THE WILSON QUARTERLY. 57 



week is ample time in which to build a nest. I have seen 

 them built in two days. Wet or stormy weather is very un- 

 favorable, since the nest must be on the ground. It is not 

 seldom that a nest is completed some days before any eggs 

 are deposited. And on the other hand, it is not very unusual 

 to find single eggs which have been dropped because no 

 nest was ready to receive them. 



In fair weather, as soon as laying begins, an egg is depos- 

 ited each day ; but if a cold storm should occur before the 

 set is completed, a day or even two, in extreme cases, may 

 intervene between the times of depositing two eggs success- 

 ively. 



Early in the season four eggs make a complete set, 

 though three are often found. Later, when warm weath- 

 er is coming on, only three, seldom four are laid. Nests in 

 July often contain only two. At any time of year four 

 eggs is the largest number laid. 



The eggs are usually elongate ovate in form, sometimes 

 being even a short ovate; and resemble somewhat, in color 

 and markings, eggs of the Brown Thrasher. But there is al- 

 ways a certain difference, difficult to define. In color they 

 are grayish white, never greenish, as is the case with 

 Brown Thrasher not infrequently. The normal egg is 

 spotted and blotched pretty evenly over the entire surface 

 with brown of different shades, giving the impression of 

 heavy markings. Often the markings are so heavy as al- 

 most to hide the ground color. In a few instances I have 

 found eggs with a distinct wreath about the larger end, 

 but the remainder of the egg was marked as usual with 

 browns, the wreath being simply confluent blotches and 

 spots. 



In size the eggs range from .80 x .GO to .94 x .67. The 

 average egg is .86 x .63. 



Setting does not always begin immediately upon the 

 completion of the set of eggs. Frequently, especially in 

 fair warm weather, the birds take a holiday before settling 

 down to real business. The female incubates, being sup- 

 plied with food by the ever attentive male. After studying 



