolor. White-bellied Swallow. — Migra- 

 tory. Two specimens. 



*51 Stelgidopteryx serripennis. Rough-winged Swallow. — 

 Summer ; rather common ; common during its migrations. Generally 

 distributed, but most abundant in the vicinity of water. 



* 52. Progne subis. Purple Martin ; " Black Martin." — 

 Summer ; abundant. 



53. Ampelis cedrorum. Carolina Waxwing. — During the 

 winter of 187 7-78 these birds were very abundant ; so numerous did they 

 become that even the casual observer noted their unusual numbers ; but the 

 following winter they were not abundant. Not observed in summer. 

 Specimens taken May 9. 



*54. Vireo olivaceus. Red-eyed Vireo. — Summer; very 

 common ; abundant during its migrations. 



*55. Vireo flavifrons. Yellow-throated Vireo. — Summer; 

 common ; very common during its migrations. 



56. Vireo solitarius. Solitary Vireo. — Migratory. One speci- 

 men, taken on the 27th of October, 1877. 



[* A nest of the Summer Redbird, containing three eggs (its usual comple- 

 ment), has been sent to me by Mr. Loomis, with its female parent. It was 

 found ou a public thoroughfare, in the edge of a grove, and built in a small 

 black-jack oak, near the extremity of an inclining limb, five feet from the 

 trunk and eight and one half above the ground. It is saddled on the limb, 

 partially resting on the smaller branchlets, and is nearly homogeneous in struc- 

 ture, being a beautifully interwoven fabric of stems of grasses, the larger ones 

 making the external framework, the finer ones enclosing the deep cup-like cavity, 

 which is wider below than at the rim. The height of the nest is about 2 inches ; 

 the depth of the cavity, being 1.90, shows how thin is the floor. The external 

 diameter of the cavity at the rim is 2.80, and half an inch below, 3 inches ; that 

 of the whole nest varies from 5 to 5.75 inches. The eggs measure .89 X.71 ; 

 .92X.70 ; .90X.66. Their ground-color is a light shade of emerald green, marked 

 with various shades of brown, more or less tinged with lilac, purple, and slate. 

 These are well scattered over the egg, though larger and more numerous about 

 the larger end. — T. M. B.] 



