172 



THE OOLOGIST. 



sometimes occurs in late summer, but 

 never breeds. 



Several years ago I found two nests 

 of the Woodcock — called here "Mud 

 Snipe"- — but in both instances the 

 young had left the nest. I have search- 

 ed diligently since, but have been un- 

 rewarded. Bob-white is abundant dur- 

 ing the winter, but not so common in 

 summer, and nests are hard to find. 

 The Mourning Dove is plentiful at all 

 seasons, and nests may be found from 

 March to June. I have not found any 

 later than June, though some author- 

 ities say nests can be found as late 

 as September. In winter they congre- 

 gate in small flocks, commonly feed- 

 ing in deserted stubble fields. 



Cwing to the absence of any large 

 tracts of woods, Raptores are not 

 abundant. 1 have in my collection a 

 set of Tiirkey Vulture's eggs taken 

 in '91, but know of no nests being 

 found at a later date, though young 

 have been frequently observed prior 

 to that time. Red-shouldered and 

 Cooper's Hawks are the only breeders 

 of that family that 1 know of, the 

 former being more common. I took 

 a set cf three slightly incubated eggs 

 9th of last May ('05), which I consider 

 imusually late, since the nesting sea- 

 son usually ends in April. The Am. 

 Sparrow Hawk possibly breeds, but 

 I have no authentic record; likewise, 

 several species of owl. 



The Red-headed Woodpecker, Yel- 

 low billed Cuckoo and Whippoorwill 

 all breed snaringly, the latter the most 

 common. Chimney Swift and Ruby- 

 coated Humming Biid are common. I 

 have faund but one nest of the King 

 Bird on the farm, but its nests are fre- 

 quently f3unn in the adjacent country. 



Of the Fly-catchers, the Green-crest- 

 ed is an abundant breeder, but the 

 Crested is not common. Phoebe was 

 formerly i)lentiful, but rarer of late 

 years; and the same may be said of 

 the Wood Pewee and Blue Jay. The 

 American Crow is omnipresent, al- 

 ways in fair numbers. The Bobolink, 

 Meadow Lark and Baltimore Oriole 

 are seen in early spring, but I have 

 found no nests, though an Oriole's 

 nest was found on a neighboring farm. 

 Gold Finches are common during the 

 winter months, but few remain to 

 breed. 



Chipping and Field Sparrow are 

 abundant, the latter breeding from 

 April to September. Grasshopper is 

 not so common. Bachman's has been 



found breeding on the next farm, but 

 I have failed to locate any here. As 

 to Cardinals, their nests can be found 

 in every thicket in company with the 

 Yellow-breasted Chat, which is almost 

 as plentiful. 



Blue Grosbeak breeds sparingly. In- 

 digo Bunting commonly. Summer 

 Tanagers can be found any time. Pur- 

 ple Martins formerly bred but not of 

 late years. Rough-winged Swallow 

 rare. 



Red-eyed, Yellow-throated, Mountain 

 Solitary, and White-c-yetl Vireos all 

 bred, the first and last commonly, the 

 others rarer. 



Of the Warbler family, the Yellow- 

 breasted Chat and Maryland Yellow- 

 throat are most common. In my esti- 

 mation there are no handsomer eggs 

 of the smaller birds than those of 

 the Yellow-throat. On the 14th of 

 June ('05), I took an exceptionally 

 fine set of four fresh eggs of this 

 species — without doubt the finest I 

 have seen. One nest each of the 

 Black-and-white, Yellow-throated, Pa- 

 rula and Worm-eating Warblers, and 

 occasionally Yellow Warbler, together 

 with a single Oven bird's nest com- 

 plete the Warblers. La. Water 

 Thrush and Am. Red-start have been 

 found breeding just outside the limits. 



Catbirds and Brown Thrushes are 

 abundant; House and Carolina Wrens 

 fairly common. Brown-headed and 

 White-breasted Nuthatches are rare; 

 and the Tufted Titmouse is hardly com- 

 mon. Carolina Chickadees are found 

 in large numbers all the year round. 

 Wood Thrush in summer only. 



Phoebes and Blue-birds have alike 

 disappeared and only a few nests 

 are found now; of these the Blue- 

 birds more frequently occur. 



Thus far, these are all the birds 

 that I have found breeding within 

 these confines, though I am sure it is 

 far from complete, for each season I 

 am adding new species to my list. 



Statesville, N. C. 



JACOB BOSTIAN. 



Publications Received. 



American Botanist, V IX, No. 9. 



Am. Orinthology. Vol. 5, No. 11. 



Photographic Times, XXXVIII, No. 

 11. 



The Warbler, New Series, Vol. I, 

 No. 4. 



Nature Study, XIV, No. 11. 



